DRAFT
SOUTH EAST NPC REGION - SENPeC
MINUTES OF THE SENPeC MEETING HELD IN MPG OFFICES,
HELD ON 28 JANUARY 2008.AT 19- 23 Ironmonger Row,
London ECIV 3QN.
CHAIRMAN: Gordon Dowell. Contact detail on NPC SE Region
VICE CHAIRMAN A.W.Cobbett. Contact details on SENPeC Officers
TREASURER: Peggy Sandford Contact details on SENPeC Officers
SECRETARY: Alexandra E. Barnes. Contact details on SENPeC Officers
MINUTES SEC: 0live Holman. Contact details on SENPeC Officers
1a 0FFICERS IN ATTENDANCE
Gordon Dowell Chairman
A. W. Cobbett Vice Chairman
Alexandra B> Barnes Secretary
Peggy Sandford Treasurer
Olive Holman Minute Secretary
1b. DELEGATES FROM AFFILIATED GROUPS
David Ashton Crawley Pensioners’ Action Group
Derrick Frost USDAW Mid-Sussex
Richard Sharp Old Southeronians
Terry Reilly Mid Sussex Older People’s Council
1c. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Crawley pensioners’ Action Group.
IJSDAV Mid-Sussex.
East Sussex.
Mid-Sussex OPC.
LATE ARRIVALS:
Derrick Frost, Bill Cobbett, Richard Sharp, and Olive Holman. Delays due to thick fog and congestion outside London Bridge.
Despite the Minutes Secretary having arrived at Brighton Station by 8.30am she did not reach NPC Headquarters until 12.30. Others were slightly delayed. Apologies were given for circumstances outside of their control with particular thanks for details passed on.
2. NEW CHAIRMAN: GORDON DOWELL’S OPENING REMARKS.
Firstly, it was his intention to allow himself a single term’s trial, as the elected chair to this council forum after which time he would stand down should he not exceed his own expectations and/or that of forum members.
In any event, it was his intention that by five years from now (hopefully having achieved his seventy—fifth year) he might in all probability, cease all official connections, both with the CWU and associated affiliations.
Gordon’s Unionist background covered 34 years as a CWU Rep, including Industrial Relations and Health & Safety Law. Many committees, both with serving members and retired, had benefited from his expertise. Having attended Annual Conferences and Parliamentary Rallies, Gordon believed we should all be individually appreciated and respected~
He was warmly welcomed as Chairman and his comments were noted.
3. MINUTES OF THE A.G.M, 08 October 2007 were agreed as a true record subject to the following amendments:
ITEM 8: There were five corrections to paragraphs 2,3,5,6 & 8. All were raised and now corrected by Treasurer Peggy Sandford.
PARAGRAPH 2: Delete after ‘as of today’ s date’. The second sentence related to one only, and has been dealt with.
PARAGRAPH 3 At the present time an application had been received from the NPC for Regional Affiliation fee Of £200.00.
PARAGRAPH 5: The Chairman questioned why Regions affiliated to the NPC vere expected to pay £200 because if the affiliates wished to pay the NPC they could pay a voluntary contribution.
PARAGRAPH 5. The Chairman proposed that SENPeC continue to pay the £50 affiliation fee and the proposal was seconded by the Secretary Steve Fagan. The proposal was put to the Committee and AGREED. The Treasurer to inform the NPC.
PARAGRAPH 8. The TREASURER had said that some affiliates had paid by Direct Debit and Bank Transfer.
4. MATTERS ARISING
Mr. Sharp said that the financial figures should not have been recorded in the minutes on the internet.
4a. CHAIRMAN’ S CORRESPONDENCE
The amount Gordon has received recently was virtually nil. Now, however, he is getting reams of E:Mails since his machine has been repaired.
5. SECRETARY’ S REPORT: ALEXANDRA BARNES... ACTION TAKEN & DATE.
15th November 2007. Alex and Gordon attended the meeting and spoke to the NPC Officers. Alex queried why was Mr. Cobbett’s question still outstanding re the Pensioners Auditor. The reply received that a Pensions meeting had not been held for a year but a meeting had been arranged in January 2008, and Mr. Cobbett had been asked to attend.
The second issue raised was reimbursement of the Secretary’s travel expenses, as her Committee was not a Trade Union. Mr. Harris said NPC did not expect people to attend meetings without travel expenses being reimbursed. That said, SENPeC’ s representatives then attended the full meeting and were issued with several reports.
4th December 2007: NPC Regional Secretaries: Discussion mainly on Centenary issues, regarding finance, advertising and Trade Union involvement. They were hoping to raise funds via the Trade Unions.
11th December 2007. Photocopied and issued via Bill Cobbett his Pension Auditor report and to Mr. Cobbett to 53 affiliated members, asking for their
response.
1st January 2008. Article from NPC on Pensions in Daily Express.
4th January 2008. Correspondence from Peter Faulkner who wanted to join NPC.
This 80 years old man from Tunbridge Wells wanted to pay his Council Tax over 12 months. I passed the message over to Terry, who kindly responded and supplied the information. A letter had been sent to the individual.
?th January 2008. Received an E—Mail from Neil Duncan—Jordan re an EDM by Kate Hoey - sent to Affiliates on SENPeC Committee.
18th Jan. 2008. Received NPC booking form for Blackpool 3 - 5th June.
22nd Jan. 2008 A Miss Claire Reed rang to ask if any pensioner households were willing to appear on the Politics Show on 27th Jan. I made numerous telephone calls but no one prepared to do it.
January 2008. Resolutions issued by London Branch of NPC sent to SENPeC Committee.
January 2008. Issued copies of Agenda and amended Draft Constitution to all those concerned and said that the document should be read and brought back to the April meeting for discussion.
6. GUEST SPEAKER. No—one was invited to attend.
7. TREASURER REPORT
Peggy Sandford said that the finances were in good order. Fees from affiliates last year brought in £XXX (data confidential)
Expenditure amounted to £XXX (data confidential) Thus leaving a balance of £XXX (data Confidential) to be added to December 2006 total, leaving SENPeC with £XXX (data confidential) in hand as at 31st December, 2007.
PEGGY said that, at the recent Council Meeting, the National Treasurer reported that the Finance Committee was intending to look into the affiliation fees paid to National and Regional funds. National fee for smaller groups is £12.50. for which they receive circulations from National. One suggestion is that part of this be paid over to Regions.
In this region they pay us £15.00. A copy of the minutes should be issued To all. Not all members were on the Internet herself included.
Miss Sandford finds it embarrassing when pestering members for the full contribution whilst SENPeC elected not to pay the full amount of £XXX (data confidential) when National deliberations are concluded, I would suggest we review the situation. I have prepared a Budget which shows a possible excess of £200 plus.
We could well afford to send out minutes etc. NOTED
BUDGET: 2008.
(data confidential)
8. ANY OTHER REPORTS
Alexandra asked for her SENPeC expenses to be paid, i.e postage and fares when she travels to NPC meetings as SENPeC Secretary. (Joe Harris is in agreement.)
Richard Sharp proposed the Secretary should be reimbursed.SECONDED by Derrick Frost.
Bill Cobbett’s postage was discussed. His postage was reimbursed by British Pension. Alex suggested that application for payment of expenses could be made to NPC. Mr. Cobbett had told her that he would reimburse the postage costs to her for the mail—shot re Pensioner Auditor.
AMENDED CONSTITUTION: The Secretary had forwarded the amended copies to all those concerned and said that the new document should be read and brought back to the April meeting for discussion. Many thanks to Alexandra.
On November 6th 2007... David Ashton together with Terry Reilly and Peggy Sandford went to the National Council Meeting of NPC. On this occasion, Neil Duncan—Jordan was not present but has since been in touch with DAVID. (see below)
The Centenary celebrations of the instigation of the first British Pension in 1908 are well under way. A series of T.V programmes is planned. The TUC is researching old Unions/ amalgamations. (Interesting History projects for schools.)
There are a million pensioners who are still collecting their pensions locally.
Neil Duncan-Jordan informed David Ashton that Kate Hoey (M.P.) has kindly put down EDM 658 on the Centenary of the State Pension. It has 15 signatures so far — please publicise this as widely as possible.
EARLY DAY MOTION 658.
That this House pays tribute to the pension pioneers who campaigned from 1898 until 1908 to secure the first old age state pension; acknowledges the importance of the state recognising it has a responsibility to provide a decent income in retirement for all without resort to means—testing; expresses concern that after a hundred years the state pension is still significantly below the official poverty level and calls on the Government to nark the centenary of the state pension in 2008 by raising the basic state pension for all pensioners above the official poverty level and restoring its link with earnings or prices, whichever is the greater.
Alexandra wrote to Neil Duncan—Jordan on 15th November 2007 outlining the two items for discussion at the Regional Parliament, namely Council Tax and Pensioner Auditor.
Terry Reilly reported that West Sussex planned to reduce their Council Tax which will result in drastic shortages.
For 2008/9 U 2009/10 it will be set at an increase of 2%
For 2009/10 “ 1.5%
For 2010/11 “ 1.85%
It was difficult to discover Pension Contribution Some staff pay 6% Employers 28.9%
David Ashton said that there would be a meeting on March 19th at Montefiore Hall, Crawley. 2 mins. Walk from Three Bridges station. Details: Tel: 01293 543540
“Floor damping” As Min. Sec. Understands it, Grants from Government at a reduced level, to be subsidised by London Boroughs, so grants do not go down to an unacceptable level. “Floor Damping” has now been removed.
Bill Cobbett asked what the next step regarding Pensioner Auditor? Bill had attended a meeting specifically. He had received only 3 responses
to the mail shot. A meeting was arranged for 10 January 2008. Neil Duncan-Jordan was present. The meeting was chaired by NPC General Secretary
Joe Harris. Anne Belworthy produced a written report.
Gordon Dowell attended an Executive Meeting on 15 November 2007. There was no mention of Pensioner Auditor in the Minutes. Was it being
deliberately avoided? SENPeC needed to know the outcome. Bill Cobbett was warmly thanked by the Committee for all his hard work.
Alexandra said that she was due to attend a meeting on 19 February 2008 re the Issue of Free Travel.
Booking Forms for NPC Blackpool 2008 received.
Terry Reilly said the title of the group is being upgraded to Pensioners, Older and Retired People”, thus including the Self—Employed,
who have to make their own arrangements and pay their own Pension.
Comment was made regarding the contrasts of Pension value to Civil Servants and Government Employees.
Derrick Frost had written to BBC Economics Editor Evan Davies regarding the difficulty in discovering how Council Employee’s contributions
compare with that of the average Private Sector worker.
His initial reaction to his research findings is that the self— employed, low paid and especially fixed—income workers are being made poorer
while Civil Servants’ get luxury Gold Plated Pensions. Surely extremely unfair?
Derrick had received a reply to an earlier letter about the Alliance. The good ideas emanating from enthusiastic members come up against a brick wall.
Money “Which the Government Doesn’t have" is spent on the basis that it can be obtained from the Tax Payer. There is little concept of Profit and Loss in the centre. Debts exceed £500 billion.
9. NOTICE OF MOTION for discussion at the SENPeC NEETING 28th JANUARY 2008.
At the EC Meeting of the Old Southeronians, held on 7th November 2007, concern was mentioned over the perceived lack of publicity given to the efforts of the National Pensioners’ Convention in fulfilling the aims and aspirations of Pensioners, older and retired people as per the NPC Constitution. To that end, the Old Southeronians propose the following:
“That the South East Region of the NPC is alarmed that, despite the best efforts of Neil Duncan—Jordan and his team, the NPC has an unacceptably low public profile which can only be detrimental to the aims of the NPC and to the aspirations of pensioners, retired and older people"
In order to rectify this unfortunate lack of public awareness, the Old Southeronians propose a change to the management structure of the NPC.
There shall be an ex officio high profile National President.
The present President and Vice Presidents shall in future be re—titled National Chairman and Vice Chairmen.
The above proposals to be placed before the NPC National Executive for deliberation.
The Motion was put to the SENPeC COMMITTEE and agreed unanimously.
10. ANY OTHER BUSINESS.
Olive Holman mentioned that female pensioners form at least 50% of the group. Thinking of all the energy Baroness Barbara Castle put in on our behalf until well into her nineties, why not seek a female Front—runner? Ann Widdicombe? Betty Boothroyd? Peggy suggested Rabbi Neuburger?
10. Time and Date of next Meeting: 28th April 2008.
11. DATES OF MEETINGS FOR 2008.
Members to gather from 11 a.m. Meetings start 11.30.
DATE TIME VENUE
28th April 2008 11am. NPC OFFICES, OLD STREET
14th July. 2008 11 am. NPC OFFICES, OLD STREET
20th October (AGM) 11 am NPC OFFICES, OLD STREET
Due to Standing Orders being suspended because of travel problems the meeting finished at 14.00 hours.
APPENDIX “A”
S E N P e C
28 January 2008
TO: SENPec Meeting dated 28 January 2008
FROM: A. William Cobbett
SUBJECT: CASE FOR A PENSIONER AUDITOR
With help of our Secretary, this case plus a Draft Parliamentary Bill similar to NPC bills presented in Blackpool was sent to 49 SENPec affiliates. So far there has been a response from three of them. James Greed of TSSA London and South East retired Branch 650; Anne Belworthy who favoured a Commissioner for Older People; and Don Carnell of CWU Portsmouth & Isle of Wight. The next step?
On 10 January 2008 the case was presented to NPC’s Pensions Working Party, chaired by Joe Harris, he ended the meeting by asking me to gather more details on Audit quality. I now have this detail in reports from the Financial Reporting Council, which will be noted in an E-mail dated 28 January 2008 to Neil Duncan-Jordan and others at SENPeC and BPEG&DB. Neil Duncan-Jordan and Tony Lynes were also present.
The case was also sent to West Midlands Pensioners Convention, for the attention of John Parks.
SENPeC Publicity
Anne Belworthy of Canterbury & District Pensioners’ Forum made various points about SENPeC, and ended her E-mail to me of 24 January 2008 by noting…………………we don’t know much about SENPeC. What is to be done? This is her E-mail:
Future Meetings of SENPeC
From the Chairman’s Opening remarks, “I’m sure it won’t happen in future SENPeC Meetings, but we don’t want to see brown envelopes tabled and their contents not used At a meeting, leading - as an example - to a decision outside the meeting that,”………………….
The contents are time expired and can serve no purpose……………………………….
SENPeC Web Site
Is anything wanted from my branch?
Thanks to David Ashton for maintaining this site and its updating.
Bill Cobbett
Vice Chairman SENPeC