Teesside People’s Assembly

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Minutes of the action planning meeting held 17 January 2017 St Mary’s Centre, 82-90 Corporation Road, Middlesbrough TS1 2RW 1) Attendance a) Attendees – David N (chair); Clare B, Steve C, Simon D, Caroline D, Astell K, Mike P, Iain R and Alan T. b) Apologies for absence – Barbara C, James D, Geoff KM, Jo L, Allan McL and Tom R. 2) Peter Smith RIP – Tributes were paid to peace and labour movement activist Peter Smith, who died on 5 January 2017. The comrade had chaired Teesside People's Assembly’s first public event in May 2014. A 'Celebration of Life Gathering' was to be held on Friday 20 January, gathering at 1.15pm and commencing at 2.00pm, in Judges Country House Hotel, Thirsk Road, Kirklevington, Yarm TS15 9LW. 3) Approval of minutes – Minutes of the meeting held on 1 November 2016 were approved. 4) Matters arising from actions agreed in the previous meeting a) Political education/socialist film night – Simon D reported that the ARC in Stockton would not be a suitable venue for a political film night after all. He planned to check out MIMA, the Westgarth and other options, and then report back to the group. b) People’s Brexit – The People’s Assembly nationally had organised a ‘People’s Question Time’ event about the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union. It had also launched a public letter calling for the outcome of Brexit negotiations to be assessed on whether or not they closed the gap between the rich and the poor, strengthened public services, extended democratic and civil liberties, including trade union rights, and combatted racism (https://goo.gl/cOKxod). c) Action for Rail protests – Allan McL and Jo L had organised protests at Middlesbrough and Darlington rail stations on 3 January in support of Action for Rail’s #RailRipOff national day of action against increased rail fares and in favour of renationalising the rail industry. 5) Finance – Treasurer Caroline D reported that TPA currently held £104.45 in its bank account and £2.76 in petty cash. There was a collection towards the £24.00 venue fee. 6) Sustaining group activities – Steve C announced that he wished to step down from the secretary/organiser role he had undertaken since TPA’s establishment in September 2013, although he was happy to continue assisting with social media. There was a discussion of the various responsibilities (servicing meetings, chasing up actions, writing content for email bulletins, managing the mailing list, press/media, etc) that Steve had handled and how these could be sustained as a team effort. It was reported that, having been informed of Steve’s plans, co-conveners Jo L and Allan McL had discussed one of them taking on the secretary’s role, but they were not present to confirm their interest. It was agreed that the branch had confidence in either Jo or Allan switching to be secretary and this could be decided by the organising committee before the next meeting. It was agreed that Steve continue to lead as TPA’s social media officer and that Simon D take the lead on press/media relations.

7) NHS campaigns – Solidarity was expressed with forthcoming actions to defend the NHS: a) #StopSTPs lobby of Darlington Council – Jo L was organising a lobby against the NHS ‘Sustainability and Transformation Plans’ at Darlington Town Hall on Thursday 26 January of Darlington Borough Council on Thursday 26 January from 5.00pm. Further information was available on the 999 Call for Darlington Memorial Hospital Facebook page at www.facebook.com/999Darlington. b) #OurNHS – Demonstrations in defence of the NHS were due to be held in Newcastle on Saturday 4 February (www.fb.com/events/619260908279509) and in London on Saturday 4 March (www.fb.com/events/1771664639725061). Unite the union had offered its members train transport to the London demo. An application form for requesting tickets was available online at https://goo.gl/forms/ATKxYHnKxRKRuOkY2 (Unite members only). Other unions were still to decide whether they would be offering transport to this action. 8) Anti-racist/anti-fascist actions a) ‘Stop the Nazis in Darlington’ – Comrades who had taken part reported back on the counterprotest against a march by fascist group National Action that had been taken place in Darlington on 5 November 2016. Since that event, the government had announced that National Action was to be proscribed due to its involvement in promoting terrorist activity. b) No to Trump’s racism: Protests against Donald Trump’s inauguration as US president were due to be held on Friday 20 January. These included one at Grey’s Monument in Newcastle from 5.30pm (www.fb.com/events/1366885743335950). c) Stand Up to Racism national demo – SUTR planned to organise a national demo to mark the United Nations’ Anti-Racism Day on Saturday 18 March (www.fb.com/events/1092335410814754). 9) Benefit sanctions – Unite Community’s Tees Valley branch, in partnership with Thrive Teesside, was to hold a protest against benefit sanctions on Friday 20 January, from 12.00pm to 2.00pm, in Middlesbrough town centre (www.fb.com/events/572536592940156). Alan T took TPA’s smaller banner for use at this action. 10) Any other business – It was reported that, as part of the North East Festival of Puppetry, Teesside Solidarity Movement, Teesside Socialist Clothing Bank and Fahrenheit Books planned to organise a series of events on Saturday 1 April to highlight poverty in the area and celebrate resistance to it. 11) Date, time and venue for next meeting – Tuesday 7 February at 7.15pm in St Mary’s Centre, 82-90 Corporation Road, Middlesbrough TS1 2RW. Facebook event: www.fb.com/events/342763562789849.

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