Kent and Sussex Branch

Minutes of the 4th Meeting of the Kent & Sussex Regional branch of The Socialist Party of Great Britain held on 12th February 2012 The meeting started at 15.00 and was held at the Muggleton Inn, High Street, Maidstone, Kent Present: – Paul Hope (Branch Secretary/Organiser). Rob Cox (Treasurer and Chairman), Dave Chesham (Literature Secretary), Marie Chesham, Ed Mann, Hannah Dutton (Visitor) Apologies from Dave Humphries and Glenn Morris 1. Minutes of the 3rd Meeting dated 8th January 2012 read out MOTION 1. D. Chesham & M. Chesham “That these minutes are a correct record and that they be adopted” AGREED 2. Matters arising from the branch minutes (numbered below) 3. Re Item 1. Visitor. It was reported that Martin Russell will come to a future meeting. 4. Re Item 4. Identity and Questions & Answers leaflets. The branch ordered 200, but we managed to obtain 50 of each, and these are inside the display case for the stall. 5. Re item 14. Business Cards for the branch. We have a small collection of cards that advertise the DVD ‘Capitalism and other kids stuff’, and these have been placed in the case. The ‘rail card’ design has run out, and we are uncertain if they will be reprinted. 6. Re item 15. Socialist Standard order. All the copies are inside the display case, we have not had opportunities to sell or give these away. We should try to buy these as members, and pass them on to interested people. NOTED 7. Matters arising from the EC Minutes of the 1st Meeting held on the 7th January 2012 Refer to Motion 16 on the EC minutes. The new Head Office router wasn’t working properly, a replacement was obtained but isn’t functioning properly either. Therefore the network inside the office isn’t working as necessary and is hindering members’ work. MOTION 2. M. Chesham and P. Hope “The branch is concerned that the problems surrounding the Head Office router have not been resolved, as we have had no follow up in the February EC minutes”Carried (4 for, 0 against, 1 abstained) 8. Matter arising from the EC Minutes of the 2nd Meeting held on the4th February 2012 Text taken from the EC minutes – “The EC received the following nominations were received for Head Office Organiser – Dave Chesham (one day a week), Jacqueline Shodeke (one or two days a week) Oliver Bond (Actively looking for full-time employment and may not be able to commit to working as Head Office Organiser for a year. He is willing to be flexible and share this position with other nominees). Motion 2 – Deutz and Field moved that Oliver Bond be appointed as Head Office Organiser. Amendment to Motion 2 – Deutz and Field moved that the following be added to the beginning of Motion 2 – “In view of the fact that only one person can be Head Office Organiser and that the other two nominees declare that they could only work for less than 3 days”.Carried (5 for, 1 against. 2 abstentions) Motion 2 as amended –“In view of the fact that only one person can be Head Office Organiser and that the other two nominees declare that they could only work for less than 3 days that Oliver Bond be appointed as Head Office Organiser”. Carried (6 for 0 against, 2 abstentions)” The EC’s decision stems from the Head Office Organiser terms of reference that states that only one person can hold the post. This has meant that the two nominees the branch put forward have been rejected. MOTION 3. Ed Mann and Paul Hope “The branch is dismayed that the EC has missed an opportunity by not appointing the other two nominees as joint Head Office Organisers. We contest the assertion that only one person can be Head Office Organiser” AGREED 9. Nominations List from the EC Minutes dated 4th February – a call was made for – 2 further nominations for the Advertising Department.1 further nomination for the Ballot Committee1 further nomination for the Blog Department2 further nominations for the Campaigns Departmentfurther nominations for the Enquiries Departmentfurther nominations for the Media Department2 further nomination for the Membership Application Department1 further nomination for the Publication Departmentnominations for the Production for Use Committee To reach Head Office by the next EC meeting on 3rd March 2012 The branch has no nominations – NOTED 10. Minutes of the 2011 Autumn Delegate Meeting held on the 1st and 2nd October 2011 – NOTED 11. Preliminary Agenda for Conference The branch read and discussed the Motions 1 to 8, Amendment to Rule 14 and Items for Discussion 1 and 2 – NOTED 12. Treasurer and Finance Form ‘C’ arrived from Head Office for the Treasurer Rob Cox to complete and return before Conference. Report from the Treasurer regarding dues. He wrote to members on the 2nd Feb (except those with waived dues) and requested that they make payment to the new branch account. We have had three members transfer from North London (formerly Central London) branch, four transferred from Central branch, and one new member. The Treasurer recommends that the one member paying directly to HO, should be allowed to continue. We should also note that three members have yet to reply concerning their dues to the branch. The treasurer has created a membership register. R. Cox will check the status regarding Glenn Morris and his dues. Branch Financial Statement – Balance at bank as at 31st January 2012 is £110.00, cash £13.50, less current liabilities to head Office £12.00 – total £110.50 Motion 4. D Chesham and P. Hope “That Ed Mann’s dues be waived” AGREED 13. Propaganda – Mail out to Libraries of the Socialist Standard Letter received from Cde Bond of Head Office dated 10th Feb 2012. “I’m afraid that I have been very busy with the General Secretary and the HOO work. I have made no further progress on this issue. I’m off next week, but I will look at this issue the week after. YFS Oliver Bond HOO”   NOTED 14. Notice of Business to discuss at the next branch meeting setting up a branch discussion group after the business meeting.  NOTED 15. Kent & Sussex branch Stall – Gillingham High Street The dates now proposed are Saturday 17th March and Saturday 24th March, from 12.00 – 3.00pm near to where the market is held. The stall will consist of one table and the display stand. We now have a good selection of literature and pamphlets to give away or sell. The stall will be advertised on the website. We have three members and one supporter to help us. Further discussion will take place at the next branch meeting. 16. Next branch meeting will be Sunday 11th March at 3pm at the Muggleton Inn. AGREED Meeting adjourned at 18:10

Not “that serious” when, in the forseeable future, K&SRB can probably only guarantee two regular attendees when the required quorum is three?   Out of eight members, one has never been, one is often in Wales, one is going to Spain, one is in hospital for an indeterminate period, one has a possible prison sentence in the offing and the sixth you know about.[quote-SussexSocialist]And whilst I welcome open and honesty within the Party, is there a need or tradition to publish full Party internal meeting minutes online in such a fashion?I am acutely aware that many people would be less than encouraged to attend and contribute to discussions and meetings if they knwo that thier names are to be minuted and then published in such a fashion. This is not an argument for clandestine operation or paranoid secrecy, but I sometimes wonder at the lack of decorum and discretion in the conduct of Party activities…..[/quote]Which fashion did you have in mind?  You can either have openness and “honesty within the Party” OR “clandestine operation or paranoid secrecy” which, whether you admit it or not, is precisely what is being suggested.  Any member who objects to their name being minuted is free to say so; up to now the silence has been deafening.  Does your perceived “lack of decorum and discretion” within the Party apply also to EC, Conference and ADM minutes then; should we cease to publish them online……..?

Quite frankly I’m not sure what your points are but if you have some inexplicable reason for not wanting branch minutes “published openly and freely for all to see” I suggest that you attempt to persuade your branch to place a motion on the next Conference agenda.  Three branches now publish their minutes online; before very long this will hopefully be the rule rather than the exception.  ‘Secret’ branch meetings, like secret ballots, will then be consigned to the dustbin of party history.  Yippee!

Then I suggest you lodge an official complaint with your branch.

Your thought processes must be very different to mine; if I saw that my branch was in obvious trouble, which Kent & Sussex incontrovertibly is, then I would want to do everything within my power to come to its assistance.

Very congenial meeting yesterday which lasted almost four hours. Much time spent discussing the branch’s future, Conference agenda and propaganda activities particularly the literature stall the branch is arranging in Gillingham High Street next Saturday March 17th from around midday. Depending on the outcome of the latter the intention is to have the stall the following Saturday (24th) as well.http://www.worldsocialism.org/spgb/event/literature-stall-gillingham-high-street-kentPlease note that K & SRB’s next meeting will be held on the third Sunday of the month; that is April 15th………

Four members attended, one probably for the last time.  Hardly a comfortable situation particularly as those present heard that another member is on the point of transferring out of the branch.  The stalwarts, with the help of an ardent supporter, will continue to keep things ticking over, at least for the time being………..I know nothing of any “pre-meeting forum row”.  Were you involved in one then?