‘Outdated’ PNB Agreement needs reviewing, says branch chair

4 March 2025

The chair of Derbyshire Police Federation says the 1994 Police Negotiating Board (PNB) Agreement is ‘outdated’ and in need of review.

Keith Chambers says the conditions of working for inspectors and chief inspectors – which were set out more than 30 years ago – needed to be revisited to ensure they were fit for modern policing.

It comes as the key findings of a Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) survey of the inspecting ranks are published.

Keith, who is an inspector, said the findings demonstrated the need for a review.

 

 

He said: “There has been a lot of confusion around the PNB Agreement since it was introduced in 1994, and there still is, and I think at times that has been exploited by the service.

“In those three decades, policing in general, and specifically the roles of inspectors and chief inspectors, have changed enormously – but the PNB Agreement hasn’t been looked at.

“Responsibilities have been delegated down, we’re held to account for a lot more, but we are not being rewarded.

Promotion

“You hear of sergeants thinking twice about going for a promotion to inspector because they can earn more with overtime.”

Since the agreement in 1994, the inspecting ranks have worked under different regulations from constables and sergeants.

The inspecting ranks had their basic pay increased by around £3,000 a year but, in return, were no longer paid casual overtime.

They lost the right to compensation for cancelled rest days and for working on a bank holiday, other than the day being re-rostered.

Shift pattern

There is also no right to a shift pattern, unlike constables and sergeants.

Keith said: “Inspectors and chief inspectors aren’t getting the protections that were envisaged when the PNB Agreement was introduced.

“We have inspecting ranks working long hours and working rest days that many will never be able to take.

“All of which is why I think the Agreement is outdated and in need of review. And the results of this survey suggest colleagues feel the same.”

The PFEW survey found that:

• 60 per cent of respondents are dissatisfied with their basic pay, with dissatisfaction higher among Chief Inspectors (70 per cent) than Inspectors (57 per cent)

• 81 per cent of expressed dissatisfaction with their allowances, with dissatisfaction highest in roles like road policing (87 per cent) and investigations (85 per cent)

• 78 per cent of are dissatisfied with their overall remuneration, with dissatisfaction higher among Chief Inspectors (84 per cent) than Inspectors (77 per cent)

• 85 per cent of respondents disagreed with the lack of additional payment for working on public holidays

• 65 per cent disagreed with not receiving extra pay when required to work in another force area (i.e. mutual aid)

• 80 per cent prefer a choice between financial compensation or a rest day in lieu for having to work on a rest day

• During a four week period, 67 per cent of respondents reported working an extra 0-20 hours above 40 hours per week (or above their agreed part-time hours), while 23 per cent work an extra 21-40 hours

• During a four week period, 74 per cent of respondents perform 0-4 days of duties above their rank

• 93 per cent of respondents feel that members in Inspecting ranks working full time should be entitled to a rostered shift pattern within Police Regulations

John Partington, PFEW acting national secretary, has also spoken of his desire for a review of the PNB Agreement. 

He said: “The findings have been included in our pay positioning document that has been made available to the PRRB. 

“This has led to us asking for changes to the regulations that cover the Inspecting ranks.

Police Advisory Board

“I have also raised the PNB 1994 agreement at the Police Advisory Board with the view that no organisation would allow a 31-year-old agreement to still be in place without a review. 

“There doesn’t seem to be any other stakeholder with the view that this does not need to be reviewed.

“However, we will need to see what recommendations are made from the PRRB over the next few months.”

John said that a key area for him was that 30 per cent of respondents reported being paid for working over their agreed part time hours, and only 54 per cent reported that these hours count towards their pension.

Inspecting ranks

He said: “Of concern is that there seems to be a number of part-time officers in the inspecting ranks who are not claiming the additional hours that they work over their agreed hours.

“It is important that these hours are paid and that they are counted for pensions purposes.

“This is not optional, and forces should be paying the hours and counting them towards an officer’s pension automatically.”

Read the key findings from the PFEW Inspecting Ranks Survey.

READ MORE: Private healthcare created for the police family.