Force struggling to find money for ‘divisive’ police bonus deals

Nearly half the officers at Humberside Police received “special priority payments” last year of up to £1,600 for bearing responsibility above their rank, occupying posts that are hard to recruit to, or working in especially demanding roles or environments.

But it has been forced to rethink this year’s payments as the Government grant which funds the bulk of the payments has been slashed to £406,000 from last year’s figure of £1.2m.

A report to the Humberside Police Authority has identified three possible solutions, but recommends “topping up” the grant by £150,000 to ensure all the 1,100 officers expected to apply are paid, although the maximum amount would be cut by more than two-thirds to about £500. However, this lower figure is “clearly of concern” to Humberside Police Federation, the report warns.

Other options being considered are to reduce the number of eligible roles or posts – which would see about 700 officers miss out on the payments, although 250 colleagues would still get a similar maximum to last year. But this option presents the risk of “significant employee relations issues”, the report says.

A third option would be to maintain the payments at last year’s levels by topping the grant up by £1.2m from either force or police authority reserves.

But this would present financial difficulties for the force, could lead to posts being deleted, and lead to “dismay” among other officers and staff and “potentially the tax payer/electorate”.

In an email to officers last November, Chief Constable Tim Hollis sought to manage expectations by saying future payments would be strictly determined by Home Office funding – if they continued at all.

He wrote: “Whilst personally I do not support SPP as I regard it as inherently divisive, I respect the fact that the system is in place and that officers are eligible if they meet the set criteria.

“...I would, however, make it clear that in light of CSR 2010 (comprehensive spending review) budget cuts, payments in future years – if they continue – will be made strictly in line with the funds made available by the Home Office for such payments.

“Officers in receipt of payments this year should not, therefore, assume that they will receive them in 2011 and beyond.”

Police Regulations state the payments should normally be between £500 and £3,000.

The Humberside Police Federation chairman Steve Garmston also said the scheme seemed divisive but it should be administered according to the regulations, and that officers expected their rights to be upheld.

He said: “The only fair thing is to pay everybody or pay nobody.

“We won’t shed many tears over its demise, but having said that it’s in the regulations, we’ve got to stick to the law and the law says that’s what will be paid – a minimum of £500 or a maximum of £3,000, and that’s what we are determined is paid until the law changes.”

The report will go before the police authority’s resources committee on Tuesday.

Committee chairman Neil Gammon said: “The police authority provides a carefully considered, planned and managed approach to addressing the police authority and force’s financial challenges to ensure value for money for local people.

“This includes considering suitable payment and funding options for special priority payments.

“The resources committee appreciates the sensitivities surrounding special payments. These matters are important to Humberside Police’s officers and to local people.

“Members will meet on Tuesday to consider the options presented and identify the most appropriate way forward, taking into account the budget restraints facing the force which include the reduction in Government grants that has resulted in less funding being available for these payments.”

The force is facing cuts of £22m over the next four years.