EC Meetings

[lindanesocialist]

EC agenda for September 2016

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• SPGB Assistant Secretary

   

  Message 1 of 2 , Today at 10:15 PM

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  Agenda for the 9th Meeting
  of the 113th Executive Committee

  Socialist Party of Great Britain

  3 September 2016

  1. Election of Chair

  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 August 2016 meeting minutes

  b. Matters arising from the August 2016 meeting minutes

  i. Re Motion 7 ("That all members be reminded that in
  accordance with Rule 17 any publications except leaflets
  and handbills are to be authorized by the EC prior to
  publication (including on public websites such as YouTube)
  and be requested not to publish in advance of any such
  authorization any items which may be reasonably construed
  as published by SPGB."), resolution from South London
  (27 August, carried 5-0-0):

  South London Branch considers that with regard to
  Rule 17 the word "literature" be interpreted to
  encompass written, audio-visual and other means of
  publicising the Party case. In the view of the branch
  the emphasis of Rule 17 lies in "publish and control"
  and not just in "literature"

  ii. Re Motion 8 ("That the EC consult the Internet and
  Audio-Visual Committees on practical methods of making
  draft audio-visual material requiring EC approval
  available, which would avoid requiring members to open
  accounts with YouTubeGoogle, such as (1) establishing a
  protocol whereby items could clearly labeled [sic] a
  'draft'; (2) providing a file-sharing facility on
  Party-controlled websites or third party file sharing
  services."), e-mail from Cde Poynton of the Internet
  Committee (17 August).
  No response received from the Audio-Visual Committee.

  c. Notices of Motion

  d. Notices of Business

  e. Matters outstanding from previous minutes

  i. §B.1 (Election candidates speakers test)

  ii. §B.2 (Party Speakers Test)

  iii. §B.3 (HO computer upgrades) (no dates have yet been
  arranged for Cde Mark Lansbury to come to Head Office to
  replace the old Marten computer with the new HP computer)

  iv. §B.4 (O'Gorman bequest)

  v. Resolution 5 ("That the Treasurer asks Mr Briggs for his
  advice.")

  vi. §B.5 (Investment Committee)

  vii. §C.1 (Party wall) (no further updates)

  viii. §C.2 (work to the rear of HO)

  ix. §F (contact from a group in Turkey)

  x. §H (proposed introductory video)

  xi. §J.i (fire alarm)

  3. Forms A and F

  a. Form A for NM (via Membership Applications Committee)

  b. Form A for JS (via Membership Applications Committee)

  4. Treasurer

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

  a. Report of the Media Committee to the EC (27 July)

  b. Report of the Archives Committee to ADM 2016

  c. Report of the Auditors to ADM 2016

  d. Report of the Blog Committee to ADM 2016

  e. Report of the Election Committee to ADM 2016

  f. Report of the Head Office Organizer to ADM 2016

  g. Report of the Internet Committee to ADM 2016

  h. Report of the Media Committee to ADM 2016

  i. Report of the Membership Applications Committee to ADM 2016

  j. Report of the Premises Committee to ADM 2016

  k. Report of the Socialist Standard Production Committee to ADM
  2016

  l. Report of the Universities and College Committee to ADM 2016

  m. Re outstanding reports to ADM 2016, report from the Acting
  General Secretary

  n. Resolution from West Midlands Regional (carried 5-1-0; no
  meeting date given but correspondence received 12-13 July):

  WMRB wishes to express its concern about certain articles
  in the Socialist Standard (see email from M Tenner, dated
  14 May). These articles although interesting failed to give
  any socialist comment or analysis and this should not be
  repeated in future editions.

  6. Correspondence

  a. Matters of urgency

  b. Correspondence from or concerning Branches, the Party in
  general, and members

  i. E-mail from Cde Whitehead (21 August) re livestreaming ADM
  2016

  ii. E-mail from Cde Buick (26 August) re the WSP(I)'s
  pamphlet A History of Economics

  c. Correspondence from Companion Parties and Groups (available on
  the "World Socialist Movement" forum of the Party's website)

  i. Socialist Party of Canada Secretary's Report, 1 August
  2016: http://www.worldsocialism.org/spgb/forum/
  world-socialist-movement/spc-newsletter-1st-aug-2016

  ii. Word Socialist Party (India) Executive Committee minutes,
  July 2016: http://www.worldsocialism.org/spgb/forum/
  world-socialist-movement/wspindia-july-ec-meeting-minutes

  iii. Word Socialist Party (India) Executive Committee minutes,
  August 2016: http://www.worldsocialism.org/spgb/forum/
  world-socialist-movement/wspindia-aug-2016-ec-minutes

  d. All other correspondence

  7. Any other business

  a. Call for Branch nominations for 2017 Party Officers and EC
  members

  b. Call for a volunteer to take the minutes of ADM 2016

  8. Nomination of Chair for the next meeting

[lindanesocialist]

How does 2(b) (i) apply to the SSPC, IC  committee and not to the AVDoes the EC intend to continue changing the rules? Or should it wait for the membership to do that?

[Young Master Smeet]

Linda,your question isn't all that clear.  Rule 17 is the operative rule here, this section:

Quote:

and otherwise generally administer the work of the Party in accordance with Party polls, Party rules and Conference decisions, and to this end may appoint sub-committees. Names shall be called for, subject to the Executive Committee being authorised to appoint members directly to these sub-Committees if no nominations are received.

The EC may take work from its sub-committees back to itself where necessary: saving where there is a conference decision in place (the SSPC and the Publications committee are subject to some rigorous conference resolutions regarding their structure and operation: there is a general understanding that the EC ought not to micromanage sub-committees, but sometimes for many and several reasons that falls down).  Now, it may well be the AV committee could benefit from being structured more like the SSPC, with a division between content and production…

[Anonymous]

Young Master Smeet wrote:

there is a general understanding that the EC ought not to micromanage sub-committees

Yes, examples of the "laissez-faire" approach adopted by the EC of late towards sub-committees are manifold.  A couple of examples will suffice.  For many years the important Media Committee was staffed but its output in terms of activity was absolutely zilch – no management whatever, micro or otherwise, from successive ECs. Then of course there's the Audio Visual Committee, running a close second, where 95+% of its work was undertaken for years by members who chose not to be on the committee officially for various personal reasons.  Fast forward to February of this year.  A member gets appointed to the AVC, actually does some work and single-handedly produces an introductory party video.  Gets kicked off the committee by an appreciative EC a few months later.

[Young Master Smeet]

It's not the EC's decision (often it tries to micromanage, and has to be reminded), it is the decision of cofnerence (I think even expressly, but if not implicitly, over several decisions).  It's not actually clear if the EC can dismiss a committee member, technically I suspect a charge is necessary under rule 31 (there is nothing in rule giving the EC power to dismiss committee members).

[Author]

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