The Police Remuneration Review Body (PRRB) has told groups representing officers that it expects to make its recommendation on pay and conditions to the government before the summer recess begins in mid-July.

Both sides have now presented their written and verbal evidence to the PRRB on whether the government should accept the demands of the Police Federation and the Police Superintendents’ Association for a 5% pay rise.

The bid, submitted in February, also called for a starting salary of £24,177 to ensure new recruits stay in the job.

Police Federation Chairman John Apter has warned an austerity era settlement was unacceptable.

“The government has really got to step up,” he told Police Oracle.

The Home Office’s submission, put forward in March before the COVID-19 crisis, set a demand for increased efficiency and a continuation of the discretionary performance bonuses being paid out by Chief Constables in roles that are difficult to fill. This has been a cause of contention because PSA members have accused forces of finding loopholes to avoid pay-outs in some cases.

The government has also asked for the PRRB to comment on the suitability and robustness of the NPCC’s proposals for independent benchmarking, which will have been completed for all officer grades, including Chief Officers.

Ominously for both Chiefs and Police and Crime Commissioners, the submission also wanted the review to look at “how we can enhance the Home Office’s oversight of police funding to help drive efficiency”.

But on the critical issue of pay, the government set out its scope for a deal.

It said: “The Home Office’s current assessment is that factoring in the new officer numbers and the overall pay bill as a result of this uplift, an increase of £150m-£160m to the police officer pay-bill is affordable for 2020/21.”

The National Police Chiefs’ Council set out the next steps: “The PRRB is currently in the process of reviewing that evidence, and will then submit their own recommendations to the government in due course.”