Police Negotiating Board for Scotland meeting: May 2025

Attendees and apologies

Chair

Lisa Blackett, Independent

Official Side

David Algie, Official Side Secretariat
Chris Brown, Scottish Police Authority
Lynn Brown, Police Scotland 
Elizabeth Hossack, Police Hossack
Pauline Howie, Scottish Police Authority
Jackie Kidd, Scottish Police Authority
Ewen Logie, Police Scotland
John MacLean, Deputy Official Side Secretary
Katy Miller, Police Scotland
Lynn Ratcliff, Police Scotland
Donna Turnbull, Scottish Government

Staff Side

Stewart Carle, Association of Scottish Police Superintendents
Gordon Cummings, Scottish Police Federation
Dale Evans, Scottish Police Federation
Iain Gray, Scottish Police Federation
Rob Hay, Association of Scottish Police Superintendents
Brian Jones, Scottish Police Federation
David Kennedy, Staff Side Secretary
James McLaren, Scottish Police Federation
Emma-Louise Richardson, Scottish Police Federation
Lorna Robertson, Scottish Police Federation
David Threadgold, Scottish Police Federation

Items and actions

Welcome

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and members gave brief introductions.

Minutes from previous meeting on 31 October 2024 

Members approved the minutes of the previous meeting for publication. Secretariat will inform the Sides once minutes are published.

Matters arising

No matters raised by members.

2024-25 pay negotiations – process review and discussion

Following conclusion of the 2024-25 pay negotiations, the Chair held lessons learned meetings with members to understand views and explore how processes can be improved in the future. The key themes identified were:

• Excessive duration of negotiation time
• Internal and external communication
• Attendance at PNBS meetings
• Conciliation process

Members broadly agreed with the themes identified and provided examples of where improvements could be made and suggestions for the future. Members then agreed to take forward a number of actions including:

• Commitment to reducing the negotiating period
• Publish a monthly pay update agreed with the Sides on the PNBS website
• Side Secretaries to arrange a monthly meeting during negotiations to inform the update
• Commitment to working together to improve communications
• Members should not be communicating anything within their own organisation or outwith which in any way prejudices negotiations 
• Sides to discuss and agree on membership of full meetings going forward in terms of numbers and representation
• Update the PNBS Guide so ACAS conciliation optional

Although negotiations did end in arbitration, which all members found disappointing, members reiterated their commitment to continuing to work together in a respectful way with the aim to reach a positive outcome in 2025-26.

Fraser of Allander report: Stage 1 discussion

In July 2024, the Fraser of Allander Institute (FAI) were commissioned to carry out the research which formed part of the 2023-24 pay agreement. Stage 1, which investigated options to support appropriate wage growth for police officers in Scotland from 2025-26 onwards, was completed in February 2025. Members had the opportunity to feedback on the report directly in a presentation by FAI on 17 March. The Chair provided an update to members on publication of the report and proposed that the report is published on the FAI site directly. Members agreed to this approach and to draft joint communications with the Chair which will issue at the same time when the report is published.

2025-26 pay claim

The Staff Side submitted the 2025-26 pay claim on 1 April 2025. The Official Side have not yet responded but intend to write to the Staff Side shortly to provide an update and recognise the importance of having discussions this month. 

The Staff Side were disappointed that they have not yet received an offer, highlighting the progress made in other public sector bodies in the last month.

The Official Side noted the extensive discussions required on their side to ensure that they are in a position to make an offer and review and respond to each element of the pay claim.

The Sides will continue to update the Chair on progress and will agree an update for the PNBS website at the start of each month.

Technical Working Group (TWG)

Due to pay negotiations/arbitration process there has not been a TWG meeting since the last PNBS. The Sides will now ensure there are meetings set up for the remainder of the year. Both Sides highlighted the important work of the group and value of its members, not only in terms of negotiations but in interpreting and understanding the regulations and how they are to be applied. 

Although the TWG has not met, the Sides have reached agreement through the TWG on Family Friendly provisions including:

• Enhanced statutory neonatal care leave and pay
• Extension of two weeks parental bereavement leave to cover losses of up to 24 weeks pregnant

Members recognised the significance of this and the work and commitment on all sides to reach agreement. The group will now start the process to implement this agreement, including the drafting of circulars and updating the officer handbook.

Regulations and determinations update

The Scottish Government continues to work on determinations to ensure they are updated to take account of PNB agreements up to 2023. These are currently being considered by Scottish Government officials, before being issued for consultation.

The 2024-25 pay and allowances determinations are being consulted with the Sides and will be signed off by Scottish Ministers in due course. The Scottish Government will also need to take into account agreement reached through the TWG on Family Friendly provisions.

Pensions update

Members acknowledged the update provided by the SPPA and were aware of the issues covered. Members wished to recognise that they recently lost two colleagues who had died without receiving their full pension benefits due to the ongoing issues and that this needed to be remedied as soon as possible.

Any other business

No matters raised.

Date of next meeting

The next PNBS meeting is scheduled for Thursday 19 June at Atlantic Quay, Glasgow. Taking on board feedback from members, Secretariat aims to have 2026 meeting dates agreed before the June meeting.