Welcome to the new Chair’s blog. My aim is to bring you a regular round-up of the work the Federation is doing on your behalf.
Updates from March
Designated Non-Nuclear sites
We have visited the Designated Non-Nuclear Sites and have seen productive engagement with the Ministry of Defence police officers who will transfer to the CNC at midnight on the 31st March 2025.
The conversations have been informative and interesting. We have discussed the differences (and similarities) between the two organisations, and as you can imagine the topics have included what arrangements we have for annual leave entitlements, shift patterns (the DNNS will be working a different shift pattern) as well as the command-and-control element.
We’ve spent time explaining the role of the Federation, as well as the Group Insurance and other member services. I’ll have more on our member services later in this blog.
Hunterston
Ian Muir has spent time at Hunterston this month to discuss site cessation and the impact on officers based there.
Hunterston, in North Ayrshire, first began operating in 1976. The plant was initially expected to run for 25 years but had its generating lifespan increased by more than two decades. The site shut down for the final time in January 2022 and began the process of defuelling.
We understand this is a challenging and stressful time for members and we are collaborating with the CNC and members to ensure they have a smooth transition to their new locations.
Initial Foundation Programme 104
It was a pleasure to meet with the keen new recruits on Initial Foundation Programme 104 at the Centre for Learning and Development in Culham.
We gave an input on the role of the Federation and the type of support officers can expect at different stages in their career. The recruits also got an input on the varied cover provided by the Group Insurance Scheme. We finished with an informative Q&A session, where new officers asked about the different specialisms within the CNC.
Much of what we shared with these new colleagues is available on the Federation website. Please visit the new website as we’ve done a bit of spring cleaning, so the site looks a little different. We’re also adding lots more information, so if it has been a while since you last visited, it would be worth taking a look.
Member services
One area of the website, and indeed our work, that we are currently focusing on is our member services offer. Having begun this endeavour with relationships established with Philip Williams Insurance and the Police Treatment Centres charity, we now work with a range of insurance companies, financial services providers, vehicle dealerships, and various charities offering wellbeing support.
These companies offer products and services tailored to the needs of the police family – officers, staff and often their loved ones too. They may also be able to help you to make your money go further as the cost-of-living crisis continues.
We have a member services blog coming up very soon that will spotlight the companies and organisations we’re working with and their latest offers. In the meantime, you can find out more about them on our website.
National Police Healthcare Scheme
We have been eagerly awaiting the launch of our latest member service scheme. The National Police Healthcare Scheme offers affordable private healthcare to officers, staff and their families.
I am sorry to report that there is a delay in bringing this online, and this is due to the complexities of setting up the payroll deduction system within CNC. We are working closely with the force to move this on and they are working towards a revised launch date. We hope this will coincide with the member services blog.
PFNI Bravery and Excellence Awards
In terms of our wider work, this month, CEO Colin Longstaff and I had the honour of attending the Police Federation of Northern Ireland Bravery and Excellence Awards. To say it was a humbling experience is an understatement.
In the face of adversity and against a backdrop of some significant challenges, PSNI officers continue to do remarkable work. We heard about brave officers plunging into dark waters to save someone’s life, and others who have faced serious assaults while carrying out their duties.
One of the stories that stood out was of an officer who set up a scheme to engage young people while bringing local communities together.
I’m being deliberately vague on the detail because as the Chair of PFNI explained, these stories can’t be shared more widely, not because officers are shy, but “regrettably because police still have to live with a constant threat from those who want to cause harm and distress to both us and our families” which is a sobering thought.
We work closely with PFNI and other national Federations, because while our day-to-day work might look a little different to theirs, we have a lot in common. We often collaborate and share knowledge on matters such as pay and conditions, regulations and officer wellbeing.
Scottish Police Federation shine a light on ‘Relentless’ policing
Another Federation we have close ties with is the Scottish Police Federation (SPF). They have released a powerful new film that captures the stark realities of policing in Scotland.
Created by award-winning video production agency Tinker Taylor, Relentless captures the persistent pressures officers face. From young recruits thrust into life-threatening situations to the violence they regularly encounter, the film highlights the raw and unpredictable nature of policing.
The challenging incidents the officers face in Relentless aren't fictional scenarios; they’re real and happen every day. In a single shift, TDC Mark Richardson assisted with a public order incident, helped locate a high-risk missing person, treated a man having a seizure, and responded to reports that a child had been hit by a car.
In scenes that mirror the opening seconds of Relentless, one of Mark’s final calls of that day was to a block of flats where a man was on the wrong side of a barrier, seven floors up.
TDC Richardson hopes the film will remind people that police officers are human. The Federation wants the film to shift the focus from criticism of the police service back to the vital and selfless work individual officers do, often at great personal risk.
The film is out now and available to watch here www.spfrelentless.com
Coming up in April
Meeting with Minister
Looking ahead, this month we are meeting with Lord Hunt. The Rt Hon Lord Hunt of Kings Heath OBE to give him his full title, is the Minister of State for Energy Security and Net Zero.
Some of you might remember Lord Hunt visited Griffin Park back in August. During that visit our Deputy Chief Constable and others briefed him on the role of the CNC, the demands on the force and the excellent work officers deliver. Former CEO Gary Thwaite was able to push and highlight the need to resolve the long-standing battle of pensions, which thankfully is now resolved.
The purpose of this meeting is to introduce our new CEO, Colin Longstaff, but it also forms part of our continuing programme of building on our stakeholder relationships, including those at the highest levels. Such relationships often play a key role in times of trouble and have previously proven very useful in resolving issues such as pensions or our inclusion in the Police Covenant.
Pensions
Ian Muir has been working closely with Phil Leigh and is developing an education/awareness programme on the new pension arrangements. This will include a Q&A in the form of a video presentation, which will be circulated on 7th April. This will be followed by several Teams meetings starting on 22nd April; all dates have been published.
We will continue to give more details in the monthly blog. If you have any questions you feel are not being addressed, please contact Ian Muir.
And finally…
Happy anniversary! Civil Nuclear Constabulary turns 20 today (1st April), which means the Federation has also reached this milestone.
We have captured some of the Federation’s challenges and achievements from the last two decades and you can see this timeline on our website. Particular thanks are due to former Federation CEOs Nigel Dennis and Gary Thwaite, who delved into the archives to assist us in creating this.
CNC is only as good as its people; it’s your hard work and commitment that makes the difference, and we are as proud as ever to represent you and shine a light on the difference you make.
Here’s to the next twenty years.
Get in touch
Please remember, we’re here if you need us. If you have a question or concern, contact a local rep or contact us directly.
Darren Adams - Federation Chair