Friends of the Earth Birmingham Action Briefing Oct 98/Nov 98

Sunday: The Motions Debate

Andy O'Callahan

The Motions were split into 2 areas: Constitutional & Organisational, and Campaigns. Motions are proposed by a local group and seconded by another, with the aim to get the board to discuss the matter at a later date. A few examples of the motions are described below.

Occasionally, another group proposes amendments to the original motions, should they feel that they would agree with the motion if a point were excluded or amended. For example, one motion was about Friends of the Earth's communication with young people. The forth paragraph of this motion was "this conference calls upon the board of Friends of the Earth to restate FOE's commitment to Youth and Education work and to consider how the previous quality and quantity of work in these areas can be matched, if not exceeded". An amendment was proposed to add at the end of this paragraph: "through the Local Groups' Network". We however, and the majority of others, felt that it should be the responsibility of national FOE, as they have considerably more resources. The amendment was denied but the motion passed (Charming! -Ed)

North Wiltshire FOE proposed that the Board should consider whether a proportion of its annual income should be allocated on a regional basis to local groups in order to finance regional campaigns. We know there are lot of local groups who could use this assistance, especially when facing expenses due to major campaigns that can only be fought by local groups and local people. We therefore voted for this and the motion was passed.

With the recent referendum and assembly elections in Northern Ireland, there are numerous funding opportunities of which FOE is in an excellent position to take advantage of, in order to push environmental issues further up the political agenda. Local groups in Northern Ireland without doubt, work harder than other local groups, mainly because we have other organisations and companies who carry out work that Belfast FOE, for example, have to do (recycling schemes, cleaning up pollution problems, etc). Everything is left to them to sort out.

This has, quite rightly, left them in a unique position of which FOE can take full advantage in order to meet the demands and opportunities arising from the new political environment in Northern Ireland. The motion was passed, and we wish all of Northern Ireland's local groups every success and a peaceful future.

Andy O'Callaghan