Page 4 - WMPF Federation Aug-Sept 2021-flip_Neat

Chair’s introduction

Officers are quite

rightly angry at

the Government

officer pay. Covid-19 continues to have an impact.”
The Police Remuneration Review Body And the letter also stated: “I will not be
(PRRB) was set up in 2014. Each year, in a seeking a recommendation from the PRRB
joint submission with the Superintendents’ for police officer pay uplifts in 2021/22.”
Association, the Police Federation of England There was one exception, PRRB was told
and Wales gives its evidence to the PRRB, to give a £250 uplift to those on less than
making recommendations on officer pay, £24,000 a year.
supported by evidence to support its claim. In terms of the overall instruction, I have
In theory, the PRRB considers this two main issues. Firstly, how can the PRRB
evidence, and details submitted by other be seen as independent when it is told what
interested parties, before making its own it can consider? And secondly, while I totally
recommendations to the Government. It understand and recognise the need for
should also be noted that the Government those in the health service to be recognised
can ignore these recommendations, and it with a pay award in the wake of the
has in the past done so, sparking anger from pandemic, there are other groups of workers
officers. who have also been given a pay rise – for
But the Government now has another example, firefighters.
way of controlling what comes out of PRRB. Police officers are quite rightly angry at
Before the pay review process begins, the the Government. Officers have been on the
Home Secretary gives the PRRB its remit and frontline throughout the pandemic, serving
this year the ‘independent’ body was told and protecting the public, as you would
not to even consider a pay rise. expect, while facing the risk of contracting
By Jon Nott, chair of West Midlands Police Priti Patel wrote: “It is right to the virus. They have been spat at and
Federation temporarily pause pay awards for the coughed over by people claiming to have
majority of the public sector as we assess Covid-19.
olicing is the service of first and last the impact Covid-19 has had on the wider As a branch, we are fully supportive of
resort. Police officers run towards economy and labour market. This approach the Federation’s decision to withdraw from
Pdanger when others are running away will also allow us to protect public sector the PRRB process. It is meaningless when
and at the sign of any emergency they are jobs and investment in public services as
there, helping pick up the pieces, restoring
order in the face of crisis or chaos and As a branch, we are fully supportive of the
supporting people through the worst times. “
They perform their duties out of a sense Federation’s decision to withdraw from the
of public duty, and I don’t believe anyone
goes into policing to get rich. PRRB process. It is meaningless when one
However, I do firmly believe that police
officers should be fairly paid, with their party buys into the process and fully
salaries reflecting the risks they take and the
limitations their role can have on their engages and the other just rides roughshod
private lives.
But beyond that, it is absolutely through it.
imperative that there is a body that is truly “
independent to advise Government on
04 federation August/September 2021 www.polfed.org/westmids