Tayside Police cuts spark job fears
Tayside Police is preparing to shed jobs and services as the squeeze on public sector spending hits home, it has emerged.
Superintendent Leslie.
- By Steven Bell and David Clegg
- Published in the Courier : 02.07.10
- Published online : 02.07.10 @ 10.01am
The Courier can reveal that a strategic group has been set up to consider the "tough decisions" that will have to be made in the wake of an acceptance the force will become a "smaller" organisation in the years to come.
But the man in charge of Transforming Tayside insisted a high standard of community policing would remain the top priority.
"Public sector funding is under severe pressure, and I don't think there is any doubt that Tayside Police will have to work in substantially constrained financial circumstances," said Superintendent Jim Leslie.
He added, "We have put this project together to put a plan in place for the next three years on how we are going to manage our reducing budget."
The project has three main strands — looking at efficiency savings, a review of the organisational structure and a best value review of civilian staff.
But the superintendent said no decisions would be made on potential cuts until the full financial impact of the squeeze was known.
The Scottish Government has confirmed that budgets for this year will not be affected, and the comprehensive spending review will be announced in the autumn.
It is feared the civilian staff could bear the brunt of any cuts with political paymasters keen to ensure frontline officers numbers are maintained.
Consultation is already under way with trade unions and staff associations, with initial discussions described by the force as "very positive."
George McIrvine, Unison branch secretary for the force, said he would be working to ensure civilian staff posts were not unfairly targeted.
"Our Unison branch will be proactive in ensuring police staff are not the brunt of job cuts in the Scottish police service," he said.
"At Tayside Police, a balanced approach is being taken, looking at all of the business not just a particular part of it."
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