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Plea to police for rethink of counter closure plans

Plea to police for rethink of counter closure plans

Police Scotland has been urged to rethink its plans to close police counters across the country.

Stations at Crieff, Kinross and Tullibody are among those which will be affected in a bid designed to save more than £4 million.

A report to the Scottish Police Authority revealed wide differences between levels of service and opening hours ranging from three to 24 hours a day and two to 365 days a year.

It also put forward evidence from the old forces reflecting a reduced demand for public counter services across the country.

However, Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Liz Smith, believes residents across Perthshire, Kinross-shire and Clackmannanshire will be “very concerned” by the proposals.

“In a number of cases it has been proposed a number of police stations will have no public counter provision whatsoever,” she said.

“This will clearly impact on community policing and ultimately, many people will see this leading to local police stations being closed.

“This is yet another example of the centralisation of our police services and is the start of a slippery slope to removing local policing.

“I hope SNP ministers will seriously consider the negative impact counter closures will have on communities across Scotland and they will make their New Year’s resolution to rethink the police counter closure proposals in 2014.”

The front counter at Crieff Police Station will close on Friday, while that at Auchterarder will remain open until March.

Police Scotland began consulting with staff on the proposals in October last year but the public consultation has been heavily criticised.

Opponents claim the proposals will reduce public access to officers, hurt local policing and could even lead to the closure of police stations.

Many of those scheduled for closure remain well-used in the eyes of their communities.

Councillors in Perth and Kinross have sought talks with Police Scotland in a bid to force a change of heart.