Police Scotland control room cuts go ahead
The restructurings are intended to save money and improve efficiency Proposals to cut the number of police control rooms in Scotland have been approved by the Scottish Police Authority.
The plan will see two control rooms in Aberdeen close, along with those in Stirling, Dumfries, Glenrothes and Pitt Street in Glasgow.
A total of almost 1,500 police officers and civilian staff are currently employed in the control rooms.
Police Scotland has said there will be no compulsory redundancies.
The decision follows the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Board agreeing to close five of its control rooms.
Under the plan put forward by Police Scotland Chief Constable Sir Stephen House, five of the force's 11 sites will be retained.
Motherwell and Govan will now form a West Area Control centre, with Bilston Glen near Edinburgh given responsibility for the East Command Area and Dundee the North Area Command.
Inverness will lose its police control room but will instead become the new hub for the command and control of major incidents and national events anywhere in the country, equipped with new communications systems.
A National Virtual Service Centre will be split between Govan, Motherwell and Bilston Glen.
But Dumfries will close in April 2014, Stirling in December 2014, Glenrothes in March 2015, Pitt Street in March 2015 and Aberdeen in December 2015.
Affected civilian staff will be offered redeployment, voluntary redundancy or early retirement, with a "phased consultation" with unions and staff to be carried out.
The control rooms deal with emergency 999 calls and calls to the non-emergency 101 number.
Police Scotland has argued the changes will reduce costs and improve efficiency, but the proposals have been politically controversial with campaigns being mounted in several areas - including Dumfries and Aberdeen - to save the local facilities.
'Considering the impact'Staff at the Dumfries police control room have said they were left "in a state of bewilderment and shock" by the proposals, and warned the removal of call handlers in the area with local knowledge could cost lives.
The 34 staff had written a joint letter to the board members and chairman of the SPA calling for a full public consultation to take place before any decision was made.
Before the decision was made, SPA chairman Vic Emery said: "We recognise that this is a complex and sensitive proposal which has long-term implications for the organisation of policing, and the service's engagement with local communities. We have received a number of representations from staff and other interested parties since the proposals were published last week and these will inform the board's consideration of the issue.
"Before taking a decision on whether this strategic proposal is progressed, SPA members will ensure that the rationale behind this proposal is well evidenced, that the delivery plan is sound, and that the outcomes will deliver service benefits for all parts of Scotland.
"That will clearly include considering the impact of the proposals on our people, both officers and staff, and how that will be managed."
A spokesman for Police Scotland said staff would have opportunities to raise any issues in the consultation.
The fire service board earlier approved plans to reduce the number of control rooms, which handle emergency calls, from eight to three.
Those being lost are in Aberdeen, Inverness, Dumfries, Fife and Falkirk, while Johnstone in Renfrewshire, Edinburgh and Dundee will remain open.
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