CHANGE IN COMMUTATION

If you retired on or since the 1st October 2007 this will affect you.
The Government has changed the calculating figure for Police Pension Commutation.
There has always been a difference between male and female calculating figures due to the fact that females live longer than males. This has now changed and as the lifespan between the two sexes is now the same they have altered the figures. As the female figures cannot be lowered they have increased the male calculating figures to that of the female. In effect this means that a retiring male officer will now have an increase of 27% in their commutation which in real terms means an increase of approx. £20,000 when commuting the full ¼% of their pension.
The Police Federation and NARPO are pushing for a review of the October 2007 date to try and have it implemented from the date it was first discussed which is 1stDecember 2006.
Further updates will be published when available

NARPO CONFERENCE – 2008

National Conference 12 September 2008 – Bournemouth.
The theme of this year’s conference was WELFARE. To this end the National Exec. Committee have decided to take out a contract with a company known as: Care First. This company specialise in welfare matters and provide a service consisting of Qualified and Approved Counsellors, 24hrs Telephone counselling, short term face to face counselling, full case management professional database, debt-tax finance booklets, a website info. Page dealing with health and legal matters. A UK wide network of counsellors etc.
This contract however does not come cheap. The cost for the first year is £148,552. This payment for the first 12months will be found from central funds, however, if following a report of the first 12months that this is the way forward for Narpo and its members then the cost of this service will have to be by way of a generated income which obviously will be a further rise in the annual subscriptions. It has been calculated that this cost would be £2.34 per member. As Wakefield only get 40% of the subscriptions this would mean a rise of £5.86 per annum.
Our opinion is that Staffordshire does not need this service as we already have the services of the Police Welfare Dept. with two welfare officers looking after us all. We have been told that if this contract with Care First is to carry on then ALL branches will be liable to the payment, which means that Staffordshire members will be asked to make payment for something that we do not need.
It appears that a lot of the services provided by Care First are already provided for us by PMAS, Roland Smith, Thompson solicitors, etc. so therefore are no benefit to us.
We will now have to wait until next years conference to find out what is going to happen but we must also be in a position to fight this increase, which will be put before conference.

There was also a motion put to Conference to have the annual subscription charge increased by £4.20 this year but due to the Care First contract it was referred to next years conference to allow the report to be produced and a decision made as to whether we renew the contract or not.

Whatever happens there will be a debate next year on the increase of subscription charges.

Other motions were put before conference but these will be dealt with by Des at your local Sub Branch meetings. These motions will not require this branch to take any actions so therefore are minor.

Northern Narpo Christmas Social.

This years Christmas Social is a Dinner Dance at the Director’s Suite Port Vale, with a live tribute Act and disco on Thursday 4th December 2008 7.30pm for 8pm
The cost will be £22.50 per head this includes guests.
Tables to seat 8 or 10 people are available so why not contact old friends and colleagues and make up a table.
The tribute act is an established entertainer from Lancashire who comes with excellent references and a sensational hi tech set up. The entertainment will be followed by the resident disco.

Menu
Vegetable Soup
served with fresh bread roll and butter
Roast Turkey
served with Kimball sausage, sage and onion
Mediterranean Wellington (V)
accompanied with Chef selected potatoes and seasonal veg
Christmas Pudding
steeped with Brandy sauce
Luscious Lemon Surprise
served with fresh pouring cream
Mince Pie and Coffee

Tickets will be available from 1st October until 20th November by contacting:

John Wowra 01782-256213/07756-349882 or John Moss 07776-293056

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YOUR 2007 Sub Branch Secs & Meeting dates all at 7.30.pm/8.pm.

Rosemary Poole. 01283 567112.	BURTON.	Ian Rawlins. 01543 579920	CANNOCK. Cannock Naval Club
Bob Scrimgeour. 01782 503755.	LEEK. 6th November Swan Hotel	Linda Hicken. 01922 452572	LICHFIELD. 19th Sept Lichfield Rugby Club.:
John Wowra. 01782 214524	NORTHERN. 2nd Oct 2008 Longton Police Club.	Janet Stubbs 01785 223276	STAFFORD. 7th October Polish club
Joe Baker 01827 67545	TAMWORTH. Hopwas WM Club.	Terry Barton. 01902 495249	WEST BROMWICH. Royal Naval Club.
Tony Ward. 01384 829689	WOMBOURNE. Wombourne Police Club	BRANCH Executive.	Sat. 8th Nov 2008. at Police HQ 2.00pmStafford.

Note from the Editor.

Any news, articles or info for the next Staffs Knot must be with me prior to the 1st December. The winter edition will be completed by the 2nd December as I go on holiday and do not get back until late December.

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