Group Circular 943 reported that the Executive Council were setting up a Working Party to review options for the format of AGM arrangements from October 2025 onwards, in response to Remitted Motion A17/22 from the 2022 AGM. Groups were invited to nominate local members to join the working party, together with representation from the Scotland and Northern Ireland Branches. Three Groups put forward nominations for the working party: Mike Buckley (Sheffield & District Group); John McLaughlin (Bedford & District +Group); and John Thompson (Norfolk & Suffolk Group).
It was also agreed to survey delegates at the October 2023 AGM to get their views on the format of future AGM`s from 2025 onwards. The results of the Survey were circulated in GC 947, issued in December.
At the first meeting of the working party on 16 January it was agreed to seek the views of Groups and Branches, as well as individual members, about future AGM arrangements from 2025, which will help to inform working party recommendations to be considered in time for the Executive Council meeting on 18 April. The EC will then put forward final recommendations for consideration at the next AGM on 9-10 October 2024.
The specific issues on which we are seeking the views of Groups, Branches, and individual members include the following questions:
1. How representative is the AGM and how can it be improved?
Over the past few years many local Groups have closed, particularly after the pandemic, with many members no longer attached to a local Group. Recent analysis has shown that in England only 52 % of member are in an open Group, with 48% not attached to a Group. In Wales there are now 83% of members not attached to a Group with 17% covered by the only remaining Group of North Wales. (In Scotland and in Northern Ireland all members are attached to their respective Branch with direct access to the Branch Officers).
2. How can the AGM best reflect the views of members in England and Wales who are not allocated to a local Group?
3. How can we encourage wider interest and engagement with the AGM for policy decisions and elections?
4. What would be the advantages and disadvantages if the policy motions and election processes were conducted at a General meeting every two years instead of annually?
5. What are your views on different AGM formats, such as on-line “virtual” AGMs based on Groups and Branches with on-line voting (either annually or in alternate years)?
6. Should the facility for individual members to attend the AGM (at their own expense or at a subsidised rate) be formalised into a set allocation of individual delegate places for members not attached to local Groups?
7. In addition to the Group and Branch representatives, should there be additional places reserved for Regionally nominated members who are not in a local Group?
8. If your Group does not regularly attend the AGM, would the Group be likely to attend an event or AGM that is held on-line?
These questions are not intended to be an exhaustive list of options but would help to inform the working party and EC of the views of individual members; Groups; and Branches. We will seek the views of individual members through an article in the Spring issue of the Pensioner, which will be sent out in the first week of March.
Comments on the issues raised above should be sent by email to the Deputy General Secretary : david.luxton@cspa.co.uk , or by post using the enclosed pre-paid envelope, to arrive no later than Thursday 21 March 2024, so that they can be collated in time for consideration by the Working Party at their next meeting on Wednesday 3 April.
Yours sincerely
David Luxton
Deputy General Secretary
Civil Service Pensioners’ Alliance david.luxton@cspa.co.uk
