July 2017 Momentum National Coordinating Group - Report
The Momentum NCG met at the start of July. The CfS delegate, Martyn Cook, phoned in to the meeting, though was unable to stay for the entire duration.
The following points are the key issues that related to Scotland CfS.
Recognition within Momentum’s NCG that there is a need for a focus on Scotland because there are around 20 marginal seats across the country, and they will be crucial in electing a UK Labour Government.
At UK party conference there will be a greater support for delegates attending. This will include a visible presence from Momentum at the venue as well as the fringe events.
It was advised that NCG members can contact The World Transformed, who organised the fringe events last year, to discuss the agenda. It was raised that CfS will need to actively follow this up as there were issues last year.
There was a discussion around activist training from Momentum to ensure that our new members are election ready. We submitted a request for a Glasgow activists training session, as there are so many key seats here.
Under the new Momentum constitution a Members’ Council (MC) was set up to have rotating membership selected via ballot to oversee the work of Momentum.
The NCG agreed:
The MC was due to take place in June but unfortunately had to be postponed due to the GE. It is proposed to have it on the weekend of the 9th and 10th of September (after the school holidays) in Manchester.
The National Office will randomly select 50 Momentum members who will make up the first MC by mid-July and invite them to the MC weekend.
The MC will be organised by staff, any NCG members who wish to be involved and external facilitators who specialise in participatory decision-making and facilitation.
The purpose of the MC weekend is to ensure that there is a continuous flow of ideas from the grassroots to develop Momentum’s activities, resources and campaigns.
CfS members may therefore be contacted about this shortly.
The next Momentum NCG will be held on Saturday 9th of September in Manchester, coinciding with the first Members Council. CfS will soon be holding a ballot to elect a new rep to the NCG and details will be circulated the CfS Executive shortly.