Police officers could soon benefit from a cut in overtime and improved
work-life balance after plans to radically reform police pay and conditions
were agreed last week.
Under the package of measures, which the Police Federation is to recommend
to its members, forces will aim to reduce overtime over the next three years by
15 per cent, with forces that meet their targets rewarded with extra officers.
Officers could also qualify for competency-based payments of up to £1,002 as
well as special priority bonuses, of between £500 and £5,000, for those in the
most difficult jobs. Police would receive an additional £402 on their basic
salary, with the pay scale altered to allow faster progression to the top
levels.
Mike Brown, head of employment at Kent constabulary and secretary of the
CIPD police forum, welcomed the provisional agreement to cut overtime and help
officers improve their work-life balance.
"We have seen the benefits of a more flexible approach to police
conditions of service, rather than statutory regulations, and we will continue
to contribute towards this process," said Brown. "The reform
proposals seek to provide greater flexibility and wide-ranging changes to the
way police officers will be employed and rewarded. Working within the police
service, we welcome this."
The agreement was finally reached following conciliation talks between the
Home Office and the Police Federation, which had been deadlocked since the
beginning of the year over the Government’s plans to modernise the force.
