MINUTES OF THE 10TH MEETING OF THE 101st EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE HELD AT HEAD OFFICE ON 2nd OCTOBER AT 2.00 pm Present: Arya, Bissett (recording minutes), Browne, Easton (Chair), Lambert, Parker, Thomas, Stair, Wigley Apologies received for: McLellan 1. Amendment and Adoption of Previous EC Minutes 1a) Browne pointed out that he had been absent from the last EC meeting due to illness and not transport problems as the previous minutes had stated. 1b) Browne observed that the previous minutes had been incorrectly dated. 1c) Parker & Browne: "That the minutes be accepted". Agreed. 2. Matters Arising 2a) Deferred matter of members living at head office. Thomas (Treasurer), who had contacted our insurers regarding the insurance problems this may create, reported that there were no restrictions when the building was occupied. 3. Accounts 3a) Treasurer reported that he had been unable to reconcile a £42.00 shortfall in the Party accounts and that he would report back to the EC on the July accounts. 3b) Parker raised the issue of £60.00 worth of parking tickets being recorded in the accounts. Stair reported that the limited parking space available around head office cost £2.00 per day and that much of the recorded cost had been to pay the parking costs of workers at head office. Browne queried the itemised cost of photocopying: £645.19. The meeting was informed that this was the bill sent in by the suppliers. Arya queried the £3,116 cost of the Summer School and was informed that the Summer School had in fact paid for itself. Members further discussed the cost of roof maintenance. Browne & Stair: "That the Accounts be adopted." Agreed. 4. Forms A: None to hand. 5. Reports of Officers, Departments and Sub-Committees 5a) The EC considered a draft letter to New Humanist magazine from the Assistant Gen Sec. Basically, the latest issue of the magazine carried an advert from the Ashbourne Courtesans promoting their new pamphlet on religion as if it were a publication of the Socialist Party of Great Britain. Whenever this sort of thing had happened in the past we had always complained to the publication accepting the advert. Wigley & Browne: "That the draft letter be sent when spelling is corrected". Agreed 9-0. 5c) Missing cheque book. Treasurer informed meeting of a letter received from the Alliance and Leicester Bank asking that we contact them regarding a fraudulent attempt to withdraw £2,500 using a Party cheque. It appears that some miscreant had intercepted a replacement cheque book we had requested and used it in the hope of getting their hands on £2,500. The police have been informed and the bank has put a block on all cheques in the cheque book. 5d) The EC read a copy of report sent by the Treasurer to Manchester Branch re. their resolution of 23rd August, regarding the breakdown of the upkeep costs at HO. There was no breakdown, as such, recorded at HO as repairs tended to be lumped together under "Premises". The figures reflected that very little appeared to have been spent on renovations and general upkeep since we purchased the premises in 1952. The figure, was not inclusive of insurance, water, heating, refuse collection etc. Summary of the HO expenditure on renovation at HO between January and August is as follows: Labour = £1,800; Materials = £183.56; Scaffold Hire = £750.00; Roof inspection - £125.00 Electrical testing = £235.00; Misc = £170. Please note that the roof inspection and the electrical testing were required by our insurers. The electrical work was carried out by contractors qualified to issue certificates of safety. Our premises 'failed' the test and as a result £3,450.00 will have to be spent at HO rewiring the place from top to bottom. 5e) Treasurer informed meeting that he would be carrying out an audit of party accounts with Cde. Moss. We also needed to confirm with the bank who our account signatories were. Thomas & Bissett: "That for the purposes of updating and regularising the keeping of Party accounts: 1) The following Party members cease to be signatories to the accounts: O Bond, J Bissett, D Lambert. 2) Further, that the following party members remain signatories to the Party accounts: B Martin and D O'Neil. 3) That the following Party members become signatories to the Party Accounts: G Thomas, A Hindmarch, SR Parker. 4) That the Party members concerned be informed of this decision and that they indicate in writing their acceptance of this decision as binding and in accordance with party rules and procedures. 5) That this decision supersedes all previous decisions regarding this matter." Agreed 9-0. 5f) European Social Forum. With the ADM coinciding with the ESF in London members felt it important to have members attend and put our case wherever possible. We had already booked a stall there. Wigley & Browne: "This EC authorises the Campaigns department to purchase up top four tickets for the ESF, for £30.00 each, at their discretion." Agreed 9-0. 5g) The meeting considered a draft introduction to the proposed Martov pamphlet "The State and the Socialist revolution." There was much discussion before a resolution was moved and seconded by Wigley & Stair: "That the following list of amendments to the Martov introduction be submitted to the Publications Department for their consideration and that they prepare a new draft to be presented to the November EC. Amendments: 3rd para. 2nd sentence: delete "immense". 6th para. 3rd sentence: insert "in Russia" between "socialism" and "could". 6th para. 3rd sentence: delete "as a world system" and insert after established "as part of a wider, international movement for socialism." 6th para. last sentence: insert "as" between "socialism" and "properly understood". 8th para: Insert after 4th sentence in brackets '(it should be pointed out that the "Mensheviks" were the majority at the time and Lenin's "Bolshevik" majority was secured by political chicanery'. 13th para: delete 4th sentence: 'Urban areas were over-represented.' 17th para, 1st sentence: delete 'immense'. 17th para.2nd sentence, insert 'universal' between 'of' and 'representation'. Agreed 9-0. 5g) Report of Ballot Committee to ADM. Wigley & Lambert: "That the report be adopted". Agreed 9-0. 5h) Standing Orders report to ADM. Bissett & Parker: "That the report be adopted." Agreed 9-0. 5i) Browne and Wigley: "That the ADM report and Items for Discussion be sent out as an email on spintcom by Standing orders." Agreed. 6. Correspondence 6a) Resolution from Manchester Branch from 13th September: "That the EC and Standing Orders Committee be asked if any objections or reservations were made to the EC by Standing Orders Committee re. the amendments to Motion 4 on the Conference Agenda being out of order. If so, why were these not fully minuted in the March EC Minutes so that Conference delegates would be aware of the situation." Resolution passed 5-0. 6a.i) Browne & Parker: "That Manchester Branch be informed that the SOC (Standing Orders Committee) has no objection or reservations about the amendments to Motion 4 of the Conference Agenda." Agreed 8-0. 6b) Minutes of 8th and 9th Meetings of the WSPUS of June 1st and July 6th 2004. Read and Noted. 7. Forms F 7a) Manchester Branch had sent in 4 Forms F for lapsed members: B Pinfold, J Murphy, A Ford, P Burroughs. Wigley & Stair: "That the four forms F be accepted". Agreed. 8. Any Other Business 8a) Arya informed meeting that he was in touch with a professional graphic designer who would be happy to design a set of Party logos. Although his labour would be free, the materials would cost about £350.00. The matter generated much debate, though Browne (Standing Orders) reminded the meeting that the issue would have to be decided by Conference and not an EC meeting. 8b) Arya raised the matter of recent delays in processing membership applications. Wigley & Arya: "That the Assistant Secretary investigate the recent delays in processing the applications for membership from J Walker, P McEwan, Colin Aires and Tim Bone." Agreed: 7 For, O Against, 1 Abstention. 8c) Browne raised the matter of appointments to the PFU (Production For Use Committee). Easton self-nominated himself for the Committee. Browne & Parker: "That Cde Easton's nomination be accepted." Agreed. Browne & Thomas then moved: "That a further call for nominations for the one remaining vacancy on the PFU be issued in a separate email to spintcom, as well as in the EC Minutes". Agreed 8-0. 8d) ADM. With much of the ground space in the main hall at head office taken up with hundreds of boxes of the centenary book, members queried where the books could be stored considering that they would have to be kept off the floor, less flooding should occur again and they be damaged. It was decided to move the books to the basement and to stack them on pallets. Thomas & Browne: "That up to £150.00 be spent on pallets to store the books on". Agreed 7 For, 0 Against, 1 Abstention. With no further business to discuss the meeting adjourned at 4.10pm. Next EC Meeting - 6th November. Chair for meeting - J Bissett Notice Could any nominations for the vacant post on the Production For Use Committee be sent to head office in time for the next EC Meeting.