I have called for the Scottish Government and Police Scotland to rethink plans to close the front desk at Burntisland Police Station along with the reduction of hours for the front desk at Levenmouth.

The request comes after Police Scotland published proposals which would see over 65 front desk closures across Scotland, with several more experiencing a reduction in hours. Following on from the reduction in Chief Inspectors in the Fife area, the changes to the front desk in our police stations are just further proof of the erosion of local policing in the Kingdom.

Burntisland police station is currently open between Monday and Friday but changes would result in no public counter provision, essentially closing it to members of the public. Levenmouth is currently open 24 hours, 7 days a week but under the proposed changes that would be reduced to only opening between the hours of 7 in the morning and midnight.

The closures will not result in more officers on the street, instead it will only add to the 1,200 jobs already lost amongst support staff. This will only increase the pressure placed on officers throughout Fife. The Government must have an urgent rethink and reverse these closures.

Rather than taking their share of responsibility the Scottish Government would prefer to hide behind Police Scotland, calling it an ‘operational matter’. What they won’t tell you though is that the cuts are coming off the back of a £60 million budget reduction being forced upon Police Scotland through the SNP Government’s budget.

I know that locals in Burntisland and Levenmouth are appalled at the decision being taken and there are real fears that this is the beginning of a slippery slope towards no police station in their towns at all.