Transcript  for Fife Constabulary BV report podcast
We’re here to talk about a Best Value report on Fife Constabulary. It looks at the force itself and the police authority which oversees it.
With me is John Baillie, chair of the Accounts Commission for Scotland and Andrew Laing, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary for Scotland. 
John, the police authority is made up of Fife councillors – can you tell me how it is doing?
Yes, the Accounts Commission found that the police authority is effective and demonstrates most of the characteristics of best value. There is a particular strength in the vision for community policing and this is shared by the authority and the force. And there is a good understanding of respective roles and responsibilities.  
So where can it do better?
Well, there is room to improve scrutiny. The authority needs to be clearer about the performance information and the support it needs to fulfil its best value responsibilities, including in relation to cost, to equalities, to sustainability and to the force’s improvement and community engagement activities.
But is interesting, you know, to note that authority has now become the Police Transition Committee and this will be overseeing the integration of Fife into the single force next year. Now that’s very positive and we would like to see it continue to build on this momentum in the months ahead.
Andrew, can I turn to you now. Can you tell me how Fife is doing as a police force?
Yes. Fife Constabulary does a good job for the people of Fife. Overall, crime rates continue to fall and detection rates are rising.  The force has maintained police numbers while embarking on a significant change programme to manage a reduction in the police budget. 
And where can it do better?
Well, we carry out inspection and audit to support the force in identifying areas where it can improve but in this case it is in the context of a force and a police authority that are already performing well. What we did find is that  it can do better in communicating local priorities internally, improving the information in performance reports and can take further steps to reduce the incidence of domestic abuse and hate crime.
But we are clear that overall, Fife Constabulary is delivering on its long term strategy of taking policing closer to the community.
So what do you want to see happen next?
I look forward to receiving a plan from Fife Constabulary and the police authority which addresses the overall improvement agenda that we have set out. 
John, Andrew thank you very much.