The 2024 Annual General Meeting of the Civil Service Pensioners Alliance West Yorkshire Group will be held at 11.00 on Wednesday 20 March 2024 at the PCS Headquarters, Merrion St., Leeds LS2 8LY

AGENDA

1. Chair’s welcome and introductory remarks

2. Minutes of the previous AGM held in July 2023 (draft below)

3. Reports from West Yorkshire Group Officers

4. Election of Officers

5. Guest Speaker: Nick Rhodes, Black’s Solicitors LLP, to talk about Wills and Power of Attorney

6. General Election year priorities

7. Any other business (to be notified in writing to the Chair prior to the commencement of the meeting)

DRAFT MINUTES OF THE 2023 CSPA WEST YORKSHIRE GROUP AGM: 12.07.2023

Present: Paul Laxton, (Group Chair), Jean Ainsworth, Linda Rawson, David Parkinson, John Welham, Steve Dodd, Alan Swift, Andy Aitchison (Regional Rep.)

MINUTES OF THE LAST AGM

These were accepted as correct. There were no matters arising.

OFFICERS’ REPORTS

The Chair reported that a Committee meeting had taken place after the last AGM, but in the interim both the Secretary and Membership Secretary had resigned their posts on health grounds, although both felt able to continue as Committee members. As a consequence, there was no Group meeting in March, and the Chair felt it necessary to hold this year’s AGM early in a bid to fill the posts. The Chair put out an appeal for volunteers in a newsletter. David Parkinson drafted two resolutions which he wanted to forward to the National AGM in October. The Chair and the Regional Rep. forwarded the resolutions to HQ in order to meet the deadline for submission and the AGM was asked to ratify them post hoc. He explained that if the Group did not wish to proceed with the resolutions, they could be withdrawn swiftly at this early stage.

The resolutions read as follows:

1.) This AGM recognises the success of the recent Bus Conference held under the auspices of the National Pensioners Convention in York. All the organisations there resolved to organise a National Bus Week and to campaign to improve bus services. This AGM instructs the EC to join this campaign to improve services both local and metropolitan.

2.) This AGM notes with concern the very slow roll out of banking hubs, with only four of the proposed forty-six having been opened. This AGM demands the speedy rollout of the hubs in view of the accelerating closure of bank branches and instructs the EC to join the campaign to get these hubs open as soon as possible.

The Group approved the submission of the resolutions.

David Parkinson attended the Pensioners Parliament held in Blackpool in June. It was agreed that the Chair, Paul Laxton, and David Parkinson will attend the National AGM in October.

The Treasurer reported a positive balance of £1365.35. Linda will get the books updated shortly.

There was no membership report as that post is now vacant.

ELECTION OF OFFICERS

Paul Laxton was re-elected as Chair, and Linda Rawson was re-elected as Treasurer. John Welham, Steve Dodd, and David Parkinson were re-elected to the Committee. However, there were no takers for the vacant posts of Secretary and Membership Secretary.

GUEST SPEAKER: ANDY AITCHISON, North East Regional Representative

Andy reported that Groups could now operate more informally. He expressed the view that formal constitutions do not necessarily help groups operate. People will need to do bits and pieces to keep groups alive. Currently 60% of members live in areas where there is no functioning Group. The EC will be putting a comprehensive motion on structure to the AGM in October after widespread consultation. GC 939 refers. Alternatively, the motion will be published in the Autumn edition of The Pensioner which will hit doormats in September. It was resolved that the West Yorkshire Group will remain open, and that the existing

Committee with assistance from the Regional Rep. will seek to cover the gaps and keep the Group alive. The Chair will organise a Committee meeting and one of its first tasks will be to agree a definitive calendar of meetings and events to be submitted for publication in the Winter edition of The Pensioner which will be out in early December. Andy is also looking to do a Regional Officer’s Newsletter, but this will be online only as postage costs are prohibitive.

The Regional Representative also reported on some administrative difficulties at HQ. The posting of newsletters and meeting notices has been outsourced and this has led to these arriving very late. The Members’ Information is being updated leading to some access problems at the moment. HQ is also purging the Membership lists. Individuals can check their status by ringing HQ. A new General Secretary, Sally Tsoukaris, has been appointed to replace Lisa Ray.

The AGM concluded at 12.45 PM.

Paul Laxton

CSPA West Yorkshire Group Chair

COMMITTEE VACANCIES

The post of Secretary remains vacant. Our Treasurer, Linda Rawson, is standing down at the AGM, so there is now a second major vacancy. We thank Linda for her service to the Group over many years, which have also seen her hold the Membership Secretary role, at one time simultaneously with being Treasurer. I know it is difficult for people to commit time, but the Group will join many others in mothballs if we cannot fill key posts. I have been covering the Secretary’s duties as well, but doubling up on jobs is not a long term solution. If you can spare the time, please come forward. Your Group needs you.

VOLUNTARY SUBSCRIPTIONS

The Committee has determined that the voluntary subscription rate should be increased to £10 per annum. It has been £5 since before I joined the Group in 2010. Last year the Group collected only £15 in subscriptions, and unless we can improve dramatically on that, our funds will run out in around three years, and the Group will become insolvent. Our funds are used to pay for the hire of a meeting room, and the expenses associated with having the voice of our Group heard at events such as the annual Pensioners Parliament organised by the NPC, and other campaigning events. We are asking you to donate via your bank. You can do this online or at your own branch, and if you are feeling really generous, set up an annual standing order. If £10 is too much, feel free to donate whatever you feel is affordable. Please help keep the Group alive.

The bank details are:

Payee CSPA West Yorkshire Group

Bank Virgin Money

Address 3, Monk Bridge Street, Meanwood, Leeds, LS6 4HL

Account number 17518291

Sort code 05-05-35

WHAT’S YOUR EXPERIENCE OF ADAPTATION AND HOME IMPROVEMENT SERVICES?

Come and tell us about it – and have fun while you’re doing so! We’re part of a big research project looking at what works in Home Improvement Services. These are the kind of services which help people to adapt their homes as they age or assist with energy efficiency improvements. And we’re looking for people who have used a home improvement service recently to help us with our research.

We want to find out about your experience. The research is funded by the Centre for Ageing Better, as part of their wider goal to make sure everyone has a good home.

What’s involved – We’re running a workshop on Friday 1st March at the Carriageworks, Millennium Square, Leeds, LS2 3AD (in Room 1). The workshop will run from 1pm until 4pm, with a free lunch on arrival.

The workshop will use an approach we call a ‘Serious Game,’ which is like a board game with a serious purpose (although it’s also fun). In the game you’ll explore different scenarios with your fellow players, making decisions about how to improve your home.

You’ll draw on your experience as you play the game, which will help us to really understand what works well and where things are more difficult when people like you need to make changes to their home.

We will give you a £30 voucher for participating in the workshop.

And we’ll cover any travel costs for getting to the venue. Contact us if you want to come along and take part! Also, if you prefer a 1 to 1 conversation with us, that is absolutely fine as well.

How to get involved

If you would like to come to the workshop, or want to just hear about the project, please get in touch – we’d love to hear from you:

Vikki McCall (Professor of Social Policy, University of Stirling) vikki.mccall@stir.ac.uk 01786-467698

Steve Rolfe (Lecturer in Social Policy, University of Stirling) steve.rolfe@stir.ac.uk 01786-466322