A Tory MSP has raised the dilapidated state of Broughty Ferry police station during a Parliamentary debate on funding to Police Scotland.
North East Conservative MSP Bill Bowman highlighted the example during a Conservative motion claiming funding to Police Scotland was being cut in real terms — an accusation denied by Justice secretary Humza Yousaf.
The Courier revealed earlier this year the “shocking” state of disrepair the Ferry station had reached, just days after Mr Yousaf derided as “hyperbole” concerns on the police estate raised by the Scottish Police Authority.
“Poor condition of stations not only concern in Tayside”
Mr Bowman said: “The (funding) shortfall affects Police Scotland’s ability to maintain police stations and replace or upgrade other equipment such as cars and IT systems.
“This was more apparent than ever when a ceiling in Broughty Ferry police station collapsed just hours after Cabinet Secretary Humza Yousaf labelled criticisms of the force’s buildings conditions ‘hyperbole’.
“There are no visible signs of the damage from outside and the extent of the damage in Broughty Ferry is unknown but the station was closed over health and safety fears.
“Following on from this, Tayside Divisional Commander Andrew Todd said: ‘The building is not being used due to health and safety risks and won’t be until a full assessment has been carried out…Some buildings are no longer operationally fit for purpose…I am grateful to officers and staff who continue to work tirelessly in challenging conditions.’
“The poor condition of the police stations in Dundee is not the only concern in the area.
“In Dundee, councillors agreed a report laying out cost-cutting measures to make £16.8 million in savings. Meanwhile, the Community Safety and Public Protection Committee heard there was a 36.6% increase in the number of police assaults in the last quarter of last year, year on year. Two of the 231 attacks were classed as serious.
“Meanwhile, new figures have revealed that the police in Dundee and Angus recorded more than 3,300 incidents of domestic abuse in 2018-19. It means there are now more than nine incidents each day within the council area. Dundee’s incident numbers are at a four-year high.
“Across Scotland, the number of domestic abuse cases rose for the third year in a row to 60,641, a new all-time high. These figures are only likely to get worse as police funding continues to be cut each year.”
Government to increase budget
Revised spending plans, drawn up by SNP ministers in conjunction with Scottish Greens, will result in an extra £60 million for the force next year.
The total budget for Police Scotland in 2020-21 will rise to more than £1.2 billion, Mr Yousaf said, hailing it as a “very, very good settlement indeed”.
That was after an additional £15 million was found for the force’s day-to-day spending requirements, along with a further £5 million for capital spending.
Mr Yousaf told MSPs the overall police budget would now rise by 5.1% in 2020-21 – with the cash for capital spending up by almost 30%.
He said the Scottish Government had invested more than £9 billion in policing since 2013.
“Remarkably this has been achieved against a backdrop of a decade of austerity led by the Conservative Government,” he said.
“Police Scotland has the money it requires to maintain officer numbers at current levels, recognising the unprecedented events Police Scotland will be dealing with this financial year”.
This includes the prospect of a no-deal Brexit and the COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow in November.
£100 million through Barnett consequentials
Liam Kerr, the Scottish Conservatives justice spokesman, said increased spending on policing south of the border — where PM Boris Johnson has promised to recruit an extra 20,000 officers for England and Wales — would lead to almost £100 million extra coming to Scotland.
He said the additional cash for policing was not enough for Conservatives to support the Scottish Government’s budget.
Mr Kerr said: “In choosing to underfund Police Scotland in the budget, the SNP is undermining our police.
“It is the SNP’s choice not to fund improvements to police stations, police equipment or maintain police numbers.
“It is the SNP’s choice to risk hindering the police’s ability to investigate crimes and risk leaving the people of Scotland and police officers less safe.
“It is the SNP’s choice to leave officers and staff stressed and overworked and under-resourced.”
