Minutes of the 58th meeting

Minutes of the 58th meeting of the Kent & Sussex Regional branch of The Socialist Party of Great Britain held on 11th September 2016 The meeting started at 2.22pm and was held at the Muggleton Inn, High Street, Maidstone, KentPresent: Dave Chesham (Secretary), Marie Chesham, Rob Cox (Treasurer), Dan FabianApologies for absence: Mandy Bruce, Hannah Dutton1. Election of ChairMotion 1. D.Chesham & Fabian “That Cox be Chair” AGREED 2. Minutes of the 57th Meeting held on 14th August 2016 were before the meetingMotion 2. Fabian & Cox “That the minutes be adopted and the inquorate business conducted be retrospectively approved” AGREED 3. Matters arising from previous minutes i) Future Street StallsTwo more stalls are scheduled for Canterbury – 17 September and 8 OctoberThere was some discussion about the October stall as it falls on the same weekend as the branch meeting.Rob said he would contact Mandy to see if she would be able to attend both the stall and the branch or whether she would prefer to change the date of one of them.ii) Brighton Group meeting – 13 September The upstairs venue room of the Victory Pub, 6 Duke St, Brighton BN1 1AH has been booked for a public meeting between 19.30 and 21.30. Title of the meeting is ‘Post-Capitalism: what now?’A total of £84.23 had been incurred which related to the printing of handbills and postage.Motion 3. (to the EC) D.Chesham & Fabian “That the EC be requested for a grant of up to £250 to assist with future activities in Brighton.”AGREED 4-0-0 (four members present)iii) Party LogoThe issues experienced with the reproduction of the party logo in the Socialist Standard over the last couple of editions now appear to have been resolved.NOTEDiv) Gay Pride events in Canterbury & MargateThe Secretary agreed to check the appropriate website for details of future events. v) Notice of Motion “This branch notes the EC is reported on grounds of quality and content to have declined to approve a proposed introductory video. However, the EC has failed since May to take steps to encourage nominations in order to re-establish an effective Audio Visual Committee, following the resignation and removal of previous appointees. Is this action due to inertia or intent?”Rob, who had laid down this notice of motion, requested the permission of the branch to withdraw it.AGREED4. Member's correspondenceBoth the Treasurer and the Secretary had received correspondence from Jacqueline informing the branch she would no longer be able to attend branch meetings or street stalls.It was AGREED that the Secretary respond to Jacqueline. A discussion about the future of the branch then followed and a number of options were suggested. It was AGREED to return to the subject at the next meeting.5. Call for nominations for Socialist Standard layout membersThe branch had been informed by the Acting General Secretary that the two Socialist Standard layout members would not be continuing after the end of this year and that volunteers are urgently called for.The text of the statement from the two members was attached to the August EC minutes and it was AGREED that it be circulated to all branch members.6. Call for nominations for 2017 Party Officers and EC membersThe branch nominated the following members:General Secretary: Keith GrahamAssistant General Secretary: Tristan Miller Auditors: Rob Cox, Howard MossExecutive Committee members: Rob Cox, Eddie Craggs, Mike Foster, Tim Kilgallon, Colin SkellyAGREED7. Snap General Election possibilityMotion 4. (to the EC) D.Chesham & Cox “This branch requests the EC seriously investigates arranging for Party election communications to be personally addressed to electors, in some or all future elections to public office in which the Party nominates candidates. This may: 1) Guarantee delivery to all electors; 2) Increase the chance of delivery and, depending on presentation, of being read. 3) Eliminate the risk of an inaccurate estimate of required volume of leaflets being printed.”AGREED 4-0-0 (four members present)It was AGREED to return to the subject at the next meeting.8. Forms 'A' & 'F' NONE9. Branch membership transfersNONE 10. EC minutes – August meeting – 6-8-16                           September meeting – 3-9-16Motion 5. (to the EC) D. Chesham & M.Chesham “This branch deplores the action of the August EC in agreeing that the Head Office Assistant attends the premises at his discretion rather than as stipulated by this sentence in the relevant Terms of Reference clause. viz: ‘Hours: The Head Office Organiser is asked to be at Head Office for eight hours three days each week for the purpose of section one below the days to be agreed with the EC at the beginning of the year.’”AGREED 3-0-1 (four members present)11. Future propaganda activitiesNONE other than those already mentioned12. Any other businessNONEMeeting adjourned at 6.19pmCollection taken: £10.00