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Sophisticated and stylish Southport was the destination this year
for the equally sophisticated and stylish London Branch delegation to the
NARPO Conference. We were all delighted to visit this elegant, tree-lined
Victorian town – famously home to one of Napoleon’s nephews and the Natterjack toad. Perhaps of more interest to us
ex-Mets were the golf courses, the enigmatic Anthony Gormley
statues gazing out to sea, and the spectacular shopping.
On a far more serious note, Eric Evans MVO QPM, President of NARPO,
delivered his review of the year and reminded us all of former Met PC
John Murray’s campaign to secure justice for WPC
Yvonne Fletcher who was murdered outside the Libyan Embassy. John,
of course, has recently visited Libya with the BBC in order to lobby the
new transitional government to ensure that the last remaining suspect Matouk Mohamed Matouk is prosecuted.
Clint Elliott, our CEO, reported that NARPO had responded to the
Winsor report on Police Remuneration & Conditions. Winsor wants to
reduce the annual overtime bill by about £60m, and effectively reduce
police pay. Clint, of course, knows a thing or two about police pay and conditions
having been the chief negotiator for the Staff Side of the Police
Negotiating Board for many years. Hopefully, Tom Winsor (a lawyer who was
the UK’s Rail Regulator) will be appreciative of the advice. Of enormous importance to many of our
members is the Home Office
Circular which deals with injury awards. You may remember that we
were expecting clarification of the guidance to police authorities some
two years ago. Clint is still pursuing the Home Office on behalf of all
of you with injury pensions who would like to be able to plan with some
certainty for the future.
Mike Duggan, the General Secretary of the Civil Service
Pensioners’ Alliance gave a brief presentation. The CSPA, which includes ex-Police
staff, is also involved in the Judicial Review of the switch from RPI to
CPI. Mike spoke quite positively about the future for pensioners and how
organisations such as ours should make greater use of technology, social networks,
the UK Pensioners Forum, and local training. Coincidentally, one of the
Motions to Conference (which was carried) was that the NEC should explore
the possibility of having a new national website providing local branches
with their own web space. You will be aware that London Branch has its own
website at www.londonnarpo.org.uk
Apparently, during the 2010 Conference, there had been a debate
about some branches not responding to correspondence from HQ. ‘Dave’ from
5 Region asked whether this had improved and when the ‘naming and shaming’
was going to start. Just as he was getting into his stride and we were all
sitting up straight hoping it wasn’t us that was going to be ‘named and shamed’
– with brilliant timing, the sound system went down. No members of the
London delegation were anywhere near the plug!
TV presenter John Stapleton facilitated a Q&A session on ‘Active
Membership.’ Nationally, 72 per cent of retiring police officers join
NARPO – up from approximately 60 per cent. The trick now is to make sure
that we are relevant to all types of members to the extent that they want
to become involved in local groups, campaigns, and organising.
The full details of the National Executive Committee for 2011/12,
their reserves and committees are included in November’s NARPO news, but
we must take this opportunity of thanking John Beck (our retiring London
representative) for his efforts on your behalf. Mrs Jackie Cole remains
on the NEC representing London and is now joined by Mr Nick Hartfree. We
wish them well. If you have any issues you would like them to take up
nationally, you can contact them via the office at Epsom.
Finally, next year’s Conference is in Eastbourne on 14 September.
If you attend our AGM in April you may be able to join the delegation. We
have over 60 ex-Mets living in Eastbourne and dozens of you living in
Sussex. We hope you can make it!
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