Independent retailers welcome funding for retail crime taskforce in Scottish budget

News that the £3 million funding for Police Scotland’s Retail Crime Taskforce is being maintained has been welcomed by independent retailers.

Members of the Federation of Independent Retailers (the Fed) in Scotland have also cautiously welcomed some support for small retail businesses on Non-Domestic Rates through the Small Business Scheme, which was also announced in yesterday’s Scottish budget (Tuesday, January 13).

Hussan Lal, the Fed’s Scottish President, said: “We are currently assessing the details of the Scottish Budget and there is some encouraging news. Having engaged with Shona Robison and the SNP government ahead of the Budget, we are especially pleased the Retail Crime Taskforce is being retained.  This is something that we have been lobbying for as we have been encouraged by the impact the Force has made in just a few months.

“However, this remains a challenging time for retailers in Scotland because of rising retail crime, high costs and new regulations, along with uncertainty about what will follow from the Scottish government and the Scottish Parliament after May. In addition, we continue to monitor Westminster’s political role in Scotland.

“The Fed will continue to call for the Scottish government to back small independent retailers like Fed members through action to reduce retail crime – such as through targeted security grants and to control and reduce business rates bills – and further work to protect small shops after the election.”