Federation Calls For Consistent Pay Rises

THE Chair of South Yorkshire Police Federation has called for consistent police officer pay rises for the foreseeable future to make up for a decade of below-inflation increases. 

Steve Kent was speaking after the Home Secretary awarded a £1,900 increase for all officers – which kicked in on 1 September.  

Steve said the increase was welcome, in the light of years of lower increases, but warned that it was “divisive”, because the increase amounts to a less than 5% increase for long-in-service and higher ranking officers. 

He said: “I have a mixed reaction really. I expected worse; I expected low percentages. I didn’t expect to get that specific figure that we’ve got. So it’s an improvement on what we’ve got. 

“But this has got to be the mere beginning. It cannot be a bonus sort of payment, before dropping back down to 2% next year. This has got to be followed by consistent funding, when it comes to police pay. And we’ve got to see the continuation next year.”

However, Steve said he was encouraged by the fact that the Home Secretary adopted the recommendations of the Police Remuneration Review Body. 

He added: “If they do that going forward without hamstringing them, then that will be a great thing. I’m just cynical. We need to have a commitment from government going forward that they will be giving the PRRB a free reign – and only then it will be fit for purpose.

“We need to see consistent pay rises of this nature for the foreseeable future to redress the balance.”