Questions remain about location of NDEU in Inverness

Questions remain open about the future of the Inverness Police Control Room and the creation of a single National Database Enquiry Unit for the whole of Scotland, based in Inverness.

Leader of the Council, Margaret Davidson said:

“I have written to the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) to express my concerns regarding the lack of information provided and absence of any consultation over the proposed changes to the Inverness Police Control Room this summer. Significant concerns remain about the impact of closing the Control Room on the local community and work has still to be done to provide public reassurance and confidence in the new model going forward. We now have additional concerns about the creation of the NDEU in Inverness.

“I have formally requested a copy of the NDEU Options paper which went to the SPA C3 Governance and Assurance Group on 2 May.

“The paper which went to the SPA last week mentioned this report in a very ambiguous manner, but we have been refused a copy of it so far.

“We were told in 2014 that the National Database Enquiry Unit (NDEU) would be based in Inverness and this was to be a single unit for the whole of Scotland, with increases in staff and no decrease in grades or quality of posts.

“SPA Board members questioned whether Police Scotland has done enough regarding consultation with stakeholders.  Well, as far as I am concerned, they have done very little or nothing!  We have had no consultation on any changes to the plans for the NDEU. We have only had vague hints and ambiguous statements, questions raised in Parliament and BBC reports to go by so far.

“I have a meeting scheduled with Police Scotland later this month, but I need to have all the information and facts before me in order to have any meaningful discussion. It is also necessary for Police Scotland to consider the full personnel, social, reputational, community and equality issues – of which there will be many if there is to be any reneging of promises made.”