NEXT GROUP MEETING

The next meeting of our group will take place on Thursday the 13th June 2024 at 2pm at St. Mary’s Centre 82-90 Corporation Road Middlesbrough TS1 2RW. We aim to finish by 3-30pm.

All Civil Service Pensioners should by now have started receiving their increase from April 2024. To see your payslips as well as other useful information go to members.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk

Our annual meeting in March was still sparsely attended I’m afraid, but those present still enjoyed the company and a good old chinwag. In two respects however it was time for a changing of the guard. Recent ill health has caused our chair Ken Bellamy to give up the role. After his National Service Ken had a long and successful career in the civil service ending in a senior position. He was also a very active trade unionist. After retirement along with other roles he became an enthusiastic member of the CSPA becoming chair of the Teesside Group from its inception. It’s safe to say that he has been the beating heart of the group for the best part of thirty years. Ken’s steadfast guidance and cheery demeanour have been an example to us all.

In recognition of all his work the group unanimously agreed to confer on Ken the title of Honorary President. All the best Ken. It couldn’t be more deserved.

Also, at the same meeting Christine Foxton stood down as Group Treasurer. Chris has been doing the job for so long she can’t remember when she started! Her calm and steady stewardship of the group funds is something that could easily be taken for granted. But in my ten years as Secretary, she has been a rock on which I’ve always been able to depend. Christine now wants to spend more time with her family. She has promised to keep coming to see us, and we look forward to seeing her.

As a result of these changes, I am now doubling up as Chair and Secretary, while Keith Yallop has added the duties of Treasurer to those of Membership Secretary. We remain open for business!

You will be aware of the many discounts that are available to CSPA members. A recent addition is Wendy Wu Tours. Their range of escorted group tours now spans over 40 countries worldwide covering sensational destinations in Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and most recently, Europe. A five percent discount is available. Full details at the CSPA website.

Please make every effort to attend our meeting. You will be made very welcome. As usual tea, coffee and biscuits are available. If you are unable to attend the meeting don’t forget you can access the Alliance website. The URL is www.cspa.co.uk. It contains up to date information about the Alliance’s services and activities. If you don’t have internet access, there are of course regular updates in the quarterly Pensioner magazine.

The agenda for the meeting is below, and the minutes of our December 2023 meeting are also enclosed.

Yours sincerely

John Butler

Group Secretary.

AGENDA

1. Welcome from the Chair.

2. Apologies for absence.

3. Minutes of December 2023 Meeting.

4. Matters Arising.

5. Secretary’s Report

6. Treasurer’s Report.

7. Membership Report.

8. Regional NPC Report.

9. Any Other Business.

Minutes of the Teesside Group Meeting of Thursday 7th December 2023 at Middlesbrough at 2pm

Present

John Butler, Christine Foxton, Keith Yallop(via Zoom), and David Barry.

Apologies for absence

Ken Bellamy, Marjorie Bellamy and Betty Hocking. Andy Aitchison our regional rep also apologised for not coming because he was at an Executive meeting.

Opening remarks

John welcomed members to the meeting particularly Keith who was attending online because he was unwell.

Minutes of the Group Meeting of 14 September 2023

The minutes were agreed.

Matters Arising

John commented that he had been unable to attend the AGM in Coventry through ill health. However other delegates had very kindly moved and seconded our motion which had then passed.

Group Discussion

In place of the formal agenda the members present discussed some key issues facing the group going forward.

Firstly, Christine had been facing continuing problems with Barclays Bank. John had helped with some of this but the bank seemed to be deliberately unhelpful for no obvious reason. Christine hoped that the bank’s baseless concerns had now subsided but we would have to wait and see.

Secondly Christine reported that our expenses as a group had declined since the pandemic and we now had sufficient funds to meet our future needs for some time. Accordingly, it was agreed that we would not ask for any voluntary subscriptions from members in the coming year.

Thirdly Christine indicated she would be stepping down as treasurer at the AGM. She had done the job for many years but now wished to hand over to someone else. The members present expressed their profound thanks to Christine for her unstinting work over so many years.

Finally, members discussed the long term decline in attendance. Keith said he was happy to keep the group going if there were two or three other people prepared to do the same. John and David agreed. It was agreed to meet up informally in January or February to discuss preparations for the annual group meeting.

The meeting closed at 3-10pm.