Federation backs plans to legally challenge pay award

SOUTH Yorkshire Police Federation is backing a national challenge to the recent police pay award.

The Police Federation of England and Wales has started legal proceedings against the Home Office after it failed to honour the 3% pay rise recommendation put forward by The Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB).

Instead officers received a 2% pay rise in the award announced in July.

New South Yorkshire Police Federation Chairman Steve Kent confirmed the Federation was fully behind the campaign which will challenge how the award was ratified.

“The Government obviously set up the review body a few years ago and they’re repeatedly refusing to accept its recommendations,” he said.

“From my point of view the pay rise has been, in reality, less than 1% and officers are very annoyed in South Yorkshire. And they’re right to be. It’s a disgrace and an insult.

“I understand the judicial review relates to the manner in which the pay increase was ratified and for me, it’s very concerning that the Treasury and the Home Office aren’t even competent in their methods of squeezing cops’ living standards,” he added.

“Officers’ living standards are getting narrower and narrower and I think cops have just had enough.

“They just want to have something that’s reflecting the rising prices in society.”

Steve is pleased that the national Federation is stepping up to challenge the award and thinks the PRRB recommended rise should be the bare minimum officers should receive.

“There’s a directional change with John Apter (New PFEW National Chairman) and it shows that regardless of whether this is successful or not, if we’re not happy with it we’re going to challenge it, which I think has been something that rank and file officers have criticised the Fed for not doing in the past.

“But it’s positive that this is happening under the new chair and under the new Fed leadership and it’s my job now to make sure officers understand what is happening

“I understand some members think we should be getting 6% like Scotland but it doesn’t work like that,” he said.

“It’s obviously a different system up there and a different set up. But if we start at the base that the review findings are honoured, I think that’s a very bare minimum.

“Going forward what I’d like to see is our pay increasing over time to make up the gap to officers’ earnings and to living costs which have grown massively.”