Police Negotiating Board for Scotland: annual report 2024

Chair’s foreword

2024 has been the first full year that the Police Negotiating Board for Scotland (PNBS) has been operating as a Scottish public body and my first full year as the Independent Chair.

I am grateful that this role has been entrusted to me. I enjoy working with every member and am continually impressed by their respect and professionalism with each other and the board. A special thanks to Scott McNeil, Secretariat to the PNBS, for his expertise, knowledge, and support for me and I know the entire board appreciate his exceptional relational and organisational skills.

The members of the PNBS have committed extraordinary energy, time and resources to working together to ensure the PNBS operates in a collaborative way which supports all members. This was demonstrated throughout the year from finalising the co-creation of the PNBS Guide and ways of working review through to the more challenging stages of negotiation. It was a very busy year.

I would also like to express my gratitude to the Technical Working Group (TWG), a sub-group of the PNBS consisting of representatives of the sides, who work collaboratively on proposed solutions to often challenging areas relating to police officer terms and conditions, then bring these to the full PNBS for agreement. We all appreciate the considerable time and effort outwith the main PNBS meetings this requires and the progress the group continue to make.

Another example for this year is the commissioning of the independent review/ research into police officer pay and benefits, an agreement from the 2023 pay negotiations. The first element was commissioned to Fraser of Allander Institute in July by the PNBS. They have engaged with a steering group of the PNBS on a regular basis. We look forward to the resultant report in the first quarter of 2025.

As part the work of the review group, we launched our new PNBS logo in March to enhance our corporate identity and presence. We redeveloped our approach to PNBS meetings to improve discussions and outcomes, as well as publishing the new PNBS guide.

By the end of 2024, despite considerable efforts on everyone’s part, the pay award for 2024/25 had not yet been agreed between the Staff Side and the Official Side.

The members of the PNBS worked together through first stage conciliation for one month from the end of October, and I deeply appreciate the good will and efforts made by all. Whilst we had all entered this stage of conciliation with hope of reaching a resolution, it did not happen and both sides agreed to proceed to the next stage conciliation with the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas).

Acas facilitated a second stage conciliation with both sides. Acas was professional, helpful, clear and supportive to all and I am grateful for their skill, and the learnings we gained. The second stage conciliation did not result in an agreement.

As the sides were unable to agree, the final stage was arbitration with Acas. Arbitration is when a third party makes a decision on a dispute to resolve it and is conducted by an independent, impartial arbitrator appointed by Acas. Both sides meet with the arbitrator and provide evidence to support their position and as a condition of arbitration, agreed the decision would be binding. This process had been requested as we finished the year.

I am looking forward to how we can learn from this first year, continue to strengthen our communication, and work together to best support the negotiation process of fair pay, terms and conditions for the officers of Police Scotland. We acknowledge and appreciate their role in society, and commitment to their purpose of improving the safety and wellbeing of people, places and communities in Scotland.

Lisa Blackett, Independent Chair

Police Negotiating Board for Scotland

March 2025