Contents 3. Welcome to Edinburgh 11. Saturday events 4. Welcome to conference 12-13. Sunday timetable 6-8. How conference works 14-17. Sunday Events 9. Child protection 20. Get involved 10. Saturday timetable Welcome to Edinburgh I’m delighted to welcome you all to the Scottish Greens Spring Conference, and to this beautiful venue for our 2019 Spring Conference. An especially warm welcome to those who have travelled to Edinburgh to participate. I’m excited. We are at an exciting time in Green politics, the world seems to be suddenly taking notice of the Climate Emergency. I think this is an exciting time for our party as well, as we will be debating and amending a proposed new constitution for our party. The development of this new constitution has been a long process and a lot of work, but I hope that today we can agree the details of a new structure that can take us into the next election cycle and continue our growth as part of the Green wave that is happening across Europe, as people reject populism and demand action on the climate crisis. As well as our speakers, EGM, fringes and workshops we are having a social in Akva (129 Fountainbridge) on Saturday evening, and I would like to invite you all to join me. More details are available at the reception desk. Thank you to all of you for being here today to shape the future of this party and of Green politics in Scotland. Lorna Slater, Leith Walk by-election candidate and Operations Committee Co-convenor 3 Welcome to our 2019 Spring Conference! Welcome to Edinburgh, and before, but also much more the Scottish Green Party’s to do. To make sure the party Spring Conference 2019. is fi t to face the challenges of We hope you’ll have a great the future we need to change weekend, meeting new our constitution. Over the past friends and helping to shape couple of years we have been the direction of our party. consulting with members over As we meet the Brexit crisis is the future shape and structure continuing to dominate the UK of the Scottish Green Party, political landscape, threatening today is the culmination of the to drag Scotland out of the huge amount of work put in EU and risking the hard won by our national committees, environmental protections and our volunteers, members and human rights that benefi t us all. branches, and we would like to We are delighted that Lorna thank everyone for their work. Slater, our candidate for the Over the weekend you will Leith Walk by-election this have the chance to hear about Thursday, will be joining us on the work Greens are doing stage in the opening session. at local and national level. Our councillor group in You’ll hear about – and decide Edinburgh, Melanie Main, about – the way we’re facing Gavin Corbett, Steve Burgess, challenges like Brexit, the Claire Miller, Chas Booth, Alex Climate Emergency, and the Staniforth, Susan Rae and country’s future relationship with Mary Campbell have done a the wider world including tremendous job Leading the Change in Edinburgh and it would be wonderful if we can win our fi rst by-election and have another Green Councillor. We also have important internal business this weekend. We are a growing party with more elected representatives, more supporters, volunteers and members than 4 our continued commitment to action on the Climate Crisis. We a European future. stand with them in solidarity. You’ll have the chance to Let’s make this weekend a meet and talk with many of the chance to connect with each organisations which work with other, to renew our party, and us, developing the new ideas to make clear that the Scottish our political system needs, Greens are the party that has and to share experiences and the commitment to change skills with other Green activists politics and to change society around the country. for the better. Now more We’d particularly like to than ever we are part of an welcome Holly Gillibrand and international movement and Josie Law to Conference. can help lead the Green surge The climate strikes have in Europe. inspired us all as they Maggie Chapman have become a global and Patrick Harvie, movement, demanding Scottish Greens that governments take Co-Convenors 5 HOW Emergency Motions are intended to allow conference to CONFERENCE debate issues that have arisen WORKS since then, and should be sent to [email protected]. The Party’s Constitution and org.uk seven days before the Policy Reference Document start of conference, signed by (PRD) have been voted in, and two members. amended, by a succession of An Emergency Motion relating Party conferences on the basis to events that have arisen of one member, one vote. The since then can be submitted Standing Orders Committee to SOC any time up until noon (SOC) is responsible for ensuring on the first day of conference conference rules are upheld, (also signed by two members). and for guaranteeing its smooth Emergency Motions will be and democratic running. rejected if they could have been If you have an issue relating submitted in time for the first to conference procedures, agenda, or are not concise and please raise it with a member focused. of SOC. SOC reports directly to conference, and its annual OFFICE BEARER REPORTS report – given during the There is a folder containing AGM – must be approved by reference copies of office- conference. SOC has a table in bearers’ reports and accounts front of the stage throughout at the registration desk. Digital conference should you have copies are also available. any queries. LANYARDS / VOTING CARDS MOTIONS Please keep close watch over Motions have to be submitted your voting cards. Please also 11 weeks before conference, wear your lanyard at all times amendments five weeks before. and remember to hand them The intention is that branches back at the end of conference. can debate them and, if wished, agree proxy votes or branch amendments. 6 DEBATES AND VOTING proposed amendment from the Motions are debated and voted floor, as this has not proved to on as follows: be an effective way of deciding • There is a short debate on the party policy. motion itself. • Each amendment is then As a member you may vote at debated and voted on in Yes conference providing that you turn. You have the choice have the red, green and white of voting for, against or voting cards you were given at abstain. registration. Please don’t lose • The final stage is a vote them! They are colour-coded, on the full motion, like traffic lights. as amended (or not amended), and again the Any member who can’t attend choice is between for, Conference may delegate against or abstain. another member to vote on their behalf. This is called a proxy At any point in the debate a No vote. No member may have member may ask (from the more than eight proxy votes. floor) to vote on referring a motion back to the relevant SPEAKING committee. That member Any member may speak during would have to explain a debate. If you think in advance their reasons and another that you’d like to speak, please member would have to fill in a speaking slip and hand it second that proposal. The in to the SOC table as soon as chair may refuse that proposal possible, giving a note of any or may put it to a vote, at their expertise or special interest you discretion. have in the topic. This Abstain will allow the chair to Amendments will not be ensure an equal number of accepted from the floor if speeches for and against, and more than ten members to give priority to those with object, or if the chair background knowledge of the refuses to allow them. subject, rather than just those It is unusual for all other who are better at catching the members to agree to hear a chair’s eye. 7 If you wish to respond to a VENUE ACCESSIBILITY point made during the debate, The venue is fully accessible, raise your hand and you will be you can view further details at called if there’s time. Please do https://www.accessable. not speak unless called upon co.uk/venues/lindsay-stewart- and you have the microphone. lecture-theatre Because of the size of the auditorium and the number of FIRST TIME AT CONFERENCE? people attending, there will be There is a special session for very little time for speakers who people new to Conference, have not filled in a request- which will be held at 9.15am in to-speak slip. You may ask a Room 210. short question of the motion proposer – but this must be FURTHER INFORMATION just that – a short question. The For any further information chair is there to ensure fair and about conference, please ask at smooth running of the session the registration desk. – please respect their authority. FRINGES AND EXHIBITIONS Conference is not just the main sessions organised by the SGP. It is also the fringe meetings and stalls organised by outside groups, where new ideas flourish and where party members listen to the concerns of campaigning and representative groups. Please visit the stalls and take part in the sessions. They are as much a part of conference as the main sessions. 8 CHILD PROTECTION AT What do I need to do? CONFERENCE If a child tells you they are at actual or potential risk: SGP considers all persons under • Take them seriously; the age of 18 children for the • Don’t ask unnecessary purposes of this policy.