Council to raise Police Control Room decision making with First Minister

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.”