By Adam Morris
The majority of police stations in Scotland need urgent building repairs amid a crisis affecting the force estate, it has emerged.
New research has revealed 183 of the country’s estimated 220 stations had recorded an open or active repair request as of mid-July.
It is the latest indication of the dire state of Police Scotland buildings across the country, with the backlog estimated to take 30 years to clear at a cost of £245 million.
The Greater Glasgow G Division has the highest number of outstanding repairs, followed by Aberdeenshire and Moray’s A Division.
While the number has dropped from earlier in the year, the Scottish Police Federation (SPF) said it stood four-square behind the force’s demand for extra cash, a request which the Scottish Government is understood to be considering.
And vice chair Brian Jones said the true cost for all maintenance issues could be more than treble the original estimate.
“Police Scotland has been underfunded since day one and, when that happens, things like buildings and conditions will fail,” he said.
“The estate was already ageing, but the cuts since then have made things even worse.
“No other public sector employee would be expected to work in buildings like the police do. Too many are working in a state of squalor.
“We are completely on the side of Police Scotland when it comes to demanding more money for this.”
The number of police stations in Scotland has reduced significantly in recent years, with latest records showing there are 220 spread across the country, from major city units to tiny rural facilities.
Brian Jones, Scottish Police Federation
A number of those have fallen into disrepair because of the discovery of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) and a waning resilience to severe weather.
Police Scotland has been unusually outspoken about the need for more cash from Scottish ministers, who it blames for the major shortfall.
“As we have highlighted for some time, spending money on maintaining and repairing old and inefficient buildings is not best use of public money,” a force spokesperson said.
“As part of our programme to invest in our estate to be retained, by the end of this financial year upgrade work will have been carried out on a significant number of our buildings.
“This programme of upgrade work will continue over the coming years to ensure that officers have access to the same standard of station facilities for rest, welfare and operational requirements.”
An estates masterplan has been rubber stamped by the Scottish Police Authority, which aims “to create a modern, fit-for-purpose estate that best serves our communities and our workforce” over the next 10 years.
It is understood that plan will result in the disposal of several Police Scotland buildings across Scotland, including public-facing stations.
The Scottish Government was contacted for comment.