Editorial
Friends and Colleagues,
Time seems to have flown again but at least this year I can still see the grass. We were knee deep in the white stuff this time last year. I can start with some good news – our police pensions WILL increase by 5.2% in April using the Consumer Prices Index. Had we been using the RPI it would have been 5.6% I wish I could say the same about State Pensions and other benefits. I have a feeling they will not increase by the same amount and many of them will be at varying levels just to confuse everyone!! I need to mention the Guaranteed Minimum Pension (GMP) as it will apply with this increase and I anticipate a few calls from you. The employer pays up to 3% of any increase and the remainder – for those on State Pension – is normally paid via your State Pension payment. Don’t be surprised if you don’t get as much as you thought on your Police Pension: the remainder will appear as an increase on your State Pension. If you check the difference will work out to be exactly the same amount – the loss on one will match the gain on the other!
We have as an Association; along with other pensions groups sought a judicial review of the change to CPI from RPI by the Government.Our argument was very strong but as usual we await the judge’s decision, it may take some time.
The pension increase has triggered the ’automatic’ increase in subscriptions under the rules and from the 1st January 2012 a Full Member of the branch will incur an 8p per month increase to £1.74p – £20.88 per year (from £1.66p – £19.92 per year).The committee has agreed to continue to keep the subscription for widows at 25p per month (£3.00 per year)
I am also pleased to say that we have been able to maintain the Widow’s Christmas Bonus for this year at £30.The cheques should be with those of you who receive the payment shortly.I would like to repeat my thanks to those of you who wished the payment to remain in the Welfare Fund to help others.
The ‘problems’ within the force appear to be here for the foreseeable future as we now have a Temporary Chief Constable.The Chief and Deputy were bailed until April 2012 so we may have a ‘temp’ for some time.It would have been nice to see matters resolved much quicker than this.Speaking personally, I really hope this isn’t an exercise in being ‘politically correct’ that peaters out and causes great distress and turmoil for nothing: not to mention the utter waste of time and money if that is the case.
The Welfare Fund is again supporting the Divisional Reunions in Stockton and Hartlepool this year.The dates can be found later in the newsletter.The Fund has continued to help members with a variety of ‘problems’ where possible and I make no apology for repeating myself.I know it is often difficult to ask for help or assistance but the fund is here to help ALL members with any sort of welfare issue.Don’t forget the Force Benevolent Fund is also there to help all serving and former officers of Cleveland Police.If they can’t help they may pass on a request for us to consider.Please do not be embarrassed to ask, we will help, in confidence, where we can so if you wish to be considered please contact me in the first instance so we are at least aware that you need assistance of some kind.
For those of you who use computers you may have noticed that there was a severe delay in updating the web site.I have found the problem to be Internet Explorer and have changed to using Google Chrome so I should be able to keep it more up to date again!More recently the front page has been locked – it turned out to be nothing more ‘sinister’ than a corrupted file rather than a ‘virus’.I also had a problem with my internet provider and as a result I have moved to BT Home Hub and I have to say I should have done it years ago.The improvement is exceptional so at least some clouds do have silver linings.There are 380 now registered and the mass email and forums are working well.
Don’t forget the national website now holds a lot of current information on all items of interest to members including the web site politicsuk which holds narpo press releases etc on topics of interest.You will be able to keep up with the latest information of concern to the association.It also has some new items available to members, including holiday villas near Amsterdam and Lake Lugarno that have been ‘gifted’ for our use at no cost to members by Lord Wolf of Barleugh.We also have a new discount scheme with a vehicle hire firm.More details of these can be found later in the newsletter.
Here’s another reminder! I’m not sure if this worked or is pure coincidence but some of the new members have joined after retiring some time ago but here goes. If any of your friends have retired recently, or long ago, get them to join. They may not have heard from me when they retired as the force has decided not to tell me or only give some details. It makes my job more difficult and I don’t want to lose anyone just because they didn’t hear from me. A membership form is available on the national web site under ‘Join Us’.