Survey for Member Group Committees

[Kevin Mayne]

Member Group Consultations 2011
CTC Council has invited representatives of Member Groups to form a task group to look at current and future policies that relate to the running of our groups. To inform the work of those groups we are asking your opinion about some current topics.

We have set up a discussion area about these issues on the CTC Forum because we expect there to be questions and comments that cannot be collected via a survey or to allow members to chat about the issues raised.

To make specific enquiries please email Julie Rand on groups@ctc.org.uk

All surveys close on 31st July 2011.

Survey 2 is mainly for Member Group Committees.
The subject is to urgently consider issues with the current membership structure for Member Groups and the way Member Groups are funded by the CTC Council. Proposals aim to deal with known problems within existing arrangements and bring forward recommendations that can be implemented at Member Group AGMs in autumn 2011 if groups wish to change any of their existing arrangements. Member Groups that wish to maintain current arrangements will not see any changes.

Before completing the survey please read the background document at http://www.ctc.org.uk/resources/Resources/Member_groups_structure_consultation_document.doc
To access the survey click here
http://survey.ctc.org.uk/index.php?sid=39342&lang=en

[Si]

Re communications with members in our area (and generally: either physical or themed areas). At the moment this is a PITA.

1/ the member info from HO is often wrong or out of date.
2/ each member group is left to its own devices to sort out the method of communication
3/ many committee members, in my experience, have little experience of the DPA and how it relates to them.

Would suggest that communication to members in each groups' area is controlled by HO such that there is a MG Committee member log in to the HO website (via a 'committee member control panel') which allows mailshots, tweets, etc to be made using data straight from the HO membership database (which we are assured now works properly) to construct the address lists. This would divorce the Committee member from the technical side of having to keep lists of members up to date and work out how to mass mail them, thus making their lives easier. This would also help to control DPA issues. Of course, this would mean a change to the HO website, but as we are told that the new website is imminent and is an expert piece of work that knocks spots of the old one, this additional functionality shouldn't be too difficult to insert.

[Simon L6]

I've read the consultation document and had a sharp-intake-of-breath moment.

MGs to get a flat £200 a year. Well, the SWLDA, with about 1200 members already gets more than that, but, no worries, their stipend won't be cut until 2016!

The biggest problem is, as Si says, that HO records are incorrect and do not have e-mail addresses.

Once again - SWLDA members with e-mail addresses against their names - about 55%. The Fridays members with e-mail addresses against their names - 100% up from 99.5%

[Karen Sutton]

What irritates me about this is that there are Groups who will receive £200 and don't do anything with the money.

As CTC receives the audited accounts from Member Groups they should look at what the Group is spending the money on and pay an amount based on that information.
Or the Group could make a claim for funding based on their expenditure of the previous year.

There are too many Groups claiming this money and adding it to an already considerable bank balance.

I would like to know whether active groups feel that CTC should cover all of their running costs irrespective of what they are using the money for, or whether they should ask members to make a small contribution?

[Steve_S]

Would appreaciate an update please on what is happening re AGM 2011 packs and whether new policies for member groups laid out in the consultation paper have been approved by Council? MG Secretaries were led to expect AGM packs and policy details this week (beg Sep5), but they have not appeared.

[Karen Sutton]

I've not heard anything about AGM packs yet. I did get a membership list this week though. It seems we won't need the number of members at 30th September as before to claim the grant this year though, as all groups get the same amount irrespective of size.

[David Cox]

Would appreaciate an update please on what is happening re AGM 2011 packs and whether new policies for member groups laid out in the consultation paper have been approved by Council? MG Secretaries were led to expect AGM packs and policy details this week (beg Sep5), but they have not appeared.

Steve, they were approved week Saturday (3rd) so the Pack should be on its way. I'll be able to check on Tuesday. David

[Steve_S]

David, thank you for the update. We have a MG committee meeting on Wednesday, when we will be planning for our AGM (already postponed once). Does help to have the AGM pack! Cheers, Steve