Unlock Democracy Management Board

9
th
February 2010 at 5.30pm
6 ynth!a "treet# $ondon# %1 9&F
M'%U()"
Present: Vicky Seddon (Chair), Stuart Hill (Vice Chair), Mark Valladares, Finola Kelly,
Rosemary Belcher, Stuart eir, Phil Starr
!n attendance (sta""): Peter Facey, #le$andra Runs%ick, Matthe% &li'er (minutes)
1. *polog!e+# M!nute+ and Matter+ *r!+!ng
#(olo)ies %ere recei'ed "rom Mick Pitt and *erry Myers
Phil Starr commented he had )i'en a(olo)ies to the last meetin)+ *he minutes o" the last
meetin) %ere a((ro'ed as an other%ise accurate record+
Matters #risin): Follo%in) ,ina Fishman-s "uneral, the Board noted that a memorial e'ent
"or ,ina Fishman had taken (lace. many (eo(le attended and it had /een 'ery mo'in)+
*he 0irector /rie"ed the Board on de'elo(ments re)ardin) Po%er1232+
2. ,ol!t!cal -.er.!e/
*he 0irector )a'e his (olitical o'er'ie%, %hich included u(dates on the latest
4o'ernments (lans "or (arliamentary re"orm includin) #V and a %ritten constitution.
the ri)ht Commission. and 0a'id Cameron-s recent s(eech outlinin) the (olicy o" Her
Ma5esty-s &""icial &((osition+
He also u(dated the Board on the mem/er-s /allot on the or)anisation-s o""icial (olicy on
#V in the e'ent o" a re"erendum on #V /ein) called+ *here "ollo%ed a thorou)h discussion
on #V+ Stuart eir reiterated his /elie" that the (rocess o" consultation %as %ron) and that
the )eneral de/ate a/out #V as led /y Vote For # Chan)e had /een ill ad'ised+ PF
e$(lained the reasonin) "or the (rocess, in %hich /oth he and the Chair noted sta"" had
/een "ollo%in) the last Mana)ement Board-s decisions+ Stuart acce(ted the reasonin)
/ehind the consultation ho%e'er stated his concerns a/out #V in (rinci(le still stood+
!t %as con"irmed that the result o" /oth Council elections and the /allot on #V %ould /e on
*hursday 16

Fe/ruary %ith the ne$t Council Meetin) scheduled "or Saturday 7 March+
3. ,rogre++ on 0odell
*he Board %ere u(dated on de'elo(ments at 4reys !nn Road and on (lans "or the o""ice
mo'e at Cynthia Street+
*he Board %ere in"ormed that in the accounts s(endin) %as u( and income %as do%n, as
a result o" the on)oin) /uildin) %orks+ PF and PS also noted that the o(en recruitment o"
a ne% 8 (erson Board "or Rodell Pro(erty Com(anies 9td+ should /e a to( (riority+
*his a)enda item had /een mo'ed u( at the re:uest o" Phil Starr+ He then le"t the
meetin)+
1. F!nance+# "ta22# *dm!n and Budget
PF u(dated the Board on current (ro5ected "i)ures %hich %ould see the or)anisation /reak
e'en+ !n reco)nition o" outstandin) a)enda items and the time, he 'olunteered to take
:uestions a"ter the meetin)+
*he need "or a re'ie% o" the res(onsi/ilities o" the &""ice Mana)er (osition %as discussed+
!t %as a)reed this decision %ould /e le"t %hilst its im(act on the /ud)et %as assessed+
&n recommendation "rom the 0irector it %as a)reed /y the Board that Bethan Ri)/y,
currently Pu/lications and Pro5ects &""icer, %ould )o "rom a C to a 0 )rade and %ork (art;
time 8 days a %eek+
PF then u(dated the Board on ,o'a Scarman+ He in"ormed the Board that in the latest
meetin) they had o""ered to (ay <372,222 s(read o'er "our years, %ith the "irst <82,222
re(aya/le in this "inancial year+ *hey then re(eated their (osition that i" it %ent to court
they %ould contest any case+
PF in"ormed the Board that "urther le)al ad'ice had /een taken and they had a)reed %ith
his assessment, that =nlock 0emocracy should acce(t this o""er+ He asked that
Mana)ement Board a((ro'e this decision, notin) that this o""er %as time sensiti'e
considerin) it %as near ("inancial) year end+
*here "ollo%ed a len)thy and thorou)h discussion as to ,o'a Scarman and its current
"inancial status+ !t %as a)reed that in (rinci(le this o""er /e acce(ted, /ut askin) that the
<82,222 should /e increased /y the interest that mi)ht ha'e /een earned on it %hilst in the
hands o" ,o'a Scarman+ Ho%e'er, notin) that some (eo(le had le"t the meetin), it %as
a)reed "urther re"lection and consultation %as needed+
Fundra!+!ng
# "undraisin) (a(er %as (resented to the Board %hich outlined the or)anisation-s
marketin) and mem/ershi(, as %ell as the (ro(osal "or an assistant )rade administrati'e
assistant > local )rou(s coordinator+
*his (ro(osal %as a)reed in (rinci(al, (endin) "urther in"ormation on costin) and the
(ro5ected im(act on the /ud)et+ *he 'ie% %as e$(ressed /y se'eral mem/ers that the
(a(er %as con"usin) and needed clari"ication es(ecially re)ardin) the "i)ures+ *he Board
%as ha((y %ith the (ro)ress the or)anisation had made o'er the (ast 1 years and
/elie'ed the (a(er undersold the (ositi'es+
Mem/ers noted that the Board %ere ultimately res(onsi/le "or "inancial decisions and did
not "eel that they had had enou)h time in ad'ance o" the meetin) to di)est the "i)ures+ !t
%as a)reed that (a(ers "or meetin)s should /e circulated "urther in ad'ance than %as
currently the case+
5. %e/ Member+
*hese %ere a((ro'ed+
6. %e/ )mployment ,ol!c!e+
*he Chair u(dated the /oard on the (olicies and amendments "ollo%in) "eed/ack "rom
sta""+ !t %as a)reed that there %ould /e a cost o" li'in) re'ie% /e"ore March 1233, and that
the market "actor rate /e <1,222+ PF (romised to circulated con"lict o" interest %ordin) to
the /oard "or any "inal comment+ *hese (olicies %ere acce(ted /y the Board+
3. ,repar!ng 2or the %e/ ounc!l
!t %as a)reed that Council should /e ad'ised to de/ate (ro(osals on /oth Chairin) and
Mana)ement Board and their elections+ *his %as not an area a((ro(riate "or sta"" to make
(ro(osals+ SH and VS a)reed to seek to (re(are a 5oint (a(er "or Council on 7
th
March+
4. ampa!gn+ and *ct!.!ty 0eport
*he 0irector )a'e his cam(ai)ns re(ort, notin) the success o" Vote Match amon)st other
cam(ai)ns, and u(datin) Board mem/ers on other (lans "or the 4eneral ?lection+ #R
in"ormed the Board that discussions a/out %hether =nlock democracy had to re)ister as a
*hird Party "or the election %ere on)oin) %ith the ?lectoral Commission+
PF in"ormed the Board that he %as in talks %ith the Cam(ai)n "or ?n)lish Re)ions and
%as (ro(osin) to send a letter o" intent )i'in) them o(tions as to %ays they could link or
net%ork %ith the or)anisation+ *his %as strate)y a((ro'ed /y the Board+
9. *.-.B
!t %as a)reed that in the ne$t ?;Citi@en a "e% %ords /e circulated a/out ,ina Fishman,
and (ossi/ly other (rominent su((orters %ho had (assed a%ay recently+
10. %e5t meet!ng o2 the Management Board
*his %as scheduled "or 7th #(ril, %hich %ould /e the "irst meetin) o" the ne% Mana)ement
Board+ *he Chair thanked current mem/ers o" the Board "or their contri/utions+