Caithness Map :: Links to Site Map Great value Unlimited Broadband from an award winning provider  

 

Council to raise Police Control Room decision making with First Minister

7th September 2017

The Highland Council has agreed to write to the First Minister regarding Police Scotland's plans for the Inverness Control Room.

The motion which was signed by The Leader of the Highland Council, Margaret Davidson and the Vice Chair of Corporate Resources Cllr Andrew Baxter states: ‘Highland Council is appalled at the circumstances surrounding the future proposed closure of the Inverness Control Room, a facility that has stood the test of time and countless emergencies with distinction. The statement that all the jobs are secure is now in doubt and the promises to bring additional jobs to Highland in a National Database Enquiry Unit are proving false.

`The Council and the Highland public demands answers regarding when the decision to recommend to the Scottish Police Authority to remove jobs from Inverness to the Central Belt/Govan was made and by whom.

`Repeated representations have proved futile so we ask that we now write to the First Minister and make clear how betrayed we feel with the ongoing centralisation of services away from Highland'.

Councillor Davidson has also submitted an FOI request for the Police Scotland business case and has written to the Scottish Police Authority (SPA). She said: "It is outrageous that I have had to go to such lengths to get answers. I can only hope that the SPA will consider all the facts when they scrutinise Police Scotland's proposals later this month."

Councillor Davidson has written to every member of the Police Board individually to get clear answers and has declared the whole process as very unsatisfactory.

Councillor Reiss emphasised the loss of local knowledge, and jobs. At the Caithness Committee he said one reason given was that 14 per cent of calls went unanswered. But he asked about this and he said the truth was the control centre had a quarter of the staff as missing with vacant posts. Call handlers in the new control centre will have to ask more questions to ascertain exactly where people are due to the lack of local knowledge. In 2014 the National Database was to be in Inverness and his question is where is the business case for Inverness to be the centre in 2014. What Changed as result of the decision 20 jobs will be lost to Highland.

 

Related Businesses

 

Related Articles

Yesterday
Wick Public Service Obligation Celebrates Successful Second Year Subsidising Wick Aberdeen FlightsThumbnail for article : Wick Public Service Obligation Celebrates Successful Second Year Subsidising Wick Aberdeen Flights
The Highland Council is delighted to confirm a highly successful second year for Public Service Obligation (PSO) flights between Wick and Aberdeen.   The period from April 2023 to March 2024 has seen a substantial increase in passenger numbers, with several months seeing over 1,000 passengers using the service, and overall the service has seen year on year growth of 25%.  
18/3/2024
Members Agree Digital Ambition For Highland Council - Or How To Make Cuts Without Saying SoThumbnail for article : Members Agree Digital Ambition For Highland Council - Or How To Make Cuts Without Saying So
Members of Highland Council, who met on Thursday 14 March 2024, approved a corporate Digital Ambition, which has been designed to deliver significant organisational change across Council services, recognising the current priorities within the organisation.   The Strategy, which is embedded within the wider Council Delivery Plan, has been developed to focus attention and resources on areas of change which will deliver the greatest benefit to the Council.  
14/3/2024
Clarification On The Role Of MCR Pathways' Coordinators And Mentors In Highland Schools
The Council remains committed to supporting mentoring in our schools, including the support that is currently delivered through the MCR Pathways programme.   Highland Council is currently undertaking a review of Employability Support provided by a number of different council services and how these relate to the work carried out by external partners and in our schools.  
15/3/2024
Council Agrees A New Draft Highland Outcome Improvement Plan
Highland Council members have considered and agreed a revised draft Highland Outcome Improvement Plan.   The partnership plan has been reviewed and updated by the Community Planning Partnership.  
15/3/2024
Members agree Highland Council's new Community Wealth Building Strategy
Members at today's (14 March 2024) meeting of The Highland Council agreed the local authority's new draft Community Wealth Building Strategy.   They were also asked to note that a period of public engagement on the draft will now begin, with a final strategy returning to full Council for consideration in September.  
15/3/2024
£60m Capital Investment Approved For Roads And Infrastructure In Highland
Plans to invest up to £60m new Capital in Highland roads and infrastructure have been approved by Members at the Council meeting on 14 March 2024.   The decision will see an additional £40m Capital investment in roads and transport infrastructure.  
10/3/2024
Highland Council Budget - Delivery Plan Sets Out Roadmap To Deliver Savings And Investment
A draft Delivery Plan sets out a roadmap which will ensure the delivery of £54.6m savings and over £100m investment agreed by Council over the next 3 years.   The report is a difficult to follow series looing at areas but does not specify where the cuts to jobs will come over the next three years.  
Cuts And More Cuts But Still Cash For Arts In Highland - £30,000 For TapestriesThumbnail for article : Cuts And More Cuts But Still Cash For Arts In Highland - £30,000 For Tapestries
The Co-Chairs of the Inverness Castle Delivery Group, Fergus Ewing MSP and Cllr Ian Brown, are delighted to announce the award of £30,000 from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) in support of framing the 57 panels that will form the Tapestry of the Highlands and Islands.   This financial commitment from HIE has contributed significantly to the preservation of the 57 panels created by communities across the Highlands and Islands, of which 32 will be included in the first exhibition as part of the Inverness Castle Experience.  
6/3/2024
Council Employee Receives Special Recognition At The Scottish Empty Homes AwardsThumbnail for article : Council Employee Receives Special Recognition At The Scottish Empty Homes Awards
Dawn Meston from The Highland Council's Housing team won a prestigious award at the Scottish Empty Homes Awards held at The Studio, Glasgow on Thursday 29 February 2024 in recognition of her contribution to bringing empty homes back into use across Highland.   Between 1 April and 31 December 2023, a total of 25 empty properties were brought back into use following Dawn's intervention as Highland's Empty Homes Officer.  
5/3/2024
Highland Council Confirms Dates For Thermal Trial To Start In ThursoThumbnail for article : Highland Council Confirms Dates For Thermal Trial To Start In Thurso
The Chair of The Highland Council's Economy and Infrastructure Committee has confirmed details of a trial, to start next week, of a thermal process for carrying out pothole repairs.   An external contractor, Thermal Road Repairs, has been appointed to undertake the work using a thermal repair process.