Dear Member, - updated 17/04/08

Please note there may be some confusion in relation to the ballot sheets being circulated in relation to the binding arbitration/industrial rights vote.

The sheets were designed and printing commenced when the on line vote was expected to be used.

There is a section telling officers not to use the paper voting slip if they have already voted on line and which also directs them to the national website.

That information is incorrect. Due to issues with security NO on line votes are valid. The only method of voting is by paper ballot paper.

The paper also refers to a  deadline of 2nd May for receipt of votes. This has now been extended to 9th May

Please circulate this information as widely as possible in an effort to save confusion.

Dear member, - Updated 09/04/08

Since our electronic online poll was launched the arrangements that were in place have revealed that some non police personnel may have been able to take part. In the absence of a national database of members we are unable to put in place measures which will completely satisfy the necessary confidentiality and security requirements. As a consequence we have no alternative but to remove the online version of the poll and resort to paper copies. We want to apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

We want to thank those who have already taken part and would encourage you to register your views once more via the paper ballot. Each individual officer will receive a paper poll questionnaire and a return pre-paid envelope in the next couple of weeks. If you do not receive one please contact your local Joint Branch Board.

Please note, that owing to the change in circumstance and therefore a bigger print run and distribution, the paper poll will start to be distributed from 7th April, and will now officially close on 2nd May, and not on 25th April. It is vitally important that we obtain your views and those of all our members on this extremely important issue.

Thank you for your understanding.

On behalf of the Joint Central Committee of the Police Federation of England and Wales

Pay Ballot

Dear all,

At the pay meeting held recently in Birmingham, Jan Berry, chairman , announced the Federation poll of members to be launched on the 24th March with results announced at our annual conference in May. 

The two questions for the ballot;

1. Do you think the decision of the independent Police Arbitration Tribunal should be binding on the government?

2. In the absence of binding arbitration on the government, do you wish the Police Federation of England and Wales to start to lobby for a change in legislation to allow police officers full industrial rights?

The survey, to be carried out by Ipsos MORI, will be conducted both online and via paper questionnaires.  Police Federation members will be able to access the online survey via www.polfed.org, and local Federation Branch Boards will also be given paper questionnaires upon request, for members unable to participate online.

We will circulate more info next week