Page 27 - WMPF Federation Magazine February / March 2018

Concern over Home

Secretary’s comments to

pay review body

West Midlands Police Federation chair l Observations on NPCC reform
Tom Cuddeford says there is unease over proposals and their timetable.
the latest moves towards the annual The Federation has written to the chair
review of police officer pay. of the PRRB expressing concerns that the
Home Secretary Amber Rudd has Home Secretary’s letter gives the
written to the Police Remuneration impression that pay and reward plans
Review Body (PRRB) setting out plans for being formulated by the NPCC are more
the 2018/19 review. Last year, the advanced than they believe them to be -
Government awarded a two per cent and the PRRB is being asked to make
increase as a one per cent pensionable decisions based on them.
pay rise across the board, plus one per Tom said: “This puts the review body in
cent as an extra amount which was a very difficult situation. Given the lack of
non-pensionable. completed plans shared by the NPCC to
The then chair of the Police date, this creates a significant challenge in
Federation of England and Wales (PFEW), terms of the PRRB being able to identify
DS Sam Batey, proud to be a West Midlands Steve White, said at the time that would any unintended consequences or the
Police officer.
leave many officers feeling ‘angry and degree to which the plans may be
incident. deflated’. acceptable and a workable solution for
Fortunately, Sam remained undeterred Naturally, officers around the country police officers.
and did not allow the incident to prevent her are interested in the latest discussions “We have serious concerns that the
becoming a police officer and while there and Tom believes the PRRB has been put PRRB is being expected to make
have been other issues along the way she in a very difficult position by the Home recommendations based on a lot of NPCC
has generally felt supported within the Secretary’s latest letter outlining its ifs, buts and maybes. Police pay is far too
Force. remit. important to officers across England and
But she feels that being outed as gay has Ms Rudd asks the PRRB to make Wales to base assumptions on blueprint
brought its own challenges. recommendations on pay based on four schemes and ideas. It is grossly unfair to
She explains: “I’ve been openly gay to my areas including: expect the staff associations representing
friends and family since I was 16 years of l National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) those officers to be able to properly
age. Never had any issues, but coming out at proposals and a timetable for a new represent their interests without all the
work under the spotlight I now found myself pay structure; detail of the proposals being shared.
in, was not an option. I was frightened that I l NPCC proposals for apprenticeship “It is also unfair to the PRRB which will
would ostracise myself further and have to pay; be expected to try to make
deal with anti-gay hostilities. I prefer the l NPCC proposals for time-limited recommendations based on loose
term anti-gay, as homophobia, I think, is an targeted payments to address assumptions.”
inaccurate description. recruitment and retention pressures, Submissions to the PRRB were being
“People who are against gay people and requested by early February 2018.
don’t have a phobia, they’re not scared of
gay people, they just don’t like them. I think Roads policing scrutinised
being black sometimes is easier than being
gay. I don’t have to come out as black or
explain myself when someone asks, ‘What Officers from up and down the country gathered in Leicestershire to discuss the latest
does your husband do for a living?’” issues affecting roads policing.
A drunken colleague announced They met at the annual Federation Roads Policing Conference in Hinckley on 30 and
Samantha was gay at a social event, taking 31 January. This year’s theme these was ‘Roads Policing – a new approach’.
the decision to tell people out of her hands. The event is always popular in the roads policing calendar and gives officers the
Afterwards, Samantha faced some chance to highlight challenges, successes and best industry practice.
‘blagging’ from some of the older male Officers from West Midlands Police attended the event and heard from West Mercia
officers but said it was nothing she couldn’t Chief Constable Anthony Bangham, who talked to delegates about police pursuits, PC
handle. Chris Powling and PC Colin Green from Hampshire Police gave an insight into an
But she recalls: “One of my Shift did tell overseas road death investigation and Inspector Bob Rushbrooke and Sergeant Dave
me how he felt betrayed as he had felt he Clement from Northumbria Police talked about a fatal collision investigation.
had a right to know who he was working Parliamentary under Secretary for the Department of Transport Jesse Norman MP
with. Really? What on earth does my also addressed delegates.
sexuality have to do with you and work? But Conference sessions included single intelligence entity, challenges of road safety,
I didn’t say anything; I didn’t want any more tackling motorcycle enabled crime and an update on police pursuits.
negative attention.” The conference is organised by the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW)
To read more about Samantha’s story, and National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC).
please read the PPU newsletter which is A full report will appear in the next magazine.
available on the Intranet.

www.westmidspolfed.com federation February/March 2018 27