CTC Membership Services

Anything relating to the clubs associated with Cycling UK
thirdcrank
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Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm

Re: CTC Membership Services

Post by thirdcrank »

glueman wrote:I've been informed that 3 out of 20 CTC councillors are active in local groups. Is it any wonder DA/MGs are going to hell in a handcart? Surely a familiarity with groups should be a pre-requisite for council unless someone is bringing in a specialist skill?


This is one point where I feel obliged to speak out for all 20. Any member can stand but it seems few do. On that basis, you might nomally expect the complaint to be that the whole show was run by and on behalf of the DAs because they were the only ones able to put up candidates and get people to vote for them. This charity debate comes in part from a malaise; the greater part of the membership - no matter what people's affiliations within the club - has been content to let others almost volunteer for office.

All that's happening now is that some people are drawing attention to a decision being made, because the issues are fundamental to the future of the club and irreversible if things go wrong.
Regulator
Posts: 523
Joined: 27 Jan 2007, 10:13am

Re: CTC Membership Services

Post by Regulator »

thirdcrank wrote:
glueman wrote:I've been informed that 3 out of 20 CTC councillors are active in local groups. Is it any wonder DA/MGs are going to hell in a handcart? Surely a familiarity with groups should be a pre-requisite for council unless someone is bringing in a specialist skill?


This is one point where I feel obliged to speak out for all 20. Any member can stand but it seems few do. On that basis, you might nomally expect the complaint to be that the whole show was run by and on behalf of the DAs because they were the only ones able to put up candidates and get people to vote for them. This charity debate comes in part from a malaise; the greater part of the membership - no matter what people's affiliations within the club - has been content to let others almost volunteer for office.

All that's happening now is that some people are drawing attention to a decision being made, because the issues are fundamental to the future of the club and irreversible if things go wrong.



Part of the reason for the the apparent apathy amongst members in relation to standing for Council (or even voting in Council elections) must be that members feel disenfranchised.

If Council and the CTC nationally engaged members more, then they are more likely to become involved in the governance of the club. At Council I've suggested a number of very easy steps to reinvigorate the membership - but they've been poo-pooed.

Council and CTC nationally is its own worst enemy.
workhard

Re: CTC Membership Services

Post by workhard »

Last time I was aware that a vacancy had arisen I considered standing, I thought I might represent a more typical modern member. I rarely ride with my DA, and when I have ridden on organised rides they have often not been organised by my local DA, I MTB for fun just as much as I ride on roads for fun. I do the odd Audax. I drive a car frequently and regularly and only cycle commute for two and a bit seasons of the year. Whilst I spent more on each of my last two bikes than I did buying my current car I've never spent more than £1k on a bike. Background in a wide variety of management roles inc. not-for-profit and supporter care and a bit of an IT/Change Management/Process 'fixer'. Thought I might have some thing to offer.

Cycling is just one of many interests; in short I'm not a cycle nut. When I read the profiles of some of the other councillors I came to the conclusion that they just might be....

.... and so realised it wasn't for me. ymmv.
Karen Sutton
Posts: 608
Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 11:18pm
Location: Greater Manchester

Re: CTC Membership Services

Post by Karen Sutton »

fausto copy wrote:
Karen Sutton wrote:
Regulator wrote:"As your North West councillors we feel that this will provide increasing financial resources to our local member groups to support the excellent activities that they offer to you as members."

Does this mean that the CTC is going to increase the subvention to member groups from the miserly 18p per member per year that it currently is? First I've heard of it...


If they were to put that on the table as an incentive now I would be more likely to regard it as a bribe. As a Membership Registrar who writes to new members (the stamp alone is more than 18p) I am aware of how little we receive at present. In fact I'd be very surprised if we had been paid ours yet. (Makes note to self to check with Treasurer).


I'm not aware that our club have ever received any "subvention".
As we used to be a section of a DA I suppose that was inevitable.
However, since we've become a "member group" I presume we would be entitled to something.
Does anyone know if we need to claim it or is there a procedure to go through?


The "Allocation Grant" (the 18p per member) was traditionally available to DAs. Of course they are now termed "Member Groups". This new way of calling both the old DAs and Sections, and new Registered CTC Groups by the same name can cause confusion. It does not mean that all Member Groups are equal in the way they are treated by National Office. The DAs were defined by postcode boundaries. These boundaries were drawn up many years ago. Each DA would receive a database of all the members in their postcode area (if they chose to receive it). They could then, if they wished, claim the Allocation Grant after submitting their annual accounts each Autumn. You can claim per member on the database on 1st September each year.The claim form is sent out with the AGM pack soon after 1st September. Under the new Rules for Member Groups you can set up new Groups so that there may be both old and new Groups operating in a postcode area. However the new Group cannot claim the Allocation Grant for the area they operate in because that postcode area is allocated to the old group.

I am Membership Registrar for South Manchester CTC. We were part of Manchester DA until October 2008. Manchester DA claimed the allocation grant for all of Manchester (around 2500 CTC members). However the DA was really just a Committee. All the rides and events were organised by the Sections, who did not get any funding. South Manchester Section became South Manchester CTC under the renaming process; and we decided we wanted to be completely independent of Manchester & District CTC. (The new name of Manchester DA). By doing this we could split off our postcodes from the old DA and submit our own Allocation Grant claims. It was a fairly protracted process in order for us to be independent, and involved the old DA agreeing to it.

For a lot of Groups it may not be worthwhile claiming. But our database has about 1200 members; about 50% of the membership which was on the Manchester list, so it is worth it for us.

So the answer to whether your Member Group can claim is: only if you have been allocated your own postcode area of the membership. You can then claim the 18p for every CTC member in that area, whether they are active in your group or not.
thirdcrank
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Re: CTC Membership Services

Post by thirdcrank »

I seem to remember (and I'm talking about the 1950's, in the days when Ford didn't have the monopoly of Consuls and every DA had its own official colours, although I don't know if they were ever trooped*) that a CTC membership card had a tear-off portion which, if handed to a DA rep, allowed the DA to claim in respect of that member. Probably a lot of faff but if the 'bounty' were to be enough, it would certainly give some purpose to contacting members in the area.

* Ours were claret and amber.
Regulator
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Joined: 27 Jan 2007, 10:13am

Re: CTC Membership Services

Post by Regulator »

thirdcrank wrote:I seem to remember (and I'm talking about the 1950's, in the days when Ford didn't have the monopoly of Consuls and every DA had its own official colours, although I don't know if they were ever trooped*) that a CTC membership card had a tear-off portion which, if handed to a DA rep, allowed the DA to claim in respect of that member. Probably a lot of faff but if the 'bounty' were to be enough, it would certainly give some purpose to contacting members in the area.

* Ours were claret and amber.



Are you sure that wasn't your ration card TC? :wink: :D
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admin
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Re: CTC Membership Services

Post by admin »

I seem to remember something like this in the eighties, not sure if it was a tear-off part of the card, but there was something you could give to your local DA to let them claim a small amount.

Wasn't there are CTC Museum at Cotterell House, with thing like this in it? Would be nice to photograph some of this historical stuff and put it online.
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gaz
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Re: CTC Membership Services

Post by gaz »

I'll second that. I joined in 1987 and I can also recall the tear off slip.

As for DA colours, blue and gold. I can't remember if it was dark blue or light blue.
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szegerely
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Joined: 23 Feb 2007, 10:34pm

Re: CTC Membership Services

Post by szegerely »

Karen Sutton wrote:
So the answer to whether your Member Group can claim is: only if you have been allocated your own postcode area of the membership. You can then claim the 18p for every CTC member in that area, whether they are active in your group or not.


No it isn't, we set up a group, all my friends joined it, as our main group and we get the funding for each person.
It isn't much, but it isn't dependant on postcodes. You can now opt out of the postcode thing easily. That was what made us set up our group.
Karen Sutton
Posts: 608
Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 11:18pm
Location: Greater Manchester

Re: CTC Membership Services

Post by Karen Sutton »

szegerely wrote:
Karen Sutton wrote:
So the answer to whether your Member Group can claim is: only if you have been allocated your own postcode area of the membership. You can then claim the 18p for every CTC member in that area, whether they are active in your group or not.


No it isn't, we set up a group, all my friends joined it, as our main group and we get the funding for each person.
It isn't much, but it isn't dependant on postcodes. You can now opt out of the postcode thing easily. That was what made us set up our group.


Fair enough. That is something new which hasn't been advertised by CTC.
yorkshiredoc
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Joined: 13 Oct 2009, 8:15pm

Re: CTC Membership Services

Post by yorkshiredoc »

I joined the CTC 3.5 weeks ago and have today received the magazine, but no membership welcome pack despite 3 emails to the CTC Membership Advisor to inform him that I am still waiting for delivery and promisses from him that he would escalate the problem to ensure the CTC technician was aware I had not received my pack. What goodies does the pack contain and will it be worth the long wait? :x
Karen Sutton
Posts: 608
Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 11:18pm
Location: Greater Manchester

Re: CTC Membership Services

Post by Karen Sutton »

yorkshiredoc wrote:I joined the CTC 3.5 weeks ago and have today received the magazine, but no membership welcome pack despite 3 emails to the CTC Membership Advisor to inform him that I am still waiting for delivery and promisses from him that he would escalate the problem to ensure the CTC technician was aware I had not received my pack. What goodies does the pack contain and will it be worth the long wait? :x


Have you received a letter with your membership card affixed? That used to be the main part of the Welcome Pack.

Unless they have changed the Welcome Pack all it contains is the letter mentioned above plus some CTC stickers and a couple of leaflets providing information about things like Cycle recovery insurance.

I did try to persuade CTC to include the A5 leaflet about finding and riding with a Group. On my last check that wasn`t included.

So it`s really only worth chasing for your Membership card if you haven`t yet received that. You`ll need that to obtain discounts in bike shops. If you haven`t received it try calling 0208 891 8941.

Sadly this is not a new problem but I had thought things were improving. Maybe there just aren`t as many as before.
yorkshiredoc
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Joined: 13 Oct 2009, 8:15pm

Re: CTC Membership Services

Post by yorkshiredoc »

Thanks for your reply I finally received my membership pack on 31st July and for good measure received a second pack on 2nd August. I spoke to Michael Dunsdon @ the CTC on the 30th and he told me that membership packs are sent out from a warehouse and not directly from the CTC head office.

John
mountainman531
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Joined: 13 Mar 2008, 10:17pm

Re: CTC Membership Services

Post by mountainman531 »

Having reached a certain age and being fairly confident that I'm going to be cycling for many more years last week I enquired about life membership. I was given a qoute based on having been a member since 1989.
However, I was also a member between 1971 and 1979 when I lived at my parents address. Lo and behold the membership department has no record of my previous membership. The lady I spoke to was as helpful as she could be but advised me to look for my previous membership number. Being a mere mortal all membership cards and brown envelopes containing "Cycletouring" (which had your membership number on them) are long gone. It seems like the onus has been put on me to prove that I was a member when it is HQ who have lost my record from the 1970's. I am now beginning to wonder if I will live longer than the CTC, perhaps the life member subs would be better off in my pocket.
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gaz
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Re: CTC Membership Services

Post by gaz »

We live in an age when the Data Protection Act governs what an organisation can do with your data. One of the priniples of that Act is that "Data should not be kept for longer than is necessary".

Data must be deleted or destroyed when it is no longer required. I cannot criticise HQ for being unable to find records of a membership that ceased in 1979.

Frankly I'm surprised that HQ felt they could do it with the aid of the old membership number, credit to them if they actually could.
High on a cocktail of flossy teacakes and marmalade
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