Author: gerry

On Monday 18 January 2016, members of Yes Edinburgh West met at the Clermiston Inn to adopt a formal constitution and elect office bearers in order to be fully prepared for the next stages in the campaign for Scottish independence.

Here are the minutes of the meeting, produced by Bob Glen.

Yes Edinburgh West meeting minutes
Clermiston Inn
7pm Mon 18 Jan 2016

1. Ian Grant opened the meeting, stating our objective of getting organised locally so that we can get off to a flying start in the case of a second Indyref.
2. There were 20 attendees
3. Apologies: Anne Fernie, Ann Rayner, Melissa Murray, Sandy Ritchie, Gary Wood, Sheena Robertson, Peter Lynch, Bob Murray
4. Anne Donohue gave a summary of feedback from Largs National Yes Registry conference on 5 December 2015: the Yes Registry – a local, grass roots level Scottish Independence supporting collective, i-Scot, a high-quality magazine, Independence Live and its events on Facebook, and the 6 questions raised at the conference, after which Ian asked for questions and comments from the floor. The first questions were about the functions of the National body – Bob Glen offered an apology, saying he had dropped this item from the agenda in the interests of time, and offered to provide a summary of this with the minutes. The route to a second Indyref was raised, and the need for another Indyref – there is no policy on this, and the ethos of Yes Registry is to allow members to raise whatever questions they deem important, discuss and pass through views and recommendations nationally.
5. Everybody introduced themselves – a mixture of SNP, Greens and “no party”
6. The draft Constitution was discussed, and the following amendments made:
   1. The name will be Yes Edinburgh West
   2. Remove the details of the contents of the Equality Act
   3. Remove geographical limitation on membership
   4. Conduct clause added (guidance provided by Martin Riddell)
   5. A bankers order facility on the Facebook page/ website for donations and a small annual subscription and membership card – decided to defer till AGM
   6. Role of Vice Convener added
   7. Notice of meetings was discussed
   8. Decisions are to be made at meetings by a simple majority, with no quorum specified
   9. In the event of split decisions, the Convener will have the casting vote
7. Election of Office bearers (till AGM in October 2016)
   1. Convener Ian Grant
   2. Vice Convener Anne Donohue
   3. Secretary Bob Glen
   4. Treasurer Gerry Mulvenna
8. It was agreed that a bank account be set up for Yes Edinburgh West by the Treasurer
9. Name for national body: neither Yes Registry nor Yes Forum were favoured – Yes Network seemed most supported, though Yes Scotland, Yes It’s Time, Yes Campaign, Yes Future, Grass-roots Yes, Yes We Can were also proposed.
10. It was agreed to commit to the Declaration of Support, and contribute £180 to the National body, conditional on a widespread approval of the concept and declaration of support.
11. It was agreed to hold meetings initially as required, preferably on the 1st Monday of each month
12. Notify Yes Registry of the meeting’s decisions Bob Glen
13. Next meeting: after Holyrood election, Mon 6 June 2016, Clermiston Inn, 7.30pm Bob Glen
14. AGM: Mon 3 October 2016, Clermiston Inn, 7.30pm Bob Glen
15. AOCB
    1. A collection was open, and £93.75 was donated – many thanks for your generosity. Added to the £27 from last meeting, and £45 provided by Mary Knox from the funds left over from the Referendum, a few more donations will ensure that we can meet our stipend to the National body.
    2. Please join us on our Yes Edinburgh West Facebook page and Yes liaison