Report Summary
This report provides members of the Forensic Services Committee with an overview of Long-Term Sustainable Model – Resource Update.
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Meeting
The publication discussed was referenced in the meeting below
Forensic Services Committee - 30 October 2025
Date : 30 October 2025
Location : Online
Further detail
Following approval of the IBC a Project Board was established to take forward the development of the Full Business Case to allow for the investment in the LTSM to be secured. The Project Board met for the first time in March 2025.
There has been good engagement at the Project Board from all areas including Forensic Services, Digital Division, Human Resources, Procurement, supported by the Police Scotland Transformation Team through the Programme Manager aligned to the Forensic Services Change Programme.
However, there has been a reluctance to engage with the project by Police Scotland Estates due to the significant resource implications of progressing the Estates Masterplan. In the last committee meeting the Director of Forensic Services reported that:
Whist the project board to implement the Long-Term Sustainable Model for Criminal Toxicology was established in March 2025 there has not been the commitment provided by Police Scotland Estates to support progress within the timescales previously discussed with the Forensic Services Committee due to competing priorities within Police Scotland. Whilst an option has now been facilitated to allow Forensic Services to bring in external estates support, this has increased the risks to the project and will result in a delay to the provision of the FBC to the Resources Committee.
Since then, several discussions have been held with colleagues in Police Scotland and Forensic Services culminating in a meeting on 8th October between the Director of Transformation, Director of Forensic Services, ACC Waddell, ACC Sutherland, the Head of Estates and the Chief Financial Officer.
It has now been agreed that Police Scotland Estates will provide support to the project to allow the development of the Full Business Case in parallel to the work that is ongoing to consider an incremental roll out of roadside testing as part of Operation Seltern. This will be a combination of internal and external support which will be secured following a tender for the contract.
Following a discussion on the 14th of October with the Head of Estates covering more detail on the requirements it was confirmed that appropriate resources will be provided to allow the FBC development to continue at pace. The project team will now undertake a replan and a date for the anticipated production of the FBC will be available at the next committee meeting.
