Unlock Democracy Management Board

10
th
August 2010 at 5.30pm
6 Cyntha !treet" #ondon" $1 %&'
M($U)*!
+resent
Peter Hirst (PH), Tamsin James (TJ), Finola Kelly (FK), Vicky Seddon (VS), Nan
Sloane (NS), Phil Starr (PS), Stuart Weir (SW)
Apologes
Mark Valladares
(n attendance
Peter Facey (PF) le!andra "uns#ick (")
1. Mnutes and Matters Arsng
It was agreed to change the reference to the Board in the last set of
minutes to Management Board to avoid any confusion as to whether they
referred to the management Board or council. Following this amendment
the minutes were approved.
There #ere no matters arisin$ not already co%ered &y the a$enda'
1. +oltcal Analyss
i) V cam(ai$n
PF re(orted on the creation o) the *es to V steerin$ $rou(, o) #hich +, is a
mem&er, and the early sta$es o) the cam(ai$n' He added that the intention #as
that the cam(ai$n should &e ci%ic society, rather than (olitical (arty, led and that
as many di))erent or$anisations as (ossi&le should &e in%ol%ed #ith the
cam(ai$n'
He also e!(lained the content and (olitical conte!t o) the Parliamentary Votin$
systems and -oundaries -ill #hich i) (assed #ill enact the re)erendum as #ell as
reducin$ the num&er o) MPs )rom ./0 to .00 and redra#in$ constituency
&oundaries to achie%e this' 1n (articular he dre# the M-2s attention to the clause
that #ould mean that e%en i) the re)erendum is success)ul, V could only &e
im(lemented i) the &oundary chan$es can &e im(lemented at the same time'
PF in)ormed M- that he had $i%en e%idence to the ne# Political and
3onstitutional "e)orm 3ommittee on these issues' He had ar$ued that #hile +,
#as not necessarily o((osed to reducin$ the num&er o) MPs, )orm needed to
)ollo# )unction and it #as not at all clear in the 4o%ernment2s (ro(osals #hy the
num&er o) .00 MPs had &een deemed to &e the correct num&er' He added that
+, #ould also cam(ai$n )or any &oundary re%ie#s to &e conducted on the &asis
o) (o(ulation estimates and re$istered electors, not 5ust re$istered electors as
currently (ro(osed'
There #as a #ide ran$in$ de&ate a&out the re)erendum and constituency
&oundary re%ie# (rocess' S(eci)ic (oints that #ere raised included6
NS commented on her e!(erience o) the re)erendum in the North 7ast on directly
elected re$ional $o%ernment' She added that #hile she a$reed that the *es
cam(ai$n should &e ci%ic society led #ith cele&rities as s(okes(eo(le #here
(ossi&le, this #as not al#ays )easi&le and other o(tions needed to &e thou$ht
throu$h'
FK s(oke a&out the im(ortance o) the re)erendum cam(ai$n &ut asked a&out the
resource im(lications and #hether a risk assessment had &een done o) the
im(lications o) +,2s in%ol%ement #ith the cam(ai$n'
VS reminded M- that an all mem&er &allot had &een conducted and that o%er
809 o) +, mem&ers #anted the or$anisation to acti%ely cam(ai$n )or V in the
re)erendum'
NS s(oke a&out her e!(erience o) the constituency &oundary re%ie# (rocess in
:eeds and the )act that the (rocess is intensely (olitical and contro%ersial' She
(redicted that there #ould &e considera&le o((osition to the (ro(osal to end
(u&lic in;uiries into &oundary chan$es'
PF e!(lained ho# &oundary re%ie#s #ere conducted in other countries and
su$$ested that talk o) $errymanderin$ #as not hel()ul'
PF re(orted that the *es cam(ai$n #ould &e needin$ o))ice accommodation and
su$$ested that they could &e o))ered s(ace in the 4rays 1nn "oad (ro(erty #hich
is currently unoccu(ied' He em(hasised &oth that this may not &e suita&le )or
the cam(ai$n &ut that i) the o))er #as taken u( it #ould &e a donation in kind to
the cam(ai$n and #ould ha%e to &e re$istered as such #ith the electoral
3ommission'
It was agreed that office space in 37 Grays Inn Road should be offered to
the es to !" campaign.
ii) <r$anisational (riorities
" re%isited the (a(er she had (resented to 3ouncil on the im(lications o) the
coalition a$reement on +,2s #ork (riorities' She s(oke a&out the need to ha%e a
clear set o) (riorities so that sta)) are not o%erstretched and that the re)erendum
cam(ai$n #ould mean that there #ould &e other (olicy areas #here +, #ould
not &e a&le to cam(ai$n to the usual e!tent' " dre# M-2s attention to those
(olicy areas #here (ro$ress #as likely to &e made &e)ore the re)erendum in May
=0>>, those #here +, had a distincti%e contri&ution to make and #here the
or$anisation could su((ort collea$ues in other or$anisations'
NS s(oke a&out the im(ortance o) ensurin$ the lon$e%ity o) the +, &rand and
the im(ortance o) maintainin$ #ork on other (olicy areas'
FK ar$ued in )a%our o) maintainin$ Vote Match as a distinct (ro5ect and ho# this
could &e the )uture o) the or$anisation'
SW (ro(osed re$isterin$ Vote Match as a trade mark to (rotect the (ro5ect'
1t #as a$reed that the V cam(ai$n should &e the main (riority )or +, &ut
that #here necessary #ork should still &e done on House o) :ords re)orm'
a -ill o) "i$hts and localism to ensure the lon$e%ity o) the or$anisation'
1t #as )urther a$reed that #ork on Vote Match (a)ter the :a&our leadershi(
election %ersion) should &e (ost(oned until a)ter the re)erendum cam(ai$n
&ut Vote Match should &e re$istered as a trade mark and then re?launched
in =0>= )or the :ondon Mayor election'
2. !ectoral Analyss
PF re(orted that the mer$er #ith Po#er=0>0 that had &een discussed at the
last 3ouncil meetin$ had taken (lace'
FK asked #hether +, had inherited any lia&ilities as a result o) the mer$er'
PF con)irmed that +, had not inherited any lia&ilities as the ,emocratic
"e)orm 3om(any continues to e!ist@ +, had mer$ed #ith the cam(ai$n and
&rand, not the com(any'
Management Board noted the merger with #ower $%&%
PF s(oke to Samir )him2s (a(er (ro(osin$ that Po#er=0>0 should &e made
an introductory o))er o) )ree mem&ershi( o) +nlock ,emocracy and the
estimates o) ho# much this #ould cost'
It was agreed that #ower$%&% supporters should be offered free
membership of 'nloc( )emocracy for a limited period.
3. Campagn and Act,ty -eport
i) Mem&ershi( and communications
PF a(olo$ised to the Mana$ement -oard )or the lack o) e))ecti%e
communications #ith mem&ers and comment that the recruitment o) the
<utreach ssistant (ost #ould hel( to address this' He reminded M- that one o)
the )undamental issues )or the or$anisation in communicatin$ #ith its mem&ers is
the mem&ershi( data&ase' lthou$h in theory the data&ase has the )unctionality
that the or$anisation needs this has ne%er &een the case in (ractice and tryin$ to
address this issue has used si$ni)icant amounts o) sta)) time'
It was agreed that a standard database pac(age should be purchased to
facilitate better communication with members.
ii) Party 3on)erences
" in)ormed 3ouncil that +, #ould &e runnin$ stalls at the 4reen, :i&eral
,emocrat, :a&our and 3onser%ati%e Party 3on)erences, althou$h the stall at the
3onser%ati%es #as not in the secure Aone as the cost )or this #as (rohi&iti%e'
She added that there #ould &e themed action days )or each day o) the
con)erence and that the )ocus #ould &e si$nin$ u( su((orters and acti%ists'
There #as a de&ate a&out the e))ecti%eness o) di))erent ty(es o) (arty con)erence
acti%ities and M, mem&ers made su$$estions )or materials and acti%ities that
could &e used to attract (eo(le to the stall'
VS asked " to (roduce a (a(er on this )or the ne!t 3ouncil meetin$'
iii) Vote Match
PF re(orted on the (ro$ress on the Vote Match )or the :a&our Party :eadershi(
election and in)ormed the M- that the 4uardian had a$reed to s(onsor this
(ro5ect'
i%) S3
PF told the M- that a $rant had &een recei%ed )rom the Jose(h "o#ntree
3harita&le Trust to su((ort the #ork $oin$ on to ensure that the Sustaina&le
3ommunities ct (rocess is a success' He added that B>.,000 had &een
recei%ed )rom the mem&ers o) the :ocal Works steerin$ $rou( to continue the
cam(ai$nin$ #ork on the S3'
.. 'nances" !ta//" Budget
i) Finances
" dre# the M-2s attention to the motion that had &een ta&led allo#in$ the 3o?
o(erati%e -ank to acce(t che;ues made out to the Take -ack Parliament
cam(ai$n into +,2s &ank account'
*he ban( indemnity motion was approved.
PF introduced the ne# style o) mana$ement accounts and e!(lained the
chan$es that had &een made'
Mem&ers commented that the ne# )ormat #as much clearer and a $reat
im(ro%ement &ut asked that a hal)?yearly &alance sheet should &e included'
" dre# the Mana$ement -oard2s attention to the le%els that had &een set )or
re(ortin$ %ariance and asked )or this to &e a((ro%ed'
It was agreed that at + months into the financial year a balance sheet
should be included with the management accounts. *he new style
accounts and level of reported variance was approved.
ii) Sta))
PF asked the Mana$ement -oard to a((ro%e the annual "P1 salary increase )or
sta))' He reminded M- mem&ers that sta)) are, at the discretion o) the
Mana$ement -oard, usually $i%en a cost o) li%in$ increase in line #ith the
a%era$e "P1 increase o%er the last year' n increase o) =9 had &een included
the &ud$et )or this )inancial year althou$h the a%era$e "P1 is only 0'/9'
VS (ro(osed the "P1 increase should &e rounded u( to >9' She added that as
this #as lo#er than amount already &ud$eted )or, this #ould not ha%e a
si$ni)icant im(act on the )inancial situation &ut #ould allo# M- to reco$nise the
hard #ork and commitment o) the sta)) team'
It was agreed that this year the cost of living increase would be paid at &,
which is above the annual average rate of %.-,. .owever the
organisation/s policy remains that cost of living increases are paid at the
discretion of the Management Board and that they are paid at the annual
average rate of R#I.
PF u(dated M- on the recruitment o) the <))ice Mana$er and <utreach ssistant
(osts, #ith inter%ie#s &ein$ hel( later in the #eek'
iii) -ud$et
PF re(orted that +, is currently runnin$ on &ud$et &ut that the decisions that
ha%e &een taken on or$anisational (riorities, s(eci)ically to )ocus on acti%ism and
the V re)erendum rather than runnin$ e%ents such as Peo(le and Politics ,ay,
means that a de)icit is likely' He committed to #orkin$ to minimise this as )ar as
(ossi&le and kee(in$ M- mem&ers in)ormed o) the situation'
5. +rogress on -odell
PF in)ormed M- that the ne$otiations )or the 4o#er School takin$ o%er the
tenancy o) the &asement o) 3ynthia Street had &een com(leted and they are no#
doin$ the necessary reno%ations' He added that the re)ur&ishment o) the 4rays
1nn "oad (ro(erty #as %irtually com(leted &ut that (ayment #as &ein$ #ithheld
until the outstandin$ items #ere com(leted'
The esta&lishment o) a Steerin$ 4rou( )or "odell #as &ein$ (ursued #ith a
re;uest )or su$$estions re;uested o) mem&ers or su((orters #ith rele%ant
e!(ertise to &e (rinted in the ne!t mem&er hard?co(y mailin$' Mean#hile, PS2s
(osition as Vice 3hair #ith res(onsi&ility )or assets should &e )ormalised in
res(ect o) "odell'
It was therefore agreed that #hil 0tarr should be appointed as a )irector
of Roddell #roperties
VS le)t the meetin$ and SW chaired the remainin$ items'
6. Fundraisin$
PF re(orted that the telemarketin$ cam(ai$n had &een com(leted and #ill make
B=C,000 in the )irst year' He added that the ne!t mailin$ to mem&ers #hich
included the autumn mem&ers ma$aAine should arri%e #ith mem&ers at the
&e$innin$ o) Se(tem&er'
0. '<'-
PH asked #hether there #ould &e any s(ecial o))ers )or (eo(le 5oinin$ +, at the
(arty con)erences' " re(lied that +, #as currently o))erin$ ne# mem&ers a
)ree co(y o) the anni%ersary &ook as an incenti%e to 5oin and it is likely that this
#ould &e continued at the (arty con)erences'
)he date o/ the ne1t meetng s )uesday 12
th
2cto3er at 5.30pm