NW Regional Retired Members’ Council

Graham Wilson - Secretary’s Report - 22nd July 2009

Introduction

I would like to thank you all for having the confidence in me for this post of Regional Secretary and to say what a privilege and honour it is to follow in the footsteps of Stan Skinkis. I promise to do my best and hope that I can live up to your expectations.

Membership
 
We have membership figures by branch from the HQ database. Nationally they show a reduction of about 200. The NW has 1274 postal and 1079 telecom members, a total of 2353. Doreen highlighted inaccuracies at the last meeting so could you all please check these figures against your own membership records. The discrepancy in my branch is only 2 so I don’t have an accurate idea of the problem.

Recruitment

The forecast for retired membership is for it to fall. Primarily because our opportunities to recruit are falling rapidly due to the businesses, particularly Royal Mail and BT’s, drastically reducing staff numbers. This means many people are not reaching retirement age before leaving the business. Alan’s efforts to have an advert in each edition of the Voice have paid off after a motion was carried at the Main Annual Conference. We need to make more of an effort to target those approaching retirement and also those leaving the businesses with a view for them to become Portable Members. Perhaps we can have this as an agenda item at the next meeting.
            (Target 59 year olds. Associate Membership Letters. Posters. Grey Matters)

RMAC

I attended my first RMAC meeting a fortnight ago along with Alan. It was a new and interesting experience. The RMAC provides a useful link to HQ and to other bodies such as NPC and TUC.

The Link

A conference decision now commits HQ to produce at least three editions per year. One has already been published another is due in about two weeks and a third will come out in November. Deadline for articles or letters is 15th October. The next edition will contain reports of NPC Parliament and the Main Conference Retired Fringe Meeting.

Retired Members Weekend School

A school for retired members is due to be held at Alvescot 4th to 6th September but is under subscribed. Another 10 people are required for it to go ahead. Basically, we’re looking for volunteers!

Conference Decisions

Both motions submitted by the RMAC to main conference were heard and carried so the NEC are now charged to pursue the establishment of a National Carers Service which if successful will be a fitting legacy for Stan, it was his motion originally; and, as mentioned there will be a recruitment advert in future editions of the Voice.
The potentially humorous motion carried at the Retired Annual Conference about the closure of public conveniences is being pursued seriously by the NEC. They see it as a postal delivery issue and are taking it up with the Health and Safety Executive, Dept. for the Environment and, so far as it effects older people, with the NPC policy Committee.

Conference 2010

Main Annual Conference has been brought forward next year to 23rd to 27th May and this has a knock-on effect on the Retired Members Conference. Usually held early March, next year it will be on 4th February. This means we shall have to bring our AGM forward in order for our motions to meet the deadline for submission to Annual. Perhaps we can discuss this under AOB.

TUC

It has come to light that the TUC Pensioners Committee decisions cannot be acted upon through the TUC due to it not having a constitution unlike other equality committees. Tony Kearns is to pursue this with the TUC and Billy Hayes.

NPC Matters

The NPC Annual Parliament took place in Blackpool 2nd to 4th June. I did not attend but have a couple of reports here if anyone is interested and there will be a report in the next Link. Also the NPC has published a report on their website at www.npcuk.org .
In one of the most important sessions the following manifesto was launched and the NPC calls upon all the major candidates at the next General Election to support the manifesto. It is intended to counter the hypocrisy of politicians in paying lip service to pensioner issues yet being slow to act on the changes pensioners need.

Pensioners Manifesto

A basic state pension set above the official poverty level (estimated at £165 a week in 2009), which is linked to the higher of earnings or prices, and paid alongside other existing concessions, to provide some financial security for all.

Free long-term and social care funded from general taxation and provided to the highest standards in order to maintain dignity and without the need for means-testing, rationing or a postcode lottery.

Good quality local services funded through national income tax rather than council tax.
Free UK-wide travel on all forms of public transport to encourage independence and greater mobility, as well as helping the environment and reducing demand on care services.

An end to discrimination where it adversely affects the opportunities, goods and services available to older people.

A winter fuel allowance of £500 per pensioner household to help maintain a warm and comfortable home. 

So far as CWU policy is concerned Tony Kearns said we could support 5 of the 6 points. The exception was point 3 about local services being funded through national taxation. He said the NEC had never discussed the subject so no view exists. Should we express our views to Tony?

NPC Parliament 2010 – 8th to 10th June
                       
DWP Touchbase

We were given the DWP newsletter, Touchbase, summarising the issues covered by the DWP across the whole spectrum of their work. It contains lots of information not confined to pensioner issues as well as contact numbers and websites. I have summarised its contents below.

State Pension Reform (Women)

I have copied to you the section about State Pension Reform particularly with regard to women who will be affected by the equalisation of state pension age and its effect upon other benefits which they may be claiming. There is a copy of a letter from the DWP to Chris Tapper. A timetable of when letters will be sent to people and a sample of that letter. There are a couple of websites and a phone number should you need them. Although this does not directly affect those already in retirement I think it useful for us to have this information in our branches.

Phone 01253 688579  www.thepensionservice.gov.uk

Older People’s Day

October 1st has been designated Older People’s Day. Its aim is to enhance the perception of older people in society as a whole by highlighting the contribution we make to society and the economy. I aims to do this by encouraging groups to organise events to bring different generation together.www.dwp.gov.uk/fulloflife 
                       
First Stop

First Stop is a new advice service for older people dealing with all aspects of care. The partnership consists of Age Concern Help the Aged, Elderly Accommodation Counsel, Counsel and Care, and the nursing Home Fees Agency (NHFA) Care Advice.
Phone 08003 777 070 or www.firststopcareadvice.org.uk .
                       
Age Concern – Help the Aged

As from 1st April Age Concern and Help the Aged have merged to form one organisation focussed on the problems of older people. Though still operating from two addresses at the moment as from January they will become one brand. Help the Aged publish lots of advice booklets that are also available on line and can be downloaded.

Age Concern  0208 765 7200  www.ageconcern.org.uk
Help the Aged 0207 278 1114  www.helptheaged.org.uk

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