PENSION WAFFLE: Open letter from the General Moneypenny regarding PRRB Submission. Dear Bullshire Police Federation, Our first submission to the Police remuneration Review Body has been submitted on 9th January. The Police Federation of England and Wales has urged that officer pay should increase in the next financial year by the maximum 1% limit set by the government. Home Secretary Theresa May had asked the bodies that make up the Police Remuneration Review Body – which has replaced the Police Negotiating Board – to make recommendations on pay increases for 2015/16; the retention of the London Lead; and on different pay at regional and local level. We were also asked for our thoughts about the PRRB remit for the next five years. In the remit letter, the Home Secretary asks the PRRB to consider pay and conditions based on their “objective, independent, and comprehensive assessment of the evidence”. Our submission is based around ensuring that the PRRB does that: pressing for such evidence to be collected by the Home Office in the future. Our submission also takes a long-term approach with the PRRB. This is not just about the here and now, but about ensuring we are recognised as a credible organisation supplying strong evidence-based submissions. To that end, this submission is about planning for future pay uplifts as well as just for 2015/16. Our submission takes a long-term approach with the PRRB – showing us to be a credible, fair and responsible staff association, providing strong, transparent and reliable evidence now and for the long-term. We have made comments on all areas in the submission, but will have the opportunity to explore further with JBBs and the membership in the future. Pay award We have therefore asked for an uplift of the maximum of 1% for all, including officers who receive an increment to basic pay, existing regional allowances and all allowances that are normally included in uplifts, such as dog handlers’ allowance. Not only does this take account of our recognition of the public sector austerity measures set by Government, but it addresses our primary concern is that there should be no further divisive pay changes. Officers have had to ensure much turbulence to their pay and allowances in recent years as a result of the Winsor review and we are asking that there be no further piecemeal change to pay and conditions without proper long-term evidence of its impact. Over time, we also recommend that the economic data we have provided in our submission be considered at the earliest opportunity by the PRRB in future pay uplifts to ensure that police officers are not left behind when the UK economy is more buoyant. London Lead We believe that a study needs to be conducted systematically by the Home Office comparing London policing to other forces and regions. Until such time, we do not believe there is a case for removing the London Lead and we have asked for the uplift of 1% to also apply. Regional and local pay and allowances In this year, the Home Secretary asked for observations. We believe there are a number of risks in regionalising pay. The biggest for the police currently is that the devolution of policing – and pay – to Scotland and Wales will result in an uncoordinated approach, and loss of officers from bordering services to either Scotland or Wales (or, indeed, vice versa) depending on which service sets the higher salaries. There is a need to consider mutual aid, collaboration, and interoperability in any regional pay system in policing. We recommend that the current regional allowances should be retained, until such time as an evaluation is undertaken of these, and an evidence base provided, should any change be deemed necessary. We recommend that the Home Office takes measures to identify the impact of any unplanned regionalisation, such as Scotland or Wales setting their own pay. In the meantime, an uplift of 1%, commensurate with the overall uplift, is recommended. We were also asked for initial comments on a number of issues for a five year work programme. The PFEW has been proactive in asking for consideration of a number of issues that we believe need to be addressed. We ask that the Home Office sets out what it intends the remuneration system should achieve, and measures the extent to which it meets its aims. In this way we believe we can achieve a transparent and fair system. The Home Office has set out its five year priorities, which includes those issues deferred by the Winsor review for the PRRB to consider. These are not set in stone: the PRRB is open to suggestion from all parties. The Home Office’s five year remit includes a review of the national on-call allowance; whether to increase the gap between constable and sergeant pay scales, and between inspector and chief inspector scales; to consider the buy-out of sergeants’ casual overtime; to consider the impact of changes to officers on limited duties, including a review of the x-factor component; and to assess the feasibility of greater coherence between terms and conditions of police officers and police staff. We will be engaging with the PRRB over the coming months in order to influence the future remit. We appreciate that there may be some officers who feel we should have asked for more, but we have a responsibility to be realistic about what may be achieved. We have a responsibility to get for them the best possible deal, taking into account the current economic climate and the requirements set out in the remit letter to the PRRB. It would be pointless to ask for something we know we cannot get, only to find that we receive less than the maximum average award percentage set out in the remit letter, on the basis that the PRRB know we will be disappointed anyway This submission sows the seeds for the future with the PRRB. It shows us to be a credible, fair and responsible staff association, providing strong and credible evidence now and for the long-term. It also ensures that the best chance of success to police officers the very best settlement we can now, but also, with the evidence supplied for consideration by the PRRB, for future pay uplifts too. View the Police Federation of England and Wales’s submission here polfed.org/fedatwork/reports.aspx Yours sincerely Andy FITTES General Moneypenny
Posted on: Wed, 14 Jan 2015 17:48:08 +0000
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