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Branch briefing no.1

2010 DFT Group Conference and Elections Timetable


1. Introduction

The timetable for the 2010 DfT Group and Section elections and conference arrangements are set out below. Attached to this circular are nomination forms for both the Group and the Sections. Also attached are motion and delegate forms.

2. Venue and Date

The Department of Transport Group Conference will be held on Tuesday, 18 May 2010 in the Brighton Conference Centre (room to be advised in due course). Section Committee meetings (if required) will be held on Monday, 17 May 2010.

3. Timetable

2010 - DFT Group Conference and Elections Timetable
Closing date for nominations 5pm - Thursday, 4 March 2010
Closing date for motions and notification of delegates/ nominations for trainee delegates 5pm - Thursday, 4 March 2010
Closing date for acceptance/election statements 5pm - Thursday, 11 March 2010
Ballot commences Thursday, 22 April 2010
Ballot closes 12 noon - Wednesday, 12 May 2010
Closing date for emergency motions 12 noon - Friday, 14 May 2010
Section meetings (if required) Monday, 17 May 2010
Group Conference (Brighton) Tuesday, 18 May 2010

4. Representation

In accordance with Rule 9.6 of the Group Constitution, branch representation will be based on the fully paid up membership as at 31 December 2009. In accordance with Rule 21 of the Group Constitution delegate entitlement will be as follows:

Up to 100 members - 1 delegate
101- 200 members - 2 delegates
201- 400 members - 3 delegates
401- 600 members - 4 delegates
601 and more members - 5 delegates

The name and address of each delegate should be sent to the Group Secretary by Thursday, 4 March 2010 using Form1 attached to this circular.

5. Trainee Delegates

Branches wishing to nominate individuals as trainee delegates should do so using Form 2. Travelling and subsistence expenses for those chosen as trainee delegates will be met from Group funds. Branches should ensure the completed nomination form is returned to the Group Secretary by 5pm Thursday, 4 March 2010.

6. Motions

Motions for discussion at Group Conference must be confined to matters appropriate to the DFT Group and must have been carried at a properly constituted General Meeting of the Branch or at a properly constituted meeting of the GEC. Please note that any changes to section constitutions can only be made by a motion amending the group constitution to Group conference. All Motions should be sent on Form 3. The form may be photocopied; please use a separate form for each Motion submitted; there is no limit to the number of Motions a Branch may submit. Motions should be returned to the DFT Group Secretary by 5pm on Thursday, 4 March 2010.

7. Emergency Motions

Emergency Motions will be deemed to be valid only in respect of matters arising after Thursday, 6 March2008. Emergency Motions must have been passed at a properly constituted General Meeting of the Branch and submitted to the Group Secretary in writing on Form 4, by 12 noon Friday, 14 May 2010. The SOC will meet the Branch(es) to communicate its decision regarding the emergency motion(s) during the evening of Monday, 17 May 2010 at a time to be announced in the Conference Agenda and Timetable.

8. Nominations for GEC

 

Nominations are invited for the posts of:

President - One to be elected;
Vice President - One to be elected;
Organiser- One to be elected;
Treasurer - One to be elected;
Group Equality Officer - One to be elected;
Assistant Secretaries - One per section to be appointed by Section Executive Committees;
GEC Members - Sixteen to be elected.

Reservations will apply to the 7 Assistant Secretaries posts and to the 16 ordinary member posts.


The seven Assistant Secretaries will be appointed from each of the following areas within the Department for Transport; 1 from Department for Transport centre, 1 from Driving Standards Agency, 1 from Driving Vehicle Licensing Agency, 1 from Highways Agency, 1 from Maritime Coastguards Agency, 1 from Vehicle Certification Office, and 1 from Vehicle Operations Services Agency. These Assistant Secretaries will have primary responsibilities for their areas. Section Secretaries must advise the Group Secretary of these appointments by Monday, 17 May 2010.

The 16 ordinary seats will be allocated on a pro rata membership calculation based on the membership at 31 December 2009, for each of following areas: Department for Transport centre, Driving Standards Agency, Driving Vehicle Licensing Agency, Highways Agency, Maritime Coastguards Agency, Vehicle Certification Office, and Vehicle Operations Services Agency.

As work is still taking place at HQ to establish accurate figures for the seven sections above the final allocation will be sent to you separately. However on work that has been done to date the allocations are likely to be:

DFT centre - Two seats
DSA - Three seats
DVLA - Seven seats
Highways Agency - One seat
Maritime Coastguards Agency - One seat
VCA - One seat
VOSA - One seat

The procedures governing elections to the DFT Group Executive Committee for 2010 are set out in the Electoral Regulations which will be sent out separately with the Group Constitution.

Nominations should be returned on Form 5 to the DFT Group Secretary by 5pm - Thursday, 4 March 2010.

On receipt of Nominations each Nominee will be invited to submit an acceptance form and an election address to be returned to the Group Secretary by 5pm - Thursday, 11 March 2010.

9. Nominations for the DFT Standing Orders Committee

The Group Constitution provides for election at conference for the three Standing Orders Committee members. Standing Orders Committee members normally serve for 3 years one retiring annually and a senior member acting as Chair, the SOC members attend conference but cannot vote on conference business and whilst a member of the SOC cannot be a member of the GEC. Currently there are no vacancies. Elections if necessary will take place at conference.

10. Nominations for Section Committees

The constitutions of section committees can be found under 'about us' on this website.. Nominations are invited for section committees from Branches with members within each section.

DFT Centre Section

Section President - One to be elected;
Section Vice President - One to be elected;
Section Organiser - One to be elected;
Section Treasurer - One to be elected;
Group Assistant Secretaries - One to be elected;
Section Executive Committee members - Six to be elected;

Nominations for this section should be returned on Form 6 to the DFT Group Secretary by 5pm on Thursday, 4 March 2010.

DSA Section

Section President - One to be elected;
Section Vice President - One to be elected;
Section Organiser - One to be elected;
Section Treasurer - One to be elected;
Group Assistant Secretaries - Two to be elected;
Section Executive Committee members - Nine to be elected;

Reservations apply to the Group Assistant Secretary posts and to the ordinary posts with one Group Assistant Secretary reserved for examiner and one for non examiner grades. For the ordinary seats four seats are reserved for Examiners and four for non examiners. In addition there is a reserved seat for a BME member.

Nominations for this Section should be returned on Form 7 to the DFT Group Secretary by 5pm on Thursday, 4 March 2010.

DVLA Section

Section President - One to be elected;
Section Deputy Secretary - One to be elected;
Section Organiser - One to be elected;
Section Treasurer - One to be elected;
Group Assistant Secretaries - Two to be elected;
Section Executive Committee members - Twelve to be elected;

Reservations apply - At least 2 delegates must be drawn from each DVLA branch.

Nominations for this Section should be returned on Form 8 to the DFT Group Secretary by 5pm on Thursday, 4 March 2010.

Highways Agency Section

Section President - One to be elected;
Section Organiser - One to be elected;
Section Treasurer - One to be elected;
Group Assistant Secretaries - Three to be elected;
Section Executive Committee members - Ten to be elected;

Nominations for this section should be returned on Form 9 to the DFT Group Secretary by 5pm on Thursday, 4 March 2010.

Maritime & Coastguards Agency Section

There are no elections for the MCA section this year as the MCA section is elected every two years

Vehicle Certification Agency Section

Section Representative - One to be elected;

Nominations for this section should be returned on Form 10 to the DFT Group Secretary by 5pm on Thursday, 4 March 2010.

VOSA Section

Section President - One to be elected;
Section Vice President - One to be elected;
Section Organiser/Treasurer - One to be elected;
Group Assistant Secretaries - Two to be elected;
Section members - Fourteen to be elected (three of whom shall be from the Traffic Area Network of VOSA).

Reservations apply to the Section Executive Committee members posts three of the posts shall be from the Traffic Area Network of VOSA.

Nominations for this Section should be returned on Form 11 to the DFT Group Secretary by 5pm on Thursday, 4 March 2010.

11. Special Leave

Delegates are reminded of the necessity to apply for special leave to cover their attendance at Conference.

12. Travel Arrangements

A central travel booking facility is being arranged for 2010 Group Conferences. Details will be sent to branches shortly.

13. Accommodation

A central accommodation booking facility is being arranged for 2010 Group Conferences. Details will be sent to branches shortly.

14. Observers

Unlike delegates and trainee delegates, whose expenses are met from PCS funds, observers' expenses have to be met by the individual concerned or by the Branch in accordance with Group Rule 9.5. Observers may have to take annual leave to cover their attendance at Conference. Please notify the Group Secretary of your attendance by completing Form 2 and return by 5.00 pm on Thursday, 4 March 2010.

15. Crèche Facilities and Baby Sitting

A crèche facility will be available throughout Group and main conference. Further details will be issued shortly.

Any questions regarding this circular should be directed to PCS Civil Service General at 160 Falcon Road, London SW11 2LN, telephone: 020 7801 2645.

 

Dean Rogers
DfT Group Secretary