Moray Council leader Graham Leadbitter calls for emergency meeting amid questions over Kinloss Barracks' future

AN EMERGENCY Moray Economic Partnership meeting will be called to discuss the future of Kinloss Barracks.

Fears have been raised that the Army base, home to 39 Engineer Regiment, could close as part of the UK Government’s spending review.

At a meeting of the economic development and infrastructure committee today, Moray Council leader Graham Leadbitter said reports in the national press raising concerns over the future of Kinloss Barracks had "credibility".

Councillor Leadbitter added: "As a consequence, I am calling an extraordinary meeting of the Moray Economic Partnership and making sure we’re prepared if that is what is to come."

A meeting will also be held with Highland Council and Edinburgh City Council in relation to Fort George and Dreghorn Barracks.

The regiment moved into Kinloss following the scrapping of the Nimrod MRA4 aircraft in a review more than a decade ago, that also threatened RAF Lossiemouth.

It is thought Kinloss Barracks is worth £30 million to the local economy.

A Sunday Times report claimed that a regiment of Royal Engineers could be relocated from Kinloss to England as part of UK Government plans to reshuffle regiments and close barracks to cut costs.

Cllr Leadbitter added: "The potential prospect of another base closure in Moray in a relatively short time since losing RAF Kinloss and reopening as a much smaller army barracks is deeply concerning.

"Any major reduction in military numbers or the closure of Kinloss Barracks would be both an economic shock and a shock to the local area, where we very much view the base and those working there as an integral part of the community.

"The past 18 months tackling the pandemic has also demonstrated very clearly the importance of our military personnel in civil contingency and, if these reports are true, then it feels far more like closing up rather than levelling up."

Moray SNP MSP Richard Lochhead has called on military chiefs to give assurances over the barracks' future.

He said: "It’s really not all that long ago that 39 Regiment was relocated to Moray following the closure of RAF Kinloss, and here we go once again with another local base at threat of closure.

"Previous Conservative governments made promises to our community that Army personnel would be based at Kinloss after the Nimrods were scrapped and it would be a betrayal if Kinloss Barracks were set to close as part of another round of defence cuts.

"Moray has long-standing and strong links with our bases and those who serve are an important part of our local community – you can see the strength of that relationship over the years by the number of military families who have settled in Moray.

"The last time the future of Kinloss Barracks was cast into doubt in 2016, it was estimated that its closure would cost Moray’s economy almost £30 million. Given the huge impact on our local economy and communities, the MoD must give urgent assurances that Kinloss Barracks is not set to be axed."

Forres SNP Councillor Aaron McLean, whose ward takes in Kinloss Barracks, said: "Everyone knows the importance of the bases to the Moray economy and the Engineers are a very welcome part of our community.

"A reduction of the military footprint in Moray would make the economic recovery in the region substantially harder with the huge pressure that is already on it at this time."

The Moray Economic Partnership meeting on the issue is likely to be held early next week.