Pay body must be allowed to operate independently, says Fed chair

15 August 2022

Derbyshire Police Federation chair Tony Wetton says the independence of the system that sets officers’ salaries must be respected by the Government.

Tony said that the Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB) should not be influenced by Government when it sets pay awards in the face of a cost of living crisis.

“As a police service, we don’t feel valued by this Government, which has overseen a real terms pay cut for officers of 20 per cent over the last decade – and that’s before the current cost of living crisis which is having a huge impact on them and their families,” Tony explained.

“The current system isn’t working as the Government decides what the PRRB can consider and, ultimately, what officers will receive. All we ask is that the Government respects PRRB’s independence so that it is not restricted by what the Government says it can consider.”

His comments were echoed by the chair of the Police Federation for England and Wales (PFEW), Steve Hartshorn, who has called for “a reset of relations with the Government”.

The PFEW last year withdrew its support and engagement with the PRRB, labelling the mechanism as “not fit for purpose”.

Steve said: “The independence of the PRRB must be upheld and not influenced by the Government by way of a remit to enable officers to have a fair pay mechanism, and the P-factor payment exclusive to policing must be included to ensure officers are paid fairly for the risks they take.

“We seek assurances from the Government that next year the PRRB will not be restrained by an unfair remit set by the Home Office, and that the unsustainable real terms pay cut is addressed to ensure our members can afford to do the job they signed up for.

“We asked for a reset of relations with the Government, which is needed to ensure that the voice of our members is heard loud and clear at all levels of the Government every time decisions are made affecting their day-to-day lives.”