A SAFE PARTNERSHIP FOR GLASGOW

Since the mid 1970’s, Scotland was policed by 8 separate and relatively autonomous regional Police Forces and it was the same for Fire and Rescue Services.  As public finances became more and more stretched, the Scottish Government began to explore different options for reform and this work resulted in the passing of legislation in 2012 (Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012) to create a national service for both Police and Fire Services.  The aim of the national services was to reduce duplication and improve access to specialised expertise and equipment and enhance opportunities to strengthen connections with the communities they serve.

As part of the revised arrangements for the governance of the two services, responsibility was given to Local Authorities to scrutinise and approve the draft local plans for Police and Fire and Rescue.  In Glasgow, the Council opted for a partnership approach to the scrutiny of the services which resulted in the creation of the Safe Glasgow Partnership which sits within the Glasgow Community Planning Partnership (GCPP) structure.  Community planning is about how public bodies work together and with the local community to plan for, resource, and provide or secure the provision of services which improve local outcomes in a local authority area, with a view to reducing inequalities.  

The Safe Glasgow Partnership is made up of 10 Elected Members from Glasgow City Council (GCC), along with partners from Police Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Glasgow Health and Social Care Partnership, Wheatley Homes Glasgow, Glasgow Third Sector Interface Network as well as a representative from Glasgow City Council’s Neighbourhoods and Regeneration Services.  As it is a partnership meeting, all members have the opportunity to equally contribute to the scrutiny function of the group.  

The Safe Glasgow Partnership meetings are open to the press and public and held quarterly.  At these meetings, the Divisional Commander for Police Scotland and the Local Senior Officer for Scottish Fire and Rescue present their quarterly updates for consideration as they are both directly accountable to Local Authorities for local service delivery.  Sometimes there may not be enough time to go into detail on all relevant matters or perhaps a formal meeting is not the best way to present the information.  This is why, during 2023, the SGP were invited to Govan Police station for an information session, hosted by the Divisional Commander, to give the members a fuller input into topics that they had expressed an interest in and were also given a tour of the custody suite, where those attending were taken through an individual’s journey from arrival at the police station, until they left.  A similar visit to Scottish Fire and Rescue Service training facility was also arranged for the members of the SGP, which featured presentations, live fire demonstrations and a walk through of a home fire safety visit.