Police officers need an \u2018inflation-busting\u2019 pay rise, according to South Yorkshire Police Federation.<\/p>\n
Steve Kent was commenting after suggestions that another benefit such as additional annual leave or a council tax rebate could be given to officers instead.<\/p>\n
PFEW Vice-Chair Ch\u00e9 Donald took to Twitter to ask officers the questions: \u201cThinking outside the box this Sunday. If you can\u2019t get an inflation busting pay rise, what could be done to improve your situation? Extra Days Annual Leave? Council Tax Rebate? Reaching max leave entitlement sooner?\u201d<\/p>\n
Responses from officers included suggestions such as 100% funded Open University degrees for serving officers, health club membership, and a reduction in pension contributions.<\/p>\n
Steve said: \u201cFor me, it\u2019s got to be the inflation-busting pay rise, or at least inflation-equalling pay rise, because everybody would like more leave. But let\u2019s be frank, it\u2019s very difficult for officers to get leave as it stands at the minute anyway. That, for me, seems to be the wrong way about doing things.<\/p>\n
\u201cA council tax rebate would be a financial incentive, so that would sit alongside the pay increase, but what would that do in terms of the perception of us in the public eye? That could be very divisive.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s quite a simple one. There\u2019s nothing wrong with asking the question and it\u2019s a great thing to brainstorm about, but for me, we have to see a drastic pay rise to reflect what we\u2019ve done in the past couple of years, to reflect the ridiculous rise in living costs, and to start reversing some of the pay damage and the neglect that\u2019s been going on in policing for so long now.\u201d<\/p>\n