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Home Secretarys Written Statement
Posted on 31/03/2011
Dear all,
Today the Home Secretary has issued a Written Ministerial Statement (below and attached) that confirms she wants every recommendation by Tom Winsor to go to the Police Negotiating Board. We have issued the following media response
Responding to the Written Ministerial Statement released today by the Home Secretary, Theresa May, stating all proposals put forward by Tom Winsor will go to the Police Negotiating Board (PNB) and Police Advisory Board (PAB) as a matter of urgency, Paul McKeever, Chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales says;
“Whilst these are merely proposals at this stage we remain extremely disappointed that Tom Winsor's report fails to demonstrate any evidence based methodology or reasoning. Even more disappointing is that the Home Secretary is choosing to put forward a flawed report of personal views, not evidence, to the Police Negotiating Board.
"We expect the Police Negotiating Board will give each proposal the in-depth analysis and consideration it deserves before any decision on any of the proposals is made. To make any changes to police terms and conditions, the unique working arrangements and special relationship the police have in society must at all times be borne in mind.
“Whilst police officers understand that these are just proposals at this stage, they are putting their last ounce of faith in this government to honour the processes and procedures in place to protect their unique working status. It is therefore incumbent on the Home Secretary that she honours the decisions of the negotiating machinery.
“Many of the proposals put forward in the Winsor Report cause grave concern and consternation amongst the rank and file, particularly as some officers would suffer a pay cut of up to £4000. It is clear that police officers will be the biggest victims of the financial cuts in the public sector as this would be in addition to a two year pay freeze and possible increased pension costs. The 20% budget cuts imposed by this government will not only see a reduction in the numbers of officers fighting crime but will also impact on the unique working arrangements of police officers which reflect the dangerous and often thankless job they do.”
HOME OFFICE
Review of Remuneration and Conditions of Service for Police Officers and Staff
Baroness Neville-Jones:
My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department
(Theresa May) has today made the following Written Ministerial Statement:
On 8 March I issued a written statement to the House announcing that Tom Winsor had published the first report of his review of remuneration and conditions of service for police officers and staff in England and Wales.
We have the best police force in the world, but I said when the review was launched, it is vital that we have a modern and flexible service to meet the demands placed on it. The Government recognises and values the professionalism of the police and has made clear its commitment to supporting and maximising frontline services to the public. Police officers and staff should be rewarded fairly and reasonably for what they do. They deserve to have pay and workforcearrangements that both recognise the vital role they play in fighting crime and keeping the public safe and enable them to deliver effectively for the public.
The Government has also been clear that action is needed to tackle the deficit responsibly to ensure that the taxpayer gets a fair deal from all parts of the public sector. The police service has its part to play, and in an organisation like the police, where pay is 80% of police revenue expenditure, there is no question that pay restraint and pay reform must form part of the package. In this context, it is more important than ever that the police leadership has the flexibility to manage forces and protect the frontline services.
The Review has an important role in enabling the police service to do this. Tom Winsor was asked to look at how remuneration arrangements and conditions of service for police officers and staff can best support and enable the police service to serve the public and provide value for money for the public taxpayer.
In particular, the Terms of Reference asked for recommendations on how to:
- use remuneration and conditions of service to maximise officer and staff deployment to frontline roles where their powers and skills are required
- provide remuneration and conditions of service that are fair to and reasonable for both the public taxpayer and police officers and staff
- enable modern management practices in line with practices elsewhere in the public sector and the wider economy.
In recognition of the urgency of these matters, the review was asked to report in two stages:
The first on short-term improvements and a second report on longer-term reforms.
The Government has now had the opportunity to consider the review’s first report. It sets out the following broad principles:
- Fairness is an essential part of any new system of pay and conditions.
- The Office of Constable is the bedrock of British policing
- The demands of policing should be given full and proper weight
- People should be paid for what they do, the skills they have and are applying in their work, and the weights of the jobs they do
- People should be paid for how well they work
- A single police service – distinctions in pay and other conditions of service between police officers and staff should be objectively justified
- Arrangements should be simple to implement and administer
- Phased introduction of reform
We welcome these principles, and believe that they provide a framework for fair and sustainable arrangements for remuneration and conditions of service.
The Review also sets out a package of specific recommendations for police officers’ and staff remuneration and conditions of service, based on these guiding principles. I have consulted theIndependent Chair of the Police Negotiating Board and Police Advisory Board for England and Wales and I will direct those bodies to consider the proposals that are within their respective remits for police officers in England and Wales as a matter of urgency.
I will also be writing to the Association of Police Authorities and the Police Staff Council to recommend that they consider the report’s recommendations in respect of police staff in England and Wales
