July 2019 EC minutes

[Anonymous]

MINUTES OF THE 7TH MEETING OF THE 116TH EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIALIST PARTY OF GREAT BRITAIN AT HEAD OFFICE ON SATURDAY, 6TH JULY 2019

[Note: These are draft minutes only and are not official until adopted by the EC]

Present: C.Alvarenga, M.Browne, D.Chesham, M.Foster, T.Hart, S.Kennedy, M.Tenner (P.Shannon via Skype)

Apologies: G.Thomas, C.Dee

Meeting opened at 1:24pm

1. Election of Chair: M.Browne
Tenner/Foster – Agreed

2. Minutes of the previous meeting, business arising therefrom and the General Secretary’s raising of Notices of Motion and Business from previous meetings

(a) Amendment and adoption of the minutes of the June 2019 meeting
RESOLUTION – Foster/Hart: “That the minutes be adopted.”  (Agreed)

(b) Matters arising from the February 2019 meeting minutes
i) Costings from Internet Committee for WSM website & alternative video sites
Comrade Shannon reports that in his investigation that this can be done without the involvement of the Internet Committee through such means as Skype – video conference, something which is free and has a maximum number of participants numbering 15. Does not require an app to be downloaded nor an account to be created. In regards to an in page display of the agenda, this would require the involvement of the Internet Committee.

Comrades Kennedy, Hart, Chesham and Shannon to test the usefulness of this.

(c) Matter arising from the March 2019 meeting minutes
i) Agenda restructuring
RESOLUTION – Shannon/Foster: “That correspondence (item 7) falls above notices of motion (item 5) within the restructured agenda.” 5-0-2 (Carried)
RESOLUTION – Foster/Shannon: “That the proposed agenda be accepted as amended.” 6-0-2 (Carried)

(d) Matters arising from the April 2019 meeting minutes
i) Ad hoc Committee on Party regional restructuring

Two nominations have already been received but a further call for nominations be made, with a deadline of noon on Friday 23 August.

(e) Notices of Motion
None

(f) Notices of Business
i) Insert into the i newspaper
RESOLUTION – Chesham/Foster: “That the party place an insert into the weekend Scottish edition of the i newspaper as soon as convenient costing £432 plus vat and printing.” 7-1-0 (Carried)

Meeting adjourned for break at 2:53pm – Meeting resumed at 3:15pm

ii) Email from Comrade Tenner requesting: that precedence be given to improving the appearance of the Party’s website over proposed expenditure on a WSM website.
RESOLUTION – Foster/Kennedy: “The EC asks Comrade Shannon to liaise with the Internet Committee and other people with expertise about improving the design of the SPGB website.” 7-0-0 (Carried)

iii) Email from Comrade Tenner requesting: that the EC assumes responsibility for activities encompassed by the non-functioning Campaigns committee (debates with political organisations and publications; approaches to student bodies; vehicular distribution of literature; sticker campaigns; attendance at political and other meetings; planned interventions in radio ‘phone-in programmes; slots on radio programmes; expansion of social activities; musical events; stalls at fairs; and so on).
Noted

(g) Matters outstanding from previous minutes
i) World Socialist Party of America funding: Comrade Robin Cox’s email correspondence
RESOLUTION – Tenner/Kennedy: “That the funds (£5000) as requested be transferred.” – Division requested by Comrade Foster
In favour (Chesham, Kennedy, Tenner) Against (Alvarenga, Browne, Foster, Hart) Abstention (Shannon) 3-4-1 (Falls)
RESOLUTION – Foster/Shannon: “The issue of potential transfer of funds to the SWPUS be deferred to the August EC meeting providing clarification of the legalities of transferring funds by the SPGB Treasurer and details of the WSPUS bank account.” – Division requested by Comrade Browne
In favour (Alvarenga, Browne, Chesham, Foster, Hart, Shannon) Against (Kennedy, Tenner) No Abstentions 6-2-0 (Carried)

3. Forms A and F
(a) Form A for EM (via Membership Applications Committee) Accepted
(b) Form A for CK (via Membership Applications Committee) Accepted
(c) Form F for Rodney Glover   (resigned – disagreement)
That the form F be accepted 6-1-0 (Carried)

4. Treasurer
(a) SPGB Data Compliance Recommendations Implementation Report Deferred

Comrades Foster and Browne leave the meeting
Comrade Chesham appointed Chair

5. Reports of Party Officers, Party Appointees, Subcommittees, and Departments; discussion of advertising, campaigns, and The Socialist Standard

(a) Report of the Ballot Committee
Item 1 to be dealt with by the General Secretary in coordination with Branches and applicable Party Officers
Item 7 to be referred to Standing Orders
Item 8 to be referred to the Internet Committee
Item 9 a call out be made for nominations to fill an adhoc committee to look into increasing female membership
(Agreed)

6. Correspondence

(a) Matters of urgency

(b) Correspondence from or concerning Branches, the Party in general, and members
i) Resolution from Kent & Sussex Regional (9 June, carried 5-0–0): “That the EC be asked to fund the purchase of 250 enamel SPGB logo badges from Badgemaster at a cost of £549.45 for resale through head office at a cost of £4.00 including postage and packaging, or £3.00 without.”
RESOLUTION – Shannon/Kennedy: “That the requested expenditure be approved.” (Agreed)

Comrade Hart leaves the meeting

ii) Delivery of the Socialist Standard from the printers and its dispatch from Head Office
Comrade Chesham reported that the delivery of the Standard from Bishops (the printers) had been erratic over recent months which had resulted in members who dispatch it to subscribers, Branches, etc, having to wait around Head Office for several hours in some instances.
RESOLUTION – Kennedy/Shannon: “That Cde Shannon liaise with other members of the Socialist Standard Production Committee to find a new printer.” 4-0-1 (Carried)

iii) Action Detrimental Charge
Darrell Whitehead against Lancaster Branch
Deferred

(c) Correspondence from Companion Parties and Groups
Noted

(d) All other correspondence
None

7. Any other business
None

8. Nomination of Chair for the next meeting
None

9. Electoral Commission returns
None

Meeting adjourned at 5:51pm

[Anonymous]

The Forms ‘A’ referred to in the above minutes are for Ewan Martin and Cameron Kane.  We welcome them to membership of the Party.

[Anonymous]

The Socialist Party should double check the legal implication, or do some legal research about   transferring funds from England to the USA  for a political organization

[Anonymous]

“The Socialist Party should double check the legal implication, or do some legal research about transferring funds from England to the USA for a political organization”

We are in the process of doing this.

[Author]

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