Autumn Conference 2022

Motion #15

Complaints manager report

Motion passed

Motion

To accept the following report from the Complaint Manager:

The Standing Orders for Party Discipline require the Complaints Manager to report all decisions of censure, suspension and expulsion, taken by the Disciplinary Committee, to Conference.

The Disciplinary Committee met 9 times since August 2021:

  • 25 Sept 2021
  • 30 Oct 2021
  • 27 Nov 2021
  • 29 Jan 2022
  • 26 Feb 2022
  • 23 March 2022
  • 30 April 2022
  • 28 May 2022
  • 25 June 2022 Of the 22 cases heard by the Disciplinary Committee and reported back to the Complaints Manager between 01 August 2021 – 30 June 2022:
  • 6 complaints were dismissed
  • 2 complaints were dropped on request of both parties
  • 1 complaint ceased as the member resigned
  • 3 complaints resulted in no sanction
  • 2 complaints resulted in a censure
  • 2 complaints received sanctions
  • 5 complaints resulted in disciplinary suspensions of membership
  • 1 complaint resulted in an expulsion

The Complaints Manager is also required to report all Appeal decisions to Conference. The Green Party Regional Council Appeals Sub Committee has considered 4 appeals between 01 August 2021 – 30 August 2022: 12 April 2022 appeal upheld and sanctions revised 12 May 2022 Appeal upheld and sanctions revised 12 May 2022 appeal upheld and complaint dismissed 26 May 2022 appeal upheld and case referred back to Disciplinary Committee In the autumn of 2021, an external review of the disputes and disciplinary process was commissioned by a group made up of all those bodies in the party involved in the process. In January 2022, that group met to consider the findings of the report and to begin the processes of implementing them. This work is on-going.

Conference is whole heartedly requested to support the motion to expand Disciplinary Committee. Given the expansion in complaint numbers over the last years, more capacity is needed to progress complaints in a timely and effective manner. The current delays cause real distress for all involved and do not serve the party’s interests.

I wish to record my thanks to all involved in the disciplinary and disputes process, including those working at a regional level and in appeals, and to the on-going work of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee. I particularly wish to recognise the incredible hard work of current and former members of Disciplinary Committee.

Amendment #1

Amendment passed

Delete from

“The Disciplinary Committee met 9 times since August 2021:” to “1 complaint resulted in an expulsion”

Replace with:

“The Disciplinary Committee met 23 times between 01 August 2021 and 30 June 2022, including nine business meetings, six of which were followed by nine hearings, others having been held on weekday evenings. Of the 25 cases heard by the Disciplinary Committee 01 August 2021 to 30 June 2022:

  • 9 complaints were dismissed
  • 2 complaints were dropped during the hearing at the request of both parties
  • 3 complaints were upheld with no sanctions
  • 3 complaints resulted in a censure
  • 1 complaint resulted in a censure and ban from activities for a fixed period
  • 1 complaint resulted in a suspension
  • 1 complaint resulted in a suspension and actions to be taken before readmittance
  • 4 complaints resulted in a suspension and disqualification from some activities for a fixed period after readmittance
  • 1 complaint resulted in an expulsion

Three complaints ceased as the members resigned, and one complaint was closed by the Disciplinary

Committee under SOPD (Standing Orders for Party Discipline) 3.9”

Last updated on 2022-10-01 at 15:24