SNP dithering in the Highlands
25 June 2011
The SNP group in Highland Council cannot make up its mind whether it is for or against a single police force in Scotland. This is in line with the dithering of the SNP prior to the recent Scottish election.
In its submission to the Scottish Government consultation on The Future of Policing the Highland SNP group says: “In the absence of a solid financial assessment of the impact of change and the efficiencies that can be realised by each model it would be irresponsible to come down firmly on any one option.”
This attempt to hide behind financial prudence allows it to hedge its opinions, but it judges as “irresponsible” all those organisations which did otherwise. The Highland Council chose one of the options suggested in the consultation paper, which is irresponsible according to the Highland SNP group. The Highland Council and NHS Highland rejected the single police force option, as did the Northern Constabulary, the peripheral police chiefs and the Northern Joint Police Board.
The Highland SNP opinion implicitly criticises the SNP Government in Holyrood which organised the consultation exercise, in which several options were given in order to guage opinion. What is the point in giving options if it is irresponsible to choose one? Although finance is important, it cannot determine the final decision, especially when no-one seems able to cost major projects, keep them within budget, and hold contractors to account to deliver on time. Already the cost of the Beauly-Denny power line is escalating - will this stop it? No - neither should it, but it should raise questions about the process. We should opt for the best solution and find the money to implement it - which means undergrounding it at environmentally sensitive sites. The same is true of a tunnel crossing for Inverness Trunk Link Road. The Edinburgh tram fiasco, following rapidly on the Scottish Parliament fiasco, is undermining confidence in these capital projects, so that some wonder what will be the eventual cost of a second Forth Road Bridge. Let us find politicians who can see that projects are done properly. We have our own fiascos in Highland, one of the most recent being the road improvements at Moy on the A9. We are in danger of a similar rushed job in the transport infrastructure at the new Highland University Campus in Inverness. The Highland SNP group has not served the Highlands well as far as developing our infrastructure, and it looks as if it may yet sell out Northern Constabulary.