1. Chair’s Opening Remarks

The 2013 Branch AGM began at 13:30. Branch President, John Layfield welcomed members to the meeting.

2. Adoption of Agenda

The agenda was agreed.

3. Apologies

Andy Jennings

4. Tellers

Tellers Emma Mooney and Ray Roberts were appointed.

5. Record of AGM 2012 Decisions

The record of the 2012 AGM was agreed.

6. Adoption of Annual Report

The 2012/13 annual report was moved by Martin Kelsey and agreed by the meeting.

7. Adoption of Branch Accounts

The 2012 branch accounts were agreed.

8. Branch Elections

The following were elected unopposed to represent members during 2013/14:

President: John Layfield

Vice President: Karen Bolger

Secretary: Martin Kelsey

Assistant Secretaries: Clare Graham, Emma Mooney, Mike Richards, Alan Saunders

Organiser: Derek Mellor

Treasurer: John Millet

Union Learning Officer: Christine Houae

Committee: Dean Barron, Diane Burton, Siobhan Cassidy, Andrew Jennings, John McAllister, Kevin Smith, Brian White

Branch Auditors: Paul Darbyshire

Group Conference Delegates: Karen Bolger, John McAllister, Emma Mooney, Brian White

National Conference Delegates: Karen Bolger, Martin Kelsey, John Layfield, Mike Richards

9. Group Nominations (*Branch members)

The following nominations for the Group Executive Committee were agreed:

President - A Jennings*

Vice Presidents - S Edwards, N Buller

Deputy Secretary - J Bigger

Assistant Secretary - M Richards*, M Kelsey*, C McKenzie, A Martin, C Kelly, P Jones, I Urwin, P McGoay, L Dunne, A Dunn, J McGough

Treasurer - D Speakman

GEC member - J Layfield*, R Tyrrell, N Seepujak, S Boulton, J Cox, L O'Donnell, P Prabhasuthan, A McKeon-Williams, G Johnson, C Peppercorn, A Smith, M Andrews, M Anthony, J Knox, V Conway, J Kingham, M Hutton, C Hodges, R Palmer

10. National Nominations (*Branch member)

The following nominations for the National Executive Committee were agreed:

President - Janice Godrich

Vice Presidents - K McHugh, S Bond, J McInally, P Brown

NEC member - A Jennings*, M Derbyshire, M Ferguson, H Flanagan, C Gedling, J Green, K Greenway, S Hall, P Williams, Z Holbourne, E Haven, J Jamieson, A Khalif, N License, M Lloyd, D McFadden, L Merry, C Morrison, M Owens, A Reid, D Richards, G Siddall-Butchers, D Thomson, K Watts, H Wesley, A Dennis, I crossland, C Bryant, M Baker, I Albert

Member Trustees - P Lamb

Editorial Board - J Bremner, J Bigger, K Williams, K McCafferty, J Davidson

TUC Delegation - P McGoay, C Paillard, G Rowntree, F MacDonald, L Hollingsworth, F Heathcote, G Hartley, J Warburton, K Baird, C Gerrard

Women’s TUC Delegation - S Allen-Melvin, S Edwards, R Heemskerk, D Leary, K Williams

Youth TUC Delegation - no nominations

Wales TUC Delegation - K Williams, B Rapier, B Lanham, D Bartlett

Wales Women’s TUC Delegation - M Owens, K Williams

Scottish TUC Delegation - F MacDonald, L Hollingsworth, S Edwards, J Davidson, B Carroll, M Campbell

Scottish Women’s TUC Delegation - no nominations

Scottish Youth TUC Delegation - no nominations

11. Motions for Debate

1. Carried

Rule Amendment - “Delete Rule 20 of the PCS Home Office Merseyside Branch Rules and Constitution, and replace with the following: “The Branch Executive Committee shall consist of the Officers of the Branch and fifteen other members, elected by secret individual ballot of the members of the Branch.”“

Branch Executive Committee

2. Carried

Progress on Motions - “This Group Conference is dismayed that no action or reports have been made in reference to motions A17, A48, A49, A52, and A54; agreed and carried at Conference 2011. Conference instructs the incoming GEC to brief branches within six weeks from the end of Conference on progress of said motions.”

Dennis Harty

3. Lost

Annual Leave - "Conference agrees that a national review of Annual Leave should be conducted across Border Force areas, to ensure equality of treatment. Conference recognises there are numerous variations in shift patterns worked over a twelve month period in UKBA. This has led to confusion and disparity with regards to the requesting of Annual Leave. Home Office policy has dictated that AHW/shift workers have to take leave in hours as opposed to days. Given the numerous patterns of attendance worked across the Home Office, including regular ten or twelve hour shifts, the conversion of days into hours for leave purposes does not address these variations. Working a flexible varied pattern, your 185hrs (25 days) or 222hrs (30 days) can be reduced greatly dependent upon the shifts for which members require Annual Leave. It is totally unacceptable that staff who qualify by right for 25 or 30 days Annual Leave are using more hours to qualify for a day’s Leave. This automatically results in 30 days leave potentially being reduced to 26 days; and 25 days becomes approximately 22 days. Conference instructs the incoming GEC to negotiate a return to the reinstatement of days for all Annual Leave requests for shift workers.”

Dennis Harty

4. Lost

Annual Leave - “Conference acknowledges current Home Office policy which states that the Annual Leave year runs from 1st March until the end of February. This change was made without any reference to PCS and is flawed. Tighter restrictions during the holiday periods when members are permitted to take Leave is causing distress and anger amongst members. The incoming GEC is instructed to negotiate a change of the Annual Leave year to return to a staggered system, allowing more flexibility and maximising members opportunity to request Leave throughout a twelve month period.”

Dennis Harty

5. Carried

Victimisation - “Conference notes with grave concern the recent dismissal by the Home Office of two PCS representatives in the North West; the investigation of a further two representatives in Wales; and the suspension of a fifth PCS representative in the South East. Conference agrees that the Home Office is cementing its position as an ‘Anti-Trade Union’ Department; and instructs the incoming GEC to: 1. Publicise the Department’s Anti- Trade Union stance using the press, social media and through the Parliamentary Group 2. Continue to fully support Branches, where the members are prepared to take industrial action in opposition to this Anti-Trade Union activity.”

Martin Kelsey

6. Carried

Peoples Press - “Conference notes the unique role in the Labour and Trade Union movement played by the Morning Star – the daily newspaper owned by its readers through the co-operative People’s Press Printing Society (PPPS). The paper regularly carries features and articles which promote the campaigns of PCS, other unions and the wider movement; with contributions drawn from a wide spectrum of progressive individuals and organisations. In recognising this, conference instructs the NEC to: 1. Appoint a PCS representative to the Trade Union section of the PPPS management committee 2. Take out a modest shareholding in PPPS not exceeding £200 3. Promote the circulation of the paper by: (a) Allowing and encouraging Branches to subscribe (b) Taking out a subscription for HQ and National/Regional Offices (c) Urging support for the paper via websites, social media and other means.”

Andrew Jennings

12. Guest Speaker

Kevin McHugh, PCS Deputy President addressed the meeting.

The meeting closed at 3pm.