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Annual Conference Update

The Scottish Police Federation's 88th Annual Conference took place on the 22nd and 23rd April 2008 at the Peebles Hydro Hotel.

Many Delegates addressed Conference with the underlying sentiments presented being those of;

Disgust and anger at the conduct of the UK Government during the 2007 pay negotiations
Whilst welcoming the integrity of the Scottish Government decision to implement the 2007 pay award in full, widespread disappointment at the value of the 2007 pay award
Support for colleagues in England & Wales in their ongoing pay dispute
Widespread lack of trust in Gordon Brown, Jackie Smith, the UK Government and the Home Office

Cabinet Secretary for Justice

The Cabinet Secretary for Justice, Kenny MacAskill MSP, addressed conference on a range of issues and placed on record the thanks and appreciation of the Scottish Government to the Police in Scotland for their dedication and hard work. He assured Conference, that whilst it was right for Government to set policy, he would not 'micro manage' the police. He further assured Conference there was no intention to implement one Scottish Force and that the Scottish Government would respect the wishes of the Scotland's police officers in respect of their preferred pay negotiating mechanisms whatever that preference may be and should that preference change in the future.

Conference welcomed his views on the use of discretion and the hindering effect of the blame culture on this important matter.

Motions

This Joint Branch Board submitted the following motions to Conference;

• This Joint Branch Board asks Annual Conference to ask the JCC to pursue, through whichever mechanism available, the introduction of an accommodation allowance for those officers not in receipt of a housing allowance.

Following debate was supported by Conference.

• This Joint Branch Board asks Annual Conference to ask the JCC to pursue, through whichever mechanism available, a minimum 15% pay increase for all Federated Ranks.

This motion was brilliantly presented by David Ross and seconded by Graeme Ednie. The Secretary of the Tayside Joint Branch Board and Chairman of the Dumfries and Galloway Joint Branch Board spoke in opposition of the motion which, following further debate was defeated.

• This Joint Branch Board asks Annual Conference to ask the JCC to seek the introduction into Regulation 35 and Annex V of the Police (Scotland) Regulations 2004, through whichever mechanism available, of a financial penalty clause to assist with the timely settlement of Members legitimate claims for expenses.

This motion was supported by Conference.

• This Joint Branch Board asks Annual Conference to ask the JCC to pursue with the Scottish Government an increase in the role of the Independent Police Complaints Commissioner for Scotland to enable him to review internal police complaints and their investigation.

This motion was supported by Conference.

• This Joint Branch Board asks Annual Conference to express its outrage at the behaviour of the United Kingdom Government during and following the recent pay negotiations and for the Government to recognise police pay has fallen radically over recent years.

Hamish Grace addressed conference on this issue.

• These Joint Branch Boards ask Annual Conference to ask the JCC to challenge ACPOS and the Scottish Government to specifically identify those roles which do not require to be performed by a police officer in uniform to enable Joint Police Boards meet their requirements in terms of Regulation 45 of the Police (Scotland) Regulations 2004 by providing;

  1. to all other officers, who do not currently receive uniform, a uniform to undertake their duties

     or

  2. a 'uniform equivalent' to officers required to undertake their duties in plain clothes

This was a joint motion submitted by this and the Central Scotland Joint Branch Board and was supported by Conference.

The Boards other motion;

• This Joint Branch Board asks Annual Conference to ask the JCC to pursue, through whichever mechanism available, the introduction of a tax free allowance to replace the current travel agreement to the Distant Islands.

was submitted direct to the Joint Central Committee in March where it was supported.

Full details of all the other motions and outcomes will be published next week.