Written Question · S6W-19710 · Session 6
Whether it will provide an update on what action the (a) Scottish Police Authority and (b) Chief Constable took in light of the recommendat…
The question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action the (a) Scottish Police Authority and (b) Chief Constable took in light of the recommendation in the Scottish Police Federation’s 2019 Deep Dive Interim Report that "Lochgilphead Police Station (including the custody facility) be closed forthwith [as] it does not provide a safe working environment".
The answer
(a) The Scottish Police Authority (SPA) considered the Scottish Police Federation’s (SPF) Deep Dive report in detail and was satisfied with the remedial actions which were planned and put in place by Police Scotland. The condition of the police estate remains a high priority for the SPA, and it continues to scrutinise Police Scotland’s plans for the delivery of improvements, which support the delivery of the Police Scotland Estate Strategy.
(b) Police Scotland closed its Lochgilphead custody suite between 3rd and 7th May 2019 to allow for urgent upgrade works to be carried out, during which time the custody suite operations were moved to Fort William.
Due to its rural location, and the distance to the nearest police stations, Police Scotland did not close Lochgilphead Police Station while other remedial repair works took place within the police station itself. As a result of this work Police Scotland is confident that the works identified in the SPF report were completed and the standard across both the police station and the custody suite were significantly improved.
In the years following the publication of the SPF report, additional inspections have been introduced and further works have been carried out which involved close collaboration with Police Scotland’s Health & Safety Team, SPF and Union representatives. Police Scotland’s Health & Safety Team has confirmed that the improvement works meet health and safety requirements.
Police Scotland continues to consider options for the future of Lochgilphead Police Station in line with the delivery of its Estate Strategy.
(b) Police Scotland closed its Lochgilphead custody suite between 3rd and 7th May 2019 to allow for urgent upgrade works to be carried out, during which time the custody suite operations were moved to Fort William.
Due to its rural location, and the distance to the nearest police stations, Police Scotland did not close Lochgilphead Police Station while other remedial repair works took place within the police station itself. As a result of this work Police Scotland is confident that the works identified in the SPF report were completed and the standard across both the police station and the custody suite were significantly improved.
In the years following the publication of the SPF report, additional inspections have been introduced and further works have been carried out which involved close collaboration with Police Scotland’s Health & Safety Team, SPF and Union representatives. Police Scotland’s Health & Safety Team has confirmed that the improvement works meet health and safety requirements.
Police Scotland continues to consider options for the future of Lochgilphead Police Station in line with the delivery of its Estate Strategy.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S6W-19710 by reference.