Apologies
Mark Valladares, Stuart weir
Present
Alan Debenham (AD), Andrew Blick (AB),Peter Davison (PD), Peter Hirst (PH), Tamsin James (TJ), Finola Kelly (FK), Phillip Latham (PL), Susan Murray (SM), Mick Pitt (MP), Amy Rodger (ARO), Vicky Seddon (VS) (Chair), Nan Sloane (NS), John Strafford (JS)
In attendance
Peter Facey (PF), Alexandra Runswick (AR)
Apologies
Mark Valladares, Stuart weir
Present
Alan Debenham (AD), Andrew Blick (AB),Peter Davison (PD), Peter Hirst (PH), Tamsin James (TJ), Finola Kelly (FK), Phillip Latham (PL), Susan Murray (SM), Mick Pitt (MP), Amy Rodger (ARO), Vicky Seddon (VS) (Chair), Nan Sloane (NS), John Strafford (JS)
In attendance
Peter Facey (PF), Alexandra Runswick (AR)
Apologies
Mark Valladares, Stuart weir
Present
Alan Debenham (AD), Andrew Blick (AB),Peter Davison (PD), Peter Hirst (PH), Tamsin James (TJ), Finola Kelly (FK), Phillip Latham (PL), Susan Murray (SM), Mick Pitt (MP), Amy Rodger (ARO), Vicky Seddon (VS) (Chair), Nan Sloane (NS), John Strafford (JS)
In attendance
Peter Facey (PF), Alexandra Runswick (AR)
Holborn, London C!R "RL !2 t# $une 2%!% M&'U()S *+ologie, Mark Valladares, Stuart weir -re,ent Alan Debenham (AD), Andrew Blick (AB),Peter Davison (PD), Peter Hirst (PH), Tamsin ames (T), !inola "ell# (!"), Philli$ %atham (P%), Susan Murra# (SM), Mick Pitt (MP), Am# &od'er (A&(), Vick# Seddon (VS) ()hair), *an Sloane (*S), ohn Stra++ord (S) &n attendance Peter !ace# (P!), Ale,andra &unswick (A&) !. Minute, and Matter, *ri,ing i. Minute, -t was noted that P% had sent his a$olo'ies to the last meetin' but un+ortunatel# these had not arrived at the o++ice until a+ter the event so had not been recorded in the minutes. The minutes for the Council meeting on the 6 th March were approved and the minutes of the last Management Board meeting were noted. ii. Matter, *ri,ing !" asked i+ the &eturnin' (++icer would be re$ortin' to )ouncil on the conduct o+ the recent elections +or )ouncil. P! re$lied that there were no outstandin' issues re'ardin' the elections and that as no com$laints had been received the &eturnin' (++icer would not be makin' a re$ort unless s$eci+icall# asked to do so b# )ouncil. AD asked i+ the (utreach (++icer $ost had been advertised #et. P! re$lied that the recruitment +or this $ost had been dela#ed because o+ the 'eneral election but that this would start shortl# 2. Di,cu,,ion on t#e Coalition agreement i. /eneral di,cu,,ion P! 'ave )ouncil an overview o+ the coalition a'reement and the $eriod leadin' u$ to the creation o+ the new 'overnment. He em$hasised the si'ni+icance o+ $olitical re+orm bein' included in the coalition a'reement and *ick )le'' takin' direct res$onsibilit# +or this a'enda. P! added that $olic# commitments in a coalition a'reement are +ar stron'er than mani+esto commitments as the $arties know that the# will be /ud'ed b# the media and the $ublic on how much o+ the $ro'ramme the# have been able to achieve. He commented that there were more o$$ortunities to in+luence this 'overnment 0 the Brown 'overnment came to this a'enda late and $rimaril# +or tactical reasons so could not deliver. AB asked whether the cabinet o++ice $a$ers re'ardin' the coalition ne'otiations would be sub/ect to the !reedom o+ -n+ormation Act and whether 1D would consider makin' an !(- re2uest +or the $a$ers to be $ublished3 *S s$oke about the weakness o+ the coalition a'reement +rom an e2ualities $oint o+ view and the need +or or'anisations such as 1D kee$ $ressure on these issues. A&( s$oke about the e,$erience o+ coalition 'overnment in Scotland and the wa# that the new coalition in 4estminster is viewed in 5dinbur'h. !" commented that the )oalition6s a$$roach to women shows that its attitudes are actuall# 2uite old +ashioned des$ite all the new $olitics rhetoric. She added that once cuts started to be made it would be ver# di++icult to kee$ e2ualities issues on the a'enda. S in+ormed )ouncil that he had alwa#s believed there would be a national 'overnment and that it was a 'reat o$$ortunit# +or cam$ai'ners like 1D. 7reat thin's could be achieved i+ the situation was $la#ed ri'ht. VS added that the )onservatives seemed to have 'iven a lot 'round on $olitical re+orm issues and *ick )le'' needs to deliver this a'enda to kee$ his $art# on board. -t is in both $arties6 interest +or there to be a lon' $arliament and there+ore the# will both need to com$romise. ii. (#e coalition agreement and UD0, cam+aigning +rioritie, A& s$oke to her $a$er on how the coalition a'reement im$acted on 1D6s areas o+ work and how it com$ared to the mani+esto 1D $ublished in the run u$ to the election. PD asked about the 'overnment6s $ro$osals on e2ualisin' constituenc# si8es. A& e,$lained this $olic#, wh# it was bein' linked the $ro$osed re+erendum on AV and the broader $olitics o+ the issue. AB commented that the e2ualisation o+ constituenc# si8es is bein' sold as +air votes and that this needs to be challen'ed. *S added that the 'overnment underestimates how controversial the boundar# chan'es will be and how lon' this $rocess will take. Peo$le have ver# stron' +eelin's about their communities. S s$oke in +avour o+ e2ualisin' the si8e o+ constituencies and su''ested that the $rocess could be +ast tracked b# endin' $ublic in2uiries. !" said that she understand wh# $eo$le want to e2ualise constituencies but e,$ressed concern about the numbers o+ $eo$le missin' +rom the electoral re'ister and how this im$acts on the resources that local authorities receive. SM s$oke about her e,$erience at hustin's in outl#in' communities +eelin' that the# didn6t 'et attention +rom 'overnment but also wantin' what the# saw as lar'er, +airer constituencies. A&( s$oke in +avour o+ the )alman )ommission $ro$osals on +urther devolution in Scotland. PH was interested in the direct democrac# $ro$osals but wanted them to lead to an e,$licit outcome such as a vote in the House o+ )ommons. *S e,$ressed concern about local re+erendums, in $articular that the s#stem could be discredited b# lar'e numbers o+ re+erendums on trivial issues. 4hile there were undoubtedl# issues that should be decided b# re+erendum, $olic# makin' b# re+erendum was not desirable. !" s$oke about the 52ualit# Act 9:;: 'ivin' $olitical $arties more $owers to use all women shortlists or other measures to increase the re$resentation o+ women in $arliament and 1D should $ut $ressure on $arties to use them. )ouncil thanked A& +or her detailed $a$er. P! $ro$osed to )ouncil that 1D should +ocus on the +ollowin' $riorities in the ne,t $eriod< AV re+erendum House o+ %ords re+orm Part# !undin' Decentralisation S su$$orted the $ro$osed $riorities but would like 1D to do some work on 51 democrac# in the lon'er term. !" e,$ressed concern about the decentralisation a'enda in li'ht o+ the removal o+ rin' +enced +undin' +or e2ualities or'anisations at the local level. A&( commented that House o+ %ords &e+orm and $art# +undin' are both area where 1D has a uni2ue leadershi$ role to $la# on the sector as it is the onl# or'anisation that has been consistentl# commentin' on these issues. P! added that 1D will be an active $art o+ an# coalitions on e2ualities and civil liberties issues but is not in a $osition to lead them. A& s$oke about the im$ortance o+ 1D6s involvement in the debates on the Human &i'hts Act and the Bill o+ &i'hts $ro$osals and in $articular makin' the case +or $ublic involvement in an# new $rocess. It was agreed that UDs priorities should be woring on the !" referendum# $ouse of %ords reform# part& funding and decentralisation. 1. *2 re3erendum ,trategy P! re$orted to )ouncil on the creation o+ the Take Back Parliament cam$ai'n, 1D=s role in it and the wa# the or'anisations involved are now workin' to'ether to start thinkin' about the AV re+erendum cam$ai'n. He added that when $lans had been made +or a re+erendum on AV> a+ter the enkins )ommission, it had been assumed that the core o+ the cam$ai'n would be %abour and %iberal Democrat activists. 4e cannot make this assum$tion about the AV re+erendum cam$ai'n. He added that talks had be'un with the $olitical $arties about their $lans +or the re+erendum cam$ai'n. He also reminded )ouncil o+ the result o+ the all member ballot that 1D conducted which showed that in a re+erendum cam$ai'n where the choice is between our current s#stem and AV, over ?:@ o+ our members wanted 1D to cam$ai'n +or AV. There was a ver# wide ran'in' debate about the re+erendum, $ossibilities +or amendin' the Bill to include a $ro$ortional s#stem on the ballot $a$er, and the $otential risks to 1D o+ the re+erendum cam$ai'n. S$eci+ic $oints that were raised included< VS asked about the $ossibilities o+ amendin' the Bill to include a $ro$ortional s#stem andAor a citi8ens convention. *S commented that most $eo$le don=t understand the electoral s#stem and even those that are s#m$athetic to chan'e are $ut o++ b# the e,$erience o+ the list s#stem used +or elections to the 5uro$ean Parliament. She also s$oke about her e,$erience o+ the re+erendum on directl# elected re'ional 'overnment +or the *orth 5ast and the di++icult# o+ 'ettin' $olitical $arties to work to'ether and how this is e,acerbated when there are other elections 'oin' on at the same time. A&( s$oke about how the $arliamentar# %abour Part# is now dominated b# Scottish %abour who are 'enerall# not in +avour o+ AV because the# +eel it bene+its the S*P in Scotland. She added that an# chan'e to the electoral s#stem is a +undamental chan'e as it would mean that the issue was no lon'er sacred. However, as cam$ai'ners we have to reco'nise that most $eo$le don=t know an#thin' about the electoral s#stem and we need to have messa'es that will work +or them. P! closed the debate b# sa#in' that 1D would continue to cam$ai'n +or a $ro$ortional s#stem and +or citi8ens to be involved in choosin' the electoral s#stem. However it is im$ortant to reco'nise that these cam$ai'ns are unlikel# to be success+ul at this time and we ma# need to revisit these ar'uments a+ter the re+erendum cam$ai'n. He added that while he understood $eo$le6s concerns about holdin' the re+erendum on the same da# as other elections, the most im$ortant thin' is that the re+erendum is held in 9:;; and that the date is a'reed soon. The strateg& on !" was approved. ". Sectoral *naly,i, P! ma$$ed out the di++erent coalitions the currentl# e,ist in the democrac# sector +or )ouncil. He also in+ormed )ouncil that he had received a $ro$osal +or Power9:;: to mer'e with 1D. -+ this were to 'o ahead there would be a brie+ transition and that the aim would be +or as man# $eo$le as $ossible to /oin 1D +rom Power9:;: su$$orters and to cam$ai'n on behal+ o+ 1D. *S a$$roved o+ this a$$roach but as someone who had been involved with Power9:;: recommended that the brands should remain se$arate. This approach was approved.
5. Director0, re+ort P! s$oke to the accounts and drew )ouncil=s attention to the sur$lus +or the last +inancial #ear. He added that the bud'et $reviousl# a'reed b# )ouncil +or this +inancial #ear de$ended active 'rant +undraisin' but this area was $articularl# com$etitive at the moment and 'rant 'ivin' bodies had less mone# to 'ive because o+ the +inancial crisis. P! re$orted that 1D had moved +rom the basement o+ )#nthia street to the to$ +loor and that the re+urbishment o+ the $ro$ert# on 7ra#s -nn &oad is nearl# com$lete. He added that sta++ were e,hausted a+ter runnin' a number o+ cam$ai'ns durin' the election and movin' o++ices at the same time. )ouncil thanked sta++ +or all their hard work and in $articular +or the hi'h 2ualit# o+ the $ro/ects $roduced durin' the 'eneral election. P! in+ormed )ouncil o+ the issues around cam$ai'nin' or'anisations and the national minimum wa'e le'islation and added that A& would liaise with the *ational )ouncil +or Voluntar# (r'anisations and law#ers i+ necessar# to ensure that the or'anisation o$erated not /ust le'all# but within best $ractice. 4. Honorary 533icer, P! reminded )ouncil that at the last meetin' the# had a'reed that 1D should a$$oint honorar# o++icers. He asked )ouncil members to brainstorm ideas +or $otential honorar# o++icers and send an# ideas to the o++ice. (#e ne6t meeting will be #eld on Saturday " t# Se+tember.