Liz Smith, Scottish Conservative MSP for Mid Scotland & Fife has called on SNP Ministers to rethink Police Counter Closure Proposals in 2014. Under the proposals stations including Crieff, Kinross, Cardenden, Oakley, Burntisland, East Neuk (Anstruther), Howe of Fife (Auchtermuchty), Taycoast (Newport) and at Tullibody will have no public counter provision. Liz Smith, Scottish Conservative MSP for Mid Scotland & Fife said: “Residents across Perthshire, Kinross-shire, Fife and Clackmannanshire will be very concerned at the proposals which will see the public counter service at stations dramatically reduced or in some cases totally removed. “In a number of cases it has been proposed that a number of Police Stations will have no public counter provision whatsoever - this will clearly impact on community policing and ultimately many people will see this leading to local Police Stations being closed. “Scottish Conservatives warned that the single police force would ultimately lead to cuts to rural community policing and this is now being proposed. “This is yet another example of the SNP centralisation of our police services and is the start of a slippery slope to removing local policing. “In recent weeks Police Scotland have had to rethink their proposals for a number of Police Stations. In is clear a decision of this magnitude has to have the full input of the public and expert groups. “As it stands, the SNP has simply washed its hands of this and fobbed it off as an operational matter for police. That is not good enough when you consider scores of police service counters will vanish, which is why such a move has to be scrutinised to the maximum.“I hope that SNP Ministers will seriously consider the negative impact which Police Counter Closure will have on communities across Scotland and that they will make their New Year’s resolution to rethink the Police Counter Closure Proposals in 2014.”