The Police Federation Regulations 1969

Use of Federation funds

19.—(1) Federation funds shall not without the consent of the Secretary of State be used otherwise than for the purposes mentioned in paragraphs (3) and (4) and, notwithstanding anything in those paragraphs, shall not be used—

(a) to promote directly or indirectly a person's candidature in a parliamentary or local government election;

(b) to contribute to the funds of a trade union, political party or other body or organisation not connected with the police service or its welfare, or

(c) in connection with the defence of a member or former member of the Federation against whom civil, criminal or disciplinary proceedings are brought, except as authorised by paragraph (4)(h).

(2) Subject as aforesaid the joint central committee shall, subject to the approval of the joint central conference, determine the purposes for which Federation funds held by the branch boards or joint branch boards and by the central committees, respectively, may be used.

(3) Federation funds may be used to defray expenses lawfully incurred for the purpose specified in section 44(1) of the Police Act 1964, namely for the purpose of representing members of the police forces and police cadets in England and Wales in all matters affecting their welfare and efficiency, other than questions of discipline and promotion affecting individuals.

(4) Without prejudice to the generality of the preceding paragraph, Federation funds may be used to defray—

(a) expenses arising under these Regulations or arising out of anything done in accordance therewith;

(b) the administrative expenses of the Federation, including expenses in connection with the provision of office accommodation and the remuneration of persons outside the police service employed or consulted in an administrative, professional or advisory capacity;

(c) the payment of honoraria to members of the central committees and of branch boards;

(d) the payment of subsistence and similar allowances to such members as aforesaid and to delegates to conferences held in accordance with these Regulations in respect of expenses incurred by them as such members and delegates;

(e) expenses in connection with the publication and distribution of reports and other documents, including a journal (whether or not a charge is made therefor) and the purchase of publications for use by branch boards and the central committees;

(f) expenses incurred for benevolent or charitable purposes connected with the police service or its welfare;

(g) expenses lawfully incurred in connection with a claim made by a member or former member of the Federation, his widow or child (including legal proceedings arising therefrom) where the claim relates to—

(i) a question of general principle or importance which is of special concern to the members of the Federation or a substantial class thereof,

(ii) the emoluments of a member of the Federation or the pension or other award payable to or in respect of a former member of the Federation,

(iii) an injury or disease alleged to have been received or contracted by a member of the Federation, or

(iv) the compulsory retirement of a member of a police force or of a police cadet, otherwise than as an alternative to dismissal, and

(h) legal charges incurred by a member or former member of the Federation or by a central police officer, within the meaning of the regulations from time to time in force under the Police Pensions Act 1948, entitled at the end of his period of central service to revert to his police force in a rank below that of superintendent, in connection with criminal proceedings brought against him for an offence under the Road Traffic Act 1960 or any other enactment relating to road traffic, other than an offence under section 6 or 11 of the Road Traffic Act 1960 or section 12 of the Licensing Act 1872 (driving or being in charge when impaired by drink or drugs), section 1, 2 or 3 of the Road Safety Act 1967 (driving etc. with an undue proportion of alcohol in the blood) or section 12 of the Theft Act 1968 (taking a motor vehicle or other conveyance without authority) committed in, or founded upon something done in, the performance or purported performance of his duties as a member of a police force (including an offence committed on any occasion in respect of which an allowance is payable under regulations made under section 33 of the Police Act 1964 for the use of a motor vehicle or bicycle owned by the member) or as a police cadet, or as such a central police officer, as the case may be.