Branch Merger

Inaugural Meeting

The Inaugural Meeting of the merged branch took place on Tuesday 28 November 2006 at 7:30pm, at Milton Keynes City Cricket Club.

The following people were elected as Branch Officers, Committee, Trustees and Auditors

Chairperson	John Gray
Secretary	Chic McGlynn
Financial Secretary	Jeff Ryder
Deputy Secretary	Andy Bushrod
Vice Chairperson	Gordon Mason
Equality Officer	Andy Bushrod
Political Officer	Steve Phillips
Women's Officer	Clare Hedge
Youth Officer	Helen Mead
Assistant Secretary Clerical	Alison Armstrong
Assistant Secretary Engineering	Andy Bushrod
Assistant Secretary Postal Technical Services	Tony Fitzjohn
Assistant Secretary BT Fleet	Steve Phillips
Assistant Secretary Minutes	Tim Bond
Retired Members’ Representative	John Harbord
Health Safety & Environment Co-ordinator	Dean Pullen
Welfare Co-ordinator	Tim Bond
Lead Union Learning Representative	Gordon Mason
Committee (15 posts) Martin Spires, Richard Sermon, Ron Jones, Jim Lord, Stuart Campion, Richard Abbiss, Trevor Blockwell, Paul Clutterbuck, Tina Wade, Steve Kelk, Paul Moffat, Kate Worker, Christine Brown, Steve Loczy
Conference Delegates (5) John Gray, Chic McGlynn, Andy Bushrod, Tony Fitzjohn, Dean Pullen
Conference Observer (2) Jeff Ryder, Helen Mead
Trustees to the Political Fund (3) Jeff Ryder, Chic McGlynn, Steve Phillips
Trustees to the Welfare Fund (Financial Secretary plus 4 below) John Gray, Chic McGlynn, Tim Bond, Andy Bushrod
Auditors (2) Steve Rance, Robert Howard

Ballot Result

1 November 2006

The ballot result was an overwhelming YES to merger in both branches.

Of those who voted (both branches),

87% voted Yes
13% voted No

The turnout overall was 34%.

Extraordinary General Meeting

An Extraordinary General Meeting of the branch was held on Thursday 21 September 2006 to consider the matter of merger with the Beds, Herts & Bucks Branch.

The only issue that on the agenda was the merger.

The respective committees of both branches voted unanimously in favour of the merger, and are recommending the merger for these main reasons:

1. Common geography and management hierarchies.
2. Safety in numbers i.e. increased membership = increased facility time = improved and enhanced service to members. If merger takes place we will be the largest Telecoms constituency branch in the region, and will also be one of the ten largest Telecoms constituency branches nationally – the bigger branch will have a louder voice.
3. A review of the facilities agreement with BT is due in 2007, and we foresee that this might mean that the existing arrangements come under fire from the company, and we feel it is far better for us to pre-empt this review by forward planning and merger, rather than to wait and possibly have something detrimental foisted upon us.