Teesside People’s Assembly

Fighting the cuts and supporting the resistance Email: [email protected] Blog: TeessidePA.tumblr.com Facebook: facebook.com/TeessidePA Twitter: @TeessidePA

Minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 6 September 2016 St Mary’s Centre, 82-90 Corporation Road, Middlesbrough TS1 2RW 1) Attendees – Allan McL (chair); Barbara C, Steve C, Caroline D, Geoff KM, Joanne L, Lynne McG, David N, Mike P, Daniel R, Alan T. Apologies for absence – Paula BW, Jordan B, James D, Andrew D, Mehdi H, Thabo M, Alan P. 2) Approval of minutes – Minutes of the meeting held on 19 July 2016 were approved as an accurate record. 3) Matters arising from decisions made in the previous meeting a) ‘No place for hate’ – TPA worked with LGBT+ Against Islamophobia North East to organise an antifascist action in Stockton on 23 July, after becoming aware of plans by a group of far-right activists to hold a march and rally there. A report on the action was available on TPA’s blog. 4) Finance a) Current funds – Treasurer Caroline D reported that TPA currently held £252.99 in its bank account and £5.12 in petty cash. The figure included two donations of £60.00 and £4.63 received since the previous meeting. b) Expenditure – The decision by TPA’s elected officers to nominate Allan and Joanne as delegates for the National Assembly meeting on 3 September and provide funding of £62 each towards their costs in attending the event was approved. Action: Caroline to use TPA funds to pay £124 to Allan, who had purchased the train tickets for both delegates. c) Meeting costs – A collection towards the £24.00 venue fee raised £25.92. 5) National Assembly – Allan and Joanne reported on the National Assembly held in London on Saturday 3 September, which they attended on TPA’s behalf. There was a discussion of issues arising from the UK's rapidly changing political environment, the People's Assembly's role and its relationship as a non-party political campaign with new or returning activists engaged by Momentum and other political parties and groups 6) Conservative Party conference in Birmingham a) Councillors Against Austerity – The People’s Assembly had urged councillors to support its anti-cuts statement so it was decided to write to elected members in the local authorities about the initiative. Caroline agreed to write to Redcar & Cleveland’s councillors, Geoff to Middlesbrough’s, Joanne to Darlington’s and Steve to Stockton’s. b) People’s conference – Solidarity was expressed with the People’s Conference due to be held in Birmingham on Saturday 1 October. c) ‘Tories Out’ national demo – As Unite the union had arranged a coach for its members and their friends/family, it was agreed that it would not be necessary to organise independent transport to the national demonstration against the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham on Sunday 2 October. A number of TPA regulars were already members of Unite and could nominate non-member comrades for seats. Information on how to book places was available on TPA’s blog. Action: Steve and Barbara to nominate John

M (not present), Lynne McG and Allan McL when booking their seats, Alan T to nominate Daniel R and Mike P to nominate Geoff KM. 7) NHS campaigns a) Junior doctors – TPA reiterated its solidarity with the junior doctors in their struggle to achieve a fair contract from the government. b) Emergency Call 4 NHS – Campaigners to save Hartlepool hospital had requested that TPA provide a speaker for a rally to be held in the town on Saturday 15 October. TPA expressed its solidarity with the action and agreed that David N speak on its behalf at the event. c) Footprints March for the NHS – Joanne L reported that a march through County Durham and Teesside was to take place 22-29 October to raise public awareness of the 'Sustainability and Transformation Plan', a review of services for NHS England that was likely to lead to further service cuts. It was agreed that TPA should host a rally to supports the marchers when they reached Middlesbrough on Thursday 27 October. Barbara C and Alan T to lead in organising the Middlesbrough rally, and Lynne McG to support Joanne with a Stockton event for Friday 28 October. 8) Annual general meetings a) North East People’s Assembly – North East People’s Assembly’s annual general meeting was due to be held on Tuesday 13 September at 7.00pm in Broadacre House, Market Street, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 6HQ. Steve C and James D were Teesside’s current representatives on the NEPA coordinating group, although due to the distance and timing neither had been able to attend meetings in the last year. However, Steve contributed to the coordinating group’s email discussion list and both had supported numerous NEPA actions through that period. It was agreed to nominate Steve and Joanne L to serve on the group for 2016/17. Action: Steve to inform NEPA coordinating group. b) Teesside People’s Assembly – It was agreed to that TPA’s next meeting would be its annual general meeting for election of officers. TPA currently had three officers – secretary (Steve C), convener (James D) and treasurer (Caroline D) – mandated as an organising group able to make decisions and take actions between meetings. Nominations for these roles, and any others the assembly saw fit to create, would be discussed and voted upon in the AGM, which was to be held on Tuesday 4 October at 7.15pm in St Mary’s Centre, Middlesbrough. 9) Any other business – It was agreed that Allan McL be made an editor for TPA’s Facebook page. 10) Date, time and venue for annual general meeting – Tuesday 4 October 2016 at 7.15pm in St Mary’s Centre, 82-90 Corporation Road, Middlesbrough TS1 2RW (Facebook event).

Please consider making a financial contribution to support Teesside PA’s anti-austerity campaign work. This can be done via PayPal at http://bit.ly/tpadonate. If you would like to donate directly from your bank to ours or set up a standing order, our account details are as follows: sort code 20-56-78 / account number 83278727.