The Carpenters Arms 12 Seymour Place, London W1H 7NE
11.00am 19 August 2026
MINUTES OF MEETING
INTRODUCTION:
After welcoming all attendees to the meeting, the Chairman (D Alan Higgins) began with a safety moment, as has become customary.
Busy roads during the summer holiday season, with more foreign drivers than normal presents an increased hazard. He asked how many people had read their Highway Code recently, if indeed they had one. Sadly, not many attendees were able to answer positively!
The Chairman gave further welcome comments and asked the meeting to remember those friends and colleagues we have lost during the last 12 months. A short moment of silence then followed.
In this regard, the Chairman stated the problem of there being no easy means of finding out the names of those former colleagues and pensioners that had passed during the previous year. Names had formerly been provided by the company and listed in ‘Retiree News’. This publication is no longer issued. A list would be available from Barnett Waddingham but at an annual cost to the Association of £900. This offer has been declined.
Any suggestions to help with this matter would be very much appreciated.
[If you would like to inform woek colleagues of someone passing you can notify us via the Contact Form and we will place them into the next Newsletter]
DAH then introduced the committee members in turn.
MEMBERS ATTENDING:
AT THE VENUE:
D Alan Higgins (DAH), Alan Dennison (AD) Peter Young (PY) Andrew Nisbet (AGN), Neil Jones (NJ), Chris Simes (CS) Steve Wilson (SW) Steve Ladle (SL), Stuart Hyder ,Carmen Davis, Nick Burrell & Stewart James
VIA ZOOM:
David Low , Alan Leiper, Nigel Cooper, David Way, Peter Fowler, Bruce Weir, Gordon Smith, Richard Sroka, David Leipa, Adam Cowburn & Malcolm Seedhouse
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE:
Grace Shacklady Doug Reoch
MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING – Held on 8 October 2025
The minutes of the AGM held on 8 October 2025, summarised on the website and dated 8 October 2025 were approved unanimously, proposed by PY seconded by SW. Subsequent to the meeting a hard copy has been signed for the record, by Vice-Chairman (NJ), as being a true account of that meeting.
Matters Arising
There were 2 items raised as ‘matters arising’ from these minutes.
Firstly, it had been stated during the meeting that no supplementation to pre-97 pension elements would be made in 2025. In fact, a 3% supplementation was granted by the company effective 1 November 2025. The Association promptly thanked those involved with this increase.
Secondly, in relation to pre-97 increases and the Pensions Act 2025 under consultation, Mr. Stewart Cusden asked if the Association had considered contacting the media directly. The committee agreed to consider this. The committee concluded that the submissions being made through the HPPA Alliance activity, with which we were involved by membership, were sufficient.
- SUMMARY OF CHAIRMAN’S REPORT 2025
The Chairman (DAH) gave the meeting a review of committee activities since the last AGM. He emphasised the independence of the Association (from the company) and outlined the high level of contact with Company personnel since the last AGM. DAH also outlined the contacts made directly with the Trustees and political and regulatory bodies.
Three MS Teams (online) meetings were held with Mr. Ashley Sanders (AS), in January, March and July. Letters were also sent to Ms. Harriet Wu , General Manager, Total Rewards, San Ramon/Houston, in December, March and June.
DAH and NJ met with Ms. Wu in Canary Wharf on 28 April 2026. The discussion items during these meetings continue to focus on UK inflation, supplementations to pre-97 pensions and matters related to the recent appointment of the Professional Corporate Trustee (PCST).
During the July meeting with AS, he confirmed that he remains the principle point of contact with pensioners. He noted that the 3 yearly actuarial valuation which began at the beginning of the year is progressing and that it is planned to publish the results in the
Trustee Newsletter later in the year. He also stated that he retains oversight of this publication.
In response to a question of directional changes for the plan, he gave the reassuring reply that there were no changes being considered by the company.
The Chairman introduced the subject of The Pension Schemes Act 2026. He recognised the considerable amount of work put into this matter by committee member Steve Ladle and thanked members for writing letters to their MP’s to lobby on this subject.
The main points raised being the treatment of pre-97 pensions and of fund surpluses. The Association also wrote directly to the Pensions Minister and to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. Despite comments from numerous separate organisations the Act passed through parliament essentially unchanged. A very disappointing outcome.
The Chairman opened the meeting to questions and further discussion on this subject. There was considerable debate led by Steve Ladle and Stuart Hyder, who both provided knowledgeable observations about how to proceed, particularly now with the consultation response to the Department of Work and Pensions on fund surpluses.
Following the dissolution of the Trustee board and the appointment of IGG as the Professional Corporate Sole Trustee (PCST) during 2025, DAH and NJ met with representatives of IGG, Mr. Dickon Best and Ms. Annabelle Hardiman in November 2025.
This introductory meeting was very cordial and cooperative. We followed up the meeting with a letter and have since sent 2 further letters, to which there has been no response. This is very disappointing and gives cause for serious concerns about future communications.
In conversation with AS, he advised that he has regular contact with the Trustee and gave reassurance about the arrangement. In response to a question from SL, it was advised that the reason given for the Trustee change was cost reduction.
The committee held 2 meetings during this year, a zoom meeting in February and an attended meeting in July. Considerable work continues to be done by committee members on a number of administrative and representative subjects as raised during this AGM.
Committee representatives have attended a number of pensioner reunion events in Aberdeen and London over the course of the year.
The Chairman then introduced the committee members in turn, explained their roles within the committee and expressed his appreciation for their efforts. He stressed the need for new committee members and invited members to come forward.
The Chairman concluded his address by listing the current major items of concern, as follows:
Future pension supplementations; Communication with the Trustee; Potential directional changes for the plan; Treatment of fund surplus.
REVIEW OF ACCOUNTS AND TREASURER’S REPORT
Presented by Treasurer Peter Young.
The accounts, as at 30 June 2026 were reviewed and differences to prior year were noted. 1. Another solid year, financially. Year end funds balance of £8,738.44 2. Expenses increased slightly during the year, with no one item being the principle cause. 3. Income increased from prior years to £6,078.00 from higher subscriptions. 4. Resultant net deficit of £1,093.11 for the year. This is the third year in a row which has shown a net deficit. The subscription increase is helping to balance this situation as will plans to combine the timing of the 2027 mid-year committee meeting and AGM. There were no questions to the accounts and explanations presented.The Accounts and Treasurer’s Report were unanimously approved (proposed SW; seconded NJ) 5.
MEMBERSHIP REPORT Summary of report by Membership Secretary Chris Simes (CS)
1. There are currently 793 members on the database
2. 159 members registered for Insight delivery by post. All new members select email copy
3. There have been 36 new members since 1 July 2025
Other items discussed:
1. How to increase membership. In response to a question from Stuart Hyder, ideas were discussed to improve advertisement for CUKPA for company leavers.
2. Some members using the new member form to update details causing rework and duplication.
3. Tracking deceased members continues to cause problems.
6. WEBMASTER’S REPORT
Andrew Nisbet presented the recent activity related to the website and membership database. The website update is progressing and is roughly 75% complete. Progress has been affected by other priority items, particularly pre-97 pensions matters and communication thereof.
Work continues to streamline membership records and reduce the heavy demands on the Treasurer. The use of AI to write effective code has resulted in a program that appears to be dependable in matching members payments to their membership record. It is helped by the cooperation of members who have updated their payment reference number on their standing orders.
This task can now be done in a fraction of the previous time taken on manual updates (From 4 days per year to 4 hours). There is still a little testing to be done but results so far are very encouraging.
The Chairman noted that a very successful online Zoom ‘coffee morning’ had been held some time back and asked if this could be repeated. AN said he would arrange another such event in the near future. (Held on 14th October 26 ED)
ELECTION OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS
The Chairman advised the meeting that in accordance with the rules of the Association, committee members are elected for a period of 3 years. One committee member, Mr. Chris Simes, following his previous 3 year appointment term, was offering himself for election. Unanimously approved by the AGM. There were no other committee members requiring re-appointment.
The committee will continue to have 9 members for the forthcoming year.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
Communication with the Trustee.
Following the short discussion around this matter during the Chairman’s Report, the subject was again raised in the context of how to initiate communication between the Trustee and membership. A number of ideas were discussed, led by Messrs. Stuart Hyder and Steve Ladle. It was agreed that since the PCST’s contract is with the company, any formal arrangement with the Trustee would need to go through the company.
Following the meeting, Mr. Hyder has made suggestions to the committee as to how this could be done.
A further discussion around fund surplus and the Trustees’ role in this matter then followed. Again, following the meeting, how best to respond to the DWP consultation around the now Pension Schemes Act 2026 and the role of the Trustee, is under consideration.
The Chairman advised the meeting that he had been contacted by pensioner Mr. Russ Presney, who, as a result of service in the US, had discovered that he was entitled to a US State Pension. He had followed this up through the US Social Security Administration (SSA). This may well apply to other UK pensioners who have had significant service in the US.
CONCLUSION
The Chairman concluded the meeting by again asking members to come forward and offer themselves for committee membership.
He encouraged individual members to raise any particular problems with which the Association might be able to help.
Articles for the next Insight newsletter are due by end September. DAH asked members to submit articles of interest about holidays, notable stories from time with Chevron and personal milestone events.
The Chairman thanked all attendees for their support and those at the venue, a safe journey home.
The meeting closed at 13.00 hrs.