August EC Minutes
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MINUTES OF THE 8th MEETING OF THE 117TH EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
THE SOCIALIST PARTY OF GREAT BRITAIN
AUGUST Saturday 1st 2020
(Online meeting)
Present: S.Kennedy, M.Foster, J.Cohen, P.Shannon, L.Stevens, J.Shodeke, P.Edwards
Apologies: T.Hart
Chair: M.Foster
1. Election of Chair
RESOLUTION: Kennedy/Shodeke – “That Mike Foster be appointed as chair.”
(Agreed)
2. Amendment and adoption of the previous meeting minutes (p. 8)
(a) Re §3(a)i (“The EC to amend EC Standing Orders to include an item ‘Inclusivity of the movement.”), note from the Assistant Secretary (25 July):
That it be specified the Assistant Secretaries actions were in line with what was expected.
RESOLUTION: Edwards/Browne – “That the minutes be adopted.”
(Agreed)
3. Matters arising from previous minutes
(a) Matters arising from the July 2020 meeting minutes
i. Re §2(a) (agreement to specify in the July minutes what was agreed at the June meeting), e-mail from
Cde Robert Cox (24 July):
ii. Re §3(b)i (Comrade Cox to rewrite the standard letter provided to Branches to encourage non-paying members to set up regular payments to either Branch or HO bank accounts), report from the Treasurer on increasing income (25 July; p. 12)
RESOLUTION: Kennedy/Edwards – “That the Internet Committee be instructed to include an “any amount” to the suggested voluntary payments on the website.”
(Carried 6-0-2)
RESOLUTION: Kennedy/Browne – “That the Treasurers report as on page 12 regarding the letter sent out to members for voluntary payments be accepted. And that the letter include a link towards the website section.”
(Carried 8-0-0)
RESOLUTION: Kennedy/Stevens – “That a Payments/Donations main menu item be added to the website including the same Voluntary Contributions options.”
(Carried 4-2-2)
(b) Notice of Business (Foster): Action detrimental/Conference, ADM
The General Secretary to get in contact with Comrade Moss in furthering the investigation including getting details from those involved and Comrade Alvarenga.
4. Report of the Treasurer
(a) Report of the Treasurer (27 June)
i. The Photocopier
Noted
(b) Report of the Treasurer (25 July):
i. Premises Issues: 1# Central Heating (boiler), hot water supply, drinking water supply and leak from second floor toilet. Deferred until next month awaiting a report by the Treasurer.
ii. Premises Issues: 2# Door keypad and lock (July EC meeting resolution, item 5(r)).
Deferred
iii. Legacy
Deferred until further reports.
iv. The Photocopier. As of today, Toshiba has not replaced the defective component but the machine remains otherwise operational.
Deferred
v. Publication sales (promotions to bookshops)
Noted
5. Reports of and new matters relating to Party Officers, Party Appointees, and Subcommittees
(a) Ad-hoc Committee on Party Regional Restructuring
i. Conference 2020 floor resolution (carried 14–2–2): This conference is in favour of the Ad-Hoc Committee on Party Regional Restructuring investigating further the implications for party structure in light of more activity moving online in recent months, and reporting to ADM The Ad Hoc Committee be reconstituted to deal with the report to ADM.
(b) Advertising and Enquiries
(c) Assistant Secretary
i. Report of the Assistant Secretary (25 July):
Noted
(d) Audio Visual
(e) Auditors
(f) Ballot
i. Report of the Ballot Committee (25 July):
Noted
(g) Blog
(h) Campaigns and Media
(i) Central Branch Secretary
(j) Central Organiser
Meeting adjourned for break 2:56pm Meeting resumed at 3:10pm
(k) Discord
i. Report of the Discord Committee (3 July)
RESOLUTION: Kennedy/Browne – “The Discord Committee to draw up a questionnaire regarding party opinion on the continuation of Party meetings online including Discord and Zoom.”
(Carried 8-0-0)
(l) Education
(m) Election
(n) General Secretary
i. Minutes of Conference 2020 (p. 15)
That the General Secretary be thanked for their minute taking.
(o) Head Office Organiser
(p) Internet
i. Report of the Internet Committee (24 July):
RESOLUTION: Browne/Shannon – “That the additional costing be approved and the IC be asked to provide a report on the situation regarding memory space on the Website.”
(Carried 8-0-0)
(q) Investment
(r) Library and Archives
(s) Membership Applications
i. Form F for Cde John Marter (South West)
Deferred
ii. Form F for Cde Gordon Docherty (West London, deceased)
Accepted
iii. Form A for Peter Roberts (via the Membership Applications Committee)
Accepted
(t) Premises
(u) Publications
i. E-mail from West London (19 July):
A call out to be made for volunteers to oversee membership of Amazon services.
(v) Socialist Standard
i. Conference 2020 floor resolution (carried 10–6–2): This conference is in favour of the Socialist Standard Production Committee finding quotes from professional magazine designers for the layout of the Socialist Standard, and reporting back to the EC.
That the motion be referred to the SSPC.
(w) Standing Orders
i. Report of the Standing Orders Committee (18 July):
RESOLUTION: Browne/Foster – “That the ADM due to the covid outbreak, be set to the 21st of November 2020, and that it be held on Discord.”
(Carried 7-0-0)
(x) Trustees
6. Correspondence
(a) Matters of urgency
(b) Correspondence from or concerning Branches, the Party in general, and members
i. E-mail from Cde Buick (25 July):
Noted
(c) Correspondence from Companion Parties and Groups
i. Socialist Party of Canada General Administrative Committee minutes, 30 May 2020 (p. 27)
Noted
ii. Socialist Party of Canada Secretary’s Report, 1 July 2020 (p. 28)
Noted
(d) All other correspondence
7. Notices of Motion
8. Notices of Business – Report into the practicality of having disabled toilet facilities, Mike Browne to report.
9. Inclusivity of the movement
10. Any other business
11. Nomination of Chair for the next meeting
Meeting adjourned at 5:03pmRe Item 3a
I think we ought to be very careful how we deal with the whole issue of voluntary donations. As I understand it donations of over £500 must come from UK based individuals, The Brexit Party got into a bit of a mess with this. I am obviously being optimistic about donations, but if we had a limit to donations of £500 or another way of showing that donations came from within the UK, it might help.
The problem the Brexit Party had was that there were multiple payments below the £500 mark and no way of showing how or where they had come from so there could have been multiple donations.
Please may I urge Party members and supporters who may have noticed the post on 13th August by Bijou Drains not to be deterred from making donations (whether in the form of donations, members ‘voluntary contributions’ or legacies/bequests) to Party funds.
In common with many voluntary organisations, larger donations and bequests make up a significant amount of Party income. Every extra £1 we receive is an opportunity to spread the idea of Socialism more widely and hasten the revolution and every less £1 we receive will help the Capitalist class sleep more soundly in their ill-gotten beds.
The Party is fully aware of the legal requirements of being a registered political party in the UK and has proceedures in place to check that all accepted donations (in cash or kind) are legally compliant. This includes multiple amounts from the same donor.
It is true that donations valued in excess of £500 may only be accepted if from a legal donor, which basically means from an individual on a UK electoral register or a company/organisation based in the UK.
However, rather than worrying about getting the Party “into a bit of a mess”, anyone with concerns may email for me for advice at spgb.treasurer@worldsocialism.org or write to me at 52 Clapham High Street, London SW4 7UN.
Alternatively, individuals can just check they are getting a letter each year from their local UK Council that confirms they are on the voters roll at their current address, or contact them if not sure.
YFS
Robert Cox, Socialist Party Treasurer
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