A North-East MSP has called for a public consultation into police plans to close public counters across Scotland.
Alison McInnes said her motion had already received cross party support. Police Scotland is planning to close more than 60 counters across Scotland, arguing that people can report crime over the phone.
As part of the cost-cutting drive they were proposing to close counters at Carnoustie, Montrose and Brechin.
Figures from the Scottish Liberal Democrats, show the opening hours of police counters across Scotland will be reduced by 6,128 hours each week.
Ms McInnes said: “Communities across the North East will see 554 hours lost in police counter opening hours, 23 stations will suffer cutbacks and, of those, 13 will close their doors to the public.
“These figures reinforce the case for a full and formal public consultation on Police Scotland’s plans.
“I’ve put a motion forward in the Scottish Parliament calling for this and it has already received support from Labour and Conservative members.”
Ms McInnes said that if the closures are an operational matter for the police, SNP MSPs should be free to defend their local police stations.
“Alex Salmond tried to wash his hands of the closures caused by his Government’s centralisation plans the First Minister said it was an operational matter for the police,” she continued.
“If that is the case then SNP backbenchers should defend their local police stations and sign my motion calling for communities across Scotland to be given a formal hearing.”
She continued: “It’s becoming clearer by the day that the SNP have the wrong priorities for Scotland. Communities across Scotland deserve a government which will defend local services.”
* As well as three public counters in Angus closing under the proposals, police counter opening hours in Forfar and Arbroath are set to change under the plans from 8.30am-4.30pm to 9am-5pm from Monday to Friday.