EC Minutes January 2010

Minutes of the 1st Meeting of the 107th Executive Committee of the
Socialist Party of Great Britain held on Saturday 9 January 2010.

Note: These minutes are not official until amendment and adoption by the EC.

Minutes of the 1st Meeting of the 107th Executive Committee of the
Socialist Party of Great Britain held on Saturday 9 January 2010.
(These minutes are not official until adoption by the EC)

Present: A. Buick, J. Carter, D. Chesham, M. Chesham, P. Deutz, J.
Shodoeke. G. Thomas (7)
Apologies: F. Allen (weather), M. Browne (weather), L. Byrne (weather).
Also from T. Miller (General Secretary, not on EC) (holiday in Iceland).

The meeting began at 13.05.

1. It was agreed that Deutz chair the meeting and Buick take the minutes.

2. Report of the Ballot Committee
Comrade B. Johnson reported on the count and the result (already posted).
D. Chesham asked some questions on the conduct of the ballot. Johnson
replied.
Thomas and Carter moved: “That the EC ask Comrade D. Chesham to prepare a
procedure to be followed in Party voting and that it be presented for EC
consideration in February”. Lost 2-3, with 2 abstentions.
Division: For: Carter, Thomas. Against: Buick, Deutz, Shodoeke. Abstain:
D. Chesham, M. Chesham.
Thomas and Shodoeke moved: “That the report of the Ballot Committee be
adopted”. Carried 5-0, with 2 abstentions.
Division: For: Buick, Carter, Deutz, Shodoeke, Thomas. Abstain: D.
Chesham, M. Chesham.
Carter and Shodoeke moved a vote of thanks from the EC for the work the
Ballot Committee have carried out. Carried 7-0.

3. Minutes of the previous EC Meeting
Thomas and Buick moved that the Minutes of the 5 December meeting be
adopted. Agreed.

4. Matters arising from the Minutes
Re 7(b), agreed to verify whether or not Firetechnics had in fact been
written to about the operating manual for fire alarm “as a matter of
urgency” as the EC had decided.

5. EC Standing Orders
Chesham and Thomas moved that the Standing Orders for 2009 be adopted for
2010. Agreed.

6. Notice of Business
Comrade Johnson (member of the 2009 EC) had proposed that, in view of
there being no Treasurer, the EC consider re-establishing the General
Purposes Committee. As this had been abolished by a Conference Resolution,
the EC did not feel empowered to re-establish it. EC members were however
aware that something had to be done urgently to deal with the week to week
finances of the Party.
Buick and D. Chesham moved: “That the Head Office Organiser be asked to
record and bank any money received, as per the Terms of Reference”.
Although in the HOO Terms of Reference recent Treasurers had done this
themselves. Carried 6-0, 1 abstention.
Buick and Carter moved: “That all bills (other than from Petty Cash) come
before the EC for approval”. Carried 7-0.
Comrade S. Wicks’s acceptance of Central Branch’s nomination as Assistant
Treasurer had arrived but too late to be included on the annual ballot.
The EC however has the power under Rule 19 to appoint an Assistant
Treasurer in the event of no nomination being received for the ballot.
D. Chesham and M. Chesham moved: “That the EC acknowledge receipt of the
nomination of Comrade S. Wicks for Assistant Treasurer and that Comrade G.
Thomas liaise with him concerning the work involved”. Agreed.
It was agreed to put out a Call for Nominations for the post of Treasurer
with a closing date of 5 March.
It was agreed to make at the same time a Call for other vacant posts
(Assistant Secretary, one more Auditor)

7. Terms of Reference of Committees and Departments
The EC had before it a document setting out the current Terms of Reference.
Thomas and D. Chesham proposed the following changes to the Terms of
Reference of the Head Officer Organiser:
“Add under Core duties:
6. To maintain a photocopier log including a record of copies made.
Under Assist Treasurer
Delete ‘(for large amounts of cash or if requested)’.
Add 3. To maintain a cash flow and record small expenditure.
Add under Assist Premises Committee:
3. To maintain a record of gas and electricity consumption meter readings.
4. To carry out a weekly fire alarm tests as per Firetechnics guidance
manual”.
Agreed.
Deutz and Buick proposed that resolutions on the powers of the Standing
Orders Committee carried by recent Conferences be incorporated into its
Terms of References, namely:
“6. Shall rule out of order amendments to items on the preliminary agenda
which do nothing; have the same effect as simply voting against the
motion; or render the motion ineffective or otherwise out of order.
Amendments for simple spelling or grammatical corrections shall also be
ruled out of order; though Standing Orders shall be empowered to make such
changes where the necessity is drawn to their attention (subject to
delegates being informed and approving of such change).
7. That any items for ADM and Conference shall not be accepted onto the
Agenda unless accompanied by a supporting statement or unless in the
opinion of Standing Orders it is self-explanatory.”
Agreed.
With these amendments the document “Terms of Reference of Committees and
Departments” was adopted.

8. Nominations of Committees and Departments
Various valid nominations had been received (i.e. with written proof of
nomination by a branch and written acceptance from the nominee). One
nomination was invalid because acceptance was not in writing (only
verbally to the branch secretary).
Advertising: Thomas and D. Chesham moved that J. Lee and J. Vein be
appointed. Agreed.
Archives: D. Chesham and Thomas moved: H. Comber and K. Scholey. Agd
Audiovisual: Thomas and Carter moved: D. Chesham, V. Otter, D. Poynton and
R. Whitfield. Agd.
Ballot: 4 nominations (F. Anderson, M. Browne, B. Johnston, K. Scholey)
received for the 3 members. D. Chesham and M. Chesham moved that Anderson,
Johnson and Scholey be appointed. Carried 4-3.
Blog: Thomas and D. Chesham moved: A. Johnstone, R. Stafford and G.
Taylor. Agd.
Campaigns: Shodoeke and Carter moved: D. Chesham, M. Chesham and N. White.
Agd.
Education: D. Chesham and Thomas moved that L. Higgins be appointed and
that a call for nomination of other member(s) be made. Agd.
Election: Carter and Shodoeke moved: A. Buick and B. Martin. Agd.
Enquiries: D. Chesham and Thomas moved: J. Lee and V. Otter. Agd.
Head Office Organiser: D. Chesham and M. Chesham moved: R. Lambert. Agd.
Internet: Thomas and Shodoeke moved: M. Culbert, T. Miller, D. Poynton and
R. Stafford. Agd.
Library: Thomas and Buick moved: H. Comber, B. Martin and S. Wigley. Lost
3-3.
D. Chesham and Shodoeke moved: H. Comber and B. Martin. Cd 3-2, 2
abstentions.
Buick and Thomas moved: S. Wigley. The chair ruled this motion out of
order. Buick and Thomas moved that the chair be directed to accept the
motion. Lost 2-3, 2 abstain.
Media: No nominations.
Membership Applications: D. Chesham and Shodoeke moved: P. Bennett, H.
Moss and G. Thomas. Agd
Premises: Thomas and M. Chesham moved: D. Chesham, H. Comber and J.
Shodoeke. Agd.
Publications: 3 nominations (N. McCullough, A. Stair, L. Stevens). Thomas
and D. Chesham moved “That consideration of the appointment of the
Publications Dept be deferred pending a letter to each nominee regarding
the alleged breakdown of relations in the 2009 dept”
Socialist Standard: Chesham and Shodoeke moved: A. Buick, D. Perrin and S.
Wigley (editorial) and O. Bond (distribution). Agreed and that a call be
made for Layout member(s).
Standing Orders: Thomas and D. Chesham moved: M. Brown, P. Deutz and K.
Scholey. Agd
Discussion on whether or not the Production for Use committee was a
standing or an ad hoc committee; in any event no nominations had been
received.
Thomas gave Notice that he would raise as Business at the next EC meeting
the question of the Party having an accredited Health and Safety Officer.

9. Accounts
Agreed to pay Lyreco (bubble envelopes) £54.42 and D. Chesham (various
items for Audiovisual and Campaigns) £136.48.

10. Forms A and F.
Forms F for D. Mills (Central) (lapsed address unknown) and P. McFarlane
(Central) (lapsed, no reply to letters re dues). D. Chesham and M. Chesham
moved acceptance. Agreed.

11. Reports from Party Officers, Committees and Depts.
(a) Election Dept reported that so far they had received two draft
manifestos for the coming general election. Consideration of drafts
deferred till next meeting. Further drafts are invited by then.
(b) Archives Dept reported they had completed box lists for Party leaflets
and flyers and asked EC permission to work on the membership records for
the period 1950-59. Thomas and M. Chesham moved that permission be
granted. Agreed.
(c) Campaign Dept reported that they had booked a display ad in the New
Camden Journal for the debate with the Adam Smith Institute in Conway Hall
on Thursday 4 February. A second insertion could be had for £90 + VAT.
Carter and Shodoeke moved that a second ad be inserted in the 4 February
issue. Agreed.
(d) Premises Committee reported that permission to redo the front of Head
Office had finally be granted; they raised the question of when it should
be done. EC members felt that before Conference and the general election
would be ideal, but left it to the committee to have it done as early as
proved practical.

12. Correspondence
(a) Glasgow Branch sent in the following resolution carried at their
meeting of 16 December:
“That the EC be informed that the notion of employing a paid worker to
carry out HO duties as outlined in the recent circular is in Glasgow
branch’s view completely indefensible. We are absolutely opposed to such a
move” (carried 10-0, 10 present).
Noted.
(b) Swansea branch wrote informing of the death of longstanding branch and
Party member, Vic Brain. An obituary was being prepared.

13. Date and chair of next meeting
Saturday 6 February at 13.00. Chair: Comrade Allen.

The meeting adjourned at 16.30

NOTICES

1. To Branch Secretaries: A Call for Nominations for Treasurer, Assistant
Secretary, Auditor, Education Department and Socialist Standard lay-out
member(s) is hereby made. Both the branch nomination and acceptance must
be writing (postal or email) and should arrive before 13.00 on Saturday 6
March.

2. The EC will be considering draft election manifestos at its meeting on
Saturday 6 February. Further drafts can be submitted up until that date.