Joint statement on proposed pension changes
The Association of Police and Crime Commissioners and National Police Chiefs’ Council have released a joint statement on comments made at Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday regarding how long proposed pension changes have been known about by police chiefs and Police and Crime Commissioners.
“While policing has been aware of proposed future changes to pension valuations, no guidance has been given to what that would mean in terms of costs for employers or a timeline for implementation of those changes. Police and Crime Commissioners, who have to make decisions over precept levels shortly, have not been able to include this in their financial planning. The first notification that has enabled forces to calculate the impact of pension changes came in September 2018.
“If the cost of these changes are passed on to policing next year it could mean the loss of up to 10,000 officers from an already badly overstretched service at a time of increasing crime and serious threats. This would undoubtedly significantly damage the service we can provide to the public.”
Mark Burns-Williamson PCC, Chair, Association of Police and Crime Commissioners
Chief Constable Sara Thornton, Chair, National Police Chiefs’ Council