Page 3 - BedFed Dec2018 Flipbook

Federation seeks judicial review in pay row
The Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) has started legal proceedings after the Government’s failure to accept the recommendations of the Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB) for a second successive year.
The PRRB – the independent body established by the Government to make evidence-based recommendations on police pay – had recommended a three per cent pay rise from September but the Government only awarded two per cent.
The Federation argues that, in real terms, this is worth just 0.85 per cent to constables.
It has now lodged an application to begin judicial review proceedings into the lawfulness of the Government’s decision.
The Federation had sought a 3.4 per cent increase in a joint submission to the PRRB with the Superintendents’ Association.
Jim Mallen, chair of the Bedfordshire Police Federation, described the pay rise as a “hammer blow” to officers.
Jim said: “Police officers do an incredibly demanding and increasingly difficult job in
protecting the public and this is a hammer blow to them.
“Therefore it is only right and proper that they should be treated fairly and have the confidence that any independent pay recommendations will be accepted in full by the Government.
“The Federation has played fair throughout this process, submitting evidence for the pay award each year jointly with the Superintendents’ Association.
“And the submission was really not far off the mark. We asked for 3.4 per cent and the pay review body recommended three per cent. However, the Government ignored the recommendation – again – and that makes a mockery of the whole process.”
John Apter, national Federation chair, added: “Our members do not have industrial rights so it’s important they know we will stand up for them and fight their corner.
“It is a disgrace that for the second year running the Home Office has cheated police officers out of the pay increase they should receive; this year officers are being awarded a
derisory two per cent increase, despite the recommendation of the PRRB that it should be three per cent.
“In response to this betrayal and based on legal advice, PFEW has instructed solicitors to formally proceed with a judicial teview against the Home Secretary on the basis that he has stated that the pay decision was a Government decision and not his decision alone.
“I know the deep sense of anger felt by many of our members about the way they have been treated. This is why we have taken this action and make no apology for doing so. Doing nothing was simply not an option and it is right and proper that we legally challenge this unfairness.”
l The 0.85 per cent is derived from the fact that only one per cent of last year’s two per cent increase was consolidated. That one per cent has now been removed by the Government for this year’s pay award so, taking into account pension contributions, the actual uplift is worth approximately 0.85 per cent to constables.
Pension shortfall could bring new funding crisis
Bedfordshire Police Federation chair Jim Mallen has warned policing is becoming purely responsive as the service faces a fresh squeeze on budgets.
Police forces in England and Wales have been told they must meet a
£420 million shortfall following the Treasury’s re-calculation of the money each force needed to pay into the police pension scheme, on top of the existing cuts to budgets.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) has sent a formal letter to the Treasury saying it will seek a judicial review of the Government’s proposals.
NPCC saying: “It’s good to see the police chiefs taking action against the Government.
“We fully support their calls for investment and agree the pension deficit should not be funded out of existing budgets.
“We are already getting to a situation where we are struggling to deliver the service that we want to deliver to the public. And if we lose even more officers there is the danger that policing becomes a responsive service.”
John Apter, national Federation chair, echoed Jim’s words in welcoming the threat of legal action by the NPCC.
A judicial review will now take place into the lawfulness of the Government’s decision
Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB) for two consecutive years.
And John said: “It really is a sorry state of affairs when the most senior figures in policing along with ourselves feel there is no other option than to take legal action against a Government who continue to turn a blind eye to the fact that the service is at breaking point.
“The budget announcement was just another example of the utter contempt shown by our Government – this was a prime opportunity for the Prime Minister and the Chancellor to throw police a life-line and inject critical funding into a service that is on its knees. But instead, they prioritise and significantly invest in potholes rather than police.
“We have been saying for a long time that the Government is putting the safety of the public in jeopardy and now police leaders are saying it too - but how much more is it going to take?
“The Government needs to wake up and end the unprecedented cuts suffocating the police service because at the end of the day it’s not just police officers suffering but the public too.”
“And Jim welcomed the move by the to ignore the recommendations of its own
IT REALLY IS A SORRY STATE OF AFFAIRS WHEN THE MOST SENIOR FIGURES IN POLICING ALONG WITH OURSELVES FEEL THERE IS NO OTHER OPTION THAN TO TAKE LEGAL ACTION AGAINST A GOVERNMENT WHO CONTINUE TO TURN A BLIND EYE TO THE FACT THAT THE SERVICE IS AT BREAKING POINT.
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