Motion #09
Since Spring Conference 2022 the workload of ADRC has increased considerably.
Membership of Committees The following people were elected to the Committee at Autumn Conference 2021:
Autumn Conference 2021 agreed changes to the constitution which increase the number of committee members to a maximum of seven and extend the term of service from one year to two, with a maximum of three years of consecutive service. Standing Orders Committee (SOC) agreed that two more members could be co-opted on the committee. Two co-options have been made: Paul Beswick and Clare Bonetree. Paul brings experience of inclusion issues, having served on Greens of Colour, and Clare has experience of mediation in group settings.
Admin Arrangements We continue to share among members of the committee the tasks of coordination. Communications are routed through coordinator@drc.greenparty.org.uk
Referrals Since Spring Conference we have dealt with 14 new cases, 4 referrals from Disputes & Complaints Referral Group (DCRG), and 10 self-referrals. This may have resulted from increased awareness of the existence and work of the committee.
Complaints Summary: Numbers received in period: 14 Brought forward from previous period: 2 Mediations: 3 Open cases at the time of report: 6 A new feature of the work has been engaging with whole committees and groups of people on councils. There were some approaches from local parties/councillors reporting difficulties in relationships in spite of the very good results in Local Council Elections in May. Issues relating to transphobia remain high in the cases that reach us.
Regional Network & Training We continue to hold a list of volunteers prepared to act as mediators, and have run a new series of training sessions, which included Safeguarding, Data Protection, Awareness of Neurodiversity and simulation of mediation situations.
Other Work
ADRC contributes to the work of the Code of Conduct working group, and the group looking at improving the culture of the Green Party and the overhaul of the complaints’ system. There are good working relationships with GPRC, DCRG, the Complaints’ Manager’s office and Disciplinary Committee (DC). The committee is currently addressing issues of confidentiality and conflict of interest that have arisen in relation to a particular case.