Present: Browne (Chair),
Deutz, Helps, Scholey, Stair, White.
Apologies received for: Carter and Easton
Also in attendance: Non-EC members Bissett (General Secretary, taking
minutes), Miller (Assistant Secretary), Thomas (Treasurer).
1. Report on Voting of the Annual Ballot.
a) There were 358 ballot papers issued and 121 returned (34%).
b) The votes for Party Officers were (figures in brackets following
name of candidate):
J Bissett - General Secretary (119-0), T Miller - Assistant Secretary
(114-3), G Thomas - Treasurer (120-0), F Allen - Assistant Treasurer
(116-1), A Buick - Central Organiser (121-0), H Moss - Auditor (120-0),
S Wilcox - Trustee (120-1).
c) The votes for the 8 candidates standing for the EC were: M Browne
(115-1), J Cater (117-0), P Deutz (118-0), S Easton (116-0), J Helps
(112-2), K Scholey (110-3), Stair (115-1), N White (111-3).
d) White & Stair: "That the report of the Ballot Committee be
accepted." Carried: 6-0.
e) Three nominations had been received for the two remaining EC
vacancies. The candidates are: J Bissett, T Miller, S Wigley.
f) Browne, speaking for the Ballot Committee, was unhappy that many
ballot papers were opened before being placed in the ballot box at HO.
It was argued that some members felt uncomfortable returning ballot
papers that could be seen by others prior to being placed in the ballot
box. The meeting was informed that not all ballot papers were clearly
marked on the outside of the envelope and that ballot papers were
sometimes accompanied by cheques and other enclosures. Browne further
requested that candidates for the two EC vacancies do not open any mail
that is not addressed to them for the duration of the ballot.
2. Amendment and Adoption of Previous EC Minutes
a) Stair & Browne: "That the minutes be adopted as a true record."
Agreed
3. Matters Arising from Previous Minutes.
a) Gen Sec's notice of business from the November 206 EC Meeting -
Remit of the Research Department. Bissett queried the work and title of
the department. The department's terms of reference listed a remit
inclusive of collecting research material, acquiring books and
pamphlets for resale to members, preparing educational material,
organising educational classes and schools and running the Party
Library. The Research Dept. actually only carried out the latter task.
The Department needed renaming and its Terms of Reference should
reflect the work it actually did.
i) Stair & Scholey: "That there be two departments replacing the
existing Research Department and that they be called the Library
Department and the Archives Department." Carried: 6-0.
b) Treasurer's notice of business from the December 2006 EC Meeting:
Trustee's Terms of Reference. In referring to the Terms of Reference
for Party Trustees, set out by Conference in 1976, Thomas recognised
that the EC had no power to alter them but was arguably authorised to
interpret them and meet the costs in interpreting them. Term 3,
relating to the Trustee's responsibility for deeds, insurance policies
and other documents relating to the same, was open to various
interpretations. The Treasurer suggested the most suitable
interpretation was that the Trustees be physically given the deeds and
insurance polices as directed by the EC. He further recommended that
the Trustees be asked to deposit the deeds and insurance polices in a
bank safety deposit box, that the Trustees be asked to ensure that in
the case of their death arrangements are in place for the return of the
deeds to the Party and that the cost of such actions be met by the
Party. The ensuing discussion focused on how best to protect the deeds
and insurance policies, concerns being expressed about keeping deeds
and insurance policies at the Trustees' homes.
i) Stair & Scholey: "That the Party deeds be kept in a fixed safe
built into the concrete floor of the basement and that a notarised copy
be kept with the Trustee." Carried: 4 for, 2 against.
c) Regarding the Form A the EC had returned to the Membership
Department at the December meeting. The item was considered with an
email from Cde Porter of the Membership Department, dated 12/12/06,
with an accompanying letter that had been sent to the membership
applicant with regards Questions 3 and 10 of the membership
questionnaire and clarifying the applicant's views. Cde Porter had
copied to the EC the applicant's response - namely his acceptance of
our position and his increasing familiarity with our case - and asked
the EC to reconsider.
i) Scholey & Browne: "That the matter be deferred one month for the
Form A and original answers to be before the EC. Lost: 1 for, 5 against.
ii) Stair & Scholey: "That the General Secretary be asked to send
an encouraging letter to the membership applicant and that in light of
further information he be asked to resubmit a freshly answered
questionnaire.
" Carried: 5 for, 1 abstaining.
d) Correspondence was received regarding the EC's termination of Cde
Grant's membership at the November 2006 EC meeting.
i) Letter from Assistant Secretary, dated 13/12/06, with copied letter
that was sent to Cde Goodman of West London Branch.
ii) Resolution from Manchester Branch, dated 12/12/06: re. item, 6
(Form A) of December EC Minutes: "That the EC be asked why Comrade
Grant has been lapsed." Carried 6-0 (6 present).
iii) Resolution from West London Branch, dated 4/12/06: "Further to Cde
Eddie Grant's Form F (items 7d and 2.b.i of November EC Minutes
respectively),
West London Branch has since been astonished to learn that Cde Grant
and his wife were unaware of the decision of Central London Branch to
lapse him and certainly did not tender his resignation. In fact, Feriha
Grant is shocked and disgusted by the action and its endorsement by the
EC. The explanatory letter Cde Goodman received in response to her
protest suggests that a need to reduce the branch's quorum number was
the motive for lapsing, which is questionable at best and unacceptable
in Cde Grant's case. Whether or not the matter is based on a
misunderstanding, we ask the EC to rescind its decision to accept the
Form F and, if necessary, recommend Cde Grant's transfer to our
branch." Carried 6-0 (3 members present, 3 members consulted
subsequently.
iv) The matter was discussed for over an hour at the EC table. This was
an emotive issue and it was evident branches and individual members
felt strongly about the lapsing of a much respected and long-time
member. Speaking as a member of Central London Branch, Cde Miller made
a verbal report in addition to his letter (cited above), explaining
that he had indeed been asked not to send further communication to Cde
Grant by his wife, that the branch intended no disrespect at all and
that the branch was acting within the rules. The meeting, in debating
how best to proceed, considered the Standing Orders and mooted moving a
notice of business to rescind the December resolution at the next
meeting. Other EC members argued that item 17 of EC standing Orders -
re. a motion of urgency to consider the matter now - should suffice.
Cde Miller objected to the motion of urgency and asked that Central
London Branch be consulted before taking action.
v) Scholey & Helps: moved urgency to settle the matter now.
Carried: 5 for, 1 abstaining.
vi) Scholey & Browne: "That the motion of November 2006,
lapsing/resigning E Grant's membership be rescinded." Carried: 5 for, 1
against. Division called for: all but Stair were for the motion.
vii) Deutz & White: "That in view of all the circumstances, the
Form F for Comrade Grant 'lie on the table'". Lost: 4 against, 2
abstaining.
viii) Helps & Scholey: "That Comrade Grant be transferred into West
London Branch." Carried: 3 for, 3 abstaining.
ix) Agreed the Secretary reply to Manchester Branch's resolution.
x) Assistant Secretary requested it be noted that Central London Branch
would have preferred to have been consulted on the matter.
e) Resolution from Manchester Branch, dated 12/12/06: "Manchester
Branch suggest that where a Form A is declined in the future, the
applicant's name not be included in the EC Minutes." (Carried 6-0, 6
present). Agreed to note.
4) Accounts
a) The accounts for July and August 2006 were presented to the meeting.
Noted - no queries raised.
5) Forms A
a) One Form A for Veronica Clanchey was received (long time Party
sympathiser). Agreed to accept.
6) Reports of Party Officers, Departments and Sub-Committees
a) Report of the Assistant Secretary, dated 4th January. Cde Miller's
report referred to a game show the Party had been invited to send a
representative, and possible debates with the National Front and Heiko
Khoo (a Trotskyist speaker). The report also cited Cde. Miller's
fact-finding visit to the Baltrop Archive and his work digitalising the
Socialist Standard archive. Other sections covered CRM/accounting
software, new letterheads, new telephones and a rear projection
display. Cde Miller asked the meeting to consider several points: 1)
the purchase of new phones at HO; 2) purchase of a digital projector
and screen; 3) purchase of a high speed scanner and 4) the purchase of
Document Express archiving software (for use in the digitalising of the
Standard archives). The meeting adjourned for 5 minutes to watch an
online video that demonstrated the benefits of the aforementioned
software.
i) Scholey & Helps: "The EC authorises the purchase of additional
telephones as recommended in the Assistant Secretary's report of
January 2007 to a maximum expenditure of £300." Carried: 6-0.
ii) Scholey & White: "That the whole report be deferred one month."
Carried: 6-0.
b) Report from the Assistant Secretary on Actions Taken Pursuant to the
1995 Conference Resolution Concerning the Protection of the Party's
Identity and Funds, dated 5th January. In particular, and in reference
to the claim by the Socialist Studies group's website that they were
the SPGB and that we were "the Clapham based Socialist Party", Cde
Miller sought EC direction on 2 points: a) is the EC satisfied that
this disclaimer, as worded, is sufficient to prevent confusion
regarding our identity? and b) if not, should the Assistant Secretary
once again attempt to have the claim that that it is operated by the
SPGB removed from the website?.
i) Scholey & White: "The EC instructs the Assistant Secretary once
again to have the claim that it is operated by the SPGB removed from
the Socialist Studies website." Carried: 4 for, 1 against, 1 abstaining.
ii) It was agreed that further consideration of the report be deferred
until the next EC meeting.
7. Correspondence from Branches, Companion Parties and Members
a) WSPNZ Minutesfor 9/11/06. Noted
b) SPC Newsletter for January 2007. Noted.
c) Letter from Bright Chikezie, Nigeria, requesting an invite to attend
ADM and confirming he would pay his own travel expenses. Agreed the
General Secretary would deal with the matter.
8. Outside Correspondence
a) Emails from Socialist Party of Sri Lanka dated, 12/12/06 and 4/1/06,
the first being a brief report of their recent National Committee
Meeting and the second relating to their constitution/political
statement that had been requested by the General Secretary. Noted.
b) Ten page document entitled The Political Resolution received from
the Socialist Party of Sri Lanka, received 6th January 2007. Agreed
that the General Secretary would reply.
c) Email from the Communist League, dated 1/1/07 and informing us that
the ex-Kabale members of the SPGB, which we were informed had joined
with the Communist League, had never in fact been a section of their
organisation, but a separate group with a similar name, and that the
Kabale group "began to break with us after we were not able to send
them money fast enough." Noted.
9. Form F. No Forms F presented to meeting.
10. Any Other Business
a) It was unclear whether or not the solicitor J Briggs, who had been
acting on behalf of the Party with regards the Pooley legacy, was
working free or sought payment for his services. It was agreed to ask
the Treasurer to reconfirm the position of J Briggs on the matter.
b) Stair, referring to the November EC meeting at which the matter of a
bookshop at the front of Head Office was raised, and at which the EC
felt there would be a problem in selling books not endorsed by the
Party, in so far as their content might violate the "hostility clause",
referred to a 1992 Conference resolution: "This Conference calls for a
volunteer to run a new and second hand bookshop at the front portion of
Head Office." Stair gave the meeting notice that at the February
meeting he would raise the matter of opening a bookshop at the front of
Head Office.
c) A request was made to the meeting for payment for this evening's
social. Agreed to pay the requested £62.99.*
d) Browne, for Standing Orders, put out a call for nominations to
departments, sub committees and EC appointees to be submitted by the
2nd February.
e) Browne, for Standing Orders, informed the meeting that all reports
from departments, sub committees, Party Officers and EC appointees be
in by 2nd February.
Meeting adjourned at 6.35 pm
Date of next Meeting: 3rd February, 2.00 pm
Chair: Stair.
* A collection taken at the social on the evening of the EC meeting
raised £47.29.
|