Files: Summary [DOCX] Full [DOCX]
NEU Trafford District
Ordinary General Meeting 3, 2025/26
Date: Thursday 2 July 2026
Time: 6:00 pm
Venue: Microsoft Teams
Chair: James Starnes, Branch and District Secretary
These minutes are based principally on the transcript of District OGM 3-20260702_165923UTC-Meeting Recording.mp4, with the contemporaneous District OGM 3 meeting chat used where it clarifies attendance and timings. ,
The meeting was declared quorate once the required ten members were present.
1. Welcome, introductions and attendance
The Chair welcomed members and drew attention to the behaviour statement circulated in the meeting chat. Attendees were asked to introduce themselves and identify their current and incoming Branch or District roles.
The transcript records the following members participating during the meeting:
James Starnes, Branch and District Secretary, District Treasurer and Branch and District Health & Safety Officer.
Damien Tumilty, Branch and District Committee member and incoming Assistant Treasurer.
Claire Ludlow, District Membership Secretary, Branch Committee member and workplace representative.
Rosie Harris, MPYW Officer and committee member.
Kristoffer Harries, incoming Branch and District Committee member.
Natasha Cheawood, incoming District Disabled Members Officer.
Chris Alecock, District Committee member and workplace representative at Brooklands Primary School.
Kay Gallimore, Branch and District Caseworker.
Jessica O'Kelly, District LGBT+ Officer.
Molly Acharya, incoming District Equalities Officer and Black Members Officer.
Rashenda Chapman, who joined later following technical difficulties connecting to the meeting.
Michaela Ryan, who joined later in the meeting.
Pauline, who joined later in the meeting.
Apologies
At the opening of the meeting, the Chair reported that he was not aware of any apologies. Rashenda Chapman initially experienced connection difficulties but subsequently joined and was therefore not recorded as an apology. ,
2. Minutes of previous meetings
2.1 District AGM
The minutes of the District AGM held on 19 May 2026 were presented for approval.
Proposed by: Damien Tumilty
Seconded by: Kristoffer Harries
RESOLVED: The minutes of the District AGM were accepted as an accurate record.
2.2 Branch and District Committee Meeting 3
The minutes of Branch and District Committee Meeting 3 were presented for consideration.
Following time for members to review the minutes, Kay Gallimore proposed their acceptance. The transcript records that a seconder was obtained, although the name is not sufficiently clear to record confidently.
RESOLVED: The minutes were accepted as an accurate record.
2.3 Branch and District Committee Meeting 2
The Chair explained that the original BDCM2 had been inquorate. The rescheduled meeting had achieved quorum for Branch business but remained inquorate for District business. Accordingly, only members eligible in relation to the Branch meeting were asked to approve that record.
Damien Tumilty recalled the discussion and proposed acceptance of the minutes.
Seconded by: Rosie Harris
RESOLVED: The Branch element of the BDCM2 minutes was accepted as an accurate record.
3. Branch and District officer and committee structures for 2026/27
The Chair presented the incoming Branch and District committee arrangements for 2026/27.
3.1 Branch
The following Branch positions were identified as vacant:
Chair
Vice-Chair
Assistant Branch Secretary
Supply Officer
Black Members Officer
Equalities Officer
Support Staff Officer
The incoming arrangements otherwise included James Starnes as Branch Secretary and Health & Safety Officer, with James Starnes and Kay Gallimore undertaking casework. Committee membership included Damien Tumilty, Rosie Harris, Claire Ludlow and Chris Alecock.
Branch Equalities Officer
Kay Gallimore noted that Molly Acharya had been elected to the District Equalities Officer role but that the equivalent Branch role remained vacant. She suggested that Molly Acharya could undertake both roles.
Molly Acharya confirmed that she was willing to take on the Branch Equalities Officer role.
Proposed by: Kay Gallimore
Seconded by: Damien Tumilty
RESOLVED: Molly Acharya was co-opted as Branch Equalities Officer for 2026/27.
3.2 District
The incoming District officer structure was reviewed. It included:
District Secretary: James Starnes
District Treasurer: James Starnes
Membership Secretary: Claire Ludlow
Equalities Officer: Molly Acharya
Caseworkers: Kay Gallimore and James Starnes
Health & Safety Officer: James Starnes
Black Members Officer: Molly Acharya
Disabled Members Officer: Natasha Cheawood
Women’s Officer: Julie Preston
LGBT+ Officer: Jessica O'Kelly
MPYW Officer: Rosie Harris
Assistant Treasurer: Damien Tumilty
The Chair advised that the remaining District vacancies would be advertised on the website and through an email at the beginning of the new academic year, with a view to co-opting members into vacant roles.
ACTION: James Starnes to publish and promote the remaining Branch and District vacancies.
4. Meeting dates for 2026/27
The meeting reviewed the previously proposed schedule for 2026/27.
Molly Acharya raised the need to cross-reference meeting dates against religious festivals and observances to avoid unnecessarily excluding members from participation. The meeting agreed that this was an important consideration.
Molly Acharya agreed to review the proposed meeting dates against religious calendars and advise the Secretary of any clashes.
September Committee meeting
Kay Gallimore identified that the proposed Branch and District Committee meeting on 17 September clashed with BDS commitments involving the Secretary.
Following discussion, the Chair proposed moving the meeting to Tuesday 15 September 2026. Members indicated agreement to the change.
RESOLVED: The first Branch and District Committee meeting of 2026/27 would be moved to Tuesday 15 September 2026 at 6:00 pm.
The updated schedule subsequently recorded OGM1 for 22 October 2026 at 6:00 pm.
ACTION: Molly Acharya to cross-reference the 2026/27 meeting schedule against religious observances and advise on any additional clashes.
ACTION: James Starnes to update and publish the 2026/27 meeting schedule on the website.
5. District budget for 2026/27
James Starnes, as District Treasurer, presented the revised expenditure budget following consideration by the Budget Working Party and District Committee.
The Treasurer explained that the budget now before the OGM was the substantive proposed budget, replacing the provisional version presented to the AGM.
Projected subscription income was reported as £68,754.61.
Principal budget allocations
The revised budget included:
Promotional, recruitment and engagement materials: £4,000
Local industrial-action support: £10,000
Events: £7,000
Training: £1,000
Travel costs for caseworkers: £4,000
Annual Conference: approximately £8,000
Affiliations: £500
NEU Trust Fund: £1,000
Donations: £2,000
Provision for digital communications, mobile costs, printing, stationery and other District expenditure.
The Budget Working Party had increased the number of delegates to equality and sector conferences who could be supported without further approval from two to three. This applied to LGBT+, Black Members, Support Staff, Disabled Members and MPYW conferences. Additional attendance would require further approval.
Higher provision was retained for Health & Safety activity because two relevant events were anticipated during the year.
Hardship fund
The budget retained a £20,000 soft reserve capable of being designated for hardship support in the event of national industrial action.
The Treasurer explained that this did not constitute a separate bank account but would be separately identified within the District cashbook when activated.
Honoraria
The Budget Working Party had requested that provision be included for a potential honorarium during 2026/27.
No decision had been made about which office or role might attract an honorarium. The provision was intended to allow consideration of its use as a recruitment and retention measure for roles that had historically proved difficult to fill.
NEU Trust Fund donation
The Budget Working Party had originally proposed £500 for the NEU Trust Fund. The District Committee subsequently considered an allocation of £1,000 to be more appropriate, and the budget was amended accordingly.
Overall financial position
The Treasurer reported that, if every budget heading were spent in full, projected expenditure would be approximately £83,539.76, resulting in an estimated closing balance of approximately £80,186.
It was emphasised that the budget represented authority to spend rather than an expectation that every allocation would necessarily be exhausted.
Local subscription rate
Kay Gallimore asked the Treasurer to reiterate the longer-term intention behind the improved financial position.
The Treasurer explained that local subscriptions had been set at 20% for the current and coming year following several years at 5%, during which the District’s financial position had become increasingly unsustainable.
Subject to future finances, national subscription rates and other liabilities, the intention was to propose at the 2027 AGM a reduction in the local subscription percentage to around 12% to 15%, providing sustainable District finances while delivering better value for members.
6. Industrial-action and campaigning materials
Molly Acharya raised the potential purchase of durable, reusable materials, including feather banners, which could carry NEU Trafford branding and be used both during industrial disputes and for promotional or member-engagement activity.
The principle attracted support, although members considered that expenditure should generally take place when there was an identified operational need rather than purchasing materials speculatively.
Jessica O'Kelly noted that reusable banners should complement rather than replace traditional placards because dispute messages, slogans and branding could change. Multiple individual placards also contributed greater visual impact on larger picket lines.
Kay Gallimore emphasised the distinction between national and local disputes. National structures should fund national campaigning materials from the subscriptions they received, allowing Trafford District funds to be concentrated on locally specific campaigning and disputes.
The consensus was that reusable Trafford materials could be considered as required, but conventional, locally tailored campaign and picket materials would continue to have an important role.
7. Stop School Cuts materials
Damien Tumilty reported receiving correspondence from Stop School Cuts allowing representatives to order Trafford-specific campaign leaflets.
He had ordered materials for his own workplace and suggested making other representatives aware of the opportunity.
ACTION: Damien Tumilty to locate the Stop School Cuts information and share it in the representatives’ group, encouraging representatives to order workplace-specific materials.
The Chair encouraged representatives to consider obtaining school-specific banners and campaign resources and, where appropriate, to seek agreement from headteachers for their display.
8. Industrial action and local disputes
The Chair provided an overview of current and potential industrial disputes across Trafford.
8.1 Flixton Girls School
The meeting received an update regarding the dispute at Flixton Girls School.
The Chair reported a number of significant outcomes arising from the dispute, including:
Securing a higher level of protected PPA than the school or trust had initially been prepared to provide.
Ensuring that the PPA secured was proper Burgundy Book PPA and therefore protected from being routinely used for cover.
Restoration of MFL hours.
Favourable outcomes for members who had been at risk.
The elimination of the support-staff redundancies that had originally been proposed.
A considerable increase in union membership within the workplace, including among support staff.
The meeting recognised the significant role played by Natasha Cheawood as workplace representative in organising members and pursuing the dispute.
8.2 Other potential disputes
The Chair advised members that further disputes remained under development.
A college group operating across Trafford and a neighbouring District had conducted indicative activity and was considering its next steps, although no formal ballot had yet commenced.
Further potential disputes included matters predominantly or entirely affecting support staff, with work taking place to establish the appropriate strategy and shape of any action.
9. Ofsted and health and safety
The meeting discussed an instance in which a proposed Ofsted inspection had been successfully deferred following intervention by Kay Gallimore.
Kay Gallimore explained that an Ofsted risk assessment had been prepared in advance because of concerns regarding staff mental health and wellbeing. When notification of the inspection was received, the assessment could therefore immediately be updated and submitted.
She emphasised that the approach relied on:
Having the risk assessment prepared beforehand.
Following the established assessment.
Obtaining member support.
Being ready to act immediately when the inspection notification was received.
The Chair encouraged workplace representatives to consider preparing relevant documentation proactively rather than waiting until an inspection had been announced.
ACTION: James Starnes to repost the Ofsted risk assessment and make it available as a pinned resource on the website.
The possibility of Kay Gallimore producing a short account of the approach taken, for other representatives to learn from, was also discussed.
10. Officers and committees for 2026/27
The incoming officer and committee arrangements were reiterated.
The Chair particularly welcomed new committee participants, including Natasha Cheawood, Kristoffer Harries and Julie Preston.
Updated Branch and District organisational charts would be circulated before the end of term following amendment to reflect Molly Acharya’s co-option as Branch Equalities Officer.
ACTION: James Starnes to update and circulate the 2026/27 Branch and District officer and committee charts.
11. Representatives’ Training Day
The Chair reminded members that representatives’ training was scheduled for 16 July 2026.
The training was open to all representatives but was particularly aimed at new representatives. Capacity was reported as up to approximately 60 attendees.
The programme was expected to cover:
Workplace representation.
Health and safety.
Equalities representatives, including the status of equalities representatives as a recognised category of union representative.
Representatives who registered would receive a bespoke letter for their headteacher or employer to support their release.
The practical registration deadline was given as 9 July 2026, with the final catering order needing to be made on 10 July 2026.
ACTION: James Starnes to pin the representatives’ training registration link in the representatives’ WhatsApp group and issue release letters to registered attendees.
12. Closing remarks
As this was the final OGM of the 2025/26 year, the Chair thanked Branch and District officers, committee members, representatives and members for their work throughout what had been a particularly active year.
Members were wished a restful summer and encouraged to take a proper break from work and emails where possible.
The meeting then closed.
Actions arising from OGM3
Action
Responsible
Update the Branch structure to show Molly Acharya as Branch Equalities Officer
Advertise the remaining Branch and District officer vacancies
Cross-reference the 2026/27 meeting dates against religious observances
Move the September Branch and District Committee meeting to 15 September 2026 and update the published schedule
Share Stop School Cuts ordering information with workplace representatives
Repost and pin the Ofsted risk-assessment resource
Consider sharing a short guide or case study on the successful use of the Ofsted risk assessment
Update and circulate the 2026/27 officer and committee charts
Pin the representatives’ training registration link and issue individual release letters