£1.3m off icers’ training deal ‘a disgrace’

THE award of a £1.3 million police leadership training contract to an outside firm has been branded a ‘disgrace’ by the organisation representing rank and file officers.

Cash-strapped Police Scotland paid the sum to global consultancy EY despite a warning from the Chief Constable that he will have to cut a quarter of his force if Ministers do not boost funding.

Calum Steele, general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation, said of the deal: ‘This is unjustifiable and a flagrant waste of taxpayers’ money at any time. However, when budgets are under such severe pressures, to spend such a sum on an outside contract like this is nothing short of a disgrace.’

The deal was approved despite the force already having 50 officers at chief superintendent rank or above, earning at least £91,000, plus 100 superintendents – also viewed as managers – on up to £87,000.

The contract, awarded via the Scottish Police Authority (SPA), was concluded last month. It follows payments to EY in 2021 of £499,999 for a senior leadership programme and £630,729 for professional services support.

An SPA report in August said EY had been ‘supplier’ of a police programme titled Your Leadership Matters but showed nearly a fifth of those who gave feedback did not agree the content was relevant.

Last month it was disclosed that Police Scotland’s officer headcount is at its lowest level since 2008, with a steady decline in staffing levels over the past 18 months. In September the headcount stood at only 16,570 officers.

In October, Chief Constable Sir Iain Livingstone outlined a nightmare scenario in which up to 4,500 jobs could go to meet rising wage bills if real-term cuts to the justice budget go ahead.

Scots Tory justice spokesman Jamie Greene said: ‘The public will wonder why this contract got the green light when police budgets are stretched to breaking point.’

Deputy Chief Constable Fiona Taylor said: ‘This investment underlines the Chief Constable’s commitment to providing officers and staff with the training and support they need to do their jobs.’

A spokesman for the Scottish Government said: ‘It is for Police Scotland and the SPA to prioritise resources. We have invested over £11.6 billion in policing since Police Scotland was created in 2013 and will invest a further £1.45 billion in 2023-24.’

EY said it ‘does not comment on client matters’.