June 2019 EC minutes

MINUTES OF THE 6TH MEETING OF THE 116TH EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE  OF THE SOCIALIST PARTY OF GREAT BRITAIN AT HEAD OFFICE ON SATURDAY, 1 JUNE 2019 

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

Present: Browne, Chesham, Dee, Foster, Hart, Shannon (via Skype), Tenner, Thomas.

Apologies: Alvarenga, Kennedy. 1 visitor in attendance.

Meeting opened at 1.15pm. It was agreed that Tenner take the minutes.

1. 1. Chair: Thomas, on a motion of Tenner & Foster.
2. 2. Minutes of previous meeting, business arising therefrom and from previous meetings
3. a) Minutes of our May meeting were Agreed after the following amendments:

Corrections to the spelling of Cdes Browne, Shenfield and Graham Muirhead; ‘subsidence’ rather than ‘subsistence’ (2aiii) and ‘dual’ rather than ‘duel’ (2biv resolution); that Cde Robert Cox declined nomination to the Election Committee, Cde Robin Cox accepted nomination to the Publications Committee and Cde J Clark rather than Cde S Shapton had accepted nomination to the Blog Committee. It was further agreed that that the resolution concerning Cde Stevens’s resignation (7a) should read: ‘That the EC accepts but regrets Cde Stevens’s resignation and thanks her for her contribution.’

1. b) February minutes
2. bi) Costings from Internet Committee for WSM website & alternative video sites.
   2.e & (b)iv. Cde Shannon reported that the committee is still awaiting a quote from Dodgems and Floss and investigating the possibility of installing a temporary WSM site.

‘Third-party’ options presented problems and promotion of our whiteboard video to the top of our site wasn’t possible.

RESOLUTION (Foster & Dee): ‘The EC would welcome the input of Companion Parties in deciding the content of the WSM website and asks the General Secretary to liaise with the Internet Committee and Companion Parties.’ Carried 6-0-2  

bii) Audio streaming of Conference and ADM
RESOLUTION (Foster & Browne): ‘The issue of audio streaming of Conference and ADM be deferred until the August EC meeting.’ Carried 5-1-2

biii) Committee nominations (Edinburgh Branch). It was Agreed that Cdes Culbert, Johnstone and Stafford be appointed to the Blog Committee.

1. c) April minutes
2. ii) Ad hoc Committee on Party regional restructuring. It was Agreed that Cde Hart (nominated by South Wales Regional) be appointed to the Committee. [Cde Foster had been appointed at May’s meeting.]
   RESOLUTION (Chesham & Thomas): ‘That a further call for nominations be made, with a deadline of noon on Friday 23 August.’                                                                                                

iii) Organisational structure committee.

Agreed the item be removed from future agendas.

1. d) May minutes

2civ) The World Socialist Party of the United States. Not all EC members having read the extensive e-mail correspondence, it was Agreed to defer further consideration of the proposals one month.

3. Forms A
4. i) Hashaam Ahmed in Pakistan (via Membership Applications Committee).
   RESOLUTION (Hart & Tenner): ‘That the Form A be accepted.’ Carried 7-1-0.                Division: Chesham Against.
5. ii) Leon Rosanov (via MAC).
   RESOLUTION (Foster & Hart): ‘That the Form A be accepted.’ Carried 6-0-2                                                                             

It was Agreed that the Forms A for EM and CK (both MAC), and a Form F for R Glover (North London), be deferred pending receipt of paperwork.

4. Treasurer. Commencement of Opus Energy electricity contract had been delayed, pending sight of old correspondence with Cde Thomas; our last Water bill, 40 per cent higher, had been queried by the Treasurer, who reported that a member had descended into the bowels of Clapham High Street and discovered that the water meter reading was considerably at variance with the figure recorded by the supply company. As a result we are now £113 in credit; British Gas will contractually service our central heating boiler; Plusnet’s bill had increased substantially, is being challenged and could result in taking up the £4-per-month option; one member applied for Conference expenses of £313 (travel and two nights at Travelodge), in accordance with the new bursary provision.
5. Reports of Party Officers, Appointees & Subcommittees . . . discussion of advertising, campaigns & the Socialist Standard.
6. a) Ballot Committee. Deadline of 27 June set for return of Conference voting papers and new procedures outlined.
   RESOLUTION (Tenner & Chesham): ‘That the report be noted.’
7. b) Standing Orders Committee proposed ADM on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 October (Items for Discussion and Officer reports by noon on Friday 6 September; committee and appointee reports by noon on Friday 23 September). It was Agreed that the dates be approved.
8. c) Election Committee report on the European Election campaign.
   We contested South East Region, as in 2014, and fielded a full list of 10 candidates. Free postal distribution of 316,000 manifestos was restricted to 6 constituencies (as opposed to 20 last time) but 185,000 inserts also appeared in i newspaper, which brought nearly all of the more than 150 responses. A further 10,000 manifestos were distributed door-to-door or on the street, bringing the total circulation to 511,000.

Hustings drew audiences of 100 or more in Oxford, Banbury, Chesham, the Isle of Wight, the New Forest and Canterbury, all but one addressed by our candidates., who were also interviewed by BBC radio and television. London members and those from Kent & Sussex and West Midlands Branches were involved, as well as sympathisers in Oxford, Reading and the South West.

The total cost of the campaign was around £15,000 (Election deposit, printing and insert costs, postage and travel expenses) and a detailed report will be submitted to the Electoral Commission. The number of votes cast for us was 3,505 and the campaign can be viewed a success from the publicity and membership participation point of view.

RESOLUTION (Tenner & Dee): ‘That Cde Buick be thanked for his comprehensive report.’ Agreed. It was suggested that a further round of inserts in i newspaper be undertaken, and Cde Tenner agreed to submit proposals at our July meeting.

6. Correspondence.
7. bi) Kent & Sussex Regional suggested, by resolution, that the Party publish Socialism or Your Money Back (Vol.2), to include a selection of articles from 2005 to date, as well as consider a range of letters and replies from the Standard Letters page in book or pamphlet form. RESOLUTION (Tenner & Browne): ‘The EC is of the view that we should concentrate our efforts on promotion of existing and projected Party publications through campaigns and advertising.’ Carried 8-0-0
8. c) Companion Parties. Report from the Secretary of the Socialist Party of Canada and minutes of the World Socialist Party (India) were Noted.
9. Any other business.
10. a) It was Noted that the Assistant Secretary would be unable to prepare the Agenda for July’s EC meeting, which will be undertaken by the General Secretary.
11. b) It was Agreed that August’s EC meeting be on Saturday the 10th, in order not to conflict with Summer School.

Meeting closed at 3.20pm

[An amended reprint of Questions & Answers About Socialism has now arrived at Head Office]