THE SOCIALIST PARTY
MINUTES OF THE 8TH MEETING OF THE 102ND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
HELD AT HEAD OFFICE ON 8TH AUGUST, 2005, AT 2.30 PM
Present: Bissett (Gen Sec), Carter, Lambert, Lawrence, Parker, Scholey,
Stair,
Thomas, Wigley.
Chair: Wigley.
1) EC Vacancy
1.1) One nomination had been received from Lancaster Branch for Cde
Mike Browne.
1.1.i) Agreed that Cde Browne be accepted on to the EC.
2) Amendment and Adoption of Previous EC Minutes
2.1) Thomas & Wigley: "That the August EC Minutes be adopted as a
true
record." Agreed: 6 for, 0 against, 2 abstaining.
3) Matters Arising from July 26th EC Meeting
3.1) Re. item 2.1.i of June 4th EC Minutes and 2.1 of June 26th EC
Minutes -
copied Emails from WSPUS and O'Brien (WSPA) to Cde Justus regarding
situation of
Ugandan Comrades. The Ugandan comrades had been confused by the wording
of a
communication from the General Secretary which had itself been in
response to
their letter, published in the June 4th Minutes, and in which it was
stated they
wished to: "operate as an independent group not part or branch of the
SPGB."
3.1.i) Thomas & Lambert: "That the General Secretary write to the
Ugandan
comrades regarding the misunderstanding and to ascertain the position
of the
Kabale group and their future relationship with the WSM." Agreed: for
7, 0
against, 2 abstaining.
3.2) Re. item 2.2 of June 26th EC Minutes - Treasurer writing to the
owners of
the property next door. The owners of the property next door were still
to
address the problem of a missing grille on their roof and how it was
causing a
blocking of a pipe on the roof of HO. During recent heavy rains a
blockage of
the pipe had caused water on the roof to overflow and come down the
walls at HO.
3.2.i) Treasurer informed meeting that he had since written to the
manager of
the property next door, copying the letter to the owners of the
premises.
3.3) Re. item 2.4.i) of June 26th EC Minutes - Internet Department and
departmental email addresses. The Internet Dept, responding to an
earlier EC
resolution on the matter, were proposing a system of recognisable and
uniform
email addresses, which could be set up either as aliases, which simply
forwarded
to another designated email address, or as their own email box which
would have
to be checked separately. Each officer/department could contact the
Internet
Dept. indicating their preferences. For the second option the ID would
provide
the officer or department representative with a password and necessary
server
info for sending and receiving email with the account. The report
further
included a financial statement, including costs for web hosting, media
digitisation, website graphics etc. The cost was £418.00
3.3.i) Thomas & Lambert: "The EC adopts the Internet Department
report of August
2005 and asks that the department's proposals be implemented in
January, and
that the report be circulated with the ADM report." Agreed: 9-0.
3.3.ii) Thomas & Stair: "This EC approves the payment of
£418.00 to Cde Miller
by Western Union." Agreed: 7 for, 1 against, 1 abstention.
3.4) Decorating costs. At a previous meeting the EC had agreed to spend
up to
£900.00 decorating head office. The time limit of three weeks had
since passed
and work was still ongoing. The General Secretary had, in the previous
week,
phoned around EC members for approval for the work to continue for
another two
weeks and now sought ratification of the phone-around agreement.
3.4.i) Lambert & Bissett: "That the EC ratifies the decision to
continue the
decorating until finished." Agreed: 8 for, 0 against, 1 abstaining.
3.5) Re. item 9.2.i of June 26th EC Minutes - previous request for
Internet
Department to provide terms of reference for proposed blogsite
creation. The EC
was yet to receive a reply on the matter.
3.5.i) Thomas & Parker: "That the General Secretary write again to
the Internet
Department regarding the blogsite terms of reference." Agreed: 8 for, 0
against,
1 abstaining.
3.6) Re. 8.1.ii of June 26th EC Minutes - dubious links on WSPNZ
website. A
previous communication from the WSPNZ had stated that the links to the
Socialist
Studies group and the WSPI were to be removed. The General Secretary,
following
a resolution passed at the June 26th EC meeting, had written to the
WSPNZ
asking for confirmation that the links were to be removed. To date
there had
been no response. It was suggested at the meeting that the links would
be found
acceptable if, say, they were placed under a heading: "links of
interest". The
EC's objection was with the aforementioned links being on the same page
as those
carrying links to the accepted companion parties of the WSM. The EC
further
queried whether the WSPNZ website was still being run by a non-member.
3.6.i) Thomas & Lambert: " That the matter be deferred until the
next meeting
and that the secretary write a comradely letter to the WSPNZ pointing
out our
concerns and offering our assistance with their website via bonafied
socialists
with web design skills." Agreed 9-0.
3.7) Email from South London Branch carrying a resolution that the
branch were
nominating Cde Lawrence for the Ad Hoc Committee to investigate the
need for a
New Party Journal .
3.7.i) Scholey & Bissett: "That Cde Lawrence's nomination be
accepted." Agreed:
8 for, 1 abstaining.
3.7.ii) Bissett & Wigley: "The EC considers the Ad Hoc Committee
suitably
constituted and asks that they act upon the relevant Conference
resolution and
report back to the EC and ADM." Agreed: 8 for, 1 abstaining.
4. Accounts
4.1) EC was presented with accounts from 3rd April through to 4th June.
The
Treasurer pointed out that it was difficult to produce totally accurate
accounts
as the Party had accounts at two banks, one of which gave a monthly
statement
and the other a quarterly statement. Treasurer informed meeting that he
had
enquired after online access to our account details but that the Party
was still
to secure access to this facility. Members of the EC raised the issue
of the
Party continuing to spend more each month than come in income.
4.1.i) Lambert & Carter: "That the Accounts be accepted." Agreed 9-0
5. Forms A None
6. Reports from Party Officers, Departments and Sub-Committees
6.1) Progress of Video Production Dept with the DVD. Bissett made a
verbal
report. The DVD master had been sent to the DVD manufacturers along
with the
artwork (DVD label, jacket design for black case and 4/4 insert). The
entire
cost for 1000 DVDs would be £1180 + VAT. Noted.
6.1.i) Agreed to consider text for the DVD insert under Any Other
Business.
6.2) Internet Dept report (as noted above at 3.5). The report further
referred
to website redesign and online media indexing. Report had also been
posted in
Spintcom. Noted.
7. Correspondence from Branches, Companion Parties and Members
7.1) WSPUS Minutes for May 9th and June 6th. Noted.
7.2) Letters from R Cook 27th July and 3rd August regarding summary of
fees paid
for Fircroft College (Summer School) and monies left to pay.
7.2.i) Thomas & Stair: "That the Treasurer write to Cde Cook
expressing the EC's
hope that Birmingham Branch will be able to organise a Summer School
again next
year, particularly in view of the enjoyable event this year." Agreed
9-0.
7.3) Email from Allan Goldsmith, 25th July, self nominating for the
Internet and
Publications Departments and referring to previous correspondence with
the
Publications Department on the issue of a bookmark design.
7.3.i) Bissett and Parker: "That the self-nomination be accepted."
Agreed 9-0.
7.4) Letter from Central London Branch, undated, stating that on 25th
July the
branch passed a resolution: "Central London Branch requests the EC to
arrange
the printing of a suitable number of bookmarks as per specimen."
7.4.i) Bissett, referring to the resolution, pointed out that the
matter was
already in hand.
7.5) Letter from R Cook, Birmingham Branch, in lieu, of Forms A,
stating that
Cdes Matt Vaughan Wilson and Lynn Wright had resigned.
7.5.i) Agreed to refer matter to Central Organiser.
9. Any Other Business
9.1) Flooring. The HOO had investigated the cost of having the entire
first
floor resurfaced with laminate flooring. The carpet on the balcony was
in a
poor condition and the canvas flooring in the main office was full of
patched
holes. The Gen Sec pointed out the health and safety problems posed by
the
flooring in its current condition. Based on a flooring space of 61 sq
metres,
one team of floorers had quoted us a figure of £3,000 to replace
it with good
quality laminate flooring. Yet another had quoted £1,900
inclusive of labour.
One issue raised at the meeting was whether the instalment of a shower
at HO was
of more practical importance than flooring.
9.1.i) Bissett & Thomas moved: "That up to £2,500 be spent on
flooring."
9.1.ii) Lawrence & Parker moved an amendment: "That the
£2,500 figure be changed
to £2,100"
9.1.iii) It was felt that if a figure of £1900 was quoted, there
was no need to
agree to spend up to £600 more on the flooring. Members in
support of the
initial resolution pointed out that this did not mean that all the money
allocated would be spent, but it could save time having to bring the
matter back
to the EC if work started and problems arose which had not been
foreseen and
which necessitated the spending of more money.
9.1.iv) On the resolution proposed by Parker & Lawrence (at 9.1.ii
above): 3
for, 6 against. Amendment lost
9.1.v) On the resolution as originally proposed: 6 for, 2 against, 1
abstaining.
9.2) The text for the DVD insert was presented to the EC, the artwork
and DVD
master having already been sent to the manufacturers. The EC debate on
the
matter was heated and lasted some 2 hours. Members were in general
agreement
that the text on the DVD was alright, but that changes needed to be
made, not
least being a mention of the Party and what we stand for. Bissett, on
behalf of
the VPD , argued that the insert was there to introduce the film and
that it was
the film which introduced the Party case; that a previous EC resolution
had only
referred to the Party name and web link appearing on the DVD jacket
design (it
now appeared on DVD label, insert and jacket).
9.2.i) Lawrence & Scholey: "That the text of the insert be referred
back to the
Video Department and that they be requested to include a reference to
the
Socialist Party, 'Socialism' and what we mean by common ownership,
democratic
control and production solely for use." For 4, against 5. A division
was called
for. For: Carter, Lawrence, Scholey and Thomas. Against: Bissett,
Stair, Parker,
Lambert and Wigley.
9.2.ii) Stair & Parker: " That the reference to pets on the insert
be removed."
9.2.iii) Debate ensued as to whether the EC were setting down new
publication
policy, whether we were now going beyond the remit of the EC by
demanding
sentences be removed.
9.2.iv) Parker & Lambert: "That the chair accept the motion
proposed by Stair
and Parker." For 5, against 2, abstaining 2. Another division was
called for.
For: Stair, Parker, Scholey, Lambert and Carter. Against: Lawrence and
Thomas.
Abstaining: Bissett and Wigley.
9.2.v) The vote on the reference to pets was taken (9.2.ii above): for
3,
against 6. A division was called for again. For: Stair, Parker and
Carter.
Against. Bissett, Lambert, Lawrence, Thomas, Scholey and Wigley. Motion
lost.
9.2.vi) Lambert & Parker: "That the EC accept the text of the
insert as it
stands." For 4, Against 4, Abstaining 1. A Division was yet again
called for.
For: Bissett, Parker, Lambert and Wigley. Against: Carter, Lawrence,
Scholey and
Thomas. Abstaining: Stair. Motion was lost.
9.2.vii) Scholey & Carter: "That the DVD be issued without an
insert." For 3,
Against 3, Abstaining 2. 1 member had by now left the table. A division
was
called for. For: Carter, Thomas and Lawrence. Against: Bissett, Scholey
and
Parker. Abstaining: Stair and Wigley. Motion lost.
9.2.viii) Lawrence & Stair: "That the insert be endorsed subject to
'by
progress, what we mean is socialism, a society based on common
ownership,
democratic control and production solely for use' being inserted in the
final
paragraph." For 6, against 2. A division was called for. For: Carter,
Lawrence,
Parker, Wigley, Stair and Thomas. Against: Bissett and Scholey.
With no further business to discuss the meeting adjourned at 6.15pm
Chair for next Meeting: Stair
Date of next meeting: Saturday, September 3rd, 2pm at head office.
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