Professional June 2020

We’ve got mail

I am responding to the invite to get in touch regarding the history of the CIPP and also to offer some anecdotes prompted by the articles ‘When I was young’. In the early 1980s, I was working

Society is situated in Vincent Square, which is a busy area, adjacent to a large school. On the day of the exams there would be heard regularly and loudly from the direction of the school, the sound of a bell noting the start and finish times of lessons and break times. On top of that, roadworks were taking place outside, and the sound of pneumatic drills were heard intermittently all day. How any of us passed the exam is a wonder! The student of the year in 1985 was Val Hunt, who I had sat next to in the exam room. I swear to this day that Val copied my examination paper and that her success was down to me! Because Val also worked in a local authority, our paths have crossed many times over the years, and we are still friends to date. Having a professional body has raised the profile of payroll and pension professionals to the level they deserve. Gaining Chartered status was a huge achievement. Membership of the professional body certainly helped me greatly in my career, and I would urge everyone in the profession to become a member and take advantage of all the benefits available including the excellent training on offer. I have been speaking to a couple of ex-colleagues and it looks like payroll and pensions professionals have stepped up to the plate yet again in these worrying times. Unsung heroes! It is fantastic that the CIPP is carrying the torch for payroll and pension professionals – so please keep up the good work.

for a local authority and being pushed down the accountancy route. I decided, after passing my AAT examinations, that accountancy was not for me. I applied for a job in a neighbouring authority as a senior payroll administrator … and was very surprised to get it. I really enjoyed the payroll work especially dealing with the weekly payroll where the staff were paid in cash. After the payroll was run, and the coin analysis produced, my boss and I would walk across the High Street to the local bank and pick up the cash and bring it back in an Adidas sports bag. How we were not ever mugged I will never know! The staff used to come in on a Friday to pick up their wage packets from a secure room in the Town Hall. It was great to put names to faces. I joined APSA (Association of Payroll and Superannuation Administrators) as soon as possible and was one of the inaugural students for obtaining the full qualification. It was all done by correspondence, and I had great tutors for the various subjects including pensions which became my great love. I remember vividly going to take our finals exam at the Royal Horticultural Society, London in 1985. The Royal Horticultural

Phillip Reynolds MCIPP

Vickie Graham DipM ACIM, CIPP business development director: Thank you Phillip so much for your submission and giving some insight into the early days of the Institute. These are ‘interesting’ times to say the least and it is amazing to hear tales of handing out cash and meeting face to face when these are things we are no longer encouraged to do.

Norman Green BSc FBCS CEng CITP FCIPP 7 July 1950–13 May 2020 Norman was a much-loved member of the payroll community and worked with the CIPP supporting students through their qualifications since 1994. Having started his career as a programmer at Kent County Council, Norman held various roles and positions within the profession. He spent 35 years of his career working for CGI (previously Logica) from 1981, where he finished his career as legislation and compliance manager in 2016. In addition to his full-time employment, Norman was committed to developing professionals within the industry and was employed as a tutor on the CIPP’s Foundation Degree in Payroll Management (previously the Diploma in Payroll Management). Throughout his many years of service, Norman provided support, guidance, and advice to the many students he had steered through our qualifications, as well as members of the CIPP board. In addition to the work that Norman did for the qualifications

team, Norman was an invaluable support to the CIPP’s policy team over the years, providing them with updates, putting forward members’ views and attending consultations on behalf of the CIPP where

it had not been possible for us to attend. Norman also held the position of vice-chair of the payroll group for BCS from September 2013. He was highly regarded by HMRC and other government departments and agencies, as well as by all of us at the CIPP where he would act as a sounding board for early policy development and providing a technical insight into requirements of payroll software. The payroll industry has benefitted enormously as a result of Norman’s input, experience and influence over the years. The profession would not be what it is today had he not been part of it. Rest in peace, Norman.

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| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward |

Issue 61 | June 2020

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