A PDF version
of these minutes is available here.
Present:
M Browne, J Carter,
D Chesham, P Deutz, J Helps, T Miller, Stair, N White
Apologies: J
Bissett, S Easton
Visitors: M Chesham, B Johnson, D
Lambert, J Lawrie, L Stevens
The meeting was called to order at 13:14.
1. Election of Chair
(a) Agreed at previous meeting: Carter
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 May 2007 meeting minutes
Motion 1 (Deutz & Miller) BIRT in §2.iii, “8–0” be replaced
with “7–1”.
Agreed
Motion 2 (Chesham & Deutz) BIRT in §2.iii, “she had a meeting
with Cde Chesham” be
replaced with “she met with Cde Chesham after a propaganda meeting”.
Agreed
Motion 3 (Chesham & Helps) BIRT in §2(a)ii, “his actions had
not contravened the D of P” be replaced with “his actions had not
contravened the D of P and Party rules”, and that “he would apologise
if it could be shown that he did wrong” be replaced with “he would
apologise if it could be shown that he did something wrong”.
Agreed
Motion 4 (White & Chesham) BIRT in §2(c)i, everything after “A
lengthy debate followed” be deleted.
Agreed
Motion 5 (Deutz & Helps) BIRT the minutes as amended be adopted.
Carried 7–0–1
(b) Matters arising from the May 2007 meeting
i. The Assistant Secretary submitted a list of Party Officers,
Appointees, and Department and Committee Members reflecting the latest
successful nominations.
[At this point it was agreed to depart from the agenda to consider
§6c, the Report
from the Ballot Committee (q. v.).]
ii. Alan Brady Smith (§2(c)2)
A. It was reported that Alan Brady Smith left Head Office the week of 6
May.
B. Resolution from Swansea Branch (14 May): “In relation to the present
circumstances
of Alan Brady Smith should there be any adverse condition regarding
accommodation
that the Executive Committee offer temporary accommodation to him at
Head Office,to be reviewed on a monthly basis.”
Motion 6 (Chesham & Stair) BIRT the EC note the resolution from
Swansea Branch
and consider that this matter is now closed.
Carried 8–0
C. Chesham raised the issue that Smith still had keys to Head Office
and indicated that they should be returned. Stair reported that he had
attempted to get the keys back via the Central Organiser.
Motion 7 (Chesham & White) BIRT the Assistant Secretary send a
letter to Alan
Brady Smith asking for the return of the keys to the premises and
requesting that he
remove his personal belongings from Head Office at his earliest
opportunity.
Carried 8–0
A discussion ensued regarding changing the locks on the inner and outer
doors.
D. Johnson claimed Smith was owed money for cleaning the premises.
Stair & Miller
said he was not.
iii. Nominations for General Purposes Committee (§2(d)i). None
received.
Members questioned the need for a GPC, suggesting that instead the
Treasurer could do with another assistant.
Motion 8 (Deutz & Browne) BIRT the EC consult with the Treasurer
and Head Office
Assistant on the absence of nominations for the General Purposes
Committee.
Carried 7–1
iv. Security breach at Head Office (§2(g)ii).
The Assistant Secretary’s report indicated that he had contacted the
member concerned, and that their version of events differed from those
presented to the last EC meeting. A discussion ensued as to whether the
Assistant Secretary should issue the warning in light of the
discrepancies.
Motion 9 (Miller & Chesham) BIRT notwithstanding the explanations
given by the member concerned, the EC considers that a formal warning
should be issued to the member concerning the 24 April security breach.
For: Carter, Miller, White, Deutz, Browne, Chesham. Against: none.
Abstaining: Stair, Helps.
Carried 6–0–2
v. Auditor’s Report (§2(i)i) has been located; it had been filed
on the Head Office computer prior to Conference.
Motion 10 (Browne & Carter) BIRT the report be circulated as part
of the EC minutes.
Agreed
3. Forms A
(a) Christian McCormack
Motion 11 (Browne & Carter) BIRT the Form A for Christian McCormack
be accepted.
Agreed
4. Written report of the General Purposes Committee
• None received.
5. Accounts
Motion 12 (Browne & Miller) BIRT the accounts for January and
February 2007 be accepted.
Agreed
6. Reports of Subcommittees and Departments; discussion of campaigns
and The Socialist Standard
(a) Report from the Publications Department (30 April; deferred in part
from last month’s meeting)
Motion 13 (Miller & Browne) BIRT the Publications Department be
instructed to include in the forthcoming publications catalogue all
those books and pamphlets listed in Table 2 of the May 2007
Publications Department report, along with a disclaimer indicating that
the Party does not necessarily endorse them.
Carried 8–0
A member of the Publications Department orally reported that an artist
had agreed to design at no charge a cover for An Inconvenient Question,
and that feedback on the text had been received from Received comments
from Deutz and Adam Buick.
(b) Oral report from the Campaigns Department
Lawrie informed the meeting that there had been two Department
meetings. Bissett was to have provided a written report to the EC on
the Department’s activity and on their questionnaire, but no report was
received. Lawrie was concerned that other members did not seem to know
the remit of the Department and some of them were holding up the work
of the Department. He no longer wished to be in the Department.
Motion 14 (Miller & Chesham) BIRT the Campaigns Department be
disbanded and a new call for nominations be made.
For: Helps, Miller. Against: White, Deutz, Carter, Stair, Browne.
Abstaining: Chesham.
Failed 2–5–1
Motion 15 (White & Stair) BIRT in view of the Campaigns
Department’s present difficulties, they be asked to report to the July
EC on their future plans and problems.
Carried 8–0
(c) Report from the Ballot Committee on Conference voting (2 June)
Motion 16 (Browne & Deutz) BIRT the General Secretary contact the
relevant Departments
and Officers to implement the resolutions.
Agreed
(d) Discussion of campaigns
• None.
(e) Discussion of The Socialist Standard
Notice of Business 1 (Miller) The EC shall discuss copyright licences
for images used in The Socialist Standard.
7. Correspondence
(a) Matters of urgency
• None.
(b) Correspondence from or concerning Branches, the Party in general,
and members
i. Conference floor resolution from Lawrie (Central London) &
Johnson (Swansea): “This Conference urges the EC to organise a
speaker’s class.” Carried: 7–4
Motion 17 (Miller & Helps) BIRT the resolution be referred to the
Campaigns Department.
Failed 3–4–1
Motion 18 (White & Carter) BIRT the EC ask the Central Organiser to
procure an up to-
date Party speakers list from the Campaigns Department and to convene
an ad-hoc
committee of competent Party speakers to set up speakers’ classes in
accordance with the Conference floor resolution.
Carried 8–0
ii. Letter from Fred Allen regarding the 2007 Conference (9 April).
Allen thanked those who arranged the food at Conference but suggested
that in future Head Office rather than the Manor Arms be used for the
social evening.
Motion 19 (Miller & Stair) BIRT the EC thanks Cde Allen for his
letter and endorses his
recommendations.
Agreed
iii. The following correspondence was received concerning committee
nominations:
A. Letter from Brain Johnson self-nominating for the Premises and
Ballot Committees
(26 April)
B. Letter from Jim Lawrie self-nominating to the Premises Committee (4
May)
C. Resolution from Swansea Branch nominating B Johnson for the Premises
and Ballot
Committees (15 May)
Motion 20 (Browne & Deutz) BIRT the EC accept B Johnson’s
nomination to the Ballot
Committee.
Stair said that he had heard that Johnson had interefered with a ballot
in the
past, and wanted to be apprised of the circumstances. Browne replied
that that
Johnson did not interfere with a ballot; the incident concerned the
supporting
statement for a nomination. Johnson and another comrade were both
nominated
for a position and submitted supporting statements. Johnson disputed
the other
candidate’s supporting statement on the basis that it was not factual,
and as a
result the EC cancelled the ballot.
Motion 21 (Chesham) BIRT the Chair be directed to allow consideration
of a
motion to defer the current motion.
Carried 5–3
Motion 22 (Chesham & Stair) BIRT the question of Cde Johnson’s
nomination
to the Ballot Committee be deferred pending contact with the other
standing
member of the Ballott Committee, and that the EC call for further
nominations to
the Ballott Committee.
For: White, Stair, Helps, Chesham. Against: Miller, Deutz, Carter,
Browne. Abstaining:
None.
Failed 4–4
Vote on original motion:
For: Carter, Deutz, Helps Browne, White. Against: Stair, Chesham.
Abstaining: Miller.
Carried 5–2–1
The question of whether the Premises Committee needed another member
was discussed at length.
Motion 23 (Chesham & White) BIRT the EC, in consideration of the
two nominations
to the Premises Committee, considers that in view of his proximity to
the premises,
Cde Lawrie be appointed.
For: Miller, White, Chesham, Browne, Helps, Stair. Against: None.
Abstaining: Carter, Deutz.
Carried 6–0–2
iv. Resolution from Manchester Branch (21 May): “That the EC consider
installing a keypad lock system at Head Office.”
The EC supposed that this resolution arose out of the recent security
breach, and agreed that the Assistant Secretary should reply in
accordance with the facts.
v. Report from the Assistant Secretary (26 May).
According to the report, the LSE Library would scan The Socialist
Standard microfilm for 0.27 pence per frame, for a total of
£22.16 + VAT. The electronic display in the Head Office front
window had been installed but was currently in for repairs. The Head
Office router malfunctioned and an emergency replacement was purchased
for £99.
Agreed to note.
vi. Letter from the General Secretary regarding film production
equipment (26 May)
Motion 24 (Miller & Stair) BIRT the report be referred to the Video
Production Department.
Carried 8–0
vii. Letter from the General Secretary regarding absence from the next
two meetings due in part to local activities (26 May)
There ensued a discussion about the nature of the community action
groups the General Secretary was involved with, and about the propriety
of the General Secretary suspending Head Office activity for two months.
Motion 25 (Browne & Carter) BIRT Cde Bissett be granted leave of
absence for the two EC meetings.
Carried 6–0–2
viii. Letter from Roy Beat resigning from the Library Committee (30
May). Noted.
White offered to serve as a librarian, but did not want to serve on the
Library Committee.
Motion 26 (Miller & Chesham) BIRT given the Library Committee’s
lack of activity and
failure to report to Conference and to the EC, the EC hereby disbands
the Library Committee and calls for new nominations.
Carried 5–0–3
Motion 27 (Miller & Stair) BIRT the EC appoint Nick White as
pro-tem librarian.
Carried 8–0
ix. Report on Actions Taken Pursuant to the 1995 Conference Resolution
Concerning the Protection of the Party’s Identity and Funds.
According to the report, the Socialist Studies group publically
proclaimed their intention to continue to use the name of the Socialist
Party of Great Britain. They had resumed advertising in our name in
magazines and via leaflets. These ads announced a public meeting at the
Marchmont Community Centre, apparently in contravention of their
contract.
Members observed Harry Baldwin (also of the Socialist Studies group)
speaking
from an SPGB platform in Hyde Park and using abusive language to
members of the public.
Finally, the World Socialist Party (India) published an online petition
giving false
contact details for the SPGB.
It was agreed that the Assistant Secretary should once again write to
The New Statesman to attempt to persuade them not to allow spurious
advertisements in our name.
It was agreed that the Assistant Secretary should write to iPetitions
to have the false Party contact details removed from the online
petition.
The EC discussed a proposal to prepare a leaflet disavowing any
connection between the Party and Mr Baldwin.
Motion 28 (Chesham & Helps) BIRT the Assistant Secretary contact
the manager of Hyde Park to resolve the issue of spurious Party
speakers in Speakers’ Corner.
Carried 7–0–1
Motion 29 (Deutz & Carter) BIRT the Assistant Secretary contact the
Socialist Studies
group to complain about Harry Baldwin’s abusive behaviour in the name
of the SPGB in Speakers’ Corner.
Carried 7–0–1
Motion 30 (Stair & Carter) BIRT the question of issuing a leaflet
about Harry Baldwin
be deferred one month.
Carried 7–0–1
(c) Forms F received for Pat Bentley (Central), lapsed; Phil Bentley
(Central), laspsed; EW Pike (Central), loss of contact; P Lawrence
(South London), deceased.
Motion 31 (Stair & Browne) BIRT consideration of the Bentleys’
Forms F be deferred one month.
Agreed
Motion 32 (Deutz & Browne) BIRT Pike’s and Lawrence’s Forms F be
accepted.
Agreed
(d) Correspondence from Companion Parties and Groups
The following correspondence was received and noted.
i. WSPNZ minutes for March 2007
ii. WSPNZ minutes for April 2007
iii. SPC Newsletter for April 2007
iv. SPC Newsletter for May 2007
(e) All other correspondence
i. Notices of Business and Notices of Motion
Notice of Business 2 (Stair) The EC shall discuss the purchase of a
hearing induction
loop.
Notice of Motion 1 (Miller & Browne) BIRT the Executive Committee’s
Normal Order of Business be amended as follows:
• Replace “(c) Forms A” with “(c) Forms A and F”.
• Replace “(f) Reports of subcommittees and departments” with “(f)
Reports of party
officers, party appointees, subcommittees, and departments”.
• Insert after (g) “(h) Any other business”.
• Replace “(h) That the Chair for the next meeting be nominated at the
previous meeting”
with “(i) Nomination of Chair for the next meeting”.
Notice of Motion 2 (Stair & Helps) BIRT the regular meeting of the
EC shall be on the
first Saturday of the month at 13:00, and that the EC’s Standing Orders
be so amended.
ii. It was agreed to hold the next meeting on 7 July at 13:00, and that
the Assistant Secretary should notify The Socialist Standard Department
of same.
iii. White reminded everyone of a special South London Branch meeting
on Saturday, 9 June at 15:00, the purpose of which is to discuss the
prospects of holding a series of public debates.
8. Chair for next meeting: Dave Chesham
With no further business to discuss, the meeting adjourned at 19:07.
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