Hampshire police pay: 1,300 officers receive wrong amounts

Staff affected were sent a first class letter, which Hampshire Police Federation chairman John Apter estimated cost the H3 service £800

A total of 1,300 Hampshire police officers were paid the wrong amount this month.

Half were underpaid and half were overpaid through H3, a joint system between the county council, fire and police services.

A spokeswoman for the partnership apologised for the error. Hampshire Constabulary said the problem had been rectified.

Hampshire Police Federation described the system as a "nightmare".

Chairman John Apter said of the error, reported in the Southern Daily Echo: "We have had a catalogue of problems with this system.

"They were very quick to deal with the issue and put it right but this is not an isolated problem."

He said the system was a "nightmare" and there came "a point where you have to put it out of its misery".

Hampshire Constabulary started using H3 in November 2014 with Hampshire County Council and Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service.

It was launched to "deliver back office efficiencies through the use of new technology and business processes" for 80,000 employees.

Police staff were paid on Monday and money for those who were underpaid was transferred on Tuesday.

'Teething problems'

Staff affected were sent a first class letter, which Mr Apter estimated cost £800.

Unite, which represents about 1,000 people within the county council and police and fire services, said members had been reporting problems with being paid the correct salary on time.

"We're long past listening to the time-worn previous excuse of 'teething problems' and are now advising our members that if they are underpaid they should raise this as a formal grievance with the county council."

H3 said the problem arose from processing unsocial hours.

The overpayments were for less than £100 and no underpayment was greater than £155.

A spokeswoman said: "Payroll error rates have been consistently low (at 0.1%) during the first 12 months of operation."

Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Hayes said he would be asking the county council to investigate. 