By Richard Johnstone | 14 November 2013
The merger of Scotland’s eight police forces into one national service faces ‘significant challenges’ if it is to secure the £1.1bn worth of savings expected from the reform, auditors have warned.
Examining the change, which took effect on April 1 this year, Audit Scotland said the unification – one of the biggest reforms in Scotland's public sector since devolution – was successfully implemented.
This was because the Scottish Government, Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority had put in effective structures and legislation ahead of the launch. Frontline services were maintained throughout.
However, the aim to save £1.1bn by 2026 through the amalgamation requires the force and the authority to agree on a financial strategy, including a detailed savings plans, by the end of March 2014.
It remains unclear how these savings will be achieved, today’s Police reform report stated. In addition, ministers, Police Scotland and SPA have yet to agree how to monitor progress towards this target, and how to report on performance.
Auditor general for Scotland Caroline Gardner said much was achieved over a short timeframe to ensure the merger was completed.
‘However, a lack of good information in non-operational areas like finance and staffing, and differing views on how the new arrangements would work in practice affected planning for the move to a single police service,’ she added.
‘The Scottish Police Authority and Police Scotland will find it challenging to deliver the savings expected by these reforms. There are a number of reasons for this, including limited flexibility with police officer and staff numbers. They need to urgently agree a long-term financial strategy and savings plans.’
Responding to the report, Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said the report represented a ‘snapshot’ of the changes from earlier this year.
‘It does not reflect the considerable work which has been undertaken since then,’ he insisted.
Both the chief constable Sir Stephen House and SPA chair Vic Emery were confident that the savings target will be met, he added.
‘The Scottish Police Authority and Police Scotland have made very good early progress. Roles and responsibilities and early release schemes have been agreed, savings are on track for the year, and the development of a financial strategy is at an advanced stage. Good progress is also being made putting in place permanent executive level structures for the SPA and Police Scotland,’ MacAskill said.
Emery added the report was a ‘thoughtful assessment’ of the reforms.
There was now a ‘strong consensus on respective roles and responsibilities’ for the new bodies, but achieving the savings target would be ‘hugely challenging’, he admitted.
‘However, the first milestone in achieving savings in future years is to make sure we balance the books in year one. We are confident that we will deliver all the savings required of us in this first year, and to do so with policing continuing to perform effectively for the people of Scotland.’
