Scotsman Responds

The Scotsman has redressed the balance re the band. They ran a
news story yesterday and a comment piece from myself. The news story headlined 'Police officers pipe up for rebellion' read:
A rebellion has broken out among members of a police pipe band after senior officers decided it could no longer perform at community galas and other events.At least ten members of the Strathclyde Police Pipe Band have lodged an official complaint against senior management over moves they say will bring about the end of the 126-year-old institution.The band's 15 police members are angry at a decision taken by Chief Constable Steve House to require the permission of a divisional commander, Chief Superintendent Anne McGuire, to take part in charity fundraisers, village fêtes and other events.That has resulted in the band missing a number of events in the past few weeks, including an annual taxi outing for disabled children and the Govan Fair. The band, which numbers about 40 in total and is made up of its 15 police members and civilian staff and guests, is world-renowned in piping circles. Last year it performed at about 20 events, but is struggling to cope with changes to the police members' shifts that make it much harder to practise.The Scotsman understands ten members have put their names to an official complaint. So far, efforts to resolve the grievances – which are being handled internally – have failed. Now its supporters are warning that the band will fold within a matter of months or even weeks, with morale among its members said to have hit the floor.Last week, Chief Superintendent John Pollock told The Scotsman he believed it was time to call time on the band to save money. Sources within Strathclyde Police have suggested the band costs as much as £700,000 in officer time and expenses.The band's supporters call that claim "ridiculous", saying the positive publicity and boost to community relations provided by the pipers far outweigh the money spent. College of Piping principal Robert Wallace says the band costs about £30,000 a year – and insists it is worth every penny."Strathclyde Police says it believes in community involvement. What better way to engage with the community than with the pipe band?"For 40 years they have taken disadvantaged kids on the annual taxi ride to Troon. They've taken part in galas across the force and are a highlight at the Govan Fair. Now the force has decided the band should not take part in any of these events."Assistant Chief Constable John Neilson confirmed that "several officers within the pipe band have utilised the force grievance procedure".He said: "As this is an ongoing process, I am unable to outline at what stage each grievance is at. However, work is ongoing in an effort to conciliate individual grievances."
My comment piece read: Only in Scotland could musicians playing our national music to a world class level be so despised. It beggars belief that the philistines who occupy police headquarters at Pitt Street in Glasgow could plot the demise of the iconic ensemble that is Strathclyde Police Pipe Band – and gloat about it in the name of force efficiency, as did Chief Superintendent John Pollock last Friday. His outburst stuck in the craw of every right-thinking Scot. No one should be under any illusion as to what the future of the band is. Morale is so low that I doubt they will exist next year and a 123-year tradition, a proud history of 22 World Pipe Band Championship titles and the affection of an entire community will be gone. Can you imagine the Royal Marines telling their musicians they weren't needed any more? To say it costs hundreds of thousands of pounds to keep the band going is nonsense. They receive £29,500 per year from the force.You could barely buy a fraction of the good PR the pipe band gives Strathclyde Police for that price, playing as they do at dozens of public events throughout the year.The economic argument is further rent asunder when you consider that the World Pipe Band Championships generates around £4 million for the Strathclyde and Scottish economy every year. Strathclyde Police Pipe Band are an integral and essential part of that endeavour. Can you envision the Scottish Premier League without any of the top teams? That is what we are talking about here.This August the Championships are to be streamed live around the world over the internet, a decision announced yesterday by the BBC. It is almost unthinkable that in 2010 they will do so without this band filling our screens at some point in the day. Oh yes, say the police authorities, we are very supportive of them and proud of their traditions.What they don't get is that their traditions are at the very top end of the musical scale.Cut their practice time, cut their opportunities to play in public and they will very quickly become a second or third-rate outfit that no one wants to hear. Will you be happy about that Mr House, when you and 40,000 others attend the closing ceremony at Glasgow Green in August?
Some of the comments which accompanied the story on the Scotsman website are disappointing basically calling for the band to 'get back on the beat' and 'join the real world'. This, I believe is the heart of the matter. Scotland just does not understand or value its culture enough. I cannot imagine the authorities in Brittany, for example, forcibly disbanding one of their top ensembles. Inroads have been made in getting the piping and pipe band message across but until our music is properly taught as part of the Scottish schools music curriculum we will always have an uphill struggle.