THE SOCIALIST PARTY MINUTES OF THE 3rd MEETING OF THE 102ND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE HELD AT HEAD OFFICE ON 5TH MARCH AT 2005 AT 2.15 PM Present: Bissett (Gen. Sec.), Carter, Lambert, Parker, Scholey (Chair), Stair, Thomas (late) Wigley. Apologies received from: Lawrence, Shannon, 1.  Amendment and Adoption of Previous EC Minutes 1.i) Wigley & Scholey: "That the minutes be adopted as a true record." Agreed. 2. Matter Arising 2.1.i)  Re. item 3.1c of February EC Minutes: PA System. Secretary made a verbal report to the meeting on a PA system (one of three) he had sought info on, it being a "Carlsboro Traveller DSP, the cost being £299 inclusive of VAT. The system included 2 speakers and stands, 2 mics and leads, and an amplifier. Members were shown a print out of the system and its contents (which can be seen at: http://www.prosound-uk.com/showproductdetails.php?PID=97) 2.1.ii)  Wigley & Scholey: "That this EC authorises the cost of the PA System and that steps be taken to purchase it in time for Conference". Agreed, 5 for, 2 abstentions. 2.2.i) Re. item 6.1 of February EC Minutes: Stolen cheque book.  Treasurer had not arrived. Agreed to defer. 3  Accounts. deferred - Treasurer had not yet arrived 4.  Forms A. 4.1.i) One form A for Nick Davis, returned by Membership Dept. 4.1.ii) The applicant had previously been a member of the Socialist Party and had been lapsed for non-payment of dues. Wigley & Parker: "That the Form A be approved, subject to payment or waiving of outstanding dues and the matter be referred to the Central Organiser." Agreed 7-0. 5.  Reports of Officers, Departments and Sub-Committees The following were late reports to Conference: 5.1.i) Report of WSCC. Wigley & Parker: "Agree to accept". Agreed 7-0 5.1ii) Report of Spintcom/Spopen Moderator from S Wigley, who had also submitted a short report as last year's Central Organiser. Cde Wigley pointed out that further to his report to ADM and up until January of this year when a new Central Organiser was appointed there was nothing to add  and that the contribution was not a report as such, hence its brevity. Parker and Scholey: "Agree to accept." Agreed 7-0 5.1.iii) Report of Ad Hoc Committee on Party Business Meeting Classes. Wigley & Parker: "Agree to accept." Agreed 7-0. 5.1.iv) Library Dept. report. Wigley & Lambert: "Agree to Accept. 5.2.i) Draft election leaflet for Vauxhall Parliamentary Constituency received from Election Department (this had previously been posted on Spintcom) with a request for the sum of £2,200 to fight the election campaign (deposit, printing and other expenses). 5.2.ii) After considering the leaflet for some time, Wigley & Parker moved: "That since the election statement submitted contains errors, this EC cannot approve of the election statement submitted; that it be referred back to the Election Department for amendment as a matter of urgency, and that the Election Dept. resubmit their statement not later than Sunday 13th March to the General Secretary." Agreed 8-0.  5.2.iii) Considering the urgency of  getting the leaflet produced in time, the EC agreed that another meeting need not be convened to approve the changes to the text of the leaflet, and that this could be done with the Gen Sec emailing the corrected leaflet to EC members and or phoning the EC members. 5.2.iv)  Parker & Bissett: "That the Election Dept's request for £2,200 be approved." Agreed 7-1. 5.2.v)  Email from Election Department (1/3/05) copying to the EC an email from S Colborn (1/3/05) who was requesting Party approval to contest the Deneside, Seaham ward in the Durham County Council elections. The Election Department were recommending that the seat be contested so long as it was done under the auspices of the North East Branch. 5.2.vi)  Bissett, also Secretary of North East Branch, informed the EC that the NE Barnch had not met since January and that it had been difficult to get a branch quorum for the past 18 months. The branch rarely met now and he doubted there would be support for an election campaign within the branch. 5.2. vii) Parker & Scholey: "That the EC is not in favour of contesting the ward as there is insufficient support for contesting a seat in the North East." Agreed 8-0. 6. Deferred Matters. The Treasurer now in attendance, the meeting returned to deferred items. 6.1 Re 3.2i above: Treasurer was still to report the theft but would pursue the matter. It would in any event simply be recorded as a crime with no action taken on behalf of the police. He would be contacting the bank with a view to more secure delivery of cheque books in the future. 6.2 Re Accounts above: The January accounts had no been completed, but would be ready by the next meeting. Comrade H Moss, Party Auditor, had been in to HO to audit the accounts on the morning of the EC Meeting. He had found the accounts in order and would be reporting to Conference. 7.  Forms F 7.1.i)  Six forms F were processed by the EC. Proposes and seconders of resolutions to process the relevant Form F alongside that members name V. Polard of Central Branch (lapsed): Wigley & Lambert. Agreed to accept. J Ball of Central Branch (deceased): Lambert & Parker. Agreed to accept. A Akibawe of Uganda (lapsed): Wigley & Scholey. Agreed to accept. Denis Nshaka of Uganda (lapsed): Bissett & Wigley. Agreed to accept. Okaya J Boskoe of Uganda (lapsed): Thomas & Parker. Agreed to accept. G Muirhead of Central Branch (resigned):Parker & Wigley. Agreed to Accept. 8. Correspondence from Branches, Groups and Companion Parties 8.1.i) WSPUS Minutes for November 2004. Noted 8.1.ii) WSPUS Minutes for December 2004.Noted. 8.2.i) Email from W Dunn with resignation letter (also posted on Spintcom) dated 18/2/05. Noted. Correspondence relating to the resignation had been ongoing on Spintcom and it was a matter for Glasgow Branch. 8.3.i) Email From A Buick (22/2/05) re. Bound volumes of the Socialist Standard. Cde Buick pointed out that it was now time to have the last three year's issues of the Standard bound. The cost would be £25.00 per volume, not much up on the past run of bound volumes. Cde Buick requested that the Party spends £625 getting up to 25 volumes, a cost which would eventually come back via sales. 8.3.ii) Wigley & Parker: "That the request for  payment for the bound volumes be approved." Agreed 8-0. 8.4.ii) Email from Cde M Hess (18/2/05). Cde Hess was considering crating a website whereby news-related video and still pictures he had taken would be provided for access and downloading by media organisations. Any money coming from this venture would be donated to the Party. Cde Hess asked if the EC had any objections to organisations paying fees directly to the Party. The EC had no objection and wished Cde Hess well in his venture. 9.  Any Other Business 9.1.i) Bissett reported that himself, and Cdes Shannon and Taylor would be meeting on Tyneside the following weekend to commence filming of  a Party video and requested £100 to cover the cost of a hall that had been hired and travelling expenses. 9.1.ii)  Parker & Stair: "That the request be approved". Agreed 7-1 9.2.i)  Bissett brought to the attention of the EC a set of sticker templates. Cde Hess had designed these and estimated the cost for 5000 to be between £150 and £200. Bissett queried whether the cost could be met by the Party. Agreed to refer to Campaigns Department. 9.3.i) Stair gave verbal report on progress of new flooring in the ground floor hall. Work was almost complete, but the workers had offered to carry on and renovate the stairs from the ground floor to the balcony (£300) and the electricity lead-in capable, visible on entry to HO, could be boxed in also. 9.3.ii)  Thomas & Lambert: " That £400 be allocated for work as per the verbal report of the HOO." Agreed, 6 for, 2 abstentions. 9.4.i) Stair reported on the coming Red Bookfair to be held in Ghent, Belgium, and wished to take a Party stall there. The cost to the Party would be £90.00. 9.4.ii) Parker & Thomas: That the EC authorises the £90 costs." Agreed, 6 for, 2 abstentions. 9.5.i)  Thomas (Treasurer) informed meeting that there needed to be a change to the signatories to the Party cheque account. 9.5.ii)  Thomas & Lambert: "That Cde Darren O'Neil be no longer signatory and to be replaced with the General Secretary John Bissett." Agreed 8-0. 9.6.i) Late report from Auditor. Cde Moss was busy auditing the accounts during the day. 9.6.ii) "Lambert & Parker. "That the report be accepted." Agreed, 7 for, 1 abstention. With no Further business to discuss the meeting adjourned at 3.35pm Next EC Meeting - 2nd April, 200pm.   Chair for next meeting - Wigley.