CPS membership, price going up to £20

[David Ahrens]

It's a week since the CPS AGM and I understand that the meeting voted for a membership increase to £20. I personally don't mind but this is rather a lot of money for youngsters. I am surprised that no one has brought this up. Doesn't anyone on this forum belong to the CPS any more ?

I couldn't make the meeting so please don't have a moan at me for not going.

I do understand that there are plans for a junior membership sometime, so this could be an answer.

Anyone have any views on this ?

[gardenofeden]

Personally I don't think £20 is very much at all these days, I pay more than for a days fishing, so for a whole years membership it's not bad.

[Loakesy]

A number of prices were discussed, ranging from £18 to £25. Also the possibility of an initial cheaper fee for newer/junior members and being able to 'upgrade' your membership fee to a higher rate to donate to conservation on a regular basis.

The only thing that was actually agreed upon was the raise to £20, with a resolution to discuss further options in the future.

I personally don't object to £20.

[Carnivine]

I dont object to £20, but I think the website needs the "members area" back,

[Ian Salter]

I dont object to £20, but I think the website needs the "members area" back,

This is what the CPS has been planning all along but it is an expensive operation, this is why the membership fee was discussed in the first place.

Please bear in mind that the membership fee/donation only just about (not always) covers what the members get each year.

Regards Ian

(CPS Promotions Officer)

[dennisB]

Hi

we only have 1 junior member at the moment. His Mum pays his subscription.

We are also looking at having a family membership arrangement in future. We do have a number of husband/wife members and this would reduce costs for them.

The main reason we are having to increase membership fees is the enormous rise in postal costs (more than doubled in the last 5 years).

We are also looking a ways of having an on-line membership database so that members can renew their membership and keep their personal details up to date. Members will have a user name and password. When this happens we will reintroduce a members only area. This will likely include details of the free, members only visits to Kew Gardens, RHS Wisley and Chester Zoo, the AGM etc.

regards

Dennis Balsdon

CPS Membership Secretary

[pwilson]

I dont object to £20, but I think the website needs the "members area" back,

To fill in a few more details on this. When the new website was being developed it was always our intention to add in an online members' database. This has many advantages for the committee, and in particular, the membership secretary but it also has some significant advantages for individual members. On line databases do not come cheap because usually they are developed from scratch rather than bought as an off the shelf package. When the website was being developed we did not have the funds to do both at the same time.

What I'm not entirely sure about is what you want from a members' only area. This is important because after the last committee meeting I have been asked to start the ball rolling on the database. What the database will do is allow members to log on to their own record and make changes, renew their membership and so on. Eventually it will probably be linked to the seed bank showing past orders, current seed allowance remaining and so on. This may cost too much to implement at this stage though. On line databases tend to be quite expensive and depending on the development costs, this might be something to add later.

It would be useful at this stage to see what other expectations are to see if any of them can be incorporated into the project.

Phil