<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"><channel><atom:link href="https://edinburghgreens.discuss.green/agm2026/feedcomments" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
            <title>Edinburgh Greens AGM 2026: Comments</title>
            <link>https://edinburghgreens.discuss.green/agm2026/feedcomments</link>
            <description></description>
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                <url>https://edinburghgreens.discuss.green/agm2024/page/files/EdinburghGreens_GreenOnTransparent.png</url>
                <title>Edinburgh Greens AGM 2026: Comments</title>
                <link>https://edinburghgreens.discuss.green/agm2026/feedcomments</link>
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                        <title>Comment for: Edinburgh Branch to bring &quot;Reforming National Executive&quot; motion to conference</title>
                        <link>https://edinburghgreens.discuss.green/agm2026/Edinburgh-Branch-to-bring-Reforming-National-Executive-motion-to-con-35431?commentId=254#comm254</link>
                        <author>Evelyn Weston</author>
                        <guid>https://edinburghgreens.discuss.green/agm2026/Edinburgh-Branch-to-bring-Reforming-National-Executive-motion-to-con-35431?commentId=254#comm254</guid>
                        <description><![CDATA[I am supportive of this motion to reform the functioning of executive to more effectively, transparently and democratically run key functions of the party.

An overhaul of executive is long overdue. It was setup to meet a delivery and decision-making capability not met by the existing structure. Its suitability has not gone through any assessment of its effectiveness but as someone who has been across a number of committees and served on exec as a committee coco, there is clearly issues.

Due to the nature of the work in the party, there are a number of areas of information and decision-making that is required to sit at a secret classification level only available to the cochairs and not the exec members who serve as committee cocos. 

From a transparency and democratic process this creates a concern as only two people (if both positions are filled) have access to this.

This also creates a significant workload problem for the cochairs roles due to the breadth of work. It may seem counter-intuitive to increase the number of roles to deal with volunteer burnout but I believe by reducing individual burden on a single role, we can attract more participation.

While this proposal does reduce the role of the committee cocos in exec, this proposal does not reduce democratic representation. The increase of the exec members who have full access to secret information improves the democratic representation of the party.

This will also reduce the burden of the committee coco roles and refocus their responsibilities to their committee work improving the functioning of our committees.]]></description>
                        <pubDate>Thu, 25 Jun 2026 14:42:31 +0200</pubDate>
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                        <title>Comment for: Edinburgh Branch to bring &quot;Reforming National Executive&quot; motion to conference</title>
                        <link>https://edinburghgreens.discuss.green/agm2026/Edinburgh-Branch-to-bring-Reforming-National-Executive-motion-to-con-35431?commentId=253#comm253</link>
                        <author>Zoe Clelland</author>
                        <guid>https://edinburghgreens.discuss.green/agm2026/Edinburgh-Branch-to-bring-Reforming-National-Executive-motion-to-con-35431?commentId=253#comm253</guid>
                        <description><![CDATA[Hi Mariusz

writing to confirm I was incorrect about the conference budget - the net budgeted cost to the Party is true for 2026 but was not the case back in 2025 - my error in interpretation entirely, in thinking this applied in both years, for which, my apologies.  

The rest of my comments and opposition to the change proposed from 2 co-chairs to 8 additional roles stands. ]]></description>
                        <pubDate>Thu, 25 Jun 2026 13:44:14 +0200</pubDate>
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                        <title>Comment for: Edinburgh Branch to bring &quot;Reforming National Executive&quot; motion to conference</title>
                        <link>https://edinburghgreens.discuss.green/agm2026/Edinburgh-Branch-to-bring-Reforming-National-Executive-motion-to-con-35431?commentId=252#comm252</link>
                        <author>Mariusz Cebulski</author>
                        <guid>https://edinburghgreens.discuss.green/agm2026/Edinburgh-Branch-to-bring-Reforming-National-Executive-motion-to-con-35431?commentId=252#comm252</guid>
                        <description><![CDATA[Thank you Astri for your feedback.

Not really see what is forced about proposing a motion to my own branch AGM for discussion and vote, would more describe it as democracy in action.

Yes the motion removes votes from national committees so they can focus on their own important goals while offloading staff, risk management and governance to Executive members.

I do not see how having more people with full access to party data and staff is a nightmare, since the English Green party has eight executive members, SNP has 16 and even a smallest charity usually has way more than two.

The fact that a idealistic member who was co-chair resigned after a few months from the role, frustrated with the job shows that having this responsibility on two people is more aptly named a 'nightmare'.]]></description>
                        <pubDate>Tue, 23 Jun 2026 19:44:13 +0200</pubDate>
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                        <title>Comment for: Edinburgh Branch to bring &quot;Reforming National Executive&quot; motion to conference</title>
                        <link>https://edinburghgreens.discuss.green/agm2026/Edinburgh-Branch-to-bring-Reforming-National-Executive-motion-to-con-35431?commentId=250#comm250</link>
                        <author>Mariusz Cebulski</author>
                        <guid>https://edinburghgreens.discuss.green/agm2026/Edinburgh-Branch-to-bring-Reforming-National-Executive-motion-to-con-35431?commentId=250#comm250</guid>
                        <description><![CDATA[Hello Zoe,

thank you for your feedback, I'd need to challenge a few of your points mentioned.

The proposer did reach out to a number of Edinburgh members and executive members for feedback. While there wasn't consensus on this motion, most if not all members highlighted a dissatisfaction with the way Executive is working. Since the motion would go through the conference motion process, that would be the best place to find consensus.

Per this paper: https://members.greens.scot/file/21-ear-conference-review-and-planningdocxpdf Autumn conference has provided a loss of 24,383.74, so I accept the number to be amended to ca. 24 thousand. Per the 2025 budget (https://members.greens.scot/file/draft-2025-budget-v12xlsx) conferences were to bring in a profit of 6k and not a loss of 22k.

It is correct to say that information is kept secret to executive members as a request to share staff goals and key performance metrics for 2026 were deemed 'private information' and the requests to access detailed party financial information was ignored (including a help desk ticket) for almost two years.

The core of the motion is to spread information and responsibility to a wider number of members, while giving space for committee chair to focus on their designated roles instead of day to day management.

Would add this is the structure closer to the EGPW format.

While I understand the hesitation, I do not see any concrete solutions for the current situation outside of doing the same again.]]></description>
                        <pubDate>Tue, 23 Jun 2026 14:19:40 +0200</pubDate>
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                        <title>Comment for: Edinburgh Branch to bring &quot;Reforming National Executive&quot; motion to conference</title>
                        <link>https://edinburghgreens.discuss.green/agm2026/Edinburgh-Branch-to-bring-Reforming-National-Executive-motion-to-con-35431?commentId=249#comm249</link>
                        <author>Astri Kvassnes</author>
                        <guid>https://edinburghgreens.discuss.green/agm2026/Edinburgh-Branch-to-bring-Reforming-National-Executive-motion-to-con-35431?commentId=249#comm249</guid>
                        <description><![CDATA[Hi Mariusz and Susan, 

Noting I'm currently a member of Executive, like Mariusz, in my role as Policy Committee Coco. 

I'm writing to oppose this motion. 

As we are all aware, a system is easier to change if it is not forced. Lets add it on to a process already in motion, the strategy for 2027-2032 is being written now. 

I do agree that there are major improvements possible in Executive and in the party works in general. I'm puzzled why you want to remove the votes of the additional National Committees (and your motions is not written in a way that this change is highlighted), and add an eight-person team to line manage staff. That sounds like a nightmare in practice. 

As a branch, it would be more appropriate if the branch brought the issue (not the motion) of improving the working of Executive to Council and asked Council to bring an improvement plan for Executive as a part of the new strategy that the party is approving next spring. 

It is wholly appropriate to make a new system for organising effectively everything, once the membership more than triples. Which it has since 2018 when the constitution was written. 

Thanks]]></description>
                        <pubDate>Mon, 22 Jun 2026 19:17:30 +0200</pubDate>
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                        <title>Comment for: Edinburgh Branch to bring &quot;Reforming National Executive&quot; motion to conference</title>
                        <link>https://edinburghgreens.discuss.green/agm2026/Edinburgh-Branch-to-bring-Reforming-National-Executive-motion-to-con-35431?commentId=248#comm248</link>
                        <author>Zoe Clelland</author>
                        <guid>https://edinburghgreens.discuss.green/agm2026/Edinburgh-Branch-to-bring-Reforming-National-Executive-motion-to-con-35431?commentId=248#comm248</guid>
                        <description><![CDATA[Noting a clear interest as current Exec co-chair and nominee for the post this year, I would like to make the following initial comments  and will speak against the motion at the AGM:

- It is unfortunate that the proposer did not consult Exec co-chairs or their fellow Exec members before submission.  This is accepted good practice for any paper or motion about another role or party body.  This might have allowed us to build some consensus on the challenges Exec faces and the best solutions.
- It is incorrect to say that autumn conference left us with a £25k overspend.  Conferences in 2025 were budgeted to cost the Party £17k but overspent with a net cost of £22.7k.  This is an overspend of £5.7k, which is not good but is not on the scale stated. 
- It is incorrect to say that information is kept secret from Exec members.  Other than confidential HR information and any confidential legal matters, information is shared at Exec meetings and through the Ops report every month.  However, we acknowledge the need to do this in a more iterative way and are working on how to improve this.
- There are already 11 elected members of Executive (not counting Council Co-chairs or Co-leaders who are also elected).  This includes 2 co-chairs of Exec, 1 clerk, 1 treasurer and 7 National Committee Co-convenors who are elected with sitting on Executive as part of their role. 
- Executive as a body already has a lot of shared responsibility and we acknowledge the need to do more to have this recognised so that all office bearers sitting on Executive play a part in sharing the workload that we collectively own (as set out in our workplan).  It is clear that this is not currently happening to the degree we need it to and will be a focus for our new office bearers in August
- challenges with filling the current number of volunteer roles is well recognised - it is unclear how increasing the number would help
- filling the role of clerk and having active national committees with capacity to taking on strategically agreed work within the Exec workplan are two things that would help the Executive to function well 
- the motion does not suggest how Executive governance or accountability would work with 8 elected roles replacing a co-chair model.]]></description>
                        <pubDate>Sun, 21 Jun 2026 12:45:52 +0200</pubDate>
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