Force Funding

Conference notes that on the 15th July 2015 the Home Office began a consultation process on proposals to reform the police funding formula. This consultation ended on the 15th Sept 2015. The proposals within the consultation are to reform the existing funding system for police forces in England and Wales with five identified guiding principles; […]

Computer Says No

In June 2013 Accenture PLC a multi national management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company were awarded the i6 project, which will see a single system operate across Scotland, described by Police Scotland as the “largest and most significant transformational change ever undertaken by the service”, replacing 135 existing IT and paper-based systems and providing […]

Reforming the Powers of Police Staff and Volunteers

Conference notes that the government’s consultation paper on ‘Reforming the Powers of Police Staff and Volunteers’ published on 9 September 2015 contains both opportunities and threats for the police service and police staff. Key proposals in the consultation paper include: • Creating a list of ‘core’ police powers – including arrest and stop and search […]

PCSOs an endangered workforce

PCSOs an endangered workforce Newspapers are alight with reports of Police Forces either considering or deleting PCSO posts. The most recent example being Nottinghamshire Police’s announcement on 11th September 2015, that they are reducing their PCSO establishment by 70. On the 9th September 2015, the Metropolitan Police announced that they are considering axing 1,017 PCSO […]

Police Staff as Victims of Crime

We are increasingly concerned at the way that Police Staff are sometimes treated when they are victims of crime. The service they receive from the police should be no better or worse than any other member of the public, but we are aware of cases where this does not happen. Already staff are disadvantaged because […]

Modernisation Revisited

The last Labour Government’s workforce modernisation agenda had a proven positive impact on policing in the UK, particularly with regard to community involvement. However since 2010 the disproportionate cuts to the police and justice budget have had a severe impact on UNISON members and numbers of police staff, including PCSOs have dropped to dangerous levels. […]

Workplace Mental Health Issues in Police and Justice Services

Official statistics produced by mental health charities advise us that one in four people will experience mental ill health at some point in their lives. Despite the success of many charities raising public awareness and drawing employers and ACAS’ attention to the mental wellbeing of staff there is still considerable stigma associated with mental health […]

Assistance Dogs as Reasonable Adjustments for Disabled People Working in Police and Justice Services

UNISON’s disabled members are aware of their right under employment and occupation provisions within the Equality Act to request reasonable adjustments that will assist them to remain in the workforce. Recent reports however advise that some employers do not understand that assistance dogs can be a legitimate reasonable adjustment and in doing so lose the […]

Police staff are worth it

Conference is concerned that the creation of a single Police Service in Scotland has resulted in an unachievable savings target of £1.1 billion by 2026. Coupled with the Government led austerity agenda there are going to be further cuts to Police Staff jobs in order that the budget is balanced. Conference also notes the employers […]

Future of the Police Staff Council

Conference is aware that Home Office funding for the Police Staff Council (PSC) for England and Wales is currently guaranteed only to September 2015. This funding provides for the offices of the Employers Side Secretariat, which has been delivered since the inception of the PSC in 1996 by the Local Government Association. Conference is aware […]

Future of Police Force Structures in England and Wales

Conference recognises that the next five years will likely see changes to the structure of police forces in England and Wales. Although the Conservative government claims to have no plans to create force mergers, the onward march of collaboration and the ongoing bite of austerity cuts, which are expected to be no less than were […]

Protecting National Collective Bargaining for the National Probation Service and Community Rehabilitation Companies

Conference notes with concern the threat to the future of the National Negotiating Council (NNC) for the Probation Service. The NNC was created in its current form in 2000 to cover the amalgamation of probation boards and the creation of a single-table bargaining machinery for all probation staff. Since that date, the NNC has been […]

Recruiting and Organising in Police and Justice

Conference notes that five years of public sector cuts to police and justice have taken their toll on UNISON membership levels across all Sectors within our Service Group. Conference recognises that these cuts are likely to be repeated over the course of this current parliament and will only intensify the pressure on our membership. While […]

Protecting UNISON Members in the National Probation Service

Conference notes that the National Probation Service (NPS) has embarked on its E3 programme to review and reform the delivery of probation services which it inherited from the 35 former Probation Trusts on 1 June 2014. The purpose of E3 is to design a new operating model for the NPS in the following areas of […]

Co-ordination of Pay Claims for all Police Staff in England and Wales

Conference notes that UNISON represents members working for police forces in England and Wales whose annual pay award is not decided by negotiations at the Police Staff Council for England and Wales. These members include: a)Police staff working for forces which are currently opted out of the Police Staff Council, namely: Kent Police, Surrey Police […]