Unlock Democracy Management Board Minutes

5.30pm 9
th
August 2011
!op "loor 9 #ynthia $treet %ondon &1 9'(
)resent* Vicky Seddon (VS), Peter Hirst (PH), Nan Sloane (NS), Tamsin James (TJ)
+n attendance: Peter Facey (PF), Alexandra Runsick (AR), Samir A!"im (SA),
#att"e $li%er (#$)
&' A(olo)ies, #inutes and #atters Arisin)
A(olo)ies ere recei%ed !rom P"il Starr, Finola *elly, Stuart +eir and #ark
Valladares'
The minutes were approved as an accurate record. There were no matters arising.
2. Finances, Sta!! and Admin
#ana)ement accounts
PF (resented t"e accounts and re(orted t"at !inances ere still ti)"t' He "i)"li)"ted
t"at so !ar t"is year standin) order income "as !allen !urt"er t"an t"e dro(
antici(ated in t"e ,ud)et' -t is too early to say "et"er t"is is a result o! t"e AV
re!erendum, t"e economic climate or ot"er !actors' PF reassured t"e ,oard t"at t"e
area is ,ein) constantly monitored ,y sta!!' NS commented t"at t"is as a common
trend amon)st mem,ers"i( or)anisations in t"e current economic climate, "ic"
dre )eneral a)reement !rom t"e ,oard'

Sta!!in)
PF in!ormed t"e ,oard t"at SA as lea%in) t"e or)anisation to take a .o, at Ret"ink'
His o!!icial lea%in) date is to ,e con!irmed ,ut "e ill only ,e in t"e o!!ice !or anot"er
to eeks' -t is antici(ated t"at t"e recruitment (rocess ill take !our to !i%e mont"s'
T"e ,oard t"anked SA !or "is ser%ice and is"ed "im ell !or t"e !uture'
PF and #$ also in!ormed t"e ,oard t"at a ne mem,er o! sta!! "as ,een em(loyed
on a !ixed term / mont" contract, it" t"e o(tion o! a one mont" extension, as Vote
#atc" Pro.ect Assistant' -t as ex(lained t"at Alex Rale, alt"ou)" a !ull mem,er o!
sta!!, is ,ein) (aid t"e 0ondon 0i%in) +a)e (12'/3) and is not on t"e re)ular 4nlock
5emocracy (45) (ay )rades' He ill ,e assistin) #$, t"e Vote #atc" 6oordinator,
it" t"e Vote #atc" %ersion !or t"e 4S Re(u,lican Primaries, commissioned ,y t"e
Tele)ra(" #edia 7rou(' His salary "as ,een !ully costed and is co%ered ,y monies
to ,e recei%ed !rom t"e Tele)ra("' -t as a)reed t"at t"e 00+ as a((ro(riate !or
t"ese kinds o! s"ort8term em(loyment o((ortunities'
Sta!! structure
AR outlined t"e existin) sta!! structure to t"e ,oard and t"e sta!!9s (lans !or SA9s
re(lacement' T"e .o, descri(tion !or t"e role as circulated to t"e ,oard !or
a((ro%al' -t as (ro(osed t"at "ilst a ne #em,ers"i( and Fundraisin) mana)er
as recruited, a contractor ,e "ired to ,uild a ne mem,ers"i( data,ase'
AR ex(lained t"at too muc" o! t"e Fundraisin) and #em,ers"i( #ana)ers time is
s(ent on administrati%e duties rat"er t"an !undraisin)' Sta!! "a%e (in(ointed t"e
main reason !or t"is is due to t"e !ailin)s o! our anti:uated mem,ers"i( data,ase' -n
order to !ree u( more o! t"e (ost "olders time to !undraise, AR (ro(osed t"at t"e
sa%in)s )leaned !rom not "a%in) to (ay SA9s salary in t"e s"ort term ,e used to (ay
a contractor to ,uild a ne inte)rated data,ase to link ,ot" t"e or)anisation9s
mem,ers"i( and cam(ai)ns !unctions' T"is ould ,uild on t"e sco(in) exercise
already undertaken ,y sta!! in ;33<=&3'
PF and AR outlined t"at t"is ould "el( create s(are ca(acity !or t"e ne
#em,ers"i( and Fundraisin) #ana)er to concentrate on ne !undraisin) ,ids' T"ey
in!ormed t"e ,oard o! t"e di!!iculties t"e or)anisation "as !ound in "irin) a suita,le
candidate !or t"e (art time 7rant and Fundraisers (osition' -t is !elt t"at t"is (ro(osal
ould eliminate t"e need !or t"at (osition' -n t"e meantime an existin) sta!! mem,er,
5an Flana)an, "o currently assists on t"e S6A, is orkin) to days a eek (art
time at a 6 )rade in a )rant !undraisin) ca(acity' -t is also "o(ed t"at a ne
data,ase ould ena,le t"e $utreac" Assistant, >mily Randall, to s(end t"ree days
cam(ai)nin) and only to on mem,ers"i(, rat"er t"an s(endin) t"ree on
mem,ers"i( as is currently t"e case'
T"ere !olloed a ,rie! discussion a,out t"e (ro(osal in "ic" t"e ?oard asked a,out
%olume o! ork, maintenance and "o ould liaise it" t"e contractors' PH
s(eci!ically re:uested t"at t"e .o, descri(tion ,e amended to include s(eci!ic
res(onsi,ility !or t"e data,ase' PF a)reed to re%isit t"e section and con!irmed t"at
"e and James 7ra"am ould liaise it" t"e contractors'
The job description and proposal were subsequently approved.
SA made t"e additional recommendation to t"e ,oard t"at additional !ull8time
administrati%e su((ort ,e em(loyed as soon as (ractica,le' T"e 6"air a)reed,
!undin) (ermittin)'
/' Fundraisin) and #em,ers"i(
SA )a%e an oral re(ort on !undraisin) and mem,ers"i( listin) t"e or)anisations
!inancial ac"ie%ements o%er t"e (ast !our years, (t"e time "e "as ,een in (ost)' He
con!irmed t"at 459s mem,ers"i( currently stands at @,&A3 mem,ers, "ilst notin)
t"at t"e a%era)e annual donation "as increased !rom 1;3 to 1/;' Total donations
"a%e increased !rom 1&B3,333 in ;33@ to 1;C3,333 today'
He did "oe%er "i)"li)"t le)acies and a ma.or donor strate)y as to areas in "is !i%e
year strate)y "ic" "e "ad not ,een a,le to (ursue' He stressed t"e im(ortance o!
"is successor makin) (ro)ress in t"ese to areas i! t"e or)anisation is to continue to
(ros(er'
Ha%in) ,een t"anked ,ot" !or "is re(ort and a)ain !or "is ser%ice, SA le!t t"e
meetin)'
C' Rodell
PF in!ormed t"e ,oard t"ere as not"in) si)ni!icant to re(ort and t"at t"e searc"
as still on)oin) !or tenants'
A' 6am(ai)ns
0ords re!orm
PF u(dated t"e ,oard on t"e (lanned 45 House o! 0ords re!orm stunt to ,e "eld t"e
next mornin)' T"is "e ex(lained ould kick start t"e or)anisations (lans !or a
su,stantial 0ords cam(ai)n in t"e u(comin) eeks and mont"s' T"ere !olloed a
,rie! de,ate a,out t"e details o! t"e cam(ai)n' PF con!irmed t"ere are currently
a((roximately C,A33 (etition si)natures and a s(eci!ic &3,333 stron) House o! 0ords
email list'
S6A
PF outlined t"e current status o! t"e S6A, ex(lainin) t"at t"ey are currently in
ne)otiation it" 7o%ernment o%er t"e ne re)ulations, "ic" need to ,e a)reed
,e!ore t"e ne round can start'
T"e ?oard also discussed t"e 0eiston (ro(osal, a (ro(osal ,y Ron ?ailey, "ic" is
,ein) (us"ed ,y t"e S6A team and "as t"e su((ort o! a((roximately <33 (aris"
councils'
T"e 6"air commented t"at t"ese ac"ie%ements or Dins9 s"ould ,e (romoted more
,y sta!! to t"e mem,ers"i('
Staff readily agreed and promised to try and visit the issue in the upcoming Citizen
magazine if space allowed.
Vote #atc"
PF and #$ u(dated t"e ?oard on t"e (ro.ect and outlined t"e %arious %ersions o!
Vote #atc" (lanned !or t"e u(comin) mont"s' -n addition to t"e 4S Re(u,lican
%ersion, t"ese include %ersions !or uni%ersity elections and a (ilot it" t"e ?ritis"
Eout" 6ouncil !or Eout" Parliament elections' -t is "o(ed t"at o%er time Vote #atc"
ill )enerate a si)ni!icant additional source o! income !or t"e or)anisation'
B' +e,site
-t as re(orted t"at t"is as ,ein) !inalised and ill ,e li%e it"in t"e next to
eeks' T"e ,oard asked i! it ere (ossi,le to see tem(lates ,e!ore t"ey ent li%e'
It was agreed that P and !ames "raham would email members P#s of the design
for information.
@' 6ouncil ?usiness
PF con!irmed t"at at (resent one mem,er "as resi)ned and anot"er is deemed no
lon)er eli)i,le to ,e a mem,er'
He outlined (lans !or t"em to ,e re(laced !or t"e sole meetin) o! t"e 6ouncil
remainin) ,e!ore t"e ne set o! elections' PF added "oe%er t"at t"ese (lans are
not !inal as "e as still in discussions it" t"e Returnin) $!!icer and currently
aaitin) "is ritten decision' He (romised to in!orm t"e ,oard o! "is decision
(rom(tly'
T"e ?oard also discussed t"e (lanned re%isions to t"e 45 constituencies used in
elections' NS "i)"li)"ted t"e ine:uality t"at (otentially existed in t"e (lanned model,
"ic" included Eorks"ire in t"e same constituency as >ssex'
+"ilst a((reciatin) t"at t"ere ould alays ,e ine:ualities in any system and t"at
as no easy solution, NS "i)"li)"ted t"e concern t"at t"e Nort" o! >n)land ould
not ,e ade:uately re(resented under t"e (lanned model'
T"e ?oard a)reed t"at t"ere as no easy solution, and also noted t"at t"e current
system already "as t"e same ine:uality, it" Nort"ern -reland and +ales not
currently recei%in) re(resentation ,y mem,ers !rom t"e area' T"e ,oard !inis"ed t"e
discussion ,y notin) t"at amendments to t"e c"an)es could ,e ta,led ,e!ore and
a!ter t"e next council meetin), as ell as at t"e A7#'
P agreed to revisit area with !ames "raham and stressed alternative suggestions
were welcomed. $ll amendments before the ne%t Council meeting should be
submitted a fortnight in advance.
2' Healt" and Sa!ety
VS :uestioned sta!! o%er o!!ice !ire (olicies' T"e ,oard ere in!ormed t"at $!!ice
#ana)er, Simon Hoard is in c"ar)e o! !ire sa!ety, assisted ,y SA and #$ on days
"e is not in' #em,ers o! sta!! re)ularly ins(ect t"e (remises and lo) t"ese
ins(ections in a ,ook' 7reys -nn Road is also re)ularly ins(ected and "as recently
"as a si)ni!icant re!ur,is"ment to ,rin) it u( to modern s(eci!ications'
<' Political $%er%ie
PF )a%e "is (olitical o%er%ie, most o! "ic" "ad already ,een co%ered in t"e
meetin)' He added t"at t"e 6ommission on t"e 4* ?ill o! Ri)"ts as askin) !or
or)anisations to su,mit e%idence and t"at 45 ere (lannin) to do so'
T"ere !olloed a ,rie! con%ersation o! "o 459s stance di!!ered !rom t"e ot"er
or)anisations in t"e sector, (e')' 0i,erty), in callin) !or a ?ill o! Ri)"ts t"at
incor(orates t"e Human Ri)"ts Act and ot"er ri)"ts in addition (e!!ecti%ely HRAF)' -t
as a)reed t"at t"is (olicy ould not c"an)e and t"at t"e ,oard ,e u(dated on t"e
su,mission at t"e next meetin)'
NS also raised t"e issue o! 45 si)nin) u( to t"e 6om(ass D-n t"e Pu,lic -nterest9
(etition' As ell as ex(ressin) dee( reser%ations a,out t"e conce(t, "ic" s"e sa
as a (oorer %ersion o! 459s citiGens con%ention, NS also indicated sur(rise t"at 45
"as a)reed it" t"e tone and text o! t"e email to su((orters' S"e noted terms suc"
as t"e DFeral >lite9 indicated no lessons "ad ,een learned !rom t"e AV Re!erendum'
PF ex(lained t"e t"inkin) ,e"ind si)nin) u( to t"e (etition "oe%er admitted 45 "ad
not ,een consulted on t"e lan)ua)e' He con!irmed t"at no email ask ill ,e sent to
45 su((orters and no sta!! time ill ,e s(ent (romotin) it'
The &oard accepted this e%planation however as'ed that P spea' to Compass
signalling (#)s unhappiness with the approach being adopted.
&3' A'$'?
T"ere as no any ot"er ,usiness'
The date of the ne%t *anagement &oard meeting is Tuesday ++ ,ctober. The date
of the ne%t Council meeting is Saturday +- September.