Chair sets out priorities after being re-elected

9 June 2025

The chair of Dyfed Powys Police Federation wants to develop the branch to ensure it continues to meet the needs of members.

Delme Rees has set out his priorities after being re-elected to the post that he took up last year.

It includes building the branch’s resilience and experience to ensure it’s in the best position to work for members.

Delme said losing board members to the Voluntary Exit Scheme and retirement made him want to prioritise continuity.

 

Re-elected branch chair Delme Rees.

 

He said: “It highlighted the need to ensure the branch consistently plans for the future and builds in resilience and experience in the board and council positions. Circumstances often change quickly and can impact on the board’s ability to deliver the best service and representation to the members we support, and this is something I will focus on.”

That desire to build in ‘resilience and experience’ is underlined by Delme’s own Federation involvement.

He was vice chair for seven years and built up his own skills until he felt in a position to stand for chair.

He also brings 23 years of frontline policing experience as a PC, sergeant and inspector in response, neighbourhood policing teams, and custody.

Pressure

A father of two, Delme’s wife works 24-hour shifts in nursing, and he says he understands the pressures policing can place on individuals and families.

“I am all too aware of how the demands in policing impact members’ work-life balance, mentally, physically, and emotionally,” he said.

“Whether that is from the volume and type of incidents members are expected to attend, working hours, shift patterns, the level of internal and external scrutiny, constant negative reporting in the press and social media, as well as being subject to direct violence and abuse.

“And all for unfair levels of pay.”

Negotiation

He added: “I will endeavour to address these factors locally through influence, negotiation, and representation, having forged effective working relationships with the senior management teams, heads of departments, and the chief officer team over the last year.”

Another priority was to work with the Force to retain staff.

“I want to help officers see that policing is still a good job,” Delme said.

“There are opportunities to change roles, which we can assist with, rather than people just exiting the organisation.

“It is dependent on where people work and their skill sets, but there is so much money spent on training people, we need to do what we can to stop them leaving.

Degree programme

“Otherwise, it's bad money spent.

“I signed up for the career, but I find people aren't signing up for that anymore.

“It's good that there's now a further entry route where you’re not necessarily required to do the degree programme.

“It allows for a more diverse recruitment pool, a greater number of people with more life experience - people from the armed forces, industry and public sector services.”

And Delme reassured members that the Federation will continue to give them a voice as the Force’s policing review continues.

“There are lots of things going on,” he said. “We’re making sure our voices are heard and are part of that process.”

READ MORE: Chair thanks Specials for their 'invaluable contribution'.