Agenda item

Report of the Commissioner of Police (copy attached).

The Committee considered a report of the Commissioner covering two key areas of police reform - the Winsor Review and the changes to the national governance structure.

The Winsor Review had been published in two parts and made recommendations on matters relating to deployment of officers and staff (including shift allowances, overtime, etc);  post and performance related pay (including special priority payments, threshold payments and bonuses), how officers enter and leave the police service, pay progression, whether the typical service length should be made more flexible and, lastly, how officers and staff pay and conditions of service are decided.

The Force had already implemented many recommendations whereas others were being considered by the Force Strategic Management Board, for example, those concerning the overnight allowance. The report highlighted that not all the recommendations had been agreed and some were still subject to national consultation, negotiation and arbitration. In terms of financial impact so far the position for the force was expected to be cost neutral. However, in general terms, a negative financial impact was expected on individual officers and staff.

The report also provided information on changes to the national governance structure, including the creation of the National Crime Agency (NCA) and the Force’s involvement in the Economic Crime Command Board (ECCB) and associated sub groups. The report also referred to the creation of a Police Information Communications and Technology (ICT) Company, the College of Policing and the winding up of the National Police Improvement Agency (NPIA).

In response to a Member’s question, the Commissioner clarified that the police pension arrangements had been the subject of a separate review by Lord Hutton, published in 2011.

A Member remarked that the implementation of the Winsor Review had been identified in the risk register and queried whether the intention was to provide updates in the future. The Commissioner commented that he would report further as negotiations progressed.

RESOLVED – That the report be received and its contents noted.