Starting pay for officers same as it was 15 years ago

POLICE officers in South Yorkshire are “struggling to make ends meet” – with new starters taking home the same amount in their pay packet as Bobbies 15 years ago.

Steve Kent, Chairman of the force’s Federation, hit out at the Government for not sticking to the Police Remuneration Review Body’s recommendations, as preparations for a Judicial Review against the Home Secretary were launched over pay.

It is likely to be heard in the summer.

Officers’ pay was increased by just £2.50 a week in July last year. The Police Federation of England and Wales recommended a 3.4% increase so that officers “could be paid fairly for the dangerous job they do after years of austerity”. The Police Remuneration Review Body recommended a total of 3%.

Steve said: “The squeeze is really biting with officers now and we really do need to see some fair pay to enable them to have the ability to make ends meet.

“The police pay review board was actually created by this Government to listen to both sides of the argument and to come up with a fair pay award for police annually. Last year the police federation wanted 3.4%. The pay review board quite fairly said, ‘No, it should be at 3%’. Then the government decided on 2%. We had a 1% bonus the year before which was insulting for police officers across the country.

“It is also important to say that they’ve ignored, for the second year, the pay review board’s recommendation and now we are in a situation where officers are really struggling with times of austerity – this works out as an average on £2.50 a week.”

The PFEW took the decision in October to formally lodge legal proceedings and last week the application was accepted, meaning a hearing is likely to be held in the summer. The move will mark a “line in the sand”, Steve said.

“The Federation are not going to tolerate being let down by the Government anymore. We’d like to see that the 3% is honoured and then that sets out the parameters of where we are for future negotiating boards. Essentially I want the Government to abide by the review board that they themselves set up.”

Steve added that this was good news for members: “The government needs to know that we’re not happy about it and that we expect fairness and we expect the review board’s findings to be honoured.”