Police Negotiating Board: annual report 2022 to 2023

Part 2

Chair’s comments

3.1 It has been the practice that the Chair of the PNB should offer some personal remarks in this report, and I continue that practice here. These are of course my remarks and do not represent the views of the Sides.

3.2 This year has seen the long-awaited legislative process to establish the Police Negotiating Board for Scotland (PNBS). This development means that the current PNB, which is governed by UK legislation but operating only in Scotland, is now to be replaced. PNB operating in Scotland has offered a long apprenticeship for the Scottish organisations involved and I am very optimistic that the PNBS can build on the work of the PNB. I wish the body; its Chair and the organisations involved every success in what will be financially challenging years.

3.3 I would commend to the new body that it seeks to continue the structure and practice of the PNB in its Strategic Commitment Working Group (SCWG). This group has worked this year to explore the interface between policing and health, and separately, policing and the justice system. While the outcome of this work may be in the future, the levels of positive engagement and cooperation shown in the work of the SCWG has considerably enhanced the work of the PNB as a whole, and I believe a similarly established body can offer the same advantage to the operation of the PNBS.

3.4 The advent of the PNBS will also have implications for the work of the Scottish Police Consultative Forum (SPCF). SPCF continues to be a useful vehicle for discussions and scoping out of issues that may then be brought to the PNB for completion or reported directly to Scottish Government Ministers. This has proved to be a very useful activity in previous years and in the past year SPCF has also been engaged in internal discussions on how its role and purpose might change in the future. These discussions are still ongoing, but I am strongly of the opinion that the ability to provide a ‘safe space’ for those organisations concerned with policing in Scotland to discuss openly and frankly, and come to consensus views to advise policy here, is of great and continuing importance. In addition, the engagement of the policing community with wider groups and sectors in Scottish society through the offices of the SPCF is a vital part of good relations and shared experience.

3.5 Progress in the discussions around the main Staff Side Pay Claim this year was again slow and frustrating for both Sides and was not assisted by a general economic situation which saw considerable price inflation and a worsening cost of living crisis over the year. As I have said previously, both Sides of the PNB are fortunate to have skilled and experienced negotiators in their leadership, without whom I fear that the last year might have seen more serious disruption and failure to agree in the negotiation process. Unfortunately, the economic conditions which spawned these problems has not abated and both Sides will be hard pressed to provide the deserved annual uplift in salaries without the Scottish Government recognising the need for special recognition of this workforce and the need to ensure proper reward for their service.

3.6 I am again grateful for our link with officials from the Scottish Public Pensions Agency (SPPA) through the direct involvement of SPPA personnel in meetings of the PNB, which provides very useful information on related matters. Finally, in all this process, I am indebted to our Independent Secretary Scott McNeil and other colleagues within the Police Division for their support over the last eight years.

3.7 It has been my privilege to chair the PNB and SPCF for the last eight years and that experience has reinforced my belief that Scotland is well-served by its single police service and we, the people of Scotland, owe a great and continuing debt to the men and women who serve that police service.

Ian McKay

Independent Chair

Police Negotiating Board Scotland