June 2017 EC minutes

[Anonymous]

MINUTES OF THE 6th MEETING OF THE 114th EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIALIST PARTY OF GREAT BRITAIN HELD AT HEAD OFFICE on Saturday 3rd June 2017 at 13.10

[Note 1: These are draft minutes only and are not official until adopted by the EC]

Present : M.Browne, D.Chesham, R.Cox, D.McLellan, M.Tenner, G.Thomas.
Apologies: M.Foster, J.Shodeke.
Other absentees: S.Wicks, D.Williams.
Minutes: D.Chesham

1. Election of Chair

Agreed at previous meeting: Cde Cox.

2. Minutes of the previous meeting and business arising therefrom

a) Minutes of the previous (MAY) meeting

MOTION 1 (Tenner and Thomas)

“That the minutes be adopted”

AGREED

b) Matters arising from the previous (MAY) meeting

i. Re Motion 5 (“In the view of the EC Kent and Sussex Regional Branch have not followed the accepted procedure and formally discussed the contesting of the forthcoming General Election. It therefore is unwilling to endorse the proposed standing of the two candidates named.”), e-mail and resolution from Kent and Sussex (14 and 26 May):

Motion from Kent and Sussex Branch (meeting 14/05/2017, agreed 3–1–0):

“The Branch believes the EC has wrongly interpreted Rule 28. In our view the EC has made an error in failing to authorise standing one or more candidates in Kent and Sussex region.”

In addition Comrade Andy Thomas who was hoping to (again) be our parliamentary candidate in Folkestone has asked me (Rob Cox) to share his views with the EC (Email sent 08/05/2017):

“This is rather a bitter blow as we had developed some momentum through the council elections (and 1 percent of the vote was not a bad result) and my contact at Momentum had just started sending me through details of hustings they’d been invited to and we hadn’t. It’s the kind of idiot bureaucratic jobsworth stuff more typical of the civil service than a revolutionary party desperately short of people prepared to volunteer themselves for opportunities to push the party case. And there’s never a better opportunity than a general election. The sort of thing that makes you ask if this is the sort of party you really want to be a member of. Perhaps you could make my feelings clear (and I’m sure you share them) at the next EC meeting.”

MOTION 2 (Chesham and Browne):

“That the motion from Kent & Sussex Branch be noted and that Cde.Tenner’s offer to contact Cde.Thomas explaining the Executive Committee’s decision be accepted”

Carried 5-0-1

ii. Member elected to public office in the name of another party

A. E-mail from Cde Kilgallon of North East Regional (15 May):

“As you may know it has been reported that Steven Colborn of NERB has stood for and been elected as a Parish Councillor, representing the Seaham Community Party. Attempts have been made to contact him in the past, but no reply has been forthcoming. Due to difficulties obtaining a quorum for our branch, we will need to pass this matter on to the EC to be dealt with.

My understanding is that Steven Colborn definitely is the person elected, home address, D.O.B, etc. match our record. It would seem there is little option but to ask him to resign or expel him.

If this unfortunate episode can be dealt with swiftly, I am sure we can get on with the urgent task of rebuilding our branch.”

B. Excerpt of the Parish Council 4 May 2017 election results:

This showed that Steven Paul Colborn had received 340 votes for the Seaham Community Party and had been elected to the Parish Council.

C. Electoral Commission record for the Seaham Community Party:

This showed that the Seaham Community Party was a registered political party.

MOTION 3 (Browne and McLellan):

“That Comrade S.P. Colborn be contacted requesting an explanation for his actions in standing as a candidate, and having been elected, for the Seaham Community Party, contrary to Rule 6.”

AMENDMENT (Tenner and Chesham):

“In particular he be asked to explain why he is a member of a party that expresses support for the Armed Forces and the British Legion.”

Amendment carried 6-0   Substantive motion carried 6-0

c) Notices of Motion – none

d) Notices of Business

i. Cox & Wicks: Moderation of the SPGB Facebook group

It was AGREED to defer this item.

e) Matters outstanding from previous minutes

i. Replacement computer printer. E-mail from Cde Cox (26 May):

“I made a planned visit to the PC World store in Thanet this week to inspect a range of suitable replacements. Unfortunately I found they had rationalised their display space and therefore only one suitable model was on display. I think this would be much more robust than the one that is broken, but I would have liked to have inspected a larger range as it still has a few drawbacks, although it has all the required features.”

After some discussion it was AGREED that Cdes Thomas and Cox would undertake some further research.

ii. Replacement secure and key boxes. E-mails from Cde Cox (26 May):

Cde. Cox had carried out a considerable amount of research, the results of which were before the EC.

MOTION 4 (Chesham and Cox)

“The cheaper of the two safes be purchased”

AGREED

It was also AGREED to purchase a secure box to hold literature money and another to hold various keys. Cde. Thomas would take the appropriate action in acquiring these items.

iii. Party wall. Email exchanges between Cde. Chesham and Malcolm Thorburn:

Cde. Chesham reported on correspondence he’d had with the Party’s surveyor relating to the proposed building works at No. 50. Our request for a security sum of £50,000 had been rejected by the Building Owner (No.50) but they had agreed to £5,000.

There was still an unresolved issue concerning the proposed demolition and rebuilding of the boundary wall between No.50 & No.52 at the rear of the premises which Cde. Chesham would pursue.

It was AGREED to thank Cde. Chesham for his report

iv. Head Office staffing matters. Report from Cde Chesham (28 May):

A training session was held at Head Office on 24 May and attended by five members and supporters.

Cde Darren Poynton specifically gave office tuition to Cde Nick Mersch and ex-member Mark Hutton, both of whom will be attending HO on a fairly regular basis from now on. The other three who also attended will not be directly involved with the office administration although the two supporters will probably be willing and able to give some back-up where necessary. Cde Poynton observes that both Nick and Mark, who have now been given access to the premises, are more than competent although he might try to arrange a further session when all three of them are present at the same time so as to smooth the transition still further.

A rota for the staffing of HO during June has already been drawn up and published on various forums.

3. Forms ‘A’ & ‘F’

One Form ‘A’ had been received for Cibele Soares Alvarenga (South London)

One Form ‘F’ had been received for Karl Luetchford (Kent & Sussex) resigned – disagreement

It was AGREED to accept the two Forms.

4. Treasurer

a) 'Charwyl' (O'Gorman bequest)

Progress on the sale of the property is still being delayed due to tardiness of local planning authorities in clarifying right of way/access to the property.

We were still awaiting the proceeds of £30,000 worth of Premium Bonds to be transferred to us.

It was AGREED to approach John Briggs, the solicitor acting on our behalf.

b) Paul Edwards

A request for travelling and hotel expenses amounting to around £340 had been received from Cde. Paul Edwards in relation to his attendance at Conference. Expenses are not normally payable to members who are not delegates.

MOTION 5 (Chesham and Browne)

“That the sum of £135 for train and taxi expenses (but not hotel costs) be reimbursed as a goodwill gesture.”

Carried 3-1-2

c) Nick Mersch

Cde. Nick Mersch, who is the new layout member of the SSPC, requested travelling expenses to enable him to attend a further training session in Lancaster.

MOTION 6 (McLellan and Browne)

“That the expenses be approved.”

AGREED

5. Reports of Party Officers, Party Appointees, Subcommittees, and Departments

a) Proceedings of the 2017 Annual Conference were to hand.

NOTED

6. Correspondence

a) Matters of urgency

NONE

b) Correspondence from or concerning Branches, the Party in general, and members

i. Motion from Swansea Branch (meeting 13/03/17, carried 6-0-0):

“At our meeting of 13 March Swansea Branch agreed to submit the Guidelines for Users of the “FORUM” for consideration by the Executive Committee.”

It was AGREED that Cde. Cox contact Swansea and ask for an email copy of their proposal which would then be submitted for consultation by the Internet Committee.

ii. Letter from Cde. Shodeke (2 May) via an e-mail from Cde Bond (28 May):

The following actions were AGREED:

1) Cde. Shodeke’s resignation from the EC (for personal reasons) be accepted with regret.
2) Her request to transfer to Central Branch (for practical reasons) be deferred pending Cde. Thomas contacting her.
3) The paragraph on past party activity be referred to the Campaigns Committee:

“Am in full agreement with DOP and am fully aware the SPGB are the only ones saying anything of worth. It’s just that we on the ground aren’t hearing you (SPGB) we are in the mental hospitals, in the prisons, in the churches/mosques, synagogues, temples – in the food bank queues, in the homeless shelters, squats and streets, in the asylum centres, children’s homes, young offenders prisons, elderly care homes, hospitals, and every shite employment you can think of, no pay, low pay, abject exploitation, all over the world and there are far too many in the morgue/cemeteries. The largest audience at an SPGB Debate was on Mental Health – (Brian Gardner/Peter Rigg/Brian Johnson etc.) this is of interest/concern to many – after all 1 in every 4 people will have or know someone in poor mental health. Why doesn’t the SPGB do more of this – engage with those on the ground?”

4) The reference to premises access be noted.

iii) Executive Committee vacancies

Following Cde. Shodeke’s resignation and Cde. Darren Williams being lapsed under the provisions of Rule 13 the Executive Committee hereby calls for nominations for the two resultant vacancies – closing date Friday, 28th July.

iv) E-mail from West London Branch (6 May):

“Dear Comrade, It its meeting of 2 May, West London Branch asked me to enquire of the EC whether payment of invoices could be via BACS (also known as ‘bank transfer’) rather than by Party cheque. Fraternally, Melvin Tenner Secretary”

MOTION 7 (Thomas and McLellan)

“The Party does not have electronic accounting and the Treasurer and Asst. Treasurer do not feel it necessary to have it.”

AGREED

v) E-mail and motion from Kent and Sussex Branch (meeting 14/05/2017, agreed 4–0–0):

“This Branch suggests that the EC commissioning of a batch of Party logo t-shirts for sale to members and supporters, would be an excellent opportunity to promote the Party. The Branch has received a quote for screen printed t-shirts at around £5 and canvas bags for £1 each (quantity of 50 bags). If the EC is agreeable the Branch is willing to arrange the order and delivery of an initial order of t-shirts (e.g. two dozen) and canvas bags [i.e. £170] for sale via Head Office at cost price plus P&P.”

Please note there is a picture of how they may look, http://www.worldsocialism.org/spgb/forum/world-socialist-movement/spgb-flyer-t-shirts) although the colours may vary as we have identified a different supplier to that which supplied those in the picture. The web address may need to change as well.

MOTION 8 (Tenner and McLellan)

“The EC commission a batch of logo t-shirts to members and supporters as well as canvas bags, both to be in the minimum quantity suggested”

AGREED

vi) E-mail from Cde Whitehead (25 May):

“I’d like to ask EC to agree to replace lighting throughout head office with LED lighting with a view to energy efficiency and saving on our electricity bill which at the last report was £2,491.46.”

Cde. Browne pointed out that following a refund from the electricity supply company the figure for consumption during the last period was nearer to £1500.

MOTION 9 (Browne and Chesham)

“The EC does not consider this a worthwhile venture in view of the anticipated cost and disruption.”

AGREED

7. Any other business

i) Making the Party better known

Cde. Tenner reported that the ‘New Statesman’ and the ‘New Scientist’ have accepted the text that would appear on the 57,000 inserts for the two publications. The final draft of the text is to be circulated to EC members.

Cdes McLellan and Browne left the meeting at 16.30 to get their train

It had been discovered that our FREEPOST license was out of date.

Cde. Tenner agreed to resolve the issue. The question arose as to what was sent to enquirers.

It was AGREED to ask the Enquiries Committee to provide the EC with three sample information packs.

8. Adjournment and next meeting

Meeting adjourned at 16.40

Cde. Chesham to chair next meeting
Cde. Tenner to take the minutes

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