October 3, 2013 11.34 am This story is over 125 months old

Lincolnshire Police to back pay PCSOs £1m

£4k back pay: Around 250 past and present Lincolnshire Police PCSOs will receive back pay totalling £1 million after a pay roll miscalculation.
The force has seen more crimes in the last year | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Around 250 past and present Lincolnshire Police PCSOs will receive back pay totalling £1 million after a pay roll miscalculation.

An average pay out of £4,000 will go to 180 current members of staff and some 70 staff who have left Lincolnshire Police.

The issue relates to changes in PCSO shift patterns and an increase in their powers, which were not properly calculated in the pay roll for several years.

Lincolnshire Police Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Keith Smy said the force had both moral and legal duties to correct the pay errors:

“We can confirm that following a review of PCSO shift patterns and an increase in powers, it was brought to our attention that there had been some long standing errors in relation to how shift calculations were worked out.

“Whilst we have been able to conclude the consultation and move our PCSOs onto one shift pattern, with the central theme of increasing the visibility and effectiveness of our PCSOs, it was only correct, both morally and legally, that any errors were corrected.

“This has affected around 180 staff who are either still employed with us as PCSOs or have since changed jobs but are still employed by Lincolnshire Police, and around 70 staff that worked as PCSOs and who may have been affected who have since left the organisation in the last few years.

“The total amount of back pay adjustment and on costs will amount to around £1 million. We were made aware of this issue prior to the current financial year and budgeted accordingly, therefore this will not impact on current operational policing or staffing.”