The Socialist Party. Minutes of the 12th Meeting of the 102nd Executive
Committee held at Head Office on 3rd December, 2005, at 2.15pm.
Present: Wigley, Lawrence (acting sec), Browne, Thomas, Scholey, Lambert.
Apologies - Janet Carter, Parker, Bisset (In hospital), Stair (party business).
1. Chair agreed at previous meeting, Simon Wigley.
2. Amendment, Adoption of previous minutes and Matters arising.
2.1) Amendment. Item 3.1.i - that January 1906 read January 2006. It was
agreed that the corrected minutes be adopted.
2.2.i) Matters arising. Re item 2.1 of October EC Minutes. Comrade Tristan
Miller staying at Head Office. Resolution - Browne/Lambert - "That Comrade
Miller's offer to do Party work at Head Office be accepted and that he be
reimbursed out of pocket expenses as per other party volunteers; that is, public
transport costs and a daily meal allowance of £7." Carried 5 - 1
2.2.ii) Resolution - Thomas/Browne - "That Comrade Stair's letter of the 25th
November regarding Head Office arrangements to accommodate Comrade Miller's
visit be endorsed" carried 5 - l. (This was for the purchase of a bed, etc., and
for making the Gen Sec's office available to Comrade Miller for the length of
his stay.)
2.2.iii) Resolution - Thomas/Lawrence - "That the arrangements regarding Comrade
Miller's visit be reviewed one month after he starts and subsequently every two
months." Carried 5 - 0.
(The scope of the work proposed by Comrade Miller includes an electronic library
and index of the Party's entire publication history, including the Socialist
Standard back to l904; maintenance and expansion of any or all of the Companion
Party's web sites; typesetting and editing new editions of Party publications
(books, pamphlets, periodicals); building an electronic catalogue of the SPGB
Head Office library).
3.) Re 2.3 of November minutes. WSPNZ web site which continues to refer to the
Party as "The Socialist Party - Clapham". Resolution Browne and Thomas "That the
matter lie on the table" carried 6 - 0.
4) Kabale Group (Uganda) - Money requested for purchase of photo-copier.
4.1) Resolution from Manchester Branch. "That the Branch urge the EC not to
send large cash donations to overseas groups." Carried 4 - 0. 6 members
present.
4.2) Resolution - Lawrence/Scholey - "That the matter be deferred pending
clarification of the amount of money sent to Uganda by comrades in America and
what happened to it." Lost 2- 4. Division - For, Lawrence, Scholey. Against -
Thomas, Wigley, Lambert and Browne.
4.3) Resolution - Browne/Thomas - "This EC, having read the report of the
Central Organiser, and having noted the resolution from Manchester Branch,
resolves to grant the sum of £800 to the comrades in Uganda, so that comrades
can work to organised for socialist activity." Carried 4 - 2. Division - For
Thomas, Wigley, Lambert and Browne. Against Lawrence and Scholey.
5) Nominations. Resolution - Browne/Thomas - "That a call for nominations for
the vacant posts of Assistant Secretary, Assistant Treasurer, Auditors (2),
Trustees (2), and 4 vacant EC posts be made, return date to be the January EC
meeting." - Agreed.
5.1) Resolution Browne/Thomas - "That a call for nominations for all
Departments, Subcommittees, EC appointees, be made. Return date to be the
January EC meeting." agreed.
6) Letter and text received from Comrade Parker on his proposal for a pamphlet
with the title - "From Capitalism to Socialism - A Practical Alternative"
This would merge the two pamphlets, "From Capitalism to Socialism" and
"Socialism as a Practival Alternative." It would also draw on texts from other
Party literature. Resolution Lambert/Thomas - "That this item be deferred one
month to await a report from the Publications Department." Carried 6 - 0.
7) Additional cost of shower pump for the shower to be installed at Head Office.
Resolution - Thomas/Lambert - "That the phone-around approval of £230 for a
shower pump be ratified." agreed,
8) Accounts. The Treasurer submitted accounts for July. It was agreed that
the accounts be adopted.
8.1) The Treasurer reported on a bequest for £10,000 received by the Party from
the estate of Gladys Florence Oliver. The letter to the Party from the
Executrices included Ms. Oliver's words as follows - "I give to the Socialist
Party of Gt Britain of 52 Clapham High St, London SW4, as a bequest on behalf of
my friends the late Jack Thurston and Ivy Thurston to whom their cause meant so
much, the sum of Ten Thousand Pounds (£10,000)"
8.2) The Treasurer reported on the water damage to Head Office from the
neighbouring property and a letter he had received from the owner. Comrade
Thomas agreed to report further.
9) Membership of Martin Fasanya. (Gambia) The EC lapsed this comrade in
October through apparent loss of contact. He has since said he wishes his
membership to continue. Resolution - Thomas/Lambert - "That the resolution
lapsing Comrade Martin Fasanya be rescinded." Agreed.
10) Branches. Reports received from Comrade Stair and from Comrade Buick,
Central Organiser, on the proposed formation of an East Anglia Branch. A
meeting was held in Norwich on November 5th attended by 7 members. 5 of whom
were committed to the formation of the new branch with a further 3 members, not
present, also in support. This has fulfilled the requirements of Rule 7 on the
formation of new branches. Resolution - Thomas/Wigley - "That this EC moves
that the formation of an East Anglia Regional Branch be endorsed and sanctioned
as per rule 7, and that this development be warmly welcomed." Agreed.
10,1) The Central Organiser reported on plans by North East Branch to revive
itself from January. The Comrades requested a grant of £90 to pay for a meeting
room for Jan, Feb and March, after which the Branch hopes to be financially self
sufficient. Resolution - Scholey/Thomas - "That the request from North East
Branch for £90 be granted." Agreed.
10.2) In item 3 in his report the Central Organiser proposed that the comrades
in Kimbale, Uganda be constituted as a Branch. Resolution Lambert/Browne - "That
the Central Organiser be asked to proceed with item 3, and report to the January
EC, ie, the constitution of the Uganda comrades as a Branch." Agreed.
11) WSPNZ EC minutes for the 13th. October were read and noted.
12) Summer school at Fircroft College. Letter from Comrade Ron Cook saying
that he had negotiated to keep the costs down to the old price but had agreed
to a deposit of £960. The target figure is for 40 members or sympathisers to
attend. There will be a change of dates from the 2nd. week end in July to the
third week-end. Resolution Brown/Thomas - "That the deposit for £960 for the
Summer School be paid" Agreed.
13) WSPUS minutes for 24th October were read and noted. The minutes reported
the death of Comrade Bill Hewitson of Santa Maria, California, a long standing
member of the World Socialist Movement who was originally from Canada.The
minutes say - "He contributed his thoughts on socialism in folksy, rambling
compilations he called "Musings."
14) Forms F. Louise Andrews, Central London, lapsed. James Pooley, Central
London, resigned. H. Bilkus, Central London, deceased. David Dickinson,
Central London, lapsed. Jonathan Reeves, Central London, lapsed. Richard
Rainsferd, Manchester, resigned. Resolution "That the Forms F be accepted"
Agreed.
14.1) Form F for H. Bilkus. Resolution - Lawrence/Browne - "That the Form F for
H. Bilkus be referred to the SSPC for a possible obituary." Agreed.
15) Letter from Comrade Chikezie Nwadiogu (Nigeria) with his intention to
attend Annual Conference 2006. Resolution - Browne/Lambert - "That Chikezie
Nwadiogu's request to attend Annual Conference at his own expense be noted and
the Gen Sec be requested to liaise with the comrade re an official letter of
invitation." Carried 6 - 0.
16) Letter from Bigboy Musemwa requesting a reply to his previous letter.
Resolution - Thomas/Browne - "That the General Secretary advise the
correspondent that the EC declines to deal with the matter." Agreed.
17) Letter from Indymedia concerning the Party's DVD, "Capitalism and Other
Kids Stuff." Resolution - Lambert/Browne - "That the item be deferred one
month." Agreed.
18) It was agreed that Comrade Gwynn Thomas be in the chair for the January
meeting.
Adjournment 5.45pm.
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