Leicestershire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Lord Willy Bach, has called the police pay award “a cynical deception of which Her Majesty’s Government should be ashamed”.
Yesterday (12 September) the Government announced that police officers would receive a one-off 1 per cent bonus, paid over 12 months September 2017 to August 2018, in addition to a 1 per cent increase in base salary. The bonus is non-pensionable, does not include over-time or allowances for specialised work and will be paid on a monthly basis.
Responding to the announcement Willy Bach said: “For seven long years Her Majesty’s Government has attacked the police in two ways.
“Firstly, it has continually depressed police pay well below inflation - something now running at 2.9 per cent. These courageous individuals who put their lives on the line to keep us safe deserve better.
“Secondly, over the same period, it has shrivelled police budgets. In 2010 our grant from central government was £132 million. This year it’s down to £105 million; it’s forecast to be £97 million in 2021. This inevitably leads to there being less police officers to protect the public.
“This week, Her Majesty’s Government has offered Police Officers a 1 per cent bonus for the next calendar year - albeit non-pensionable. On its own this is of course to be welcomed.
“But who is to pay for this extra 1 per cent? You might have thought it would be the Government putting its money where its mouth is. But you would be wrong! Her Majesty’s Government is not putting a penny piece into this bonus.
“This money is to come from the already absurdly reduced Leicestershire Police Budget. What will the inevitable consequence be? It will mean that in the years to come, more Police Officers' jobs will go in order that the Budget can be balanced, as it has to be by law.
“Meanwhile the Government pays no attention to the policing needs of a growing and diverse community. No-one should be fooled into applauding this as an act of generosity. On the contrary it is a cynical deception of which Her Majesty’s Government should be ashamed.”
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Posted on Wednesday 13th September 2017