Page 24 - WMPF Federation June-July 2018-flip_Neat
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Concern over starting






       salaries in pay and





       conditions debate








             urham Police and Crime         the Police Federation members, the men   theme throughout the session with Andy
             Commissioner Ron Hogg argued   and women out on the streets and we   Fittes, general secretary, starting by
       Dthat it was thanks to Police        must actually listen to them very carefully,”   criticising the £18,000 figure for
       Federation members that the police service   he explained.                apprentices: “We have a fundamental issue
       had not collapsed.                      The service needed to reform but it   over the starting salary for that; we think
          Speaking out in the pay and conditions   needed to learn from its mistakes, the PCC   it’s too low. And I still think it’s wrong that
       session in the opening segment of    said, pointing to the divisive effect of CRTP   we are asking people to do a job we all do
       Wednesday’s conference, Mr Hogg also   and SPP, although they were well   at such a low level of pay.”
       agreed that proposed starting salaries for   intentioned. Skills had to be recognised      Apprenticeship pay would be
       new recruits were now too low and that he   along with hard work and commitment.  ‘paypoint -1’, he said.
       had not dropped them to the £18,000 level      He expressed concern that change was      There needed to be a joined-up plan on
       put forward under Theresa May’s time at   being driven by the Treasury and concluded,   recruitment, pay and career progression
       the Home Office as he did not feel it was   to widespread applause, that pay reform   that was fair to all.
       right to do so.                      needed to bring: “The right change, for the      Not surprisingly, he was backed up by Dr
          “The only reason that the police service   right reason, to get the right results.”  Joan Donnelly, the Federation’s head of
       has not crashed is because of the efforts of      The issue of starting salaries was a   research and policy, who argued that the



















































       24     federation June/July 2018                                            www.westmidspolfed.com
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