Present: Bissett (Gen
Sec), Browne, Carter, Lambert, Lawrence, Miller (Chair),
Simkins, Thomas, White.
Apologies: Stair.
1. Amendment and Adoption of Previous EC Minutes
1.1) Thomas & Simkins: "That the minutes be adopted." Agreed.
2. Matters Arising from February EC Meeting
2.1) Re. item 2.4.i. of March Minutes - Cde. Worker's self-nomination
for the
Advertising Department and the March EC resolution: "That the matter be
deferred
pending a report from the Ads Dept. on the need for a third member."
2.1.i) The Ads Dept had not reported back on the matter. Instead, Cde
Browne
reported verbally, citing the department's terms of reference, which
stated that
the department be made up of at least two members. Cde Browne felt that
the
department could function efficiently with just two members. Some
members felt
uneasy discussing the matter in light of the fact that Central London
Branch
were holding a special meeting on 8th May, called under Rule 29, to
consider
charges against Cde Worker.
2.1.ii) Thomas & Bissett: "That the matter be deferred one month
and that the EC
request a written report from the Advertising Department." Lost: 3 for,
5
against, 1 abstaining.
2.1.iii) Lawrence & Carter: "That the EC accepts the advice of the
Advertising
Department about the need for a third member." Carried: for 7,
abstaining 2.
2.2) Re. item 2.2and 2.2.ii of April Minutes - re-listing Head Office
for
residential use. This item had first been considered at the March EC
meeting
(item 6.8), initiated by an email from Lambeth Council, dated 28th
February
regarding re-listing HO for residential use and whether this would mean
we pay
Council Tax and/or less business rates. The matter was further
considered at the
April meeting with the EC taking on board Cde Lawrence's offer to seek
advice
from his son (a valuation surveyor). A letter regarding the matter,
from Cde
Lawrence to the EC was presented to the meeting. The communication had
been
submitted late to the meeting - i.e. not sent out in the initial pre-EC
mail out
- and EC considered whether this item was a matter of urgency as it was
recognised it would generate a lot of discussion at the table.
2.2.i) Thomas & Carter: "That the matter be deferred one month to
enable the EC
to consider the letter in full." Carried: 9-0.
2.3) Re. item 2.3 of the April Minutes and the resolutions: 2.3.iii)
Stair &
Thomas: "That the Kabale comrades be given the money for their future
activity
and that we request a script or recording of their recent radio
broadcasts."
Lost: for 4, against; 4 and 2.3.iii) Thomas and Lambert: That the
matter be
deferred. Agreed 8-0.
2.3.i) The meeting considered the proposed radio script. With EC
members mindful
of pending post-Conference voting pertaining to motions on sending money
overseas, the discussion focused on the budget request's reference to
four
half-hour radio presentations for four weekends at $47.00 per
programme. Members
queried whether present EC discussion on the matter - i.e. sending
money to the
comrades in Kabale - should be shaped by what may happen in the future.
Questions as to who would be the presenter of the radio broadcast was
raised, as
well as the use of language in the broadcast, though the script did not
stray
form the WSM case.
2.3.ii) Thomas & Lambert: "That the matter of the EC resolution
2.3.ii of 1/4/06
is urgent." Carried: 5 for, 3 against, 1 abstaining.
2.3.iii) Thomas & Lambert: "That the EC resolution 2.3.iii of April
1st 2006 be
rescinded." Lost: 4 for, 5 against.
2.3.iv) Lawrence & Carter: "That the matter be deferred one month."
Carried 8
for, 1 against.
2.4) Re. item 6.1.iii of April Minutes - consideration of election
leaflet/Socialist Standard editorial for April. There had been much
criticism of
the proposed text for an election leaflet at the April meeting. Members
felt the
text was in general a poor presentation of the case for socialism. The
meeting
decided instead on the text from a previous election leaflet. It was
revealed
that the previously proposed text had been used as the editorial for
the April
issue of the Standard. The meeting moved to consider the text of the
leaflet/editorial at the May meeting.
2.4.i) Thomas quoted from the draft leaflet/editorial: "Real power
today does
not lie in elected bodies but in the hands of those who own the world's
wealth."
He argued that political power, real power, was in the hands of those
who
controlled the state machine, the army, for instance. The matter was
heavily
debated and with reference to clauses 1 and 6 of the D of P. Other
members felt
that the leaflet/editorial, whilst "dull, uninspiring, problematic and
vague"
was not wrong. It was argued that "ownership" was a political concept,
which
also assumed the means of enforcing it. Cde Thomas had emailed the SSPC
about
the draft leaflet/editorial, but so far had only received a reply from
Cde
Martin of the Election Dept.
2. 4.ii) Lawrence & Browne: "That the matter be deferred pending
consideration
of the SSPC's reply to Comrade Thomas." Carried 9-0.
2.5) Re. item 9.3i of April Minutes - letter from Comrades in Kenya.
The EC
considered a letter that Cde Simkins received from Cde Ndege, Kenya.
This
related to item 10.3 of the February Minutes and Cde Simkins' offer to
contact
the comrades in Kenya regarding their views on the famine there.
Members felt
the letter contained an "undercurrent or resentment", that parts of the
letter
sounded "Africanist" and that it hinted at "Kenyan nationalism". Cde
Simkins
would respond to the letter focusing on points of contention.
2.5.i) Lambert & Thomas: "The letter be Noted." Carried 9-0.
2.5.ii) Browne & Lambert moved "Next business." Carried: 5 for, 4
against.
2.6) Re. 6.3.i and 6.3.ii - securing contract for scaffolding for the
front of
head office. The Secretary informed the meeting that the Head Office
Organiser
had phoned the day before quoting a firm which would be prepared to do
the
scaffolding work for £200.00, and that another scaffolding firm -
Lee
Scaffolding - had phoned earlier in the day (Saturday) and would do the
work for
£500.00 plus VAT. Members felt the £200 price sounded a
little suspect, as the
previous scaffolding job had cost £800 and taken 2 workers all
day to assemble
and another day to take down and warned caution. The health and safety
aspects
of the job were considered as the scaffolding would be right above the
windows
on the balcony at HO. The Secretary reminded the meeting that the
previous EC
resolution on the matter had already authorised up to £1000,
being spent on
scaffolding.
2.6.i) Thomas & Lambert: "The EC recommends to the Premises
Committee that they
accept the quote from Lee Scaffolding for the work that needs to be
done to the
elevation of head office." Lost: for 3, against 4, 1 abstaining.
2.6.ii) Browne & Lambert: "This EC asks the Premises Committee to
seek further
quotes on the scaffolding".
2.6.iii) An amendment was moved by Lawrence and Miller: "Add 'and they
be
delegated to make a decision on the matter'."
2.6.iv) Vote on the amendment: Carried: 9-0.
2.6.v) Vote on the resolution as amended: Carried: 9-0.
3. Floor Resolutions Arising from Conference
The following are the floor resolutions from Conference that the EC
needed to
consider. The names of the mover and seconded of the resolution at
Conference
precede the respective floor resolution after which is the EC response
to the
resolution ("noted" etc).
3.1) Johnson & Hart: "This Conference recommends the EC to apply
Rule 3 in
respect of the Comrades in Uganda, in that it is clear that the rule
only allows
groups to be formed by overseas members." Carried: 6-4.
3.1.i) Lawrence & Lambert: "Agree to note." Carried: 8, for, 1
abstaining.
3.2) Bennett & Salter: This Conference recommends that a Master
Form C be
prepared for each Conference." Carried 16-1
3.2.i) Thomas & Lambert: That a call be made for a volunteer to
assist the
General Secretary in the preparation of the Master Forms C and that
Branches be
reminded of the necessity that branch Forms C be returned to Head
Office in time
for this work to be done." Carried: 9-0.
3.3) Stair & Johnson: "That 2000 copies of the Socialist Standard
be printed
instead of 1500 for the May issue." Carried: 15-1
3.3.i) Browne & Lambert: "Agree to note." Carried: 9-0.
3.4) Lawrence & Martin: "This Conference recommends that the EC
sets up an
ad-hoc committee to construct models of Party decision making
alternatives to
the present procedures." Carried: 10-7
3.4.i) Thomas & Lambert: "Defer one month." Carried: 9-0.
3.5) Lawrence & Hart: "This Conference recommends the Treasurer to
alter the
Party financial year to run from October 1st to September 30th
annually."
Carried: 9-1.
3.5.i) Browne & Lambert: "That the matter be passed to the
Treasurer for
action." Carried: 9-0
3.6) Conference Voting . Browne (Standing Orders) reported to the
meeting that
the voting papers, along with the report on the discussion of motions at
conference and the relevant supporting statements, would be posted out
on Monday
coming (8th May) and that the return date would be 2nd June.
4. Accounts
4.1) Thomas informed meeting that the EC needed to reconsider Cde
Worker's
position as Assistant to the Treasurer as the appointment had only been
on a
three months trial. In that period Cde Worker had only turned up for
one of
three arranged meetings with the Treasurer. Cde worker had said, upon
checking
the petty cash figures, that £700 was unaccounted for and later
that the figure
was £1000 (this latter claim made in a reply to charges against
Cde Worker sent
to the Central London Branch and signed by 7 members). Thomas queried
who was to
investigate the claim of Cde Worker that money was actually unaccounted
for and
the discrepancy in the amount alleged to be unaccounted for. The matter
was not
helped by charges against Cde Worker that would be considered by his
Branch on
Monday coming.
5. Forms A
5.1) Two forms A were submitted for FA Gordillo ( Enfield and Haringey
Branch)
and Martin Fletcher (applied for membership via the membership
department).
5.1.i) Lawrence & Thomas: "That the Form A for FA Gordillo be
approved."
Carried: 9-0
5.1.ii) Lawrence & Simkins: "That the Form A for Martin Fletcher be
approved."
Carried: 9-0
6. Reports from Officers, Departments and Sub-Committees
6.1) Interim report from the Election Department on the 4th May local
elections.
6.1.i) The Party had contested two wards in the London borough
elections,
standing 3 candidates in Clapham Town ward of Lambeth and another in
the Canbury
ward, Kingston. The result in Lambeth was: Lambert 68, Lee 38 and
Martin 39.
The result in Kingston was: Bond 80. In Kingston, one of two leaflets
had been
delivered to 4,500 homes and there had been considerable coverage in
the press
with several Party statements published. Six members had been involved
in the
campaign here. In Lambeth about 3,000 leaflets had been delivered.
Leaflets had
also been handed out at literature stalls. Press coverage here had been
nil,
largely because the local press did not cover minor parties standing in
the
election. Seven comrades had been involved in the election work in
Lambeth.
6.1.ii) Browne & Thomas: "That the Election Department be thanked
for their
report." Carried: 7-2.
6.2) Letter from Cdes Buick and Thomas, dated 26th April, regarding an
outstanding legacy.
6.2.i) George Pooley, a former member of Gateshead Branch, who had died
in 1996,
had left his estate to relations, to be held in trust and to provide
them with
an income (as interest) After their deaths the money would come to the
"Socialist Party of Great Britain of 52 Clapham High Street London, SW4
7UN".
The last of the nephews had died in October 2003. The solicitors
appointed as
trustees had yet to contact us regarding the money involved -
£135,000 - and
continued to pay themselves an income from the legacy. Cdes Buick and
Thomas as
Treasurer and Registered Treasurer respectively, recommended that the
matter be
put into the hands of solicitors in the hope they could obtain the
legacy.
6.2.ii) Lawrence & Browne: "That the EC delegate an ad-hoc
committee of 3
members, including the General Secretary and Treasurer to deal with the
matter
of the legacy of G Pooley." Carried: 9-0
6.3) Miller made a verbal report on behalf of the Internet Department.
The
Socialist Studies group had complained that a web site link -
http://www.socialiststudies.org.uk/
- actually opened the WSM home page. The
Socialist Studies group were upset and claimed we were impersonating
them. The
matter was not helped by the fact the website was registered to the
Socialist
Party, ourselves. Nobody on the EC knew of the existence of the website
and Cde
Miller would make an attempt to close it or redirect it.
7) Correspondence from Branches, Companion Parties, Members.
7.1) WSPUS Minutes for 13/2/06. Noted
7.2) WSPNZ Minutes for 9/3/06 and 13/4/06. Noted.
7.3) SPC Newsletter for May. Noted
7.4) Minutes of meeting held by Comrades in Kabale on 26th March, Noted.
8) Forms F. No Forms F presented to the meeting.
9) Any Other Business.
9.1) Secretary recounted a phone call from the HOO re. travelling
expenses for
Maria Chesham. The HOO had phoned up, asking if the EC would permit the
payment
of travelling expenses for the work Maria Chesham was carrying out at
Head
Office, namely spending many hours phoning magazine and book stockists
and
enquiring if they would be prepared to stock party literature and the
DVD.
9.1.i) Browne & Thomas: "That the travelling expenses be paid."
Carried: 6 for,
3 against.
9.2) White queried from which department's budget travelling expenses
for
members carrying out Party work were paid. He gave the meeting notice of
business he would raise at the next meeting on the matter of claiming
expenses.
9.3) Lambert self-nominated for the Premises Committee.
9.3.i) Browne & Thomas: That the nomination be accepted." Carried:
9 for, 1
abstaining.
With no further business to discuss the meeting adjourned at 19.00.
Date of next meeting: 2.00 pm, 3rd June at Head Office.
Chair for next meeting: Lawrence |
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