Auditors

[Remmy + 1,401]

Politicians got a ten per cent hike two years ago, while officers’ pay barely changed

The Home Office has recommended that police officers receive a one per cent pay rise next year.

The department’s submissions to the pay review body states both Federated ranks and senior officers in England and Wales should receive rises in line with the public sector wage cap.

Any measures introduced to address local issues should also be balanced by moves to keep the overall budget rise at no more than one per cent, it argues.

The National Police Chiefs' Council and Met Police have also called for a rise of one per cent.

The submissions have been made the day after the MPs’ review body said politicians should get a 1.4 per cent rise – which is well above the cap they impose on public sector workers.

The rise from £74,962 to £76,011, due to take effect in April 2017, follows another cap-busting increase of 1.3 per cent earlier this year.

And it comes two years after a large ten per cent hike from £67,000 to £74,000 in 2015, recommended by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority.

Under a system designed to take the issue out of political control, MPs' salaries rise in line with the Office for National Statistics' calculation of average overall increases in the public sector. The increase is automatic and not subject to approval in Parliament.

The figure is higher than the one per cent cap because it is calculated on the basis of all payments on public sector payslips, including items like bonuses and promotion-related rises.

Ipsa confirmed that the ONS had issued a preliminary estimate of this year's figure of 1.4 per cent. However, this may change when the statistic is finalised nearer the date of the pay-rise.

Ministerial salaries have been frozen until 2020.

In its submission to the police pay body, the Home Office says there is no compelling evidence of any recruitment issues in policing – including for chief constables.

PoliceOracle.com has previously highlighted that last year the majority of chief constable vacancies only received one application. This year two PCCs attempted to attract candidates from abroad to fill the roles.

Outlining its rationale that pay should not go up by more than one per cent, the Home Office states: “Public debt stands at its highest share of GDP since the late 1960s, and the deficit remains among the highest in advanced economies.

“It is vital that the government continues with its intention to reduce the budget deficit over an appropriate timeframe.

“Public sector pay restraint continues to play a key role in fiscal consolidation. It helped save approximately £8bn in the last Parliament and is expected to save another £5bn in this Parliament.”

UK inflation hit its highest level for more than two years in October.

The Police Federation and Superintendents Association of England and Wales are asking for a 2.8pc rise for all officers.

Andy Fittes, General Secretary of the Fed, said: "This year’s pay and morale survey, the largest ever undertaken, once again shows that morale continues to be low. Alongside how officers are treated, pay and benefits remains one of the most significant contributory factors to this.

“Continuing austerity measures, exacerbated by inflation, have seen police officers hit hard by way of a real terms pay gap. The ability to recruit strong candidates, or recruit full stop, may be impacted if this is not addressed.

“Whilst directed to limit any pay award at 1 per cent, the independent PRRB must be free to draw their own conclusions based on the evidence presented.”

A final decision on police pay is expected next summer.

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Just thought I cheer everyone up with some good news..... what's that old saying we're all equal it's just some are more equal than others 

[Milankovitch + 3,445]

The public wanted MPs not to have control of their own pay and that's what we have now. Be careful what you wish for!

[Remmy + 1,401]

2 hours ago, Milankovitch said:

The public wanted MPs not to have control of their own pay and that's what we have now. Be careful what you wish for!

Perhaps we and other public sector employees should have an independent pay review body, of course any decisions would need to be binding otherwise another toothless tiger.

 

[Milankovitch + 3,445]

I can't see that doing much. I got a 1% payrise last year, I can't see an independent body coming up with anything radically different.

[Prae 764]

I can't see that doing much. I got a 1% payrise last year, I can't see an independent body coming up with anything radically different.

It's worked out alright for MP's since IPSA was created. I'd be satisfied with an almost 15% pay rise in three years for the MP's compared to the 2% I've had.

[Remmy + 1,401]

31 minutes ago, Prae said:

It's worked out alright for MP's since IPSA was created. I'd be satisfied with an almost 15% pay rise in three years for the MP's compared to the 2% I've had.

I would happily settle for that 

[Milankovitch + 3,445]

2 hours ago, Prae said:

It's worked out alright for MP's since IPSA was created. I'd be satisfied with an almost 15% pay rise in three years for the MP's compared to the 2% I've had.

Still can't see an independent body thinking my job is underpaid and giving me a 15% pay rise somehow.

[Prae 764]

15 minutes ago, Milankovitch said:

Still can't see an independent body thinking my job is underpaid and giving me a 15% pay rise somehow.

Perhaps we should fiddle the living daylight out of our expenses and when we get caught we can say we did it because we don't get paid enough and then we can finally get the 15% pay rise we've deserved all along!

Edited December 18, 2016 by David
Asterisked word sanitised

[Milankovitch + 3,445]

My employer (public sector) commissioned a review of payscales that was (supposedly) independent. I was supposed to move up a pay point last year and the pay point I was going to was abolished so I have to wait two years for my annual change in payscale as I believe happened to a lot of cops down south. They decided that the head of the service I work for should get a 6% payrise as they'd been so badly underpaid for so long, must be tough living on £110k a year plus bonuses and a load of allowances us minions aren't entitled to... 

[Inbtsiyp + 347]

I think if it's good enough for the politicians then it's good enough for us.


Sent from my iPhone using Police Community

[MerseyLLB 8,426]

Sorry our hands are tied?

What happened to parliamentary sovereignty?

Perhaps the 0.4% (£300) of MPs payrise could be donated to the National Debt as a token gesture of Parliaments commitment to bringing down the national debt?

[SimonT + 1,194]

I think I get paid a good wage for what I do.  However I feel that others of the same rank and service get paid far too much. 

I sit there at 5am, brain melting into a remand file puddle,  having been assaulted for the tenth time this year and think, why don't I join a nice office role, answering the phone occasionally, 9-5 with no rest days binned off for court.  

Because that's not what I signed up for.  But I do wonder why the 2 roles are paid the same.  

Similar to MPs pay.  Do they all do the same work? Perhaps they should have a minimum earnings, do if they are poor (imagine) they would get full pay.  If they had stacks of personal cash (all of them)  they wouldn't get paid.  

[MerseyLLB 8,426]

On 20/12/2016 at 08:31, SimonT said:

I think I get paid a good wage for what I do.  However I feel that others of the same rank and service get paid far too much. 

I sit there at 5am, brain melting into a remand file puddle,  having been assaulted for the tenth time this year and think, why don't I join a nice office role, answering the phone occasionally, 9-5 with no rest days binned off for court.  

Because that's not what I signed up for.  But I do wonder why the 2 roles are paid the same.  

Similar to MPs pay.  Do they all do the same work? Perhaps they should have a minimum earnings, do if they are poor (imagine) they would get full pay.  If they had stacks of personal cash (all of them)  they wouldn't get paid.  

I'm not sure your pay should be linked to how much money you have - that's a bit extreme.

However I'd certainly say that perhaps MPs should have their pay dependent on a minimum commitment to a number of surgery hours and a number of house of commons appearances.