Unlock Democracy Council Meeting

NCVO, The National Council for Voluntary Organisations

Regent's Wharf, 8 ll !aints !treet, "on#on N$ %R"
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DR*T M+NUT,!
-ologies
Mick Pitt, Finola Kelly
.resent
Alan Debenham (AD), Peter Davidson (PD), Peter Hirst (PH), Tamsin James
(TJ), Vicky eddon (V) (!hair), "an loane ("), Phil tarr (P), John
tra##ord (J), Andre$ %lick (A%), &san M&rray (M), t&art 'eir ('), Mark
Valladares (MV)
+n atten#ance
Peter Facey (PF), Ale(andra )&ns$ick (A)), James *raham (J*), imon
Ho$ard, mornin+ only )osemary %echler ()%) t&art Hill (H)
!hair indicated that con+rat&lations $ere d&e to Ale( )&ns$ick and James
*raham on their marria+e and to Andre$ %lick on the birth o# a second son,
These $ishes $ere endorsed by !o&ncil members,
$ Minutes
The min&tes o# the last !o&ncil meetin+ on -.
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Febr&ary -/00 $ere a11roved
a#ter addin+ Mark Valladares to the a1olo+ies list,
( Matters rising
"one that are not covered else$here,
/ 0u#get
PF took !o&ncil brie#ly thro&+h the back+ro&nd to the b&d+et, The b&d+et
sho$s a de#icit o# 2-,///, 3t is a very ti+ht b&d+et that incl&des achievable b&t
not easy tar+ets, 3t is intended to brin+ the b&d+et to each !o&ncil meetin+
$ith chan+es, this $ill enable M% to have an acc&rate b&d+et and not have to
consider variances at each meetin+,
4ne bi+ chan+e is that $e have the o11ort&nity to do more online a11eals, An
email is soon to +o the -5,/// list o# 6es in May and $e inherit this list in
A&+&st, Tele1hone #&ndraisin+ is no$ done internally, 4&r a11eals $ill be
electronically biased altho&+h the a+e 1ro#ile o# members means that many
$ant to receive by 1ost, The tar+et #or online #&ndraisin+ is 207,///,
PH re8&ested that $hen the b&d+et is considered in #&t&re it $o&ld be +ood to
have a balance sheet,
The b&d+et $as a+eed,
1 Ro#ell
P (Vice !hair $ith res1onsibility #or )odell) introd&ced his 1a1er on the
Terms o# )e#erence #or )odell, )% and H +ave an historical 1ers1ective to
their roles as directors and their concerns re+ardin+ sa#e+&ardin+ )odell9s
assets, ' #elt a debt o# +ratit&de $as o$ed to P re+ardin+ his e##orts to 1&t
to+ether an advisory board, He e(1ressed concern re+ardin+ the em1hasis on
1ro1erty as investment in the 1a1er, he considered the need $as to make
best &se o# assets $hether 1ro1erty or other$ise, P con#irmed that this is not
set in stone,
VS moved to receive and accept the paper carried &nanimo&sly.
!o&ncil then received the 1a1er on *overnance, V 1ointed o&t that the A*M
$ill be asked to take decisions b&t $ith !o&ncil9s recommendations available,
PF introd&ced by the 1a1er by statin+ that this is the #irst attem1t to 1&t in
$ritin+ the basic d&ties, A disc&ssion re+ardin+ the director9s d&ties and the
Advisory board took 1lace $ith 1artic&lar 1oints o# concern raised bein+ the
le+al stren+th o# director9s d&ties, em1hasis on 1ro1erty investment and
ens&rin+ 1ro#its can only be 1assed to :D,
The #irst 1ro1osal - Council agrees with the Duties of the Rodell Directors and
Advisory Board as set out $as 1&t to a vote carried unanimously.
The ne(t decision related to the com1osition o# the board, MV raised the
8&estion as to $ho e(ercises the 1o$er o# shareholder, is it M%, !o&ncil or
membershi1; PF advised that in 1ractice decisions lay $ith M%, " advised
!o&ncil that $here there is a cor1orate shareholder the e(ec&tive body i,e,
M% e(ercises the ri+hts and d&ties o# the shareholder,
t&art Hill9s 1ro1osal #or 7 directors only directly elected #rom members $as
moved, The 1ro1osal #ell by 0/ votes a+ainst and - abstentions,
This $as #ollo$ed by the movin+ o# the #ollo$in+ 1ro1osal, !"he
recommendation of the #anagement Board is that there should $e a mi% of
management Board and non #anagement Board Directors. Does Council
agree& This 1ro1osal $as &nanimo&sly carried,
The ne(t consideration $as the n&mber and balance o# the board, The #irst
1ro1osal here, !"he recommendation of the #anagement Board is that the
num$er of directors should $e ' $as 1&t to the vote, This $as &nanimo&sly
carried,
The 1ro1osal !"he recommendation of the #anagement Board is that a
ma(ority of the Rodell Board should $e drawn from the #anagement Board.
Does Council agree& re+ardin+ the balance o# the board $as 1&t to !o&ncil,
There $as a short disc&ssion in $hich PF hi+hli+hted the im1ortance o# this
8&estion, MV, $ho had ori+inally 1ro1osed this at the last M% meetin+ is no$
a+ainst, +iven the M% can al$ays +et its $ay as shareholder< P #elt this
8&estion $as abo&t #&nctionality vers&s oversi+ht, The 1ro1osal $as 1&t to the
vote, The votin+ $as 5 in #avo&r, 5 a+ainst and - abstentions, there#ore it $as
not carried and immediately $as #ollo$ed by a vote to recommend the
balance be = directors #rom the M% and 7 others, This vote $as carried by .
votes to 7 $ith - abstentions,
!o&ncil then considered the o1tions in res1ect o# the 7 "on>Mana+ement
%oard Directors, MV 1ro1osed the third o1tion !directly elected $y )D
mem$ers, This $as carried by ? votes in #avo&r, 7 a+ainst and 0 abstention, 3t
$as ne(t &nanimo&sly a+reed to &se a sin+le constit&ency #or the election o#
these directors, There $as also a consens&s that :D9s +ender r&le a11lies to
this election,
3n li+ht o# the decision made re+ardin+ the balance o# the board, t&art Hill9s
1ro1osal re+ardin+ the len+th o# term on "on>Mana+ement %oard Directors
$as considered rather than the 1ro1osal in the *overnance 1a1er, The
1ro1osal that !"he term of office for *on-#anagement Directors shall $e +
years e%cept in the first election the two directors receiving the lowest votes
shall serve for , years only $as &nanimo&sly carried,
The 1ro1osal that !those directors of Rodell appointed in the capacity of a
#anagement Board Director shall only serve for the period they are on the
Board and that their term ends at the first meeting of the newly elected
#anagement Board $as 1&t to the vote and &nanimo&sly carried,
4ther 1ro1osals considered and voted &1on $ere that !-uorum for a directors
meeting should $e . $hich $as &nanimo&sly a11roved, like$ise the 1ro1osal
!that any director ceasing to $e a mem$er of )D shall also cease to $e a
director $as &nanimo&sly 1assed,
3t $as also a+reed &nanimo&sly that a re1ort shall be +iven to each A*M o#
:D by the Directors as $ell as at any !o&ncil or M% meetin+ i# re8&ested,
3n res1ondin+ to 1oints raised in the debate, it $as a+reed that :D sta## $ill
1re1are 1a1ers #or disc&ssion on the eli+ibility o# members standin+ as both
directors and !o&ncil members@Mana+ement %oard members, and on
sa#e+&ardin+ the assets o# )odell incl&din+ $hether there $ere s&##icient le+al
sa#e+&ards abo&t )odell9s assets only bein+ #or &se o# :D 1&r1oses,
2 3es to *airer Votes Cam-aign
PF s1oke to the 1a1ers that had been circ&lated, A $ide ran+in+ disc&ssion
took 1lace abo&t the cam1ai+n, ho$ it $as r&n and the o&tcomes,
Points raised incl&ded 1roblems o# cross 1arty coo1eration (1artic&larly at a
time $hen 1arties $ere contestin+ elections), the isolation o# the !on 6es
cam1ai+n, activists lackin+ central s&11ort, the or+anisation o# the cam1ai+n
#rom to1 do$n, dee1ly #la$ed 1rod&ct and cam1ai+n,
PH s1oke and a+reed to an amendment to his motion, $hich $as then 1&t to
!o&ncilA B!o&ncil de1lores the tactics &sed by the "o cam1ai+n, resolves to
learn the lessons #rom the 6es !am1ai+n and looks #or$ard to #&t&re
o11ort&nities to 1&t constit&tional chan+e to the 1eo1le either be#ore or a#ter
the decision in Parliament9, The motion $as 1assed,
PF $anted to thank all :D sta##, $hich V reiterated on behal# o# !o&ncil,
& 4M .re-arations
This $ill no$ be considered at the e1tember !o&ncil meetin+, 3# !o&ncil
members have any 1oints to make on 8&estion o# constit&encies, they sho&ld
contact J* in +ood time be#ore the ne(t meetin+,
5 Director6s Re-ort
PF s1oke to the re1ort that had been circ&lated, The ne$ $ebsite $ill be &1
very soon< it $as the intention to send an email on Trans1arency be#ore
Parliament rises< 5/ MP have si+ned &1 on the )ecall CDM, 4n the
Media@M&rdock iss&e, there has been no online re8&est, beca&se o# the
ra1idly chan+in+ events, 3t is di##ic&lt to 1lan 1olicy on the hoo#, There is a
need to 1lan, hence the Policy ro&ndtables bein+ disc&ssed #or the a&t&mn
$ill be &se#&l, :D does not have detailed 1olicy on the iss&es o# media
o$nershi1 or re+&lation, b&t is $orkin+ on develo1in+ o&r 1osition,
The Tele+ra1h has hired :D to r&n VoteMatch (VM) #or the : )e1&blican
1rimaries and Presidential election $ith, The C+y1tian o##ice o# the "ational
Democratic 3nstit&te ("D3 > $$$,ndi,or+/ has a11roached :D to hel1 r&n VM
#or the C+y1tian 1arliamentary elections,
:D has a licence to &se VM in the :K, anythin+ o&tside the :K $e have to
a+ree $ith 3nstit&&t voor P&bliek en Politiek the D&tch o$ners (3PP soon to be
called ProDemos is a 1&blically #&nded D&tch based democracy and
1artici1ation or+anisation > $$$,1&bliek>1olitiek,nl, A#ter the 3rish VM :D has
the licence to r&n VM in the !ommon$ealth and 3reland, 3n relation to the
version $e are develo1in+ #or the : Primaries and Presidential election it
has been a+reed that 3PP $ill be able to &se a version o# o&r 8&iD, :D9s
&ni8&e sellin+ 1oint $ith this o1eration is o&r re1&tation not the technolo+y,
PF then re1orted the resi+nation o# Phili1 Eatham #rom !o&ncil, A brie#
disc&ssion took 1lace re+ardin+ the constit&ency he re1resented since Amy
)od+er another constit&ency re1resentative has been absent #rom the last -
meetin+s as $ell, PF $ill disc&ss ne(t ste1s $ith the )et&rnin+ 4##icer,
" advised !o&ncil that A) has been invited to Foin the steerin+ +ro&1 o#
!o&ntin+ 'omen 3n,
PF moved onto disc&ss the recent threats to P) #or the 'elsh Assembly, 'e
are considerin+ an email cam1ai+n aimed at 'elsh s&11orters,
MV s1oke to Eords re#orm and re1orted on the #irst meetin+ o# the Joint elect
!ommittee, :D stance on re#orm and tactics $ere disc&ssed,
A#ter some disc&ssion, PH $ithdre$ his motion re+ardin+ the HoE re#orm,
8 Mem7ershi- !ur8ey an# *uture !trategy
t&art 'eir (Vice !hair $ith res1onsibility #or Policy) took the chair #or this 1art
o# the meetin+, he invited those 1resent to say $hat they considered :D9s
1riorities to be and most im1ortantly $hat are the o11ort&nities,
Eocalism in a n&mber o# di##erent conte(ts #eat&red 1rominently in the
disc&ssion like$ise trans1arency and acco&ntability, "e$ s&bFect areas to
consider incl&ded cor1orate +overnance, media and transnational bodies,
Active citiDenshi1 (and lack o#) $as also mentioned,
!oncern $as raised re+ardin+ :D9s sta## ability to res1ond to sit&ations $here
!o&ncil had not set 1olicy, !o&ncil considered on $hat 1rinci1les sho&ld :D9s
res1onse be based &1on, V s&++ested &sin+ 5 democratic tests, 3t $as
a+reed that sta## $o&ld develo1 core 1rinci1les $hich co&ld be &sed,
PF then took !o&ncil thro&+h some o# the res&lts o# the membershi1 s&rvey
set o&t in the re1ort be#ore !o&ncil,
The meetin+ then closed,
The #ate of the ne9t meeting is !atur#ay $)
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