Latest news with #EstatesMasterplan
The Herald Scotland
a day ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Police officers 'at risk' with asbestos in stations
It comes as figures obtained by the Scottish Conservatives through freedom of information request, revealed that 177 police stations around the country contain the potentially harmful substance. The substance was banned in construction by 1999 but is still present in may older buildings. It can cause serious lung and respiratory conditions. But with 214 police stations across Scotland, there are just 37 that do not contain any asbestos. All 13 divisions of Police Scotland contain stations with asbestos, while three - Tayside, Edinburgh and the Lothians and Scottish Borders - include reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), the lightweight material used in the deadly Grenfell Tower fire in 2017. Read more: The highest number of stations with asbestos is found in Aberdeenshire and Moray where 25 buildings contain the material, followed by 23 in Greater Glasgow and 21 in Tayside. 19 buildings in the Lothians and Scottish Borders contain asbestos, as do 18 in Lanarkshire and 11 each in Edinburgh, Argyll and West Dunbartonshire and Ayrshire. Fife and Dumfries and Galloway have 10 buildings each with asbestos, Forth Valley, nine, Renfrewshire and Inverclyde, six and Highlands and Islands, three. The precise stations affected by asbestos and RAAC have not been revealed. Liam Kerr, justice spokesman for the Scottish Tories, said the "dangerous" figures must act as a wake up call for the Scottish Government. The party also warned that the Scottish Police Federation (SPF) has warned about the state of police stations in the country for years. In evidence to Holyrood's justice committee in 2019, former SPF general secretary Calum Steele described Ayr station as "probably being carved out of asbestos". He described much of the police estate across Scotland as "frankly decrepit". Read more: Mr Kerr said: 'It is utterly appalling and downright dangerous that any of Scotland's police stations should still contain asbestos. 'The fact the vast majority do across the country is deeply alarming and puts our hardworking officers and staff at great risk. 'These shocking findings are the latest example of the SNP's shameful neglect of Police Scotland. 'They have ignored warnings for years about Scotland's crumbling police estate and left officers and staff working in these buildings to face the consequences. 'This must be an urgent wake up call for the SNP justice secretary to properly fund our police estate and guarantee asbestos will be removed from all of these stations where it is safe to do so as quickly as possible.' Senior management at Police Scotland declared 29 stations were unfit for purpose in October 2023. The force is considering the feasibility of retaining some stations as part of its 10-year Estates Masterplan. It was revealed in 2023 that around 140 police stations across the country had been closed, with front desks falling from 340 in 2013 to 253 in 2023. A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'While responsibility for manging the police estate is for Police Scotland, we support their work to address issues in police buildings and welcome their commitment to providing a safe environment for officers, staff and the public. 'We have more than tripled the policing capital budget since 2017-18 and we are investing a record £1.64 billion for policing this year. This includes £70 million of capital funding to invest in resources and estates.'
Glasgow Times
6 days ago
- Glasgow Times
Staff and officers at Rutherglen police station to be moved
Police Scotland announced that response officers and staff based at the Rutherglen police station in South Lanarkshire will be relocated to the nearby Cambuslang station on Wednesday, August 6. The force say the move comes following a series of health and safety issues at the Rutherglen office and that the decision to do so 'was not made lightly'. The building is said to be in a poor condition and is no longer fit for operational purposes. Police Scotland noted that if a proposal is made to dispose of the Rutherglen station, a public consultation will be held. READ NEXT: New driver faces court after being stopped in Glasgow Superintendent Julie Davenport said: 'We are committed to providing a safe and secure environment for our officers and staff. 'The decision to move officers was not made lightly, but the health and safety of our colleagues must come first. 'We want to reassure the public that despite this move, there will be no disruption to the level of service provided, covering Cambuslang and Rutherglen. 'We have carried out work to ensure Cambuslang police station is fully equipped to support our officers and staff and to maintain a high standard of service to the public. 'Officers will start their shifts at Cambuslang police station and will remain active out in the community as they do now. 'Our officers are fully mobile, equipped with advanced technology, allowing them to patrol and respond effectively without relying on a fixed location. 'Our officers spend the majority of their shift out in the community – that will not change. At this stage, no decision has been made regarding the future of Rutherglen, including any potential disposal. 'If a proposal is made to dispose of Rutherglen police station in the future, a public consultation would be opened. 'This move aligns with our Estates Masterplan, which aims to modernise the policing estate across the country, from a place of reduction and decline, to one of investment in our communities and our people. 'Officers will continue to be on patrol in the Rutherglen area, and we would encourage anyone to approach them with any issues. 'For non-emergencies and general enquiries, members of the public can call 101, and 999 in the event of an emergency.' READ NEXT: Man in hospital after being hit by motor in Kirkintilloch car park Rutherglen police station was the base for response officers who deal with emergency and non-emergency incidents in the area. It was also used by community officers who cover both Rutherglen and Cambuslang. Police Scotland reassured the public that there will be no change in the service provided to the local community. The front counter at Rutherglen police station will close at 6pm on Tuesday, August 5, and the front counter at Cambuslang police station will open at 8am on Wednesday, August 6. Those who are deaf, deafened, hard of hearing, or cannot communicate via speech can utilise the text relay service on 18001101. For emergencies, British Sign Language (BSL) users can contact police on 999 BSL. For non-emergencies, BSL users can use Contact Scotland BSL. Both sites are free to use.
Daily Record
05-06-2025
- Daily Record
Former Ayr Police Station to be demolished
Ayr's former King Street police station is set to be demolished in the coming weeks after Police Scotland deemed it was "the most viable option" Ayr town centre will undergo another dramatic change as the former police station on King Street is to be demolished - almost exactly 50 years after it opened. Police Scotland have confirmed that demolition work will begin in the coming weeks as the deteriorating building is no longer viable to maintain. Chief Superintendent Suzanne Chow said that demolition of the building which housed Ayr's police for almost 50 years was "the most viable option". Opened in May 1975, Ayr King Street Police Station became a much-loved building that was at the heart of delivering policing services in Ayrshire. The building's poor condition was discussed at a Scottish Parliament committee in 2019, with officials admitting it was no longer fit for purpose. A move from the site was first mooted in November 2020 before a temporary closure was needed in October 2021 with some of the 200 officers based at King Street moving to share Newton House with South Ayrshire Council. The intention at the time was to repair the ailing building which was feared would contain asbestos. However, this didn't come to pass and Police Scotland announced their intention to base their Ayr operations at Newton House in April 2023. Newton House was refurbished internally to create a "modern and improved working environment" for officers and staff and for members of the public who attend the station. A consultation was then launched on the future of the building - as well as the former police stations on Ladyland Road in Maybole and Main Street in Kilwinning - in December 2023. The consultation found that the building was "perceived to be a deterrent to crime and strategically well placed in a central location" but 83 per cent of respondents agreed to its "disposal". No decision has yet been taken on whether the land that the soon-to-be-demolished building sits on will be retained by Police Scotland. Chief Superintendent Chow said: 'Ayr police station had been located at King Street for almost 50 years, however the building has deteriorated over time and required significant investment to meet health and safety standards. 'Following review, it was determined that demolition of the building was the most viable option. 'Work on the demolition will commence in the coming weeks. The safety of the public and contractors is our priority, health and safety measures will be in place throughout the project to minimise disruption to the surrounding area. 'The future of King Street site is currently under review as part of the Estates Masterplan. We are committed to creating an estate that is best for our officers and staff, meets our operational requirements and supports the communities we serve. 'I would like to reassure the local community there will be no change in how incidents are responded to or in the service provided. Officers will continue to maintain a visible presence and deliver a high-quality service. 'Our site at Newton House has significantly improved working conditions for officers and staff. The front counter is open to the public seven days a week from 7am to 11pm.' 'The Ayr King Street consultation report can be found on the Engagement Hub.'
The National
05-06-2025
- The National
Plans approved to demolish former Ayr police station
The King Street site has been closed since 2023, when officers and staff relocated to Newton House police station, less than a mile away. A decision on whether to retain the land for future policing purposes will be considered as part of Police Scotland's Estates Masterplan. READ MORE: Rare collection of 19th century ceramics recovered from shipwreck to go on display Chief Superintendent Suzanne Chow said: 'Ayr police station had been located at King Street for almost 50 years, however the building has deteriorated over time and required significant investment to meet health and safety standards. Following review, it was determined that demolition of the building was the most viable option. 'Work on the demolition will commence in the coming weeks. The safety of the public and contractors is our priority, health and safety measures will be in place throughout the project to minimise disruption to the surrounding area.
Glasgow Times
27-05-2025
- General
- Glasgow Times
Police confirm plans to dispose of North Glasgow station
Police Scotland confirmed plans to dispose of its Saracen office in Possilpark. The Barloch Street station has not been operational for more than five years, with local community officers and response officers deployed from nearby Maryhill. Residents are being reassured that there will be no change in how incidents are responded to or in the level of service provided to the community. Maryhill police station's front counter is open from 7am to midday Monday to Sunday. Saracen police station was built in 1974 and was designed to meet the needs of policing at the time. According to the force, the building no longer meets the demands or requirements of modern policing. It is also said to not be sufficiently flexible to adapt for how policing may be delivered in the future. READ NEXT: Glasgow City Council criticised over working hours lost to stress The station is in 'poor condition' and would require 'considerable' investment to meet health and safety standards. Area Commander, Chief Inspector Declan Todd explained the move is not a 'withdrawal from the community' but is a step forward in plans to modernise and invest in the police estate. CI Todd said: 'Response officers and community officers covering Saracen and the surrounding areas are already based in Maryhill, meaning there will be no change in how incidents are responded to or in the level of service provided to the community. 'Officers will continue to maintain a visible presence and deliver a high-quality service. In the past, having multiple stations in close proximity was beneficial due to the lack of modern technology. 'Today, officers are fully mobile, equipped with advanced technology, including fleet and mobile devices, allowing them to patrol and respond effectively without relying on a fixed location. 'Our officers spend the majority of their shift out in the community. Saracen and Maryhill are less than three miles apart. 'Maintaining buildings so close together is not necessary or financially sustainable. By merging resources, we can ensure our focus remains on delivering frontline policing and enhancing community safety, rather than retaining underutilised buildings. 'The disposal of Saracen police station is a key part of our ongoing work to improve the police estate. "Outlined in the Estates Masterplan, the West has been identified as a priority area for transformation. 'Disposing of a building that is no longer fit for purpose does not mean a withdrawal from the community, it is a step forward in our plans to modernise and invest in the police estate to meet the needs of policing now and in the future.' READ NEXT: Union warns of strike action at Glasgow Airport this summer For non-emergencies and general enquiries, people are urged to contact 101, and 999 in the event of an emergency. Those who are deaf, deafened, hard of hearing, or cannot communicate via speech are urged to use the text relay service on 18001101. British Sign Language (BSL) users can contact Police Scotland via 999 BSL. In non-emergencies, BSL users can access Contact Scotland BSL.
