Minutes of the 33rd Meeting

Minutes of the 33rd Meeting of the Kent & Sussex Regional branch of The Socialist Party of Great Britain held on 13th July 2014The meeting started at 2.10 pm and was held at the Muggleton Inn, High Street, Maidstone, KentPresent: Dave Chesham (Secretary), Marie Chesham, Rob Cox (Treasurer), Jacqueline ShodekeApologies for absence: Mandy Bruce, Les Courtney, Hannah Dutton, Lewis Hayward-Hopkins, Glenn MorrisVisitors: Dan Fabian, Peter Morris (until 5.00pm), Julian Wilson (until 5.15pm)1. Election of ChairMotion 1. M.Chesham & Shodeke “That Cox be Chair”AGREED2. Minutes of the 32nd Meeting dated 8th June 2014 were before the meetingAGREED3. Matters arising from the previous minutesi) Les CourtneyAs it had still not been possible to arrange a visit to see Les, Jacqueline now offered to go and Rob would investigate travel options for her.ii) Kent Miners' Festival – 25/8/14Despite several emails to the organisers we had still not received confirmation of the branch's request for an advertisement to be inserted on the KMF website.It was AGREED that the Secretary pursue this further.iii) 'The Party's image'It was AGREED to defer this item until later in the meeting.iv) Day or Weekend School in 2015It was AGREED to defer this item until the August meeting..v) Literature Stall – 19/7/14Members were reminded about the branch's stall in Canterbury on Saturday, 19th July. It was AGREED to circulate those not present.vi) Robert Tressell FestivalIt was reported that no major event had been planned for this year as yet.vii) Motions to the ECa) Website outageThe branch had received a report from the party's Assistant Secretary giving reasons for the outage.b) Advertising events in the Socialist StandardThe branch's concerns had been referred to the Socialist Standard Production Committeec) 2015 General ElectionThe EC expects that substantially more than 5 seats will be contested at the 2015 General Election. It was AGREED that the branch approach the following six members to ask if they would be prepared to stand as candidates. Jacqueline, as one of the members of the Election Committee, would undertake to contact them.Rob Cox, Max Hess, Kevin Parkin, Howard Pilott, Jacqueline Shodeke and Andy Thomas.A visitor suggested taking out a subscription to a local newspaper so as to monitor electoral activities.5. New membersAs a direct result of the party's electoral activities two members within the branch's catchment area had applied for membership and been approved and assigned to the branch. This now brought the branch membership to 14.At this juncture the Secretary reported that, as a further result of contesting the European election, 26 enquiries had been received from people living in Kent and Sussex and that all of them had been sent a personal letter inviting them to participate in branch and party activities.6. Opinions on sub-committeesThe branch was in receipt of the EC's motion “That branches be asked for their views and committees for theirs on their terms of reference by 31 August, with a view to a first discussion at the October EC Meeting”It was AGREED that this item be placed on the branch's August meeting agenda and that the Secretary circulate copies of the existing sub-committee terms of reference.7. Quarterly finance reportThe Treasurer then gave the quarterly finance report which showed a current surplus of £210.73 with an accumulated fund showing £485.73.It was AGREED to thank Rob for this report and his continuing good work as Treasurer.8. The SPGB and WW1 ExhibitionThis would be on display at Head Office between August 4th and 10th and on every other Saturday and Sunday throughout August and open from 11am until 5pm each day.It was AGREED that the Secretary circulate all those on the branch's mailing list in order to seek volunteers to help staff the exhibition.9. EC minutes – 6th meeting – 7/6/14                       – 7th meeting – 5/7/14NOTED10. New notices of businessNONE11. Future propaganda activitiesIt was AGREED to have the next literature stall in Tunbridge Wells on Saturday, 16th August from 12 noon. The stall would be set up somewhere in the Calverley Road pedestrian precinct which extends between Five Ways (site of the millenium clock) and Monson Road.12. Any other businessThe notice of business, 'The Party's Image', deferred from earlier in the meeting, was then considered.It was felt there should be much greater consistency in presenting the party's image particularly in the use of logos rather than the use of two or three different ones which had been the case during the recent electoral activities.Members were asked to bring ideas for a possible new party logo along to the next meeting. Among the suggested guidelines was the removal of the strap line and the latitudinal and longitudinal lines. Colours of the circumference and globe should probably be in keeping with the new Head Office fascia sign livery.Rob would approach Mandy to see if she might have any ideas. Dan said he would also produce some designs.Meeting adjourned at 5.32pmCollection taken: £24.00