Conference Agenda Oct 2021 PRINT - Flipbook - Page 33
Transition Team, GPRC and GPEx, supported by the CEO
and a representative from SCO to try and achieve this.
A motion followed in Autumn 2020 to run an Extraordinary
Conference in 2021, which was duly passed and the
Extraordinary Conference was called for May this year.
The conference, however, failed to achieve quoracy and
was unable to hear the motions that were presented.
A question and answer session was held on the Sunday
of the inquorate conference that sought to clarify why
quoracy was not achieved. A number of issues were raised
that included the timing coming so soon after a demanding
set of elections; the complexity and volume of the material
submitted; the Holistic Review being less relevant than it
had originally been; and the lack of clear explanation and
consultation around the key issues and potential options
meaning that the material was quite inaccessible to
members.
As a result GPRC has disbanded the working group that
was seeking to implement the Holistic Review and reformed a new working group, with a different convenor and
inviting a wide range of subject matter experts to support
the updating of our constitution. We are planning an 18
month process as follows:
We also established this year, a working group that would
look at the myriad of activities across the parties that
contributed either to a safe, inclusive culture that allowed
and encouraged respectful and passionate debate; and
what was exacerbating waves of complaints, distrust and
the party ceasing to be safe for members. The remit of the
group is not to launch grandiose interventions to ‘fix’ our
culture but to encourage warm green behaviours wherever
we see them; and to ensure our systems and processes
reign in the worst excesses we see.
The group is in its infancy, though a lot of work since
we became co-chairs – such as working to improve the
complaints system – are designed to enable a positive
green culture.
Whistleblowing allegations
This last year has also seen the implementation of a
whistleblowing process. For years we have had a whistle
blowing policy with no accompanying process. This has
been addressed and a number of complaints have been
submitted and dealt with in line with the policy.
Suspensions
Since the last report to annual conference GPRC has
considered 49 requests for no fault suspensions. Since
Spring conference Appeals have heard 3 cases and there is
1 case pending.
•
Identification of key issues and potential solutions –
August 2021
•
Engagement and discussions with members –
September – October 2021
•
•
Synthesis – Post Autumn conference
Working with GPEx
Drafting of revised (if required) MAA and
constitution – November /December 2021
•
Presenting motions to Spring 2022 and
commitment of incorporation process March / April
2022
•
Drafting of Standing Orders for governance bodies
Jan – September 2022
We continue to work closely with GPEx, with GPEx
members being involved in a number of working groups,
as well as GPRC members fulfilling their constitutional role
in GPEx sub-committees. We would like to thank all our
GPEx colleagues for their hard work and commitment over
the year.
•
Standing Orders signed off by conference Autumn
2022
•
Incorporation and new constitution comes into
force January 2023
Culture working group
Too many members of the party say they don’t feel
safe. Too often disagreements lead to complaints. Too
often new members feel it is difficult to break into well
established parties. Our culture needs to be better and
this was first recognised in the members survey done by
The Framework Oversight Group. The Framework is now
being put in place and we are suggesting changes at this
conference to help it be put into place and maintained
more easily.
GPRC has provided a “friend” role to offer support to
individual GPEx members, as part of our role in caring for
the well-being of the Party. In addition, GPRC has assisted
GPEx with specific support on a few projects, most
recently in relation to the spokesperson list, where a cochair facilitated a group discussion with specific members
of GPEx, to help them to reach consensus. This was an
example of how GPRC can help bodies struggling with
difficult conversations, with facilitation, to find a space to
discuss, and come together.
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