(Deferred till later in meeting)

Motion 5 (Johnson/Browne) “Amend Head Office Organiser (HOO) Terms of
Reference under HOO Support for other Departments and Posts to read: 1.
To assist with all mailouts from Head Office including organising the
despatch of the Socialist Standards”. Carried 4-2

(c) Report from Comrade Buick, Central Organiser re Chris Robinson: The
report concludes that Chris Robinson is a member of the Party and in Edinburgh Branch.

Motion 6 (Johnson/Wigley) “That the matter of Comrade Robinson be referred to Edinburgh Branch with the appropriate correspondence”. Carried 8-0 1abstention

(d) Head Office Front. :Nothing to report

(e) Fire Safety Report from Comrade Gwynn Thomas

Comrade John Helps is nearing completion of replacing internal door and door frames with 30 minute fire resistance doors. The quote from London Fire Protection Services Ltd., for the supply and fitting of a fire alarm
and associated fittings as required is £5,245.20 (inclusive of VAT at 15%). Comrade Thomas sought two further quotes, MSF did not reply and First European Solutions failed to keep their appointment with him. He has been pressurised by our insurers for a completion, and the renewal premium is due on 5 February.

Motion 7 (Wigley/Allen) “That the Treasurer: (1) Seek further quotes for the work as a matter of urgency. (2)Seek an extension of the current insurance, stressing that work is continuing. (3) If the insurers will not wait, be authorised to arrange for the work to be carried out with the most appropriate quote”. Carried 9-0.

(f) Photocopier. Report from Comrade Stair 16/1/09.

Comrade Stair reports that he should be able to supply details and quotes re Photocopiers for the March EC meeting.

Motion 8 (Wigley/Allen) “(1) That the HOO ensure a photocopying service available at Head Office. (2) That the purchase of a new photocopier be deferred to the March EC. Meeting”

Motion 9 Amendment to Motion 8 (Johnson/Chesham) “Change March to February”.Lost 3-5 1 abstention. Motion 8 unamended, Carried 7-1 1 abstention.

(g)Ballot Committee Report from Comrade Mike Browne.

Comrade Simon Wigley has accepted nomination for the post of General Secretary.

Comrade Tristan Miller withdrew his nomination in favour of Comrade Wigley.

Proposed timetable for the ballot: Prepare ballot papers 17/1/09, send them out with the preliminary agenda for Conference, 24th to 26th of January 2009 with a returning date of the 6th March 2009, allowing almost 6 weeks for voting. Noted with agreement.
Motion 10 (Buick/Chesham) “That the report be adopted”. Agreed.

5 Forms A and F.

Form F for Comrade Amby Cowap (Central London) (deceased 1 January 2009).
Accepted.

6 Accounts

(i) A letter from our gas suppliers informing us of an arrears situation amounting to £7,888.29 due mainly, they say, to faulty meter reading on our part.
Comrade Thomas has arranged that we have a regularly read meter reading by Data Collection from now on and he will be going through all invoices for gas provided, listing readings given and/or estimates made, making a tabular form of display, which may make things clearer. Payment of the arrears will be spread over twelve months. Comrade Thomas suspects that we are paying for the arrears at the current price per kilowatt-hour, he also suspects that we may be paying the climate surcharge for the whole period but has not yet ascertained when this came in. He can see no way of challenging this and suggestions are welcome.
Debate followed on how to cut down on the cost of heating the building .

Motion 11 (Wigley/Buick) “The report be referred back to the Treasurer for action”. Cd 9- 0.

(ii) Resolution from Manchester Branch 13/1/09:
“At its meeting on the 12 January 2009, Manchester Branch passed the following resolution (5-0. 5 present): ‘That the EC be urged to instruct the Party Treasurer to open a deposit account with the Cooperative Bank and transfer £150.000 (one hundred and fifty thousand pounds) from the Alliance and Leicester to the Cooperative”.

(iii) Report from Treasurer re New Bank and Building Society Account 16/1/09.
Action to set up a Treasurer Trust account with Nationwide Building Society was completed on 14/1/09. Signatories are G.Thomas, D.Chesham and F.Allen. Alliance and Leicester are to be instructed to transfer £50.000 into this account. Alliance and Leicester have already transferred £65.000 from our deposit account with them to HSBC. £50.000 of this will be
allocated to our deposit account and the remaining £15.000 to our current account for ongoing expenses. Both HSBC accounts are operated by Comrade Thomas together with Comrades Stair, N.White and P.Deutz. We now have five accounts in four banks.

Motion 12 (Johnson/Wigley) “That Manchester branch letter be passed to the Treasurer for action“.. Agreed.
Motion 13 (Buick/Wigley) “That the report from the Treasurer be noted” Agreed.

8. Reports of Party Officers, Committees and Departments

(i) Campaigns Department January Update (as on Spintcom) 

Motion 14 (Browne/Johnson) That Comrade Danny Lambert be appointed as speaker for the UKIP debate”. Agreed.

Motion 15 (Browne/Johnson) That the proposed publications be used for the adverts for the UKIP debate”. Carried 9-0

Re. The proposed debate with the BNP. The EC suggest that it should not be at HO. And that there should be a neutral Chairperson.

For Tolpuddle,
Motion 16 (Thomas/Johnson) “The EC agree two tables for the Tolpuddle event”. Agreed

Motion 17 (Johnson/Chesham) “That Comrade Buick be appointed the speaker at the debate in Glasgow on 24 January”. Agreed

The EC had a tea-break from 2.55pm until3.35pm and then returned to the deferred item.

5b of Matters Arising. Nomination for Committees and Departments.

Nomination from Glasgow branch for Comrade Paula McEwan as Central Branch Secretary. Agreed

Nomination from Central London branch for Comrade Roland Lambert for Head Office Organiser. Agreed.

Advertising Department: M.Browne, J.Lee and J.Vein. Agreed.

Archives: H.Roberts and K.Scholey. Agreed.

Audio-Visual Department: D.Chesham, V.Otter and R.Whitfield. Agreed.

(Acceptence of nomination received from Stair but nomination not yet received from branch though Comrades Allen and Deutz confirmed that this had happened).

Ballot Committee: M.Browne, and B.Johnson. Agreed.

Campaigns Department: M.Chesham, B.Johnson and J.Lawrie nominated.

A vote was called for in this instance with the result that Comrade M. Chesham received 9-0, Comrade Lawrie received 6-2, Comrade Johnson withdrew his name, and so Comrades M. Chesham and Lawrie were agreed.

Election Department: A.Buick and B.Martin.

Enquiries Department: J.Lee. Agreed,

Internet Department: D.Chesham, M.Culbert, T.Miller and R.Stafford.Agreed.

Library Committee: S.Wigley. Agreed;

Membership Applications: P.Bennet and G.Thomas. Agreed.

Premises Department: D.Chesham, J.Lawrie and J.Shoedeke. Agreed.

Publications: P.Bennett. Agreed (Acceptance received from L.Stevens and Stair but nominations from Branch not yet received, though again Comrades Allen and Deutz confirmed these had been made).

Socialist Standard Production Committee: O.Bond, A.Buick, D.Perrin, S.Wigley and N.Windle. Agreed.

Standing Orders Committee: M.Browne and P.Deutz. Agreed.

Continuing with Reports:
8 (ii) Report from Comrade Scholey for the Ballot Committee 5/12/08.

Referring to the EC resolution of December 2007 and further resolution of May 2008 re ballot security measures: the Committee have reviewed their security and in light of massively increased burden and the greatly decreased returns they see no need for additional measures. Agreed to note.

(iii) Report on Public Address System 11/1/09.

Comrade D.Chesham reports that after much investigation a possible solution has been found which will enhance and extend the present system at HO. The Yamaha MG102C mixer which will accept four balanced microphones. For necessary items the likely cost will be in the region £335. Comrade Chesham verbally requested an additional amount towards the cost of the cable The EC. approved this figure plus any cable costs.

9. Correspondence

(i)Resignation letter from Ray Carr (SWRB), January 2009. Efforts have been made to persuade the Comrade not to resign. Noted (wait for Form F from branch)

(ii) East Anglia Regional Branch 2/12/08: The branch writes for help with the procedure of running their meeting (can the chair vote).

Motion 18 (Browne/Wigley) “Noting” Carried 6-0 3 abstentions

Agreed that the branch be written to with reference to their procedural problem.

(iii)SPC Newsletter 3/1/09 and minutes of the 11/1/09. Noted.

(iv)Letter from M.Davies of the Socialist Green Unity Coalition 12/1/09 proposing meeting to avoid contested same seats in elections. Agreed a reply from the EC.

(v) WSPUS NAC November meeting. Noted

10. Any Other Business

(i) Membership Rule Books :These were scheduled to be re-printed last year. Agreed to request a progress report from Comrade McCullough.

(ii) Comrade Allen raised the matter of a letter from a Comrade re. overdue library books. Agreed the matter be deferred until the February EC meeting.

Chair for the next meeting: Comrade M.Browne

Date of the next meeting: 7/2/09

Meeting adjourned. 4.20pm.

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A further call is being made for nominations for the vacancies on the following Committees and Departments:

Ballot Committee, one more member is needed. Blog Department needs at least two members; 

Education Department needs at least two members;

Enquiries Department, one more member is needed; 

Library Committee, one more member is needed.

Please send nominations to Head Office, to arrive in time for the next EC. meeting which is on Saturday 7 February 2009. 
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