Public and Commercial Services Union

The NEC, at its meeting in April, agreed to authorise a UKBA policy forum to be held on 21-22 July 2009.

This briefing is the formal notification of the forum and contains details of the timetable, relevant forms and details of representational entitlements for branches.

Branch secretaries are asked to note carefully the list of important dates which require action to be taken.

1.  Forum timetable

• Delegate and card vote entitlements: The closing date for querying delegate and card vote entitlements is 5 pm on Friday 19 June 2009.
   
• Branch delegates: The closing date for receipt of branch delegation forms is 5 pm Wednesday 24 June 2009.
   
• Motions: The closing date for receipt of motions is 5 pm on Wednesday 24 June 2009.
   
• First report of the standing orders committee: The first report of the standing orders committee will be issued by Monday 6 July 2009.
   
• Reference back and emergency motions: The closing date for reference back and receipt of emergency motions is 12 noon on Friday 17 July 2009.
   
• Forum: conference will commence in the early afternoon of Tuesday 21 July 2009 and finishe on the afternoon of Wednesday 22 July 2009. Times will be confirmed by the standing orders committee.
   
• Childcare Facilities: If you require childcare facilities please email tarabl@pcs.org.uk by no later than 19 June 2009. If requests for childcare are not received by this date we will be unable to provide any facilities due to tight deadlines.

2.  Venue and accommodation

The forum will be held at the Jurys Inn, 245 Broad Street, Birmingham, B1 2HQ. Accommodation will be provided at the same venue and will include lunch and an evening meal on day one, breakfast and lunch on day two.

Travel

Travel to and from the forum must be booked through Baxter Hoare travel on the attached form.

3.  Motions

Motions for discussion at the policy forum must be confined to matters appropriate to the forum. All motions shall be in the affirmative. For example, motions must carry an instruction to the UKBA negotiating committee telling them what action(s) to take.

Motions that are simply a statement – in favour or against something – are not usually acceptable because they do not tell the negotiating committee what action(s) is required.

Motions should be submitted on the attached form (Annex A). This 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 submitted by both hard copy and email format to: tarabl@pcs.org.uk by no later than 5 pm on Wednesday 24 June 2009.

Faxed motions will not be accepted

4.  Emergency motions

Emergency motions will be deemed to be valid only in respect of matters arising after Wednesday 24 June 2009.

Emergency motions must have been passed at a properly constituted general meeting of the branch and submitted on the attached form (Annex B) in writing by 12 noon, Friday 17 July 2009.

Motions should also be submitted in email format to: tarabl@pcs.org.uk

Faxed motions will not be accepted

5.  Reference back

Representations to the SOC for reference backs should be made on annex C and should be submitted by both hard copy and in email format to: tarabl@pcs.org.uk by no later 12 noon on Friday 17 July 2009.

Faxed forms will not be accepted

Representation entitlements

We have agreed that for Revenue and Customs branches, delegate representation will be on the same basis as rule 6.13 of the PCS national rules, with the caveat that the number of members counted for this purpose are only those transferring to UKBA.

For Home Office branches, delegate representation will be on the same basis as rule 6.13 of the PCS national rules. Delegates are to be determined by branches and do not need to be restricted to those transferring personally to UKBA.

Delegations will have a card vote equal to the number of members in their branch transferring to UKBA. Membership figures are to be determined by reference to commix and branch records as at 31 May 2009. (Details of branch delegate and card vote entitlements are contained at Annex D). Branches wishing to challenge the notified figures must do so on the attached form (Annex E), by Friday 19 June 2009.

Branch secretaries are requested to provide delegate nominations on the form attached (Annex G) and return to Paul O’Connor, HQ2, PCS HQ, 160 Falcon Road, London SW11 2NL by no later than 5 pm on 24 June 2009.

Faxed forms will not be accepted

Any queries regarding this briefing should be directed to Paul O’Connor on 020 7801 2625, PCS HQ, 160 Falcon Road, London, SW11 2LN.

If you require this publication in any other format such as Braille or large print please contact the HQ2 general office and this service can be arranged for you.