The Federation is seeking urgent talks with new Home Secretary Suella Braverman to tackle the crisis facing policing in England and Wales.

It has also written to Prime Minister Liz Truss highlighting the serious concerns over police pay and working conditions and pointing out that this year’s pay award, which came after the pay freeze of 2021, will barely cover soaring energy costs this winter.

Dyfed Powys branch chair Gareth Jones said the new Cabinet had a great opportunity to improve its relationship with policing.

He said: “We never felt our concerns were taken particularly seriously by the previous administration and the way our members were treated during the pandemic and its aftermath left a sour taste.

“We can only hope that the new Prime Minister and Home Secretary will take steps to improve that relationship, starting with a full review of pay and conditions and a re-working of the failed formula that is used to decide annual police budgets.”

The Federation congratulated Ms Braverman on her appointment and asked her to address the fact that its members have suffered a 25 per cent real terms pay cut over the last 12 years.

Gareth added: “There is little love lost between the Federation and the previous Home Secretary, so it is important that her successor agrees to hold talks as soon as possible to try to thrash out some of the more pressing issues.

“Our demands are not unreasonable. We want our members to be treated with respect, be properly recognised for the daily risks they take and fairly rewarded for the work they do. I am sure it is within the gift of Ms Braverman to address those points, recognising our members play a unique and vital role in their communities and have felt let down and betrayed in recent years.”

The Federation has also written to the Chancellor while the Home Secretary on Friday sent an open letter to police leaders.