ecsep09

	Minutes of the 9th Meeting of the 106th Executive Committee of the Socialist Party of Great Britain 5 September 2009 Note: This is a text-only version of the report which may lack images, tables, and other formatting. A PDF version of this document suitable for printing will be available soon on the Party's website. Note: These minutes are not official until amendment and adoption by the EC.
	Present: Carter, Deutz, Browne, Miller, Buick, Allen, Johnson, M Chesham (arrived late), Thomas (arrived late) Apologies: Wigley Visitors: J Shodeke, S Parker, D Chesham, H Comber The meeting was called to order at 13:01. 1. Election of Chair Agreed at previous meeting: Thomas Motion 1 (Browne & Carter) That Johnson be chair. Agreed 2. Minutes of the previous meeting, business arising therefrom and the General Secretary's rising of Notices of Motion and Business from previous meetings a. Amendment and adoption of the August 2009 minutes Motion 2 (Deutz & Miller) That §2(c) of the July 2009 minutes be amended to indicate that Miller was examined on 6 June by Cdes Wigley, Deutz, and Buick, and that Stair was examined on 11 July by Cdes Miller, Headicar, and Deutz. Agreed Motion 3 (Deutz & Browne) That §5 of the July 2009 minutes be amended to indicate Schofield was a Form F. Agreed Motion 4 (Buick & Browne) That the July 2009 minutes be adopted as amended. Agreed M Chesham arrived at this point. b. Matters arising from the August 2009 minutes i. Re §6(a) (South London Branch call to disband and reconstitute re the Library Department) The Library Department issued a response protesting the proposal and disputing its premise (namely, Departmental inactivity). Motion 5 (Miller & Buick) That the Library Department's reply be referred to South London Branch. Agreed ii. Re§7(a) (Parliament pamphlet) Motion 6 (Miller & Buick) That the text of the Parliament pamphlet be approved, subject to spelling and grammatical corrections. Carried 7-1 Deutz reminded the meeting that the pamphlet was to include a preface introducing the Party. Motion 7 (Miller & Buick) That a print run of 500 be authorised for the Parliament pamphlet. Carried 7-1 Motion 8 (Browne & Buick) That the cover price for the Parliament pamphlet be £1. Carried 7-0-1 Motion 9 (Buick & Deutz) That the previous resolutions be referred to the Publications Department and that they be asked to investigate whether the pamphlet could be printed at Head Office on the new photocopier. Carried 6-0-1 iii. Re §6.3 (list of local accommodation) It was agreed to remind the Central Organiser and Head Office Organiser to produce the list in advance of ADM. Thomas arrived at this point. Motion 10 (Miller & Buick) That Thomas take over the chair. Carried 6-0-1 c. Notices of Motion and Business i. Membership cards Deutz inquired about the progress of the printing of the new membership cards. Miller reported that he had been unable to contact Cde McCullough as his e-mail address is bouncing and his telephone number is disconnected. Johnson provided Miller with a new telephone number for Cde McCullough. Motion 11 (Buick & Browne) That Cde McCullough be reminded of his offer to print the new membership cards. Carried 9-0 3. Forms A and F a. Forms F for Vince Littlemore of West London Branch (deceased), Richard Layton of East Anglian Regional Branch (disagreement), and Paul Hannam of South West Regional Branch (deceased). Motion 12 (Johnson & Browne) That the Forms F for Cdes Littlemore, Layton, and Hannam be accepted. Agreed 4. Accounts None; the Treasurer reported that the most recent statements from Alliance & Leicester are outstanding. 5. Reports of Party Officers, Party Appointees, Subcommittees, and Departments; discussion of campaigns and The Socialist Standard a. Advertising Department report on bus advertising The report concluded that a bus advertising campaign would either be short and ineffective, or longer and prohibitively expensive. Motion 13 (Miller & Buick) That the Advertising Department be thanked for their report. Carried 9-0 b. Reports to ADM It was agreed to consider these under AOB, after members had had a chance to read through them. 6. Correspondence a. Matters of urgency * None. b. Correspondence from or concerning Branches, the Party in general, and members i. South London Branch letter re "Prejudice": That the Branch write to the EC and the Editorial Committee expressing their concern regarding the article "Prejudice" (June Socialist Standard, page 18). The article makes no contribution to the Party case and serves no useful purpose. (5-0-3) As the letter from South London Branch indicated that the Branch was to raise this matter at ADM, it was felt best to have it handled at that venue. Motion 14 (Johnson & Browne) That the correspondence be noted. Carried 6-0-3 ii. Letter from Cde Clanchy (8 August) asking the EC to authorize the disbursement of £12.50 to send promotional items to a member, and reporting on the status of a previous such request. Motion 15 (Deutz & Browne) That Cde Clanchy be informed that it is not for the Executive Committee to authorise payment for promotional goods for individuals. Carried 9-0 iii. Letter from East Anglian Regional Branch (4 September) containing resolutions on outstanding EC correspondence: This branch notes the lack of response from the EC with regard to EARB's request for an explanation as to the annual ballot being counted by one person. (7-0-0) This branch notes that on the 8th March 2009 EARB passed a motion that read: "That the letter be sent". This was in regard to the non-appointment of Lorna Stevens to the Standing Orders Committee and we are still waiting for a reply from the EC. (6-0-0) Motion 16 (Miller & Buick) That the resolutions be noted, and that it be noted that the correspondence has already been sent. Carried 8-0-1 iv. Resolutions from East Anglian Regional Branch and Central London Branch, respectively, concerning the 2009 Executive Committee/Party Officer election: That this branch is in opposition to the statement in the July 2009 EC minutes moved by Comrades Wigley and Carter, namely, "When necessary, the Committee co-opts tellers for the purpose of counting ballots, as was done in this case. (carried 4-2. For: Deutz, Carter, Wigley, Browne. Against: Miller, M Chesham.)" Whilst we accept that this was the intention in this case it was clearly not fulfilled. This would not be obviously understood by reading the EC minutes. (5-0-2) Be it resolved that in response to the EC's Motion 6.b.ii, Central London Branch holds that the Ballot Committee was indeed understaffed, as only one member was qualified to count the ballot; and in response to the EC's Motion 6.b.iii, no tellers were successfully co-opted in this case, as the count was conducted without the only teller who had been invited. (Specifically, the teller arrived at Head Office at the appointed time, but the Ballot Committee did not, and then failed to reschedule his attendance for the count when it actually took place.) (4-0) Motion 17 (Buick & Johnson) That the correspondence from the two Branches be noted and that they be sent a copy of the Ballot Committee's report and the Executive Committee's resolution of May 2009. For: Buick, Johnson, Allen, Carter, Thomas, Deutz. Against: M Chesham, Miller. Abstaining: Browne. Carried 5-2-1 v. Nomination of Cde Shodeke by South London Branch to the Production for Use Committee Motion 18 (Browne & M Chesham) That Cde Shodeke be appointed to the Production for Use Committee. Carried 7-0-1 vi. Nominations from Central London Branch for the Ad-Hoc Committee to Investigate the Costs, Procedures and Duties Incurred by the Party of Establishing an Employed Post The Chair doubted validity of the nominations as there was no autographed acceptance by the nominees. Motion 19 (Browne & Allen) That the Chair be directed to accept both nominations. Failed 2-6-1 Motion 20 (Johnson & M Chesham) That both comrades be reminded of the procedure that nominations have to be acknowledged and accepted in writing. Failed 2-6-1 Motion 21 (Buick & Johnson) That in future no member may be appointed by the Executive Committee unless both the Branch nomination and nominee's acceptance have been submitted in writing by the Branch secretary and the nominee. Carried 9-0 vii. Report from the Audio-Visual Department D Chesham reported that the Party's video camera was in for repair, and asked the Executive Committee to consider replacing the device in the event that repair proved impossible or too costly. Motion 22 (Johnson & M Chesham) That the Audio-Visual Department be given permission to purchase a further camera. Amendment (Buick & Allen) Append "in the event of it being too costly to repair the old camera". Carried 6-1-2 Vote on Motion as amended: Carried 7-2 c. Correspondence from Companion Parties and Groups * None. d. All other correspondence * None. 7. Any other business a. Reports to the Autumn Delegate Meeting Motion 23 (Browne & Carter) That the Ad-hoc Committee to Look at Party Dues Collection Report to ADM be accepted, and that Branches be asked to make their views be known on items 1 and 2. Agreed Motion 24 (Johnson & Browne) That the Ad-hoc Committee Investigating the Circumstances Surrounding the Estate of the Late George Pooley Report to ADM be adopted. Agreed Motion 25 (Johnson & Buick) That the Advertising Department Report to ADM be adopted. Agreed Motion 26 (Johnson & Browne) That the Archives Department Report to ADM be adopted. Agreed Motion 27 (Browne & Thomas) That the Audio-Visual Department Report to ADM be adopted. Agreed Motion 28 (Johnson & Thomas) That the Ballot Committee Report to ADM be adopted. Agreed Motion 29 (Miller & Browne) That the Blog Department Report to ADM be adopted. Agreed Motion 30 (Miller & Browne) That "which are non-copyrighted or public domain material" be deleted from the Campaigns Department Report to ADM. Agreed Motion 31 (Browne & Deutz) That the Campaigns Department Report to ADM be adopted as amended. Agreed Motion 32 (Johnson & Browne) That the Central Branch Secretary's Report to ADM be adopted. Agreed Motion 33 (Browne & Deutz) That the Election Department Report to ADM be adopted. Agreed Motion 34 (Miller & Thomas) That the Enquiries Department Report to ADM be adopted. Agreed Motion 35 (Browne & Johnson) That the Head Office Organiser's Report to ADM be adopted. Agreed Motion 36 (Buick & Thomas) That the Internet Department Report to ADM be adopted. Agreed Motion 37 (Johnson & Browne) That the Library Department Report to ADM be adopted. Agreed Motion 38 (Johnson & Browne) That the Membership Applications Department Report to ADM be adopted. Agreed Motion 39 (Miller & Johnson) That the Premises Committee Report to ADM be adopted. Agreed Motion 40 (Miller & Thomas) That the Production for Use Committee Report to ADM be adopted. Agreed Motion 41 (Buick & Johnson) That the Publications Department Report to ADM be adopted. Agreed Motion 42 (Miller & Allen) That the Socialist Standard Department Report to ADM be adopted. Agreed Motion 43 (Miller & Carter) That the Standing Orders Committee Report to ADM be adopted. Agreed Motion 44 (Buick & Thomas) That "loss" be replaced with "subsidy" as appropriate in the Summer School Report to ADM. Agreed Motion 45 (Buick & Browne) That the Summer School Report to ADM be adopted as amended. Agreed The Reports to ADM from the Treasurer, General and Assistant Secretaries, and Central Organiser were noted. b. Fire alarm Thomas reported that Firetech have not provided us with a test procedure. He will follow up on this. 8. Nomination of Chair for the next meeting Motion 46 (Buick & Thomas) That Johnson chair the October meeting. Agreed With no further business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned at 15:47.


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