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Finance

Motion A54 was remitted

NEC Attitude: remit/oppose

Conference notes the rates for PCS expense claims have remained unchanged since 1st January 2006 and that the current Overnight allowance for the majority of cities covers actual costs up to £65 only. The designated city rate for Leeds, Brighton and Edinburgh is £75 and the London rate is £85.

Conference appreciates that while this allowance was reasonable in January 2006, in the last 3 years the actual cost of overnight accommodation has risen in line with the RPI rate of inflation which increased significantly between April 2006 and November 2008 peaking at over 5% in 2008. As a consequence Groups and Branches are finding it increasingly difficult to comply with the current rates to book safe and comfortable accommodation for PCS reps attending Branch and Group meetings, as even the discounted rate in many UK cities for bed and breakfast in respectable budget hotels now exceeds £65 per night.

Hotels.Com Worldwide reported December 2008 that the average hotel room rate for bed and breakfast per night across a sample 22 major UK cities was £97. Average rates in Bath, London and Edinburgh were significantly higher. Only one city out of the sample matched the current PCS rate of £65. In a third of the sample prices had rocketed in the previous 12 months to between 5% and 13%.

This conference instructs the NEC to:

1) Evaluate all three standard city, London and designated city overnight allowance rates to bring them in line with RPI increases since 2006 by the end of December 2009

2) Following evaluation, extend the number of cities included at the designated city rate where the average cost of a hotel room with bed and breakfast is measured as being over £75 per night. In addition to Leeds, Brighton and Edinburgh, 14 more cities should be considered for classification as designated: - Aberdeen, Bath, Belfast, Blackpool, Bournemouth, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Inverness, York, as supported by the findings of Hotels.Com Worldwide

3) Immediately extend the upper limits of all 3 rates by £10 during the interim period for evaluation. The standard city rate would therefore increase to £75, the designated city rate to £85 and the London rate to £95.

(E marked motions associated with lead motion E361-E362)

Motion A56 was carried

NEC Attitude: support

This conference believes that PCS should pay expenses for reps using their bicycles for union business. Many reps use bicycles to travel either to use other public transport or between town centre offices and should be recompensed for using that form of transport.

Reps can claim a bike rate from the employer when undertaking health and safety business but are unable to claim for the same journey when negotiating with management or dealing with personal cases. PCS is therefore less generous than the employer which must be corrected. Bike users do have expenses connected with bike travel- purchasing wet weather protection, panniers, lights, safety gear, wear and tear on the bike etc, plus it is a greener form of transport and should be encouraged.

Conference therefore instructs the NEC to immediately send guidance to treasurers in groups and branches to pay a suitable rate for bicycle use - the DWP pay 20p a mile for official business bicycle use and the NEC should use this as a guide.

Motion A57 was carried

NEC Attitude: support

This conference notes:-

  • More than three million are expected to be unemployed by the end of 2009. Young people are among the first to be thrown on the scrapheap. Currently, 40% of those losing their jobs are between 18 and 24.
  • The launch of the Youth Fight for Jobs campaign which calls for a programme of government job creation and for an end to job losses. It's three main demands are:

1. For the right to a decent job for all, with a living wage of at least £8 an hour for all.
2. No to cheap labour apprenticeships! For all apprenticeships to pay at least the minimum wage, with a job guaranteed at the end.
3. For free education and against university fees.

This conference resolves to:

1. Support the Youth Fight for Jobs campaign and add our name to the list of sponsors.
2. To circulate details of the campaign amongst branches and the young members network with encouragement to get involved in the Youth Fight for Jobs campaign
3. To donate £100 to the campaign.
4. Send a young members' delegation to the Youth Fight for Jobs launch conference.

(E marked motions associated with lead motion E363-E366)

Guillotined: A58, A59 and A60