Change, Policy and Research

GUILD COUNCIL

Democracy and Governance Committee

25/02/15

Chair: Maria Finnerty

Change, Policy and Research

Apologies

Carlus Hudson

Lucy Whitaker

Oscar Maddox

Chris Nguyen

Natasa Christofidou

Change, Policy and Research

AGENDA

1. Student Idea: Unlock the new gates limiting pedestrian

access to Kingdom Mews and Bonhay Close

2. Motion: Funding for the Free Education Demonstration

3. Student Idea: Stop the tampon tax

4. Student Idea: There should be a method to view society

accounts online

Change, Policy and Research

5. Student Idea: The Guild should run a safer cycling campaign

6. Student Idea: All use of personal mugs should get a discount

on hot drinks

7. Discussion on Guild Council

Change, Policy and Research

1. Student Idea: Unlock the new gates limiting

pedestrian access to Kingdom Mews and Bonhay Close

113 votes

96.5% positive approval

Results:

http://www.exeterguild.org/change/ideas/idea119-gates/

Report:

http://www.exeterguild.org/pageassets/change/ideas/idea119-

gates/Student-Idea-Report-1119-Gates.pdf

Change, Policy and Research

1. Student Idea: Unlock the new gates limiting pedestrian access

to Kingdom Mews and Bonhay Close

Kate Hawkins suggested that this could have been introduced out of concerns

of student safety. Various councillors suggested that if the gates need to remain,

a code system be installed to let students through.

Council voted to instruct Kate Hawkins to discuss this with Campus

Services.

PASS TO KATE HAWKINS - 16

FAIL - 0

ABSTAIN - 4

Change, Policy and Research

2. Motion: Funding for the Free Education Demonstration

Marcel Golten

28 March in Birmingham organised by the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts (NCAFC).

The aim of the demonstration is to encourage the Labour Party to commit to a policy of free

education and will be held in the constituency of Labour's shadow universities minister.

Aiming to secure 20 free tickets for students who cannot afford to go. The cheapest tickets

available were £26 return each, (a total of £520). We will aim to raise these funds from the

following sources:

• £100 from a suggested voluntary contribution of £5 per student

• £50 raised from university societies (£25 from the Green Party Society and £25 from the

Socialist Students Society)

• £50 from the Exeter Green Party (TBC)

• £100 from local trade unions (TBC)

• £220 from the Student's Guild.

More information: http://anticuts.com/2015/01/22/national-demo-living-grants-not-a-graduate-tax-

demand-labour-commits-to-free-education/

Declaration of support for the march: http://anticuts.com/2015/02/04/get-your-su-to-support-

the-liam-byrne-demo-now/

Change, Policy and Research

2. Motion: Funding for the Free Education Demonstration

Marcel Golten introduced the motion, stating that this was important as one of the main roles of

a union is to allow members to protest on issues that interest them.

Ben Street suggested discussing potential funding with NUS.

The Sabbatical Officers gave their support to the students’ right to protest, but raised concerns

with where the money would be taken from to fund this. Matt Bate asked how the previous

application to the Society Execs for demonstration funding had gone; MG replied that they had

been sent there by Guild Council, but been turned down. MB stated that he was surprised by the

Soc Exec decision, but had no control over them as they are autonomous. He suggested that he

could try working with both groups and favoured using society funding, as not all students are

interest or in support of this and he would therefore be uncomfortable using central funds. Ben

Street supported this, saying that taking this money from central funds was the issue, not lack of

support for the protest.

Maria Finnerty informed Council that the deadline for Soc Exec funding had already passed. MG

stated that this was more important than society activities and should therefore receive central

funds.

Change, Policy and Research

2. Motion: Funding for the Free Education Demonstration

Kate Hawkins said that the role of a union is to give students a voice, but that this request was for

funding for political party action, which the Guild is impartial on. BS said the Sabbs would have to

discuss with their director about budgets, but stressed that no money is ‘unallocated’ – any

funding would have to be taken from a project it has already been assigned to.

MG stated that this was not the work of political parties, but the view of the student body, which

MB questioned, saying that there was no proof this was the view of the majority of the student

body. BS suggested that an all-student vote could answer this. Julia Bush stated that there was not

enough time to have this debate before the demonstration, so action would also have to be taken

before then.

MB said that even without subsidy from the Guild, the cost of travelling to the demonstration

seemed reasonable enough that interested students should be able to afford it; MG said that it

was needed to ensure a bigger presence than last time. MB questioned the level of passion for

this issue if it had to be free for students to be interested. KH said that many societies have to

travel to London for events, but none of these were funded, and so questioned whether this was

fair for all students. MB said he would speak to Soc Exec about reconsidering the funding

application but reiterated that Sox Exec make their own decisions.

Change, Policy and Research

2. Motion: Funding for the Free Education Demonstration

Council decided that supporting free education and funding the demonstration were two different

issues, and the Sabbatical Officers said they would look into funding streams available. Council

decided that an all-student vote was needed on the issue of supporting Free Education, and this was

noted by Guild Staff, who will explore potential dates.

PASS TO SABBATICAL OFFICERS TO SUPPORT PROPOSERS TO FIND FUNDING

- 16

FAIL - 0

ABSTAIN - 4

Change, Policy and Research

3. Student Idea: Stop the tampon tax

90 votes

78.9% positive approval

Results:

http://www.exeterguild.org/change/ideas/idea132-tampontax/

Report:

http://www.exeterguild.org/pageassets/change/ideas/idea132-

tampontax/Student-Idea-Report-132-TamponTax.pdf

Change, Policy and Research

3. Student Idea: Stop the tampon tax

Harry White told Council that this idea is as much about principle as it is the

financial implications. Emily Bevan said that other unions had adopted a

principle of selling not-for-profit tampons – over 23 so far.

Council voted for Kate Hawkins to work with the NUS Women’s

Liberation Campaign Officers, look into how other unions have

supported this and how we can replicate this at Exeter.

PASS - 16

FAIL - 0

ABSTAIN - 4

Change, Policy and Research

4 . Student Idea: There should be a method to view

society accounts online

65 votes

90.8% positive approval

Results:

http://www.exeterguild.org/change/ideas/idea128-onlineaccounts/

Report:

http://www.exeterguild.org/pageassets/change/ideas/idea128-

onlineaccounts/Student-Idea-Report-128-

SocietyAccounts.pdf

Change, Policy and Research

4 . Student Idea: There should be a method to view

society accounts online

Matt Bate said that he looked into this over summer but there

wasn’t time to bring it in before the start of term. He said he

will reinvestigate it.

PASS - 17

FAIL - 0

ABSTAIN - 3

Change, Policy and Research

5. Student Idea: The Guild should run a safer cycling

campaign

27 votes

90.8% positive approval

Results:

http://www.exeterguild.org/change/ideas/idea120-cycling/

Report:

http://www.exeterguild.org/pageassets/change/ideas/idea120-

cycling/Student-Idea-Report-120-cycling.pdf

Change, Policy and Research

5. Student Idea: The Guild should run a safer cycling

campaign

Kate Hawkins told Council that the University already do a lot

of work on this and have staff dedicated to it, and so there was

no point in replicating what was already being done. Ben Street

suggested alerting the proposer to the work already being done

on this. KH said she would try to publicise it over social media.

PASS - 0

FAIL - 17

ABSTAIN - 3

Change, Policy and Research

6 . Student Idea: All use of personal mugs should get a

discount on hot drinks

59 votes

90.8% positive approval

Results:

http://www.exeterguild.org/change/ideas/idea121-discounts/

Report:

http://www.exeterguild.org/pageassets/change/ideas/idea121-

discounts/Student-Idea-Report-121-Discounts.pdf

Change, Policy and Research

6 . Student Idea: All use of personal mugs should get a

discount on hot drinks

Council voted to pass this idea to Rachel Gillies to see if it could

be incorporated into the existing ‘cups for life’ scheme.

PASS - 17

FAIL - 0

ABSTAIN - 3

Change, Policy and Research

7. Scrutiny

Currently

• One hour a week, 4 themes

Proposed Change

• Is Scrutiny working? How could we improve it?

Meetings

Currently

• Need to be same place each week and accessible to all

Proposed Change

• Do the place and timings of meetings work?

• How should meetings be recorded?

Change, Policy and Research

7. Scrutiny

As a result of these discussions, Council voted to scrutinise officers

based on their role , rather than strategy themes.