I got on the 9.43 to Liverpool which ran as a train should run, straight and on time. My compartment seemed to be primarily pension people, I sat opposite the CEO of the COE (Church of England) John Ball. Beside me noted lawyer Robin Ellison.
We arrived at Lime Street. As second class was at the front of the train we delighted in seeing the VIPS joining the taxi queue at its fullest (“the first shall be last” – I quipped)
John Ball decided we would walk to the Conference which turned out to be very productive as we had a chance to talk CDC, something that Robin and I have been keen on for a while and John very keen on now.
The multi-employer CDC scheme took a step closer to reality last week with a Government consultation which I was rather pleased I’d read. It did not appear to have overly pleased the Church of England that has around 700 employers in its scheme and is keen to move to CDC asap (18 months being the target).
As prospective “Proprietor” of the arrangement, John was sounding a little underwhelmed by what he described as a sellotaping of a new set of rules to old, without the kind of thought that he’d clearly put in to getting this done.
I very much hope that clerical employers and employees will find the journey to CDC as easy as we found our trundle down the hill. In all too short a time we’d reached our destination. Those on the back of the train were still drifting to the Conference 45 minutes later.
It is not the amount you pay to travel that makes for a great journey, but who you travel with! As with so much of these conferences, the trick is getting out and about, something I should remind the majority of journalists in the press room who think the point of travelling 450 miles from London is to sit at a laptop all day, filing stories and following events on a big screen that might as well have been watched on their phones at home.
I am looking forward to more walking and talking (as Damian would have it) because the best moments of this conference have been when I’ve been on my feet.
This included dancing to a Beatles cover band in a mocked-up Cavern somewhere in Albert Dock. Thanks to Mercer and especially to Tracie Denson – who got me a beer and a seat. Thanks to all the Mercer staff who looked after us and gave us a great evening.
Apologies to Terry Pullinger and all at the Pension PlayPen yesterday, it would seen that mobile wi-fi is not yet up to Teams streaming – at least if you’re on the train.
Ironically , what I missed about Royal Mail , I gained from the Church of England. CDC you later delegates, I’m onto my first call of the day and I’ll be making it on the hoof from the glorious IBIS Hotel!