[Item 2]
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First item: Notification of a Special Conference primarily to consider the Party name in Wales.
GPRC secret court puts activists on trial, giving them no chance to defend themselves or appeal…. and on for another page. This covers GPRC activities in a very biased light, giving as a reference a socialist unity blog.
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Green Wales, members Newsletter, March 2013
This edition notifies members of the Special Conference in May (details below)
Nominations are open for the GP’s Euro-election list, All-Wales constituency, 4 places
The nomination form is available on the website: login at http://my.greenparty.org.uk/ and go to Wales Green Party. Each candidate for the List must be nominated by at least ten members of the Green Party of England and Wales resident in Wales. A nomination form is available from the ERO as Wales Returning Officer: phone John Evans, ERO07788834587 or Ann Were, secretary 07799351017.
E-mail confirmations will suffice for signatures, as described below for Special Conference Motions.
Wales Green Party, Special Conference, YMCA, Cardiff,
Sat. 11 May 2013 @10:30am
Notification of a Special Conference
primarily to consider the Party name in Wales - whether or not we should change from "Wales Green Party/Plaid Werdd Cymru" for electoral purposes. For electoral purposes it would be helpful to use a name higher in the alphabetical order, and one that clearly distinguishes us from others Suggestions so far have included "Welsh Greens" and "Green Party Cymru"
Policy motions will also be taken at this meeting. A new Health policy and a supplementary policy on Wind Farms are being proposed. Both of these will be published in the first agenda.
The deadline for motions to conference is 16th March. All motions or amendments must have a proposer and three further supporting signatures. Email submissions will be accepted. It is not enough for the proposer to include supporting names with the original motion. Supporters need to send separate emails indicating which motion they are supporting. Members may sign up to four motions.
The first agenda will be published by 30th March. Amendments to motions must be submitted by 13th April. The final agenda will be published by 28th April.
Nominations will also be accepted for the post of Conferences Coordinator. The deadline for this nomination will be 28th April and should be sent to jonnie.evans@gmail.com
The nomination form will be on the website shortly.
Regarding the notification for the special conference the timetable is as follows:-
Motions to be submitted by 16th March (four signatures needed)
First agenda to be published by 30th March
Amendments to motions and Officer reports by 13th April
Final agenda by 28th April
Wales Green Party on the Internet
The Wales Green Party blog (greenwales.org) is for highlighting our campaigns in Wales - we would like to make sure we get as much good content put up on there as possible. If you'd like to submit an article/image/video for the Green Wales blog please visit greenwales.org/submit.
Press releases automatically go onto our Facebook page, generate a Twitter feed and go onto the Tumbler account. All Local Part press officers are asked to add chriswere@walesgreenparty.com to the e-mail lists that they use for issuing local releases.
Ask The Greens: askthegreens.com is a Wales Green Party service which allows you to ask questions to the Leader and Deputy Leader of Wales Green Party.
However, the Q&A has dried up since 17th January – please help to keep questions flowing.
GPEW gossip on GreenLeaksUK: Former Cardiff GP secretary Matt Townsend who took on Local Party Support Coordinator in London has just resigned from GPEx due to “excessive workload”, tweeted #GreenLeaksUK, adding: “Another Decembrist leaves. Good news for GPEx Chair Tom Dawes”.
A Local and Regional Complaint Procedure has been issued in draft form (on GP website):
The GPRC says – this procedure is a model for use by local and regional parties in GPEW.
GPRC secret court puts activists on trial , giving them no chance to defend themselves or appeal.
In the Green Party’s 40 years, it’s been known for its democratic, de-centralised, and inclusive internal regime. No longer.
Mark France was expelled by a decision of the Green Party Regional Council at their 2-3 February 2013 meeting.
Mark was given no clear indication of charges against him, or of the Disciplinary Process, or provided with any evidence or documentation relating to any charges. Mark was not able to provide any defence. There was no hearing in which Mark was able to participate in nor was he able to present any defence.
At the same Green Party Regional Council meeting, another longstanding activist from Cardiff, Anne Greagsby, was also expelled from the party. Her ‘crimes’ seemed to centre on public criticism of Pippa Bartolotti the Leader of the tiny semi-autonomous Green Party in Wales. In Mark’s case, some jokey comments made on this website over two years ago were apparently used to accuse Mark of “promoting violent revolution under the banner of the Green Party” this reason for his expulsion was given to a London Federation of Green Parties meeting by a member of the GPRC.
If the “Libertarian” Green Party is mirroring the worst excesses of left wing sects then something deeply disturbing is affecting the political culture. Perhaps if ‘Fair is worth fighting for’ David Murray the Green Party CEO needs to consider his position?
Anyone wishing to question or protest at the expulsions of Mark France and Anne Greagsby from the Green Party can e-mail David Murray <david.murray@greenparty.org.uk>
Rumpus over the GPRC: Mark’s last action was to sponsor the Motion D30 on reviewing the disciplinary process, passed by Conference on 23 Feb.:
Synopsis: The current disciplinary and dispute resolution processes are not interlinked, and lack guidance on the use of specific sanctions like suspension, or the time it should take for resolution to occur. In order to resolve this, GPRC should convene a review of the processes.
Motion: "Conference calls on GPRC to initiate a full review of the disciplinary and dispute resolution processes within the party, with a view to proposing a revised set of policies and procedures no later than spring conference 2014.
The review should include people within the wider party experienced at creating, reviewing and implementing policies and procedures of this type. A call should go out through the Green Activist mailing and on the GPTU list, as well as the members forum for people willing to contribute.
The review should include, but not be limited to considering the following points:
1. Introduce a separate grievance procedure.
2. Create model processes for local and regional parties.
3. Outline the expected Time Limits for resolution and the circumstances for variation of them.
4. Outline clear guidelines for deviation from the agreed process.
5. Change the current process to ensure that the full allegations are outlined at the very start of the investigation process, and no member is suspended pending investigation without being fully informed of the complaint.
6. Reconsider the use of suspension of membership.”
The motion was passed with little dissent, showing great sympathy for Mark as the absent mover. The Green Party is a legal entity and must at all times behave in a manner that this legal position demands, said a supporter. Then Jill Mills who is co-chair and led the disciplinary cases for GPRC took on leading this Review. That’s caused a rumpus, with calls on Jill to stand back from the whole process.
The GPRC members from Wales are:
Chris Simpson christopher_s@btinternet.com, and Jane Cooke Jane.cooke@heartfeltwork.co.uk
Wales Green Party council is looking for a member to become our assistant treasurer, which involves learning how the finances of Wales Green Party work with the expectation of taking over as Wales GP treasurer. If you are interested please contact: chriswere@walesgreenparty.com
Specific skills & qualities sought:
· Good budgeting skills
· A good understanding of office management and database systems
· A good understanding of accounting practices, contract law and fundraising practices
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