THE Police Federation of England and Wales\u00a0has the full support of Essex Police Federation and the officers it represents as it takes the Government to court over the 2018 police officer pay rise.<\/p>\n
Essex Federation Chairman Steve Taylor says it\u2019s an important step for the national Federation to take and that it is \u2018pushing back\u2019 after officers in England and Wales were awarded a \u2018derisory\u2019 2% pay rise in July.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
In doing so, the Government ignored the recommendations of the Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB) the lawfulness of which the PFEW will be challenging through the courts.<\/p>\n
Steve said: \u201cI welcome it and I don\u2019t understand why we didn\u2019t do it the first time around but a change in (PFEW) Secretary, a change in the centre has meant this is being viewed with fresh eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s a really important step for us to take to judiciary review the Home Secretary who has exercised the collective will of cabinet as allegedly leaked documents would have us believe – that\u2019s not what he should have been doing.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe should have been taking the decision on his own,\u201d Steve added.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn a way we\u2019re calling him for something I accuse the IOPC of doing all the time. \u2018I don\u2019t personally want to do this, but this is what I\u2019m told I need to do\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell I\u2019m sorry, no. That\u2019s not a good enough answer for our members and I think it\u2019s right that we\u2019re holding him to account for that very basic interpretation of what\u2019s happened.\u201d<\/p>\n
The decision to adopt the pay review body recommendations in statute is something that the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State must account for, Steve said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs we know, that\u2019s not happened, and we know it was a cabinet decision, which the Prime Minister leads, not to accept those recommendations.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, the Home Secretary is not treating us fairly, he\u2019s not treating us to according to the rule of the law and I think it\u2019s right that we hold him to account for that.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhilst he is in the frame for this, it\u2019s important to remember that cabinet responsibility goes both ways, and if he is found wanting of not exercising his duty here then the cabinet bear responsibility for that as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
The issue does also call into question the role of the PRRB, Steve believes, as the Government obviously feels empowered to ignore its recommendations.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy isn\u2019t the PRRB itself isn\u2019t bringing a review? Do we read into that decision that they\u2019re complicit in what\u2019s gone on, because it undermines the whole need for it.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s the point in having this independent review mechanism if, at the end of the day, you\u2019re going to make your own mind up anyway? It makes a joke of it all.<\/p>\n
\u201cEssentially the Government is asking us to dance to a tune and then changing the music.\u201d<\/p>\n
Steve added: \u201cThe process is important here.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we don\u2019t have confidence in the process then what can we have confidence in? We\u2019ve jumped through all the hoops, made evidenced submissions, and we\u2019ve got a result of sorts from the pay review body.<\/p>\n
\u201cHaving done all that it\u2019s just simply ignored it. That\u2019s the issue for us.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat does not mean that we will get what the pay review body says. It\u2019s simply means that the Home Secretary is at fault for not following the rules.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are tired of just being had over like this. We have to start pushing back, whilst still trying to be constructive and have a relationship with these bodies and organisations.”<\/p>\n
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