Localism Prioirity for Police Scotland - Keep Ryehill Police Station

 I welcome the publication of Strategic Police Priorities for Scotland by the Scottish Government. I particularly welcome the commitment to localism in the document which makes the case for investment in the Police Station at Ryehill in the West End ward rather than its closure which is planned by Police Scotland. I"ve written to Michael Matheson, Cabinet Secretary for Justice asking him to support the campaiIgn by local people in the West End to keep Ryehill Police Station open.

I welcome the Scottish Government's strategic priorities for policing. The first priority is localism. This flies in the face of attempts to close the local police station in the West End. I think that the priority around 'localism' makes the case for developing the services available from Ryehill rather than for its closure.

Whilst localism is clearly the top priority which would lead to the retention of Ryehill Police Station all the other priorities set out in the document also contribute to the case for keeping Ryehill open.

I  will be making the case to the Scottish Government and to Police Scotland that the needs of the local community in the West End are to have a local police presence which is accessible and public-facing.

I have written to the Cabinet Secretary for Justice, Michael Matheson, asking him how the priorities that he has set out are compatible with the plans that Police Scotland have the closure of our local police station in the West End. Given Mr Matheson's commitment to localism I have asked him to support the campaign to keep Ryehill Police Station open and to sign the petition which I have launched on this important issue.

You can also sign the petition by clicking here  

https://www.change.org/p/councillor-richard-mccready-keep-ryehill-police-station-open?lang=en-GB