THE prospect of a 1 per cent pay rise for officers next year is \u201cinsulting\u201d, Essex Police Federation has said.<\/p>\n
The remit for the new police pay review body was published by Home Secretary Theresa May earlier this month, with officers set for no more than a 1 per cent\u00a0pay rise in 2015.\u00a0However, Federation chairman Mark Smith hit out at this rise adding that the force has seen more applications for payouts from the Essex Police Benevolent Fund than ever before.<\/p>\n
The Home Office has published the remit it has given the Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB). The remit gives the PRRB guidance around what it should consider this first year when making its recommendations and the parameters within which it should fit.<\/p>\n
A statement from the Police Federation of England and Wales said: \u201cThe Home Secretary has also made it clear that recommendations have to have regard to government policy on public sector pay for 2015\/16 being an average of up to one per cent.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Smith said: \u201cWe have got a lot of officers in Essex experiencing financial hardship – it is harder than ever to get on the housing ladder and renting a property is expensive. So the cost of living is effectively higher than it has ever been. A one per cent pay increase is insulting.\u201d<\/p>\n
As well as to recommend a pay rise for officers, the PRRB has also been asked to provide \u201cobservations on the level and scope of existing arrangements for differences of police officer pay and allowances at regional and local level (with a view to making recommendations in future years).\u201d<\/p>\n
The Government also want the new Police Pay Review Body over the next five years to consider issues including buying out Sgts\u2019 casual overtime, increasing the pay gap between Sgts and PCs and to review on call allowance.<\/p>\n
The Police Federation of England and Wales added: \u201cThe PFEW has been working for some time with a number of other stakeholders including the Superintendents\u2019 Association, ACPO and PCCs \u2013 as well as with the PRRB \u2013 to ensure that comprehensive evidence can be collated and presented in order to secure the best deal possible for our members.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow that the remit letter has been published this work will continue at pace.\u201d<\/p>\n
With the introduction of a Police Remuneration Review Body issues over police officer pay and remuneration in England and Wales will no longer be negotiated.<\/p>\n
Instead the Review Body will consider evidence submitted by interested parties \u2013 ACPO, police and crime commissioners and staff associations \u2013 and then advise the Home Secretary, who will make all final decisions on pay.<\/p>\n
The Review Body\u2019s timetable for a 2015 pay award includes visits to forces this autumn, receipt of written evidence by mid-December and then oral evidence from interested parties in March 2015.<\/p>\n
The full letter from Home Secretary Theresa May to the Police Pay Review Body chairman is here https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/uploads\/system\/uploads\/attachment_data\/file\/370440\/Police_Home_Secretary_remit_letter_03.11.2014.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"