Page 6 - WMPF Federation Oct-Nov2017 Final_Neat

Officer pay

“Pay award is insulting”

he misleading way in which the one per cent cap on public sector pay rises, arrangements” in the year ahead to give
Government has attempted to claim echo those of the national Police Federation chief officers the flexibility to make extra
Tit has given police officers a two per chair Steve White who has said it would payments to officers in hard to fill roles and
cent pay increase is insulting, according to leave many officers “angry and deflated”. the development of an integrated police
West Midlands Police Federation. He explained: “Police officers do not join workforce and pay reform plan through to
The Federation’s leaders have hit out at the service to make huge amounts of 2020.
MPs enjoying above inflation pay awards money; they do it out of a sense of duty and The 76-page report ends with a
while the police have been hit hard by this year in particular have been tested to commitment from the review body to help
austerity measures that have left them the max. However, they expect to be paid develop an effective police officer package
“skint beyond belief”. suitably for the immensely demanding role which supports delivering a policing service
And they have also accused the they perform and this simply is not the case.” for the public.
Government of mischief-making by claiming The two per cent award, which came It states: “We conclude that the
an officer who joined in 2010 would have into effect from 1 September 2017, is a one environment for the 2018/19 pay round will
enjoyed a pay increase of around 30 per cent per cent pensionable pay rise across the be challenging but could also present
with no mention of the individual’s starting board, plus one per cent as an extra amount opportunities for the parties to take a more
salary. this year, non-pensionable. flexible approach with a view to the
“This is not a pay rise in any way, shape “We asked for 2.8 per cent and provided significant reforms ahead. On a more
or form,” says West Midlands Police compelling evidence to support this, which general point, we commented at the start of
Federation deputy secretary Tim Rogers, on first review appears to be reflected in the this report on the importance of pay
“Relative terms including the below inflation recommendations made by the Police restraint not undermining the “contract”
capped rise of one per cent and two years of Remuneration Review Body (PRRB) – the with society in which the public expects to
no increase at all mean that cops are simply body which makes recommendations on have an effective police service enabled by
skint beyond belief. police pay – to the Government. We were fair remuneration.
“We have always understood the need not greedy in what we asked for. Officers “The service is also at risk as pressures on
for austerity but it’s abhorrent that MPs have been taking home about 15 per cent the police officer workforce rise in the
have given themselves large pay awards, less than they were seven years ago. While it context of changing demand, reduced
accepting and implementing the is a step in the right direction, the workforce numbers and restrictions on
recommendations of their pay review body Government should have done this sooner officers. Against this background our terms
and yet ignoring the recommendations of but we don’t feel that non-consolidated pay of reference require us to take a consistent,
ours. Police officers put their lives on the line awards are the way forward.” strategic and holistic approach to police
to protect their communities and years of There are also concerns about how this officer pay and conditions. We therefore
austerity have left them physically, mentally will be funded. stand ready to play our part in developing an
and financially drained.” The PRRB report contains four effective police officer package that supports
The West Midlands Police Federation recommendations including an increase in delivering the service to the public.”
officials’ views on the pay award, heralded as London Weighting and Dog Handlers’
a two per cent increase and a break from the Allowance, the introduction of “targeted

Federation demands answers in open letter to PM

Police Federation officials from across Police Federation branches. at the very time protection is needed the
England and Wales have sent an open letter It tells Theresa May: most. Community policing plays a vital
to the Prime Minister demanding answers l The pay award of, on average, less than part in intelligence gathering to help
from the Government on the police pay £10 a week is insulting. combat terrorism and it has been
award. l A two per cent rise is not a rise when it decimated.
Representatives from all 43 Police has to come from existing policing l ‘Extra’ police officers are not ‘extra’ police
Federations in the country endorsed the budgets. officers. They are the same officers doing
letter, saying “members were angry” and l It’s a disgrace you have dressed it up as a longer hours, being called back in when they
forces “had been put in an impossible pay rise. are off or being given extra responsibilities.
situation”. l Funding must come centrally; it is unfair l Crime is not falling.
“We feel the Government has not been to make the public suffer with fewer The letter concludes: “We don’t want
truthful and honest about the pay award officers available to fight crime. meaningless platitudes. We want a properly
given to officers, and that is insulting. The l It’s a disgrace you have ignored the funded and well-resourced police service. The
two per cent awarded has to come from recommendations from the independent public rightly want and expect this.
existing policing budgets which means forces Police Remuneration Review Body – the “For the sake of those who put their lives
may have to choose between officer numbers very body you set up to advise on police on the line for the public, we demand you
and public safety. That cannot be right,” said pay. address these injustices and give us answers.”
Calum Macleod, vice chair of the Police l Forces cannot cope with any further falls You can read the letter in full at
Federation of England and Wales. in police numbers. polfed.org
The letter was sent on behalf of all 43 l Communities will be further under threat

06 federation October/November 2017 www.westmidspolfed.com