Home Secretary Needs To Support Funding

1 June 2020

The Police Federation of England and Wales national conference has been cancelled this year due to Covid-19, but Essex Police Federation hopes to put its concerns to Home Secretary Priti Patel as soon as it can.

The Home Secretary usually gives a speech at the Annual Conference and delegates get the chance to ask questions afterwards. Chairman Steve Taylor, along with other regional Chairs, has missed this opportunity, but as Priti Patel is a local MP for Witham he hopes he can still speak to her.

Steve said: “My question would be centred on encouraging the continued planned increase in [police] funding. It’s crucial that we do not have our legs taken out from under us, so I’d be looking for reassurances on police funding going forward and more equitable police pay structure, not only for the organisation but for its members, because for too long we’ve not been fairly compensated for the work that we put in keeping our communities safe. That needs to change.”

Steve said he had an invitation to meet Priti Patel at the Home Office so that he could put a local perspective on the national policing issues. He added: “Covid-19 has perhaps put paid to that in person, but I hope to be able to sit down with her in the not too distant future.”