Branch chair looks to the future after re-election

26 June 2025

Rob Bowles says he is as motivated as ever to fight for North Yorkshire Police Federation members after being re-elected as branch chair.

Following the conclusion of this year’s elections, it was confirmed that Rob will continue to lead the branch for the next term of office, having first become chair in 2017.

While he maintains this was down to fortunate timing rather than any grand design, he says his strong desire to support members as much as possible was the driving force behind the quick ascent.

And these ambitions have only grown the more he himself has grown into the position.

Highlights

“I’ve always seen the Federation as a great opportunity to get better outcomes for the colleagues around you, and that has certainly proven to be the case over the years,” Rob said.

“Looking back, there have been plenty of highlights so far – the ones that spring to mind are around helping our membership through difficult times, such as employment tribunals and misconduct cases, which is the side of things I have always been interested in.

“We have also overseen a lot of important work around supporting the families of officers who have died, and some good progress for diversity, equality and inclusion in the Force.

“There have been victories more tangible and in the things you can’t always measure, such as boosting the mental wellbeing of officers, and I’m proud of it all.

“But it is important to look ahead, and I’m determined to deliver further positive results for our deserving members.”

Re-elected branch chair Rob Bowles.

Rob confirmed that helping to effect more organisational change is at the heart of his priorities moving forward as branch chair.

He pointed towards the fact policing is now at the ‘tail end’ of almost 15 years of degradation in pay and conditions – illustrated by a 19 per cent real-terms pay cut since 2010 – and stated the time is now to push back once and for all.

“More than anything else, this is what motivates me to continue – it’s the single biggest challenge facing the profession and has been for some time,” Rob continued.

“Not only is there a reduction in funding, but workloads are only getting higher, and demands are becoming more complex – the picking up of the slack in responding to jobs previously handled by other agencies is a contributor to that.

“And this is all exacerbated by the general feeling that the country’s decision makers still do not value policing in the way they should. The recent spending review does not represent the change in direction we hope and expect from central government, leaving a lot to be desired.”

Austerity

While acknowledging that the pinch of government austerity has been felt across the public sector, Rob says when it comes to pay and conditions, police officers are often suffering from a worse deal than the likes of teachers and nurses.

This relates to another matter he wants to carry on tackling as chair, in the shape of officers being left to contend with the psychological toll of such a reality.

“It isn’t getting any easier out there for our cops, and in a resource-strapped environment, we need to look after them.

“In my position as chair, I have learnt the importance of striking the balance between being attentive to things at a national level and keeping in touch with local members on the ground – no matter what is going on in Parliament, we will always look out for our individual members.

“With that in mind, I will continue addressing these significant wellbeing issues through local negotiations with North Yorkshire Police.”

Rounding off, Rob paid tribute to members for their enthusiasm and belief in the branch’s work, which he argued is shown through the time taken to share observations and feedback on life in the police.

Openness

He explained that this then affords the Federation a stronger position when entering discussions with the Force, for example, because evidence is legitimate and informed.

Beyond the gain of these advantages, Rob appealed for openness from officers purely on the basis that it is the Federation’s purpose to be there for them.

“I want our members to know that no matter what the difficulty, they can always turn to me and the rest of the branch for support. I want to thank them for reaching out, and urge them to continue doing so.

“I would also like to thank those who have supported me through this recent election process – I am immensely proud to have the endorsement of my colleagues and fellow officials.

“It is an absolute privilege to continue leading our Federation. I might be eight years into this, but I don’t take it for granted for a second.

“As I look towards the next three years, I hope I can make you all proud,” he ended.