Parliament Workbench

Petition · PE01510 · Session 4

Emergency Service and Non Emergency Service Call Centres

Closed Submitted 25 Jan 2014 Justice
Signatures
0
1,704 online signatures with a country
Comments
232
Considered
15 meetings
in the Official Report

What it asks

Calling on the Scottish Parliament to undertake a committee inquiry into the closure of Police, Fire, and Non-Emergency Service Centres north of Dundee. In particular, the major concerns raised have been the loss of public knoweldge; public safety; officers being off the street and overwhelmed in managing the increased workload this would create.

What the petitioner did first

Written to and encouraged others to write to their local MP.
I am aware that employees at Aberdeen Service Centre have also written to their MPs and indeed the Chief of Police Scotland, asking them to and reconsider the closures. They have yet to receicve responses.
I have also emailed the Scottish Police Authority Complaints Department and am still waiting for a response.
As yet I have not had a response from my local MSP.
Alongside this petition I will acquire the contact details of the relevant Minister to which these organisations are accountable, and appeal to them for a review of the descision.

Where it was considered

Official Report
  1. 22 Apr 2014
    Public Petitions Committee
    New Petitions
    1 mention
  2. 3 Jun 2014
    Public Petitions Committee
    Current Petitions
    1 mention
  3. 24 Jun 2014
    Justice Committee
    Petitions
    2 mentions
  4. 4 Nov 2014
    Justice Committee
    Petitions
    1 mention
  5. 3 Feb 2015
    Justice Committee
    Petitions
    1 mention
  6. 21 Apr 2015
    Justice Committee
    Petitions
    1 mention
  7. 22 Sep 2015
    Justice Committee
    Petitions
    1 mention
  8. 29 Sep 2015
    Justice Committee
    Petitions
    2 mentions
  9. 5 Jan 2016
    Justice Committee
    Petitions
    2 mentions
  10. 23 Feb 2016
    Justice Committee
    Petitions
    1 mention
  11. 27 Sep 2016
    Justice Committee
    Petitions
    1 mention
  12. 24 Jan 2017
    Justice Committee
    Petitions
    1 mention
  13. 2 May 2017
    Justice Committee
    Petitions
    1 mention
  14. 5 Sep 2017
    Justice Committee
    Petitions
    1 mention
  15. 19 Dec 2017
    Justice Committee
    Petitions
    3 mentions

Signatures by country

1,704 online signatures
  1. Scotland1,508 88.5%
  2. United Kingdom179 10.5%
  3. Wales5 0.3%
  4. England4 0.2%
  5. Australia2 0.1%
  6. Spain1 0.1%
  7. Mexico1 0.1%
  8. Taiwan1 0.1%
  9. Isle of Man1 0.1%
  10. United States1 0.1%
  11. 1 other countries1 0.1%

Comments

232 comments, oldest first
232 comments · showing 1–50
  1. Karen mcmillan 14 Feb 2014
    Save our service
  2. Charlie Clarke 14 Feb 2014
    The biggest mistake you could make , local knowledge can't be replaced by GPS and technology
  3. nicola murray 14 Feb 2014
    These should remain local and provide an adequate service it isn't, or shouldn't always be about penny pinching.
  4. Maureen Thomson 14 Feb 2014
    If Scotland goes independent everything will go to the Central Belt. This is such a disgrace and an example of things moving already. Stop the decision to move our emergency centres NOW!!!
  5. Jess Blackmore 14 Feb 2014
    It is a ridiciulas and ill thought out proposal. Local knowledge of call centre staff is imperative to the service they provide and public safety.
  6. G Smith 14 Feb 2014
    There is not enough police presence on the streets as it is. The local knowledge of call centre handlers is critical to ensuring emergency services can respond quickly.
  7. Jill Brebner 14 Feb 2014
    Worried that staff won't know local area if manned further south.
  8. Wendie Durrand 14 Feb 2014
    Please like and share!
  9. Dawn Priest 14 Feb 2014
    We need to save this centre
  10. Kim King 14 Feb 2014
    Closing this local service centre is putting lives in danger
  11. Andrew Stokes 14 Feb 2014
    Centralisation of services may improve financial and service efficiencies, but as a country it creates problems elsewhere. If everyone does this, there will be no country left other than a centralised command and control centre.
  12. Clare Taylor 14 Feb 2014
    As a response police officer based in Peterhead I am very concerned about the closure of the Aberdeen control room and service centre. This will have a negative impact on public and officer safety.
  13. Nicki Walton 14 Feb 2014
    This is a very worrying idea. Gives the impression that those residing and employed in the central belt are in fact creating a them and us division within Scotland. Proves that they are not interested in the well being of anyone north of themselves, and are not concerned with our opinions either, disgraceful.
  14. Lorna Donald 14 Feb 2014
    When we became Police Scotland, we were not aware at the time that all main jobs were to go to Central Belt!
  15. Shona Coull 14 Feb 2014
    Losing all local knowledge is just ludicrous and bound to have a detrimental effect on the service provided by the emergency services.
  16. Claire Notman 14 Feb 2014
    Need to keep the local knowledge
  17. Heather 14 Feb 2014
    In order to keep the people of Aberdeen safe, the service centre needs to stay in Aberdeen.
  18. Sarah 14 Feb 2014
    Keep the Aberdeen Control Room and Service Centre, local knowledge is key
  19. Chris Johnston 14 Feb 2014
    Local knowledge is tantamount to delivering these services. It's quite obvious that nothing will exist north of the Central Belt if the SNP get their way.
  20. Pauline 14 Feb 2014
    Keep the north of Scotland services where they'll best serve the north of Scotland!
  21. Raymond Johnston 14 Feb 2014
    we need centres in Aberdeen
  22. Penny Gilmour 14 Feb 2014
    I think there are far too many cut these services are most importsnt
  23. Georgina Adie 14 Feb 2014
    Please stop this centralisation of services. Scotland exists North of Stirling Mr Salmond.
  24. Andy McCafferty 14 Feb 2014
    The Scottish government need to realise that the North of Scotland does exist and that Scotland doesn't end just north of Dundee
  25. Fiona Hardie 14 Feb 2014
    obviously there is nothing north of Dundee, take it the rest of us up north don't count
  26. Pauline 14 Feb 2014
    A bad decision, needs seriously looking at again and with public consultation!
  27. Ann 14 Feb 2014
    This is the start of a worrying trend of services being centralised and must be stopped before lives are put in danger!!
  28. Sheila 14 Feb 2014
    With the oil and royalty, local knowledge is paramount and therefore we need our control rooms.
  29. Carol Grove 14 Feb 2014
    Keep the Aberdeen Control Room and Service Centre, local knowledge is key for public and officer safety. It is ludicrous to close the best performing service centre to save money!
  30. James Grove 14 Feb 2014
    Doesn't make sense to close their best performing Service Centre and take Police off the front line in order to support administration. This can only result in a poorer service to the public and put Police safety at further risk.
  31. Lorraine sandison 14 Feb 2014
    you have to retain these centres, local knowledge and peoples livlihood, just because we are the oil capital doesnt mean you can get a job in oil. Maintain these local offices too much is biased around central belt
  32. Elaine Clunie 14 Feb 2014
    Keep services local, local knowledge is paramount! No more cuts.
  33. christopher auld 14 Feb 2014
    Keep the Aberdeen centre open
  34. Eileen Jones 14 Feb 2014
    How ridiculous closing the Aberdeen call centre. This could cost lives.
  35. mark jarret 14 Feb 2014
    let's spend lots of money upgrading the fire and police call centres and close the 2 that need little investment. how prudent. no central belt bias there then!
  36. Debbie Anderson 14 Feb 2014
    Great local knowledge and service going to be lost from the service centres and control rooms that are to close.
  37. christopher auld 14 Feb 2014
    Leave the service centres open north of Dundee as if the centres close you loose all the local knowledge
  38. Lorraine Taylor 14 Feb 2014
    How can Aberdeen be stripped of its identit by losing the Control room with it being the oil capital it just does not make any sense.
  39. Jackie Gauld 14 Feb 2014
    This cannot seriously happen!!!
  40. Kirsten Hay 14 Feb 2014
    Shocking they are thinking of closing Aberdeen, especially being the oil capital. Utterly disgraceful!
  41. Margaret Miller 14 Feb 2014
    I think it's a little strange that next year we get to vote if we want an independent Scotland and I was against voting for it but know I'm beginning to change my mind, if the government wants to try anything out or cut money it always hits Scotland first because they treat us like guinea pigs in a laboratory, I think it's time the politicians took a wage cut and instead of closing call centres we could probably open more...politicians are paid to much to sit pushing a pen and making silly decisions like closing much needed call centres.
  42. Neil Sutherland 14 Feb 2014
    Pay off MPs, MSPs n councillors that'll save some money cos they do nothing apart from feather their own nests grrrr
  43. Elaine Kasparian 14 Feb 2014
    It is essential for the well being of the north of Scotland that the control room and service centre remain open
  44. Arlene Stewart 15 Feb 2014
    Due to the geography of Scotland, it has many different 'nooks and crannies' and isolated areas which local knowledge can be crucial to assist emergency services. Often it is the staff in the local service centres and control rooms who have this local knowledge who can give, not only the emergency services staff, but also the public assistance and reassurance.
  45. lianne 15 Feb 2014
    Your asking to much for so little. How are the forces to cope if you shut down the local stations. Its nice to know there is someone on the end of the phone who will know exactly where you are!
  46. Hazel farquhar 15 Feb 2014
    Unfair people in the north need there own services Aberdeen is a big city and covers a lot in north.
  47. Ron Hughes 15 Feb 2014
    It is time the SPA carried out their remit to police the police service and get a grip on Steve House and his management team whose micro managent style will destroy the camaraderie and welfare of the Scottish police service.
  48. Jean Craig 15 Feb 2014
    In an emergency local workforce will know the area and understand the local dialect, without this knowledge it could cause long delays in getting help to people and even cause fatality.
  49. Morag Morrison 15 Feb 2014
    As a member of Aberdeen Service Centre support staff, I obviously have a vested interest in keeping the Service Centre from closing, but I sincerely believe this to be a very poorly-made, shortsighted decision, which is only about cost-cutting, which cannot possibly best-serve the communities affected in the long-term, but rather is likely to have a detrimental effect on those communities' safety and welfare. It is imperative that public consultation is sought (should have been prior to the decision being made), and due consideration given to maintaining the quality of service which is currently delivered by Aberdeen Service Centre support staff. We have worked so hard to achieve the high standard we deliver, and do not deserve to be cast aside on a political whim.
  50. Brian Robertson 15 Feb 2014
    Do people still think freezing council tax and business rates are a good idea given what is happening to all areas of public services ?