Latest Updates
31st July 2007
At the resumed pay talks on the 27th of July no agreement was reached. There is to be an announcement shortly on conciliation and arbitration.
20th July 2007
No decision was reached at the Police Negotiating Board on the 19th of July, the Home Secretary has granted an extension to the deadline, another meeting has been arranged for the 27th of July 2007.
16th June 2007
The pay talks rumble on, the final meeting of the Police Negotiating Board is on the 19th of July 2007, as soon as we have news it will be circulated it via the intranet.
29th March 2007
I have contacted Police Pay and been assured that all officers who were employed in the year 2004/2005 had the correct level of NI contributions sent by them to Her Majesties Revenue and Customs (HMRC). That year was the first year of online filing, the information sent by our pay section was checked and verified by the online system. The problem has arisen at the time the information was ported by HMRC.
HMRC are aware of the problem and I am told they are taking steps to rectify it.
My suggestion is to send for a forecast to check if you are affected. When you receive it and if you are affected contact HMRC to tell them and make sure your contributions are brought up to date. If you have problems with HMRC contact Police Pay who will take it up with HMRC in your behalf, something they have already done for a number of officers and police staff members.
28th March 2007
One of our members who attended a recent pre-retirement course decided as a result of discussions which took place to apply to the Pension Service for a Pension Forecast, to gauge the level of State Pension he would get when he reached 65.
He got a shock when he was informed that he had not paid enough National Insurance (NI) contributions during the financial year 2004/5, for that year to count as a qualifying year.
The officer in question has worked continuously for West Yorkshire Police since 1977 and had his NI deducted at source every pay day since joining the police. He checked his P60 for the relevant year which showed how much NI he paid and queried it with the Inland Revenue. He sent them a photocopy of his P60, three months and three letters later the Inland Revenue has accepted he did pay enough NI that year and has accepted it as a qualifying year.
At the present time police officers need 44 qualifying years to get a full State Pension. It is important you are credited with all the qualifying years.
There appears to have been a breakdown in the National Insurance computer system whereby some contributions have not been credited fully. Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs will not tell you of any shortfall unless you ask, and if there is a problem you only have 10 years to buy it back or reclaim it.
Make sure you keep all your P60's they cannot be re-issued.
You are advised to obtain a Pensions Forecast from The Pensions Service.
Go to the pension’s service web site and obtain Form BR19 http://www.pensions.gov.uk/resourcecentre/br19/home.asp. The form can be completed online and submitted, or printed off and posted.
Once the reply is received it will tell you how many qualifying years you have and more importantly if any are missing. If you have missing years there is a facility to contact them to claim it back, you just need to pressure them to do it!
Your P60s is the only proof of the contributions you have made.
Remember only you can do this, our Pay Section cannot and the Inland Revenue will not.
I do not know how many of you this will affect but the speaker. There has been a problem with the payroll computers in certain years, which potentially could affect thousands of people who work for Local Government Employers.
6th March 2007
Ultralase are offering lase eye surgery at discounted rates.
16th February 2007
Don't forget to claim for Competency Related Threshold Pay. West Yorkshire Police will not remind you. You become eligible for the payment once you have been at the top of the pay scale relevant to your rank for 12 months.
8th February 2007
Some of you may have read an article in the Telegraph and Argus about assaults on police officers. I have been misquoted, I said that people who assault police officers, should after arrest and conviction be sent to prison. Police officers need that level of protection from the courts. When the tables are turned and a police officer is convicted of assault he or she invairiably goes to prison.
1st November 2006
Advice on substance misuse testing can be found on the discipline advice page.
23rd June 2006
Summary of responses from West Yorkhsire officers who took part in the officer safety survey.
21st June 2006
Harmans have advised us of some new financial surgery dates.
26th May 2006
Hotel Accomodation and Theatre Breaks
22nd May 2006
By now, I hope you will have had time to digest the results of the officer safety survey, which was announced at the Police Federation conference on the 16th of May 2006. There was an overwhelming majority (77% of those who replied) of officers in West Yorkshire against being permanently armed on a full time basis. If you would like to read a copy of the topline report then you can download a copy by following this link.
11th April 2006
It has come to our attention that a website www.b4u.co.uk allows free name searches and gives home addresses from the electoral roll. You can apply to have your details removed. It may be something you consider doing.
30th March 2006
We have been advised by our lawyers that the stance the force is taking on re-rostering rest days which were on VRL cards is not something which could be challenged by law at judicial review.
Our advising lawyer says that there is very little chance of a Judicial Review being allowed by the courts due to the fact that this issue has essentially been a matter of internal police management. The doctrine of legitimate expectation does not extend to a situation, which was created outside Regulations and therefore there is nothing to prevent them now complying (albeit belatedly) with the law.
14th March 2006
You can view a copy of the Members Guide to the New Police Pension Scheme by following this link. It is quite a large pdf file be patient whilst it downloads.
A retired police officer is offering good quality Loake Shoes at discounted prices. Follow this link for more information.
16th February 2006
Harvey World Travel have an online booking facility. You can book online by following this link
11th January 2006
At the funeral of our colleague PC Sharon Beshenivsky I was deeply moved by the level of sympathy, support and respect from the people of Bradford, colleagues in West Yorkshire and further afield. I hope it was of some comfort to Paul and his family and that it will help them, in some small way to come to terms with the terrible tragedy in the difficult days that lie ahead.
It was clear to me from the tributes which were paid to Sharon at the funeral that Sharon had touched many peoples lives in a variety of different ways. She will be sadly missed by all those that knew her but I know that she will live on in all our memories. Her sacrifice should never be forgotten.
Thank You
Thank you to all of you that have contacted us by telephone, email and letter with messages of sympathy and support. I have passed the letters and emails on to the family liaison officers who are supporting Paul Beshenivsky. I hope you understand if I do not respond to you all individually. Your kind thoughts and offers of support have been a great source of strength and encouragement during this difficult period.
Tribute to a colleague
On Friday 18 November, West Yorkshire Police lost a valued and popular colleague, PC Sharon Beshenivsky, who was cruelly shot and killed when she was called to an incident in Bradford. The tragic loss is mourned by all her colleagues, friends and family. I visited her husband, Paul Beshenivsky, on Monday to offer the Federation’s support and assurances about the future.
The family are missing her terribly. Sharon was the glue which held the family together. It is a desperately sad time for them and their children as Christmas approaches. How do you tell a four year old and seven year old what has happened and that mummy is never coming home again.
Our thoughts are also with PC Teresa Milburn and her friends and family as she recovers from the injuries she received during the same incident.
We pay tribute to the courage of the two female officers who were young in service and went to work that afternoon on an ordinary shift. The events which took place that afternoon highlight the dangers which police officers face on a daily basis when a routine call can have the most tragic of consequences.
We have been overwhelmed by the sympathy and support that we have received from colleagues and the public in the UK and further afield. I have conveyed those thoughts to Paul and can only hope that he draws some comfort from them.
PCs Sharon Beshenivsky and Teresa Milburn: Public Donations
Following the murder of PC Sharon Beshenivsky and wounding of her colleague PC Teresa Milburn a number of enquiries have been received from members of the public wishing to make monetary donations as expressions of sympathy and support to those primarily affected by the tragic events of 18 November 2005.
In this respect it is requested that donations by cheque payable to West Yorkshire Police Authority be sent to West Yorkshire Police, Bradford South Division, The Tyrls, Administration Department, Bradford, BD1 1TR
In due course the requests of all appropriate parties will be sought with regards to the distribution of the donations which are received with our gratitude.
Shooting in Bradford
Thank you to all the people who have contacted us to offer sympathy and support as a result of the tragic events in Bradford on the 18th of November 2005, when our colleague Sharon Beshenivsky was shot and killed and Teresa Milburn was shot and seriously injured. That support is greatly appreciated by all those touched by this tragedy. Should you wish to contact us you can by email.
1st December 2005
Latest Offer from Great Clothes in Leeds added
15th November 2005
Information on amalgamations follow the link and or discuss on the forum.
New diary dates added
11th November 2005
FAQ's added
5th November 2005
The links for car hire, Harvey World Travel, Gorvins and Chadwick Lawrence are active.