Minutes of the Basingstoke & Deane Over 55’s Open Forum Meeting held on Wednesday 10th October 2012.
Present: 205 members attended, as indicated on the Register, with 25 visitors.
1. WELCOME
The Chairman, Graham Finlayson (GF), formally opened the meeting and welcomed all members to the October Open Forum. He hoped that guests would find the session interesting and would become members of the Forum.
GF gave the usual reminder on H&S matters and asked members to turn off mobile phones. Thanks were due to all those who had generously donated so many raffle prizes, with special thanks to John and Joan Cook who kindly sold the tickets and also to those members who had set out the chairs. He said that St John Ambulance were, once again, in attendance at the meeting to provide medical assistance, if required.
GF went on to remind everyone about the book exchange scheme and if you did not have a book to exchange, a donation would be appreciated. He also gave a reminder that juices would be served at the front of the room, as at the previous meeting, to allow for more seating and to lessen congestion at the back of the room.
GF said that we had, once again used email to send out the documents for the meetings, although the paper copies were also issued as BDBC had not yet implemented a “suppression” facility on the database (available next time, hopefully!).
Unfortunately, the planned speaker from the Basingstoke Fair Trade group was unable to attend but GF hoped that members would still find the meeting of interest.
2. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
Copies of the Minutes of previous meetings were available on the web site www.bdover55sforum.btck.co.uk but members could request copies from the Secretary, Gerald Merritt (GM). GF expressed thanks to Marian Wilson for another informative and interesting Newsletter.
3. MATTERS ARISING
There were no matters arising but GF mentioned the following items:
The saga of the rubbish bins by the bus stops outside the Malls continued as the Council stated they were trying to find funds to install the bins. We will keep you informed.
The committee had not had a good response from its letters about the withdrawal of cheque guarantee cards so was looking at the possibility of setting up an e-petition. We will provide an update at the next meeting.
We were still in correspondence with the group in Germany and were considering an exchange visit next autumn. More information would be made available.
The problem of lorries parking on Kingsclere Road has not improved so we are chasing it up with the police, who were supposed to be investigating.
GF thanked those members who had supported us at the Variety Show but felt that an audience of about 180 from a membership of over 550 was rather poor.
The Hearing Loop that we used for the Open Forum meetings was still not operational and we may have to purchase a replacement.
4. HITTING THE COLD SPOTS
GF said he had recently attended a meeting in Winchester to launch the 2012/13 HCC initiative to provide support during the cold weather, called “Hitting the Cold Spots”. This was a follow up to a similar exercise last winter and should be considered in the national context:
• Estimated 27,000 excess winter deaths
• More excess winter deaths in females than in males
• The majority of deaths in those aged 75 and over
• Most deaths are due to cardiac disease, strokes and respiratory problems not hypothermia.
The HCC response was:
• To work with and through partners
• To promote the campaign to those
• already known to be vulnerable
• to reach out to those who fall under the radar
• to make a practical difference
• To have one point of access 0800 804 8601
• Advisors who will visit at home.
There was immediate practical help:
· Supply of oil-filled electric radiators
· Help with boiler repairs and replacements
· Access to small grants to help cope with winter emergencies
· Distribution of information packs.
And sustainable help - to reduce fuel poverty in subsequent years:
• Practical support and advice with debt, money and
benefits, switching energy providers or tariffs
• Free Home Safety Visits
• Access to free insulation (cavity wall, loft and solid
wall) plus support with loft clearance
• Carbon monoxide detectors
• Provide training for staff and volunteers on fuel poverty
• Develop an e - learning training package
Packs were available for members to take away, in the Hall and in the side room.
5. TAX, CARE & TOY BOYS
The presentation was given by Chris from an organisation called Collective Solutions which specialises in wills and trusts. He started by saying there was no point in making a will! Families often find that there is no money left after paying for care (1 in 6 men will need care and 1 in 3 of those over 80); inheritance tax etc. and remarriage will also have an impact. Each year, some 70,000 people have to sell their houses to pay for care. The solution is to SPEND IT.
If you have assets of more than £14,250, you will be required to pay for any care. Similarly, on death, inheritance tax is payable on any assets over £325,000 for an individual. Effectively, this becomes £650,000 for a married couple.
Often people will just leave everything to the spouse. However, if the surviving spouse remarries, especially to someone younger, and they divorce, the new spouse would get half any assets. Also, it is likely the new younger partner will outlive their spouse so the children could finish up with nothing. You need to consider any children in the will.
It is possible to plan to avoid Inheritance Tax, legally. Any donations to charities or political parties are free of tax. Although any gifts to children made over 7 years before death will be free of tax, this can be dangerous as these become their assets which will be considered in the event of divorce, bankruptcy etc. It is therefore vital to seek professional advice.
Many properties are held as joint ownership i.e. both partners own all the property, not half each. The alternative is “tenants in common” where each owns half. In the event of death, the half can be left to a trust which provides protection. It is possible to transfer the property to a trust when you are well so that it will not be taken into account if care is later required. A trust may also be used if you wish to leave assets to children which provides protection should they divorce, remarry etc.
The Enduring Power of Attorney has been replaced by the Lasting Power of Attorney. This enables people you trust (over 18) to manage your affairs in the event of incapacity. This avoids problems with banks freezing accounts etc. This should cost about £150.
The cost of funerals is increasing every year so it is a good idea to “buy” it now. Your funeral requirements should also be specified in a will.
Forms were issued by Collective Solutions should anyone wish to have a free consultation about their personal requirements.
Q: If you have taken out an equity release, can you put the property in a trust?
A: The remaining equity can be transferred into a trust.
Q: What is Collective Solutions?
A: Chris is one of three people who own the company which employs about 100 staff with specialists who are members of STEP.
Q: What needs to be considered if you are asked to be an executor?
A: You must be over 18 – you can still be a beneficiary. You become legally liable for the estate and must see the process through. It is wise to be insured.
Q: How safe are funeral plans, especially if someone dies overseas?
A: The Co-op, Dignity and most independents are safe but you must read the small print as some do not cover repatriation.
Q: If you downsize and give the money away, is it still part of the estate?
A: For care planning, the local authority can take action to recover the money, if it can be shown that the sale was done to avoid payment. If you die within 7 years of the gift, inheritance tax would be payable.
Q: If you put the property in trust, can you still move or take out equity release?
A: Yes but the trustees need to approve.
Q: If there is a disagreement amongst the trustees or they disagree with you moving, what happens?
A: You need to look at the powers of the trustees specified in the deed of trust.
6. CARNIVAL CHORUS
Marian Wilson issued a plea for men to join the choir as there were only two remaining male members. There are lots of interesting projects coming up and anyone wishing to join would be very welcome. Just come along to the Carnival Hall on a Tuesday where we meet between 1.30 and 3pm.
7. BASINGSTOKE TRANSITION NETWORK
The presentation was given by Martin Heath and Andy Molloy. Whilst the Network is worldwide, the local aim is to create a better Basingstoke for all. They have over 30 years experience in engineering and technology and wish to do something about the environment. They were going to speak about climate change and energy, covering three areas:
The Context. Transition: Why do we need to change? Well we always have. Peak everything, financial crisis, climate change. These are creating great opportunities for the people of Basingstoke. More prosperity, more jobs, better lives and a better place.
Energy: At the heart of every thing we do. What is energy? How much do we use? What for? How can I use less? What impact does energy have on our community? How can I save money as well as the Planet.
Solar Energy: What can we do about it? An opportunity for all but only in the right place. For 10% of us – buy your own. For the rest of us – invest in the Community.
A short film, the “History of the World” in 300 Seconds, was shown. This can be viewed on the internet: http://www.bes.coop/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=58.
The River Loddon is one of the worst polluted rivers in the country. We are now in the midst of a “Perfect Storm” – an Energy Crisis, a Debt Crisis and a Climate Crisis and it’s creating a Perfect Opportunity. Fresh water is becoming scarcer and this will only get worse as the population increases. Similarly, fuel consumption will continue to increase. In the 1970’s the oil strike made people realise how much we relied on fuel.
We now consume more than we make – we must learn to live without fossil fuels! We have an incredibly thin atmosphere but we each put 22 kilo’s into it.
In our lifetimes we have moved from a world of plenty to a world of Peak Everything in times of plenty (frontier economy)
• We are relaxed about finding opportunities
• We feel a need to invest in tools!
When resources get limited
• We need different tools
• Funding is hard to come by
• Resilience and community is more important than consumption and stuff.
So what is energy and how much do we use in Basingstoke?
•We use it to do three things
–Heat our homes
–Move our cars
–Power our machines and gadgets (TV, PC, Washing, Fridge, Phone….)
•95.4% of it comes from burning stuff – fossil fuels (coal, gas, wood and oil) and
rubbish.
•Only 5.9% comes from renewable sources (1.7% excluding nuclear energy).
•Basingstoke produces 1,258,000 tonnes of CO2 per year
–37% from electricity
–25% from heat
–37% from transport
–7.6 tonnes per person per year
How much do we use? Officially, it’s 4,801.5 GWh (GigaWatt-hours) per year - Not at lot of help? Think of it as one of the (675 MW) reactors at Fukushima running full time 24 hours a day or about 412,000 tonnes of oil per year or 1,100 tonnes of oil per day
And how much does this all cost? The average household in Basingstoke uses:
· 14,820 kWh of gas/coal/oil for heat
· 6,054 kWh of power
· 2,106 litres of petrol/diesel for transport1
Which costs:
· £613.97 for heat
· £771.12 for power
· £2,886.54 for fuel
A total of £4,271.63 a year per household Source DECC 2010
Or about £296 Million across the whole Borough
Is Renewable Energy Part of the Answer?
Perhaps solar power the best thing since sliced bread?
•Free electricity
•Returns of 12% tax free or more
•Green
YES but only for the 10% who
1.Own their own house for the next 25 years
2.South facing roof
3.Unshaded
4.30-40 degree pitch
5.Fully insulated
6.Have £7,000 or more in the bank
The other 90% should consider Community Energy Schemes eg Brookvale Community Hall.
Community Funded Schemes are the way forward for many of us
•Best technology
•Economies of scale
•Higher returns
•Local jobs
•Investment in resilient infrastructure that we control
•Cheaper electricity for local businesses
•Benefits flow to the communities that bear the cost
•Controlled by the community
•Brings prosperity and wellbeing to our community
How can this make a difference? It will help businesses to become more profitable and provide cheaper electricity and applying the best technology will provide the highest returns.
Next steps…..
•Today
–Join the Transition Movement