Letter from MPA Chief Executive responding to MPS Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson’s letter of 25 May 2010

22 June 2010

Sir Paul Stephenson
Commissioner of the Metropolis
New Scotland Yard
London SW1H 0BG

Dear Paul,

I welcome your letter of 25 May concerning your decision to make no recommendations in respect of performance related pay increases or bonuses for your most senior police officers and staff. I recognise this represents a considerable personal sacrifice and I admire you and your colleagues for the action you have taken.

As you will know, Members have been concerned for a number of years about the bonus scheme for Association of Chief Police Officer (ACPO) ranks and the Authority has written to successive Home Secretaries setting out this view. Twelve months ago we wrote to Alan Johnson, the then Home Secretary, stating that in the absence of any change to the system, we were unilaterally withdrawing from the ACPO bonus scheme. Members of the Human Resources and Remuneration Sub Committee endorsed the view that no bonuses should be awarded at their meeting on 20 May.

At the subsequent meeting on 17 June 2010, Members further agreed that:

• As indicated by Nick Herbert (Policing Minister), ACPO ranks not on an incremental scale will receive their 2.5% increase in September as the final year of a three year pay deal for all police officers
• Commanders on the incremental scale will receive the appropriate incremental increase plus 2.5% in September.
• Senior Police Staff should receive a 2.5% cost of living increase to match that awarded to ACPO and other police ranks. There will be no Performance Related Pay (PRP) or bonus element.
• For other police staff, they should receive a 2.575% increase in August as the final year of a three year pay deal for such staff.

It is undoubtedly the case that the public sector, including the police service, faces some very difficult years ahead in terms of the budget settlement. However, both the Chair and I remain committed to maintaining a strong police presence on our streets and will continue to argue for recognition of the very special challenges that London will continue to face in the years ahead.

I look forward to working with you over the coming years to meet those challenges.

Yours ever
Catherine
Catherine Crawford
Chief Executive

Send an e-mail linking to this page

Feedback