Minutes of the 35th Meeting
Minutes of the 35th Meeting of the Kent & Sussex Regional branch of The Socialist Party fo Great Britain held on 21st September 2014The meeting started at 2.12 pm and was held at the Muggleton Inn, High Street, Maidstone, KentPresent: Mandy Bruce, Dave Chesham (Secretary), Marie Chesham, Rob Cox (Treasurer), Kevin Parkin (until 3.40pm), Jacqueline Shodeke (until 4.55pm)Apologies for absence: Alfie Adcock, Les Courtney, Hannah Dutton, Lewis Hayward-Hopkins, Glenn MorrisVisitor: Dan Fabian1. Election of ChairMotion 1. Parkin & Shodeke “That D.Chesham be Chair”.AGREED2. Minutes of the 34th Meeting dated 10th August 2014 were before the meetingIt was AGREED to accept the minutes as a true and correct record and to ratify a subsequent online decision to delay action on the following motion which had been voted upon:“This branch notes that on the ballot paper for the South East region of the European Elections this year there was one Party standing which had no logo appearing against its name – us.Further, this branch calls upon the Executive Committee to agree the attached design as our logo which is consistent both with the traditions of the Party and the design of the new Head Office sign".3. Matters arising from the previous minutesi) Les Courtney/Burgess Hill meetingRob had made enquiries about suitable venues in the vicinity and a short list was drawn up. The Secretary reported that he had received four responses from those interested in attending such a meeting.Motion 2. Cox & Shodeke “That the meeting in Burgess Hill be held on Sunday, 9th November and take the place of the regular branch meeting in Maidstone. The topic of the meeting to be on 'War' particularly in view of the fact that the date is 'Remembrance Sunday'. The venue, title and speaker to be confirmed”.Carried 6-0-0 (six members present)ii) The Party's ImageFollowing the motion carried at the August meeting and subsequent online deliberations lasting over four weeks numerous new designs were before the meeting. After discussion lasting well over an hour and having eliminated several options during the online exchange it was AGREED to submit three new logo designs to the Executive Committee which are variations on a single theme – i.e. identical apart for the font used on the banner/strap line. Corresponding monochrome and grey-scale versions would also be submitted. The revised motion now reads thus:Motion 3. (to the EC) Cox & Bruce “This branch notes that on the ballot paper for the South East region of the European Elections this year there was one Party standing which had no logo appearing against its name – us.Further, this branch calls upon the Executive Committee to consider adopting one of the three attached designs (each with its monochrome and grey-scale counterparts) for a logo, which are consistent both with the traditions of the Party and the design of the new Head Office sign".Carried 6-0-0 (six members present)SEE FOOT OF THESE MINUTESiii) Day or Weekend School in 2015It was AGREED to defer this item until the October meeting.iv) Reportsa) Literature Stall – Tunbridge Wells – 16/8/14b) Kent Miners' Festival – 25/8/14c) Literature Stall – Canterbury – 13/9/14An average of £6.50 of literature was sold on each of these occasions with many leaflets distributed and back numbers of the Standard given away. Four members and three potential members took part.v) 2015 General ElectionThe branch currently has the acceptance of four comrades prepared to stand as candidates, subject to them taking and passing the New Speakers' Test.4. Forms 'A'NONE5. EC minutes – 9th meeting – 6/9/14NOTED6. EC vacanciesTwo vacancies had occurred on the current Executive Committee.Motion 4. (to the EC) Shodeke & Cox “That D.Chesham be nominated for one of the vacancies on the 2014 EC”.Carried 4-0-1 (five members present)7. 2014 Autumn Delegate Meeting Agenda and ReportsIt was AGREED that the following comrades would be the branch's delegates – Dave Chesham, Rob Cox, Ed Mann and Jacqueline Shodeke.The Agenda and Reports would be deferred until the next meeting.8. Call for nominations for 2015 Party Officers and Executive CommitteeIt was AGREED to defer this item to the next meeting.9. Money Free PartyIt was AGREED to defer this item to the next meeting.10. New notices of businessi) "The Party's attitude and members' responsibilities regarding referenda"11. Future propaganda activitiesNone other than those already proposed.12. Any other businessRob proposed a motion which, if adopted by the EC, could be implemented in time for next month's ADM.Motion 5. (to the EC) Cox & M.Chesham "Recording ADM & Conference Proceedings: This Branch proposes that, in view of the fact that they are obliged to attend, the recording of these meetings should be undertaken by EC members (on a rota basis), in order to reduce the workload on the General Secretary, unless the Assistant Secretary is able to attend to this. Each EC member involved should be responsible for typing up their notes and submitting them for compilation by the Assistant Secretary. Once any apparent errors in the texts are resolved, the chair of the meeting should then be asked to sign them to authenticate accuracy, prior to publication”.Carried 5-0-0 (five members present)Meeting adjourned at 5.15pmCollection taken: £15.00Figure 1: Logo 1Figure 2: Logo 2Figure 3: Logo 3