SNP Cabinet Secretary forJustice, Kenny MacAskill MSP has washed his hands of the Auchterarder Police Station counter closure.
Liz Smith MSP wrote to the Cabinet Secretary to raise concerns over Police Scotland handling of the Public Counter Closures proposals with no real public consultation taking place and no rationale being provided to for closing the public counter at Auchterarder Police Station.
Liz Smith, Scottish Conservative MSP for Mid Scotland & Fife said:
“I am hugely disappointed in the way SNP Ministers have decided to hide behind Police Scotland. SNP Ministers are responsible for Policing and it is disingenuous to say that Ministers have no responsibility.
“The way in which Police Scotland has handled the Public Counter Closures proposals has been unacceptable with no real public consultation taking place.
“Under the original Police Scotland announcement a synopsis of the proposed future provision for Policing was provided for every community accept Autherarder. At no point has Police Scotland outlined their rationale for closing the public counter at Auchterarder Police Station and at no point has key information regarding the footfall and public use of Auchterarder Police Station been made available.
“Police Scotland have either been negligent when undertaking the consultation for Auchterader or have tried to sneak the removal of the public counter services into the list. Either way questions must be asked as to why Auchterarder will lose its local public counter when vital information has not been provide to elected representatives this only demonstrates how flawed the Police Scotland’s non-public consultation exercise has been.
“I have contacted Police Scotland to ask that they provide the rationale for closing the public counter at Auchterarder Police Station and called for the proposal to be suspended until the necessary facts and information has been provided.”
Liz Smith MSP added:
“As everyone suspected, the consultation exercise was merely Police Scotland going through the motions. No matter what anyone said, these service counters were closing.
“There is growing concern however that this exercise has been based on false and inaccurate data, and will erode the relationship between the public and the police.”