22 August 2023
Summer 2023 Norfolk and Suffolk Group Newsletter
Welcome to the summer 2023 edition of the CSPA Norfolk and Suffolk Group Newsletter. I hope you are enjoying the summer, even though the weather has not been all we might have wanted. However, we have avoided some of the extremes others have experienced. If you have been able to have a holiday, I hope it went well, or perhaps you are still looking forward to some time away.
The next meeting of the Norfolk and Suffolk Group will be on 13 September 2023 at 2pm at the Methodist Church, Chapel Field Road, Norwich, NR2 1SD. Full details of the agenda can be found on page 4 of this Newsletter (see below).
The main item of business will be to consider our view of the motions on the agenda of the CSPA AGM, which will be held on 11-12 October 2023. I hope you will be able to come along and help the Group consider our view on the various motions to be debated at the AGM.
Unfortunately, our Group delegate, John Thompson, is not able to go to the AGM this year because of another engagement. Therefore, we are looking for someone to go in his place. The AGM takes place on Wednesday, 11 October, and Thursday, 12 October, at a hotel near Coventry. All travel and accommodation expenses will be paid for by CSPA, so it won’t cost you anything to attend. The actual AGM sessions take place on the afternoon of Wednesday and the morning and early afternoon on Thursday, with the AGM dinner on the Wednesday evening. As well as enabling the Group to be represented and participate in the business of the AGM, Group Delegates will be able to meet and socialise with other CSPA members, including members of the EC and members of office staff.
I can assure you that this is an enjoyable and useful time and John Thompson enjoyed his attendance last year. If you would like to know more, please contact John or myself and we will be pleased to give you all the help you need. Our contact details are at the foot of page 4 of this Newsletter.
You may recall that in our previous Newsletters we invited Members to let us know the type and location of our Group meetings, so we could make arrangements to suit Members wherever they live. In fact, we have received very few responses, so for the time being we will continue to hold Group meetings in Norwich. However, this is not necessarily a final decision, so if you would like to let us know your views, or want to suggest a different location and venue, please do get in touch. We want the enlarged Group to be as helpful as possible to all Members, so your input is important.
Richard
Consultation on Review of Regional and Group Structure
This topic was covered by motion A17 at the CSPA AGM in October 2022. After debate the motion was remitted to the NEC, who set up a special Working Party to give the subject serious consideration. There was a good explanation of the work of this Working Party in our Spring Newsletter and further discussion has taken place resulting in a motion from the EC on the Agenda for the CSPA AGM. This will be included in a supplement to the Pensioner, which we will consider at the Group meeting on 13 September. It is generally recognised that this is a difficult and ongoing issue. CSPA wants its work to include all matters of concern to Members, and that is why it set up local Groups to give Members opportunity to feed in ideas and motions to help the EC take action to pursue all important matters.
The Working Party has consolidated the various recommendations, which have been incorporated into the EC motion to the CSPA AGM. The main principles are set out below:
1. Local Groups, and the volunteers who support them, are the lifeblood of CSPA and must remain central to the effective representation at local level, where members wish that to be the case. Without a viable local Group structure, it will become more difficult to attract new members and retain existing members. Currently up to 60% of members are not allocated to an open Group, which challenges the democratic basis of CSPA and the representative nature of the AGM. This democratic deficit must be addressed, with all options being explored by the Executive Committee as a matter of urgency, alongside the priority of recruiting new members to support the work of local Groups.
2. The role and purpose of the EC Regional Representative should be strengthened, without any immediate need for constitutional changes, building on the existing capacity and commitment of active local Group representatives, to establish a Regional Forum of local volunteers across the Region, chaired by the Regional Representative. The purpose would be to:-
* find new ways to engage with members across the Region.
* provide a Regional focus for CSPA`s campaigning capacity.
* enhance CSPA`s visibility across the Region.
* agree local initiatives to support local Groups, where requested.
* utilise the available technology of video meetings on Zoom or Teams platforms to trial virtual Group meetings where appropriate;
* utilise the existing resources of The Pensioner magazine; CSPA website; and social media to advertise meetings and other Regional activities and contacts;
* consider the scope for opening new Groups where there is no longer coverage, whilst recognising that different approaches will be needed in each Region taking account of local circumstances and geography.
Closure of Rail Ticket Offices.
You will no doubt be aware of the Government pressure on Rail Companies to close many ticket offices. Although this may have differing impact on Members, depending on where you live or mainly travel to, it represents a reduction in the overall service to passengers, which will have a particular impact on those who do not have or use electronic devices. The initial very short period for responding to the consultation on this has now been extended to 1 September. Although this may still be too short a period for you to make your views known through the prescribed process, I think it is still worth writing to the rail Companies or your MP if any closure or withdrawal of service will present problems for you.
CSPA is taking this situation very seriously and is making representation to the consultation on behalf of older people and those who will be inconvenienced or even excluded by the withdrawal of ticket offices.
Changes Of Personal Details, etc.
If you change your address or other details, please remember to let the Group Membership Secretary, Frank Edwards, know. Please also contact Frank in the event of the death of a CSPA member to avoid the distress of unwanted mailings.
The next Meeting of CSPA Norfolk and Suffolk Group will be held on
Wednesday, 13 September 2023,
starting at 2 pm,
at Chapel Field Road Methodist Church, Norwich, NR2 1SD
AGENDA
- Welcome and Apologies
2. Minutes of the Meeting held on 24 May 2023,
3. Matters Arising
4. Secretary’s Report
5. Treasurer’s Report
Tea
6. Consideration of Motions on the Agenda of the CSPA AGM in October 2023.
(Please note that it will help if those attending bring with them their copy of
the latest – Autumn 2022 – issue of The Pensioner)
- Open Forum
- Any Other Business
9. Date and venue of next Meeting; Wednesday, 29 November 2023, at 2 pm,
at Chapel Field Road Methodist Church, Norwich, NR2 1SD
Your Current Committee Members Are:
Chairman: Richard West 01603 423144 richard.west08@gmail.com
Secretary: Tim Hartstone 01603 569038 t.hartstone@hotmail.co.uk
Treasurer: Alan Marrs 01603 410739
Membership: Frank Edwards 01842 766097 frank.edwards30@sky.com
Derek Land 01508 520532 derek.land@electramail.co.uk
Margaret Noble 01493 296246 megnob43@gmail.com
Delegate John Thompson 01502 581481 johntommo6@btinternet.com
Neville Jarvis 01394 275490 neville.jarvis1@btinternet.com
