Minutes of the 5th Meeting of
Minutes of the 5th Meeting of the Kent & Sussex Regional branch of the Socialist Party of Great Britain held on 11th March 2012The meeting started at 3:10pm and was held at the Muggleton Inn, High Street, Maidstone, KentPresent: Paul Hope (Branch Secretary/Organiser), Rob Cox (Branch Treasurer), Ed Mann (Chair), Dave Chesham (Literature Secretary) Visitor: Hannah Dutton Apologies: Andy Thomas, Marie Chesham, DH.1. Minutes of the 4th Meeting dated 12th February 2012 read outMotion 1. D. Chesham & Cox “That these minutes are a correct record and that they be adopted” AGREED2. Matters arising from the branch minutes (numbered below)3. Re Item 7 Head Office Router – EC reply“Please be advised that the Executive Committee considered your resolution at its 3 March meeting, and resolved to inform you that Cde Mark Lansbury is dealing with the matter of the Head Office router.” NOTED4. Re item 8 Head Office Organiser – EC reply“Please be advised that the Executive Committee considered your resolution at its 3 March meeting. The EC subsequently resolved to ask the Head Office Organiser to delegate, in accordance with the Head Office Organiser’s Terms of Reference, to other comrades to be at Head Office on days that he is not there.” NOTED5. Nominations for Internet Department & Advertising DepartmentBoth Mark Lansbury and Darren Poynton have accepted the branch’s nominations to the Internet and Advertising Departments respectively.Motion 2. D.Chesham & Mann “That Cde D. Poynton be nominated to the Advertising Department, and Cde M. Lansbury be nominated to the Internet Department” AGREED6. Future of Branch”It is with considerable regret that I write on the matter of the branch’s future, less than six months after its inception. Our Secretary and Branch Organiser, Comrade Paul Hope, for personal reasons, will be moving to Spain in the very near future. Paul has been one of the branch’s mainstays and faultless attendees of meetings ever since the branch was formed last September.In addition, Comrade Marie Chesham, suffered a fall within the past week which has left her with two fractures of the vertebral column.Without these two comrades, in Marie’s case hopefully only a temporary absence, it is difficult to see how the branch can continue to function as a viable unit of the party.”The three other members present at the meeting indicated that they wished to keep the Branch together for as long as possible. NOTED7. Report of the Committee set up to analyse Party financesThe committee was set up as a result of a Conference 2011 resolution: “Conference instructs the EC to prepare a report analyzing the finances of the Party and its future sustainability.” The report covers the period 2004-2011 and aims at presenting the finances in an easy to assimilate format, which estimates how long the Party has before its funds run low, and to draw conclusions and points of discussion.Motion 3. Hope & Cox “That member’s study the ‘Party finance report’ and formulate questions in preparation for this year’s conference, and in reference to Item 20 on the Conference Final Agenda” (Item for discussion Lancaster branch) “Should we establish a cap on annual expenditure?”. AGREED8. Matters arising from the EC Minutes of the 3rd Meeting, 3rd March 2012RE: EC Motion 7 – Head Office Party Sign on shop front“Shannon and Lambert moved that competitive quotes be sought for replacing the Party Sign” Carried 6 for, 1 against, 2 Abstentions.Motion 4. D.Chesham & Hope “Can the EC inform the branch who will be obtaining the competitive quote for the shop front sign, as the EC resolution does not state this, and that the EC shares this information with other branches” AGREED9. Branch Treasurer – Form ‘C’The branch treasurer Cde Cox produced the completed Form ‘C’ for conference. The form ‘C’ needs to be formally adopted in order that the branch delegate(s) can sit at conference. The period covers 1st January to 31st December. The first branch statement submitted covers from the foundation of the branch to 31st December 2011, and has very few transactions.Motion 5. Mann & D.Chesham “That our appointed auditors Cde Mann and Cde D. Chesham checked the branch statement and submitted the Form C to conference” Carried 4-010. Branch Treasurer – Supporting statement for the motion below”With hindsight the resolution appears to give members the impression that dues are to be paid annually in April, whereas Rule 2 states that members “shall pay £5 per calendar month”. While there is no reason a member could not pay annually in advance, I don’t think we can insist on that in any way. The Form ‘C’ which the Branch has to submit to the EC each year, under rule 9, is to report on membership and finances for the year to 31st December. The form needs to be audited and formally adopted by the Branch. It would therefore seem sensible for the Branch to use that as its normal accounting date. Rolling the first (partial) year of operation into the first complete year is an accepted accounting practice, and would be sensible as we have very few transactions for 2011, which can easily be identified separately on the form ‘C’.”Motion 6. Cox & Hope “That the 2nd sentence of the 3rd resolution of the 3rd meeting of the branch (08/01/12, item 5, “membership”) be rescinded; That the first financial year of account for the Branch shall run from its date of foundation and end on the 31st day of December 2012; That subsequently (to above) the financial year of the Branch shall be 1st January to 31st December.” AGREED11. Branch Treasurer – Membership DuesThe treasurer reported on the situation regarding the dues, and mentioned that only one member had not yet responded. A member of the branch will follow this up informally. NOTED12. Literature Secretary – reported on SS sales, etc. since our inception NOTED 13. Propaganda – Kent & Sussex stall –Gillingham High Street – Sat 17th March from 12 noon to 3pmWe have now got together a literature display stand, full of various SS, pamphlets and leaflets. Rob Cox has a table to bring along to stand this on. So far we have Paul Hope, Rob Cox and Hannah Dutton interested in supporting the stall for three hours on a Saturday. We felt it better we have the stall during milder weather in March. Please would all confirm attendance nearer the day, in case of inclement weather AGREED14. Propaganda Meetings at Head OfficeFor your information the following meetings will take place at The Socialist Party of Great Britain HO at 52 Clapham High Street London SW4 7UNSunday 18th March, 3.00 pmBEYOND THE GLASS CEILINGSpeaker: Pat DeutzSunday 1 April, 3.00 pmAPRIL FOOLSSpeaker: Paddy Shannon Saturday 14 April, 3.00pm THE CONSUMER Speaker: Glenn MorrisSaturday 28 April, 4.00pm ELECTION MEETINGPlease note the earlier starting times for these meetings. A warm welcome awaits if you are able to come any of these meetings. There will be opportunity to take part in discussion, and also to enjoy an informal chat over refreshments.15. Conference 2012 – Friday 6th April and Saturday 7th April at Head Office from 10.30am each dayMotion 7. Hope & Chesham “That the following delegates are appointed to Conference: – R. Cox, D. Chesham, E. Mann and P. Hope” AGREED16. Final Agenda for the 108th Annual ConferenceThe delegates have been requested to read through the Conference Agenda, and the Reports of Party Officers and the EC. Then discuss these online via email beforehand, so a consensus on the items can be met between the branch delegates.17. Branch Meeting dates15th April, May 13th, June 10th, July 15th (please note that the first and last dates are third Sundays in the month)Meeting adjourned at 6.45pm