The Executive Council has been reviewing the existing guidance on running a local CSPA Group, to make it more flexible than the previous Model Group Constitution and less prescriptive, to meet the needs of local Groups. The new format is a broad framework, whilst still being in line with the national CSPA Rules and Constitution. The revised version is attached as an Annex to this circular. Groups can adopt this Framework at their forthcoming local AGMs, if they wish, to replace the need for a local Group constitution. If you have any queries on the attached Framework document, please contact the Deputy General Secretary, David Luxton (david.luxton@cspa.co.uk).

FUTURE CIRCULATION OF THE ANNUAL REPORT
At last year’s AGM, two rule amendments were made which allow the EC to consider how the Annual Report (including the Statement of Accounts), AGM agenda and AGM report should be circulated in the future.

These documents are currently sent to all members as supplements in the Pensioner, and a commitment was given to the AGM that, before any changes are made, Branches and Groups would be consulted. Each supplement costs about £4,000 in printing costs, and the EC has considered whether this represents good value for money for members or whether there is a more cost-efficient way of making the information available.

From this year, the EC proposes to make the following distribution changes: The summer issue supplement (containing the Annual Report and Statement of Accounts) and the winter issue supplement (containing the AGM report) should no longer be printed in the Pensioner. These documents will be produced in hard copy and sent to Branches and Groups on the same basis as Group Circulars; they will be available to view in the members area of the website; and they will be sent in hard copy to any member who requests them.

The summer issue of the Pensioner will contain an introduction by the General Secretary to the Annual Report, and a summary by the National Treasurer of the Statement of Accounts and Balance Sheet. The winter issue of the Pensioner will contain an overview report of the AGM but not a detailed report and minutes. In 2025, the AGM agenda and election candidate pen pictures will continue to be published as a supplement in the autumn issue of the Pensioner.

This will be further reviewed in 2026 in the context of the proposed changes in the electoral process (GC 965 refers). These changes are estimated to save about £8,000 in the cost of the Pensioner but will maintain the availability of these documents to all members.

Branches and Groups are invited to comment on the EC proposal before the Finance Committee considers and approves the final budget for Comments should be sent to the National Treasurer, Mike Sparham, by 21st March 2025, at M.Sparham@cspa.co.uk. Alternatively, comments can be sent to him by post to: CSPA Head Office, 160 Falcon Road, London, SW11 2LN.

CSPA AUDIO PODCASTS FOR MEMBERS

We have recently launched a series of CSPA audio ‘Podcasts’, on topics ranging from Civil Service pensions to the difference between the basic (or ‘old’) and new State Pensions, to how to arrange a Power of Attorney.

We will also be recording conversations with CSPA member benefits providers, such  as the Civil Service Insurance Society (CSIS), other partner organisations, and perhaps even our own EC members.

The podcasts are available via the CSPA website (www.cspa.co.uk/listen), but if you are not online and would like to be sent a transcript, do give us a call at CSPA head office and we can arrange this for you.

AUDIO VERSION OF THE PENSIONER

For many years, it has been possible to receive The Pensioner magazine in audio form for those who have difficulty reading the printed edition. Unfortunately, the company we used could no longer provide us with this service, so we are now finalising arrangements with another company to offer an audio version of the magazine for future issues. If you know of a CSPA member who would prefer an audio version of the magazine, please let us know by emailing us at enquiries@cspa.co.uk or by telephoning Head Office.

HQ TEAM CHANGES

At the end of December, we bid farewell to Doreen Parkinson as our Minutes Secretary, and we wish her well in retirement. Doreen continues to play an active role in her local CSPA Croydon Group. We welcome Rose Cooney on board as the new Minutes Secretary, to assist us in recording Executive Council meetings and the AGM. Rose will also be helping us to cover the office when other colleagues are on leave.

NPC DIGITAL WORKING PARTY NEWSLETTER

Please click here to view, Issue 15 of “Connections for All” (January 2025). The Deputy General Secretary represents CSPA on this working group, to take our campaigns and AGM priorities in the areas of Digital Exclusion and Digital Inclusion forwards. You can read more about this in the General Secretary’s report in the Spring Issue of The Pensioner.

RESPONSE FROM MINISTER OF STATE FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT & ENGLISH DEVOLUTION

In October, I wrote a letter to Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, about the Household Support Fund and other LA Administered Services, raising concerns on behalf of CSPA members due to the growing reliance of Local Authorities on a ‘digital first’ approach.

This applies to all their communications with residents and to the provision of support, including assistance for householders struggling to meet their bills for basic essential services, which is especially worrying in the light of the withdrawal of universal Winter Fuel Allowance payment.

You may be interested to read the letter we have received in response, from Jim McMahon OBE MP, picking up on some of our concerns about digital exclusion, but emphasising the Government’s focus on digital ‘inclusion’. Copies of both letters are attached for your information.

The DGS has since referred the matter to the NPC Digital Working Party, who have asked the NPC Executive to write to the Local Government Association (LGA), requesting that appropriate guidance be issued to all Local Authorities, preferably obliging them to offer off-line facilities – such as telephone contacts – to avoid people being digitally excluded from support and local services.

If you have any questions or require any further information about the matters covered by this Group Circular, please don’t hesitate to contact me, either by email at sally.tsoukaris@cspa.co.uk or by telephone on 020 8688 8418 (Office).

Yours sincerely Sally

Sally Tsoukaris General Secretary
Tel: 020 8688 8418 / Email: benedetta.makanju@cspa.co.uk