th
th
Croft Street Community Centre, Lincoln. 11-4pm.
Paul Boyce, Lucy McGinty
Andrew McCulloch
Angela Porter
Bob Cannell
David McAleavey
Gerard de Zeeuw
Joss Winn (Note-taker)
Laura Stratford
Martha Vahl
Mike Neary
Peaceful Warrior
Sam Kelly
Sandie Stratford
Sarah Amsler (Chair)
Stephen Hopkins
Bradley Allsop
Andrea Abbas
Simon Legg
Stephen Hopkins
Tony Jeffs
Wendy Vause
Morning: Co-operative business (11:00am–12:30pm)
◦ Opening of the day & review of previous AGM minutes/actions
◦ Review of the SSC Constitution
◦ SSC financial report
◦ Report on courses (Know-How: Do-It-Ourselves Higher Education) and information about upcoming curriculum design workshops + activities/events
◦ Any other business
Lunch (12:30–1:00pm)
Bring and share!
Afternoon: Talks and discussions (1:00–4:00pm)
1:00–1:15pm Co-ops – It’s all about the people
Bob Cannell, Suma Co-op
1:45-2:00pm Co-operatives in the East Midlands
Angela Porter, Lincolnshire Co-operative Development Agency

2:30–2:45pm The history & archive of the Lincolnshire Co-op & the place of education
Andrew Jackson, Bishop Grosseteste University
3:15–3:30pm Informal education and the free university
Tony Jeffs, Durham University
4:00pm Closing
 Agree 2014 minutes o SSC [ISRF] project will look at governance o ACTION: We will organize a half day workshop on decision-making and technologies. Sarah to bring paper on democratic decision making. o ACTION: Meeting on 28 th May about SSC [ISRF] project – decide whether to use the project to discuss governance issues. o Wendy noted that she did attend the 2014 AGM o 2014 minutes (2b) on 'conflict resolution' - the proposal relating to termination of membership was not agreed.
o 2014 AGM minutes agreed.
 Matters arising o Equalities Act – Mike and Gary checked this. We are liable. o ACTION: Mike will circulate a description of the role of the Secretary. o Joss wrote paper on membership. Working group set up, not active. o See minutes from previous meeting which also discussed actions from previous AGM: http://socialsciencecentre.org.uk/blog/2015/05/11/minutes-fromgeneral-meeting-2nd-may-2015/
 Constitution o Question around what is a ‘member’? Socially, intellectually, politically?
Who is the co-operative? This was also discussed last year. o Should statement of values be included in the constitution? o Should membership be open? o ACTION: Andrew to send statement of values around again o ACTION: We agreed to organise a year-long project using the constitution to develop meaningful definitions and practices of
'democracy', 'non-hierarchical self-organisation', 'membership', and
'consensus', with attention to issues of power and communication, and with a view to revising the constitution, our 'business plan', statement of values if necessary and producing principles of organisation, teaching and how to propose and run courses/activities (also to discuss whether the constitution should include a stronger statement of SSC values) Stephen has written an outline of this up. See attached plan. [All] o The series of research workshops organised by Joss and Mike to develop a framework for a co-operative university may be part of this, as the SSC is the site for it; there will be a meeting on 28 May to discuss this link. o ACTION: Sarah, Lucy and Andrea will work on producing principles for the new short courses and share experience and suggestions from this perspective.

o ACTION: We agreed to use some of our money to pay for training in decision-making and other relevant skills -- to be determined and organised at a meeting in the near future -- these may be related to the co-operative university research workshops. [All] o We agreed constitution on the basis that it’s a working document for next year.
 Financial report (attached) o Need to revise the business plan or dispose of it. o Members agreed the processes of reporting the finances. o Members thanked Stephen for his work on role as Treasurer.
 Secretary: Mike Neary agreed. Treasurer: Stephen Hopkins agreed.
 Stephen will step down in one year.
 Agreed that elected roles (secretary and treasurer) should be for maximum fixed terms of 3 years. Changing of roles should not coincide.
 Know-how course: Mike gave summary of the course. It struggled to find a focus of study but did look at methodology and process. In the New Year, we developed a more structured timetable of discussing our own research. Moved to
Mint Lane, well attended. Didn’t write up each session as we had before.
 Curriculum planning day for Fall 2015 will be on 26 July, 1-4pm, Mint Lane
 ACTION: Ask for 200w from each person to publish on the website. Thanked
PW for helping coordinate the use of Mint Lane building. [All]
 ACTION: Sort out website and how we find information. [Joss]
 ACTION: Prioritise discussion about co-ordinator role at next meeting (June 6 th ).