Branch and District Committee Meeting 3 Minutes
Full Document: [Link]
NEU Trafford - Branch and District Committee Meeting
29th July 2026 – 6pm – Teams meeting
Executive Summary
Overview
This meeting focused on branch and district governance, operational effectiveness, representative support, and financial planning for the coming year. Members reviewed internal processes, discussed the development and support of representatives, examined organisational sustainability, and considered budget priorities and governance arrangements. The discussion also addressed member support mechanisms, financial transparency, and preparedness for future operational and workplace challenges. Overall, the meeting centred on strengthening structures, resources, and capacity to support members effectively.
Key updates
(Branch) Case Management System Review: James, KAY and Pauline reviewed the casework system, noting that it has handled active cases effectively but does not adequately capture matters that sit between a query and a formal case. James reported 72 recorded cases and agreed that new categories and a “stage 0.5” process will be developed alongside a planned system upgrade.
(Branch) Cross-District Case Tracking: Molly, KAY and James discussed how cases are tracked when members move between districts. KAY explained that there is no central database, but districts exchange relevant intelligence when linked issues re-emerge, and the current approach of information-sharing will continue.
(Branch) Representative Training and CPD: KAY, James, Molly, Kristoffer, Damien and Pauline debated local representative training arrangements, highlighting concerns about delays in securing a venue and the need to support 17 new representatives. Following discussion, members voted unanimously to pursue both a July training session and a further session before or during early autumn.
(Branch) New Representative Mentoring: KAY questioned mentoring arrangements for new representatives and James confirmed that he has largely acted as the single point of contact, which he acknowledged is unsustainable. Members agreed to identify a wider pool of mentors, use representative performance indicators to support selection, and expand mentoring capacity next year.
Branch Development Planning and Governance: KAY and James discussed reviewing the current year’s branch development plan and assessing completed objectives before setting future priorities. James agreed to retrieve previous versions and bring the review forward for future meetings.
(Branch and District overlap) Minutes and Quorum Clarification: KAY, Pauline and James reviewed concerns regarding previous committee minutes, quorum calculations and rule-book interpretation. James explained the quorum position for branch and district meetings and agreed to review attendance records and clarify outstanding questions.
(District with Branch overlap) Travel Cost Transparency: KAY raised concerns following member questions about travel expenditure and requested clarification of costs. James reported taxi expenditure of £97.69 and mileage expenditure of £923.33, while members agreed that clearer explanations of casework-related travel and associated value for money would help improve transparency.
(District) Treasurer Succession Planning: KAY highlighted concerns about James simultaneously holding multiple responsibilities, including the treasurer role. Members agreed that active recruitment and mentoring of a successor treasurer should begin during 2026–27, with targeted approaches to suitable members rather than relying solely on general communications.
(District) Signatory Capacity Review: James reviewed current banking signatory arrangements, noting that only three officers are authorised signatories. Members agreed that additional signatories would improve resilience and planned to seek further volunteers through future meetings.
(District) Voting and Poll Procedures: KAY suggested introducing formal time limits for electronic votes to improve governance and protect against future challenges. James accepted the recommendation and agreed that future polls would include defined voting windows.
(District) Budget Planning for 2026–27: James, Damien, Kristoffer, KAY and Pauline reviewed proposed budget allocations covering communications, training, travel, equipment, conferences and reserves. Members broadly supported the proposals, discussed expenditure assumptions, and agreed that the budget should proceed to the wider membership meeting for approval.
(District) Honoraria Provision: Damien and Kristoffer explained the rationale for including an honoraria budget provision linked to potential future workloads and officer recruitment. Following discussion, James clarified that any payment would require separate approval processes and eligibility criteria before it could be awarded.
(District) Trust Fund Contribution Increase: James proposed support for the NEU Trust Fund, highlighting member hardship cases, while KAY and Pauline strongly endorsed increasing support. Members voted in favour of raising the proposed contribution from £500 to £1,000.
(Branch and District) Heatwave Guidance and Workplace Safety: James updated members on heatwave guidance, support provided to workplaces, and resources published for representatives. The group agreed that continued support for workplaces facing extreme temperatures would be necessary, with James highlighting concerns around conditions exceeding 35°C and the importance of practical health and safety measures.
(Branch and District) Committee Appreciation: James thanked branch and district committee members for their contributions throughout the year, and KAY acknowledged the significant workload he had undertaken across multiple roles. The meeting concluded with thanks and preparation for the forthcoming OGM.
Attendance
2. Participants
Name
First Join
Last Leave
In-Meeting Duration
James Starnes (BD)
6/29/26, 5:57:51 PM
6/29/26, 8:29:32 PM
2h 31m 41s
Kristoffer Harries (Observer)
6/29/26, 6:03:11 PM
6/29/26, 8:13:25 PM
2h 10m 14s
Jessica O'Kelly (D)
6/29/26, 6:05:09 PM
6/29/26, 8:13:23 PM
2h 8m 14s
p powell (External)
6/29/26, 6:06:12 PM
6/29/26, 8:09:35 PM
2h 3m 22s
molly (Unverified) (BD)
6/29/26, 6:07:47 PM
6/29/26, 8:13:41 PM
2h 5m 53s
KAY GALLIMORE (BD)
6/29/26, 6:10:29 PM
6/29/26, 8:29:32 PM
2h 19m 3s
Damien (Unverified) (D)
6/29/26, 6:11:16 PM
6/29/26, 8:13:27 PM
2h 2m 11s
Quoracy for Branch 40% of 6 = 3, Quoracy for District 40% of 10, no less than 5
N.b. Kristopher Harries, Natasha Cheawood and Julie Preston were invited as observers
N.b. Pauline Powell does not hold any committee position. As such it was in error that there was contribution from Pauline in the meeting. Following advice from Regional Office – items which Pauline had a direct impact to have been struck through, but retained for transparency. All votes have been recalculated and no voting has been impacted by this error.
Minutes
Generated by AI. Checked for Accuracy by JS
Meeting notes:
(Branch Item) Casework Management System Review: Kay, James, Pauline, and other committee members discussed the current casework management system, highlighting its effectiveness for active cases but identifying gaps in recording pre-casework queries and the need for system updates and improved categorisation.
System Effectiveness and Gaps: James explained that the current casework management system works well for cases with an assigned caseworker but lacks functionality for tracking queries that may develop into cases. Kay and Pauline raised concerns about cases that do not fit existing tags or titles, making them difficult to record accurately.
Pending and Uncategorised Cases: Kay described having three cases in a pending state that required intervention but could not be entered into the system due to limitations in the available tags and titles, leading to a discussion about the need for a 'stage 0.5' to capture these situations.
System Updates and Future Plans: James noted that an updated version of the case management system is expected next year, which may address some of the current limitations. The team agreed to review and tweak the system, including the available categories, to better accommodate all types of casework.
Data Archiving and Member Tracking: James highlighted the importance of maintaining a long-term archive of cases to identify patterns, such as members with multiple cases, and to ensure consistent caseworker relationships where possible.
(Branch Item) Local CPD and Reps Training Scheduling: Kay, James, Molly, Damien, Pauline, and others debated the timing and structure of local CPD and reps training, ultimately deciding to pursue both a late summer and an early autumn session to accommodate varying school schedules and maximise new rep participation.
Training Timing Options: Kay raised concerns about the feasibility of holding reps training at the end of the academic year, suggesting that September might be more effective. Molly and Kristoffer noted that secondary schools might have more flexibility in July, while primary schools are busy at both ends of the year.
Committee Decision and Voting: After discussion, the committee voted on three options: July only, early term one only, or both. The group agreed to pursue both if possible, with James tasked to arrange dates and venues accordingly.
New Reps and Training Prioritisation: Kay emphasised the importance of prioritising new reps for training sessions, given the influx of 17 new reps, and suggested targeted content such as dummy ballots and practical meeting guidance.
Collaborative Training with Other Branches: James proposed the idea of rotating training sessions with neighbouring branches to share resources and focus on specific topics, though he acknowledged this would require further development.
(Branch Item) Mentoring of New Representatives: Kay, James, Damien, and Molly discussed the current state of mentoring for new reps, noting that James has been the main point of contact but that a more sustainable, distributed mentoring system is needed, with volunteers identified for future support.
Current Mentoring Arrangements: James explained that, due to a lack of available mentors, he has been the primary contact for new reps, which is not sustainable. Kay and others previously mentored but some have stepped back for personal reasons.
Criteria for Mentors: Kay and Molly stressed that effective mentors should be organised, patient, and knowledgeable about procedures, rather than simply experienced. The committee discussed the need to identify suitable mentors based on these qualities.
Action Plan for Next Year: James proposed that the membership secretary identify experienced reps in different geographical areas to serve as mentors, and Kay volunteered to resume mentoring if needed.
(Branch and District items respectively) Development Plan Review: Kay and James led a review of the branch and district development plans, focusing on the need to follow union protocols, clarify objectives, and ensure accurate and separate documentation for branch and district activities.
Development Plan Protocols: Kay requested that the committee review the current year's development plan achievements and outstanding objectives, emphasising the importance of committee involvement and adherence to union rules.
Separation of Branch and District Items: Kay raised concerns about the minutes combining branch and district items, which James clarified is permissible if items are clearly identified, though Kay cited union rules suggesting stricter separation. Further clarification has been sought on this point from Regional Office – Meetings are permitted to be jointly held, but care must be taken to ensure that only those who are on the respective committee are eligible to vote and contribute to those items.
Rulebook Clarification: The group discussed discrepancies between different versions of the union rulebook and agreed to verify which version applies to their context, with James committing to review and update documentation as needed. Clarified with regional office as above. No such rule exists to state meetings must be separated.
(District Item, with feed in from Branch) Transparency in Caseworker Travel and Expenses: Kay, Pauline, James, and Damien addressed member concerns about caseworker travel expenses, providing a detailed breakdown of taxi and mileage claims and agreeing on the need for ongoing transparency and value for money.
Member Queries on Expenses: Kay reported receiving questions from members about taxi costs, clarifying that their annual spend was under £100, and requested that this be minuted for transparency.
Mileage Claims and Value Assessment: Pauline asked for similar transparency regarding James's mileage claims, which were reported as £923.33 for the year, and questioned whether more meetings could be held online to reduce costs.
Expense Logging and Oversight: James described the use of a mileage tracking app and explained that all travel is logged and justified, with Damien confirming oversight as a signatory and noting that not all possible mileage is claimed.
Committee Agreement on Transparency: The committee agreed that members have the right to question expenses and that future reporting should include anonymised caseworker activity summaries to demonstrate value for money.
(District) Treasurer Recruitment and Role Sustainability: Kay, James, Molly, and Damien discussed the urgent need to recruit a new district treasurer for 2026-27, highlighting the unsustainability of one person holding multiple officer roles and proposing targeted recruitment among members with relevant skills.
Concerns Over Role Consolidation: Kay expressed concern about James holding both the treasurer and other officer roles, citing workload and potential conflicts of interest, and advocated for succession planning and shared responsibilities.
Targeted Recruitment Strategies: Molly and James suggested reaching out to members with backgrounds in maths, business, or self-employment, and agreed that a targeted, headhunting approach is necessary to fill the treasurer position.
Role Requirements and Support: James outlined the key requirements for the treasurer role, including daily email checks, attention to detail, and the potential provision of a dedicated phone for security purposes.
Signatory Arrangements: The committee reviewed the current list of signatories and discussed the need for an additional officer to serve as a signatory, with James agreeing to provide an overview of the responsibilities to potential volunteers.
(District Item) Budget Review and Adjustments for 2026-27: James, Kay, Damien, Pauline, and Kristoffer conducted a detailed review of the proposed 2026-27 budget, discussing allocations for digital communications, training, officer costs, hardship funds, conferences, and the NEU Trust Fund, and agreed to increase the Trust Fund allocation following a vote.
Budget Structure and Rationale: James presented the budget, explaining that allocations are set to provide flexibility and avoid the need for repeated approvals, with categories for promotional activities, industrial action support, events, digital communications, and officer costs.
Digital Communications and Training: The committee discussed the digital communications budget, agreeing that £5,000 should be sufficient for targeted text messaging and website costs, and confirmed that £1,000 for training and CPD is adequate given venue arrangements.
Officer and Caseworker Costs: Officer costs, including mobile phones, HP subscriptions, and travel, were reviewed, with James noting the use of reasonable adjustments such as purple paper and the plan to switch to SIM-only contracts for phones after the current term.
Conferences, Honoraria, and Miscellaneous: Allocations for conferences, honoraria, and miscellaneous expenses were discussed, with the committee clarifying the process for awarding honoraria and the rationale for including a reserve in the budget.
NEU Trust Fund Allocation: Following discussion and a vote, the committee agreed to increase the NEU Trust Fund allocation from £500 to £1,000, recognising its value in supporting members facing hardship.
(Branch and District item) Heatwave Protocol and Health and Safety Guidance: James, Kay, and Jessica discussed the implementation of a joint union heatwave protocol, the dissemination of health and safety advice, and the use of Section 7 letters for temperature-related concerns in schools.
Protocol Dissemination: James informed the committee that the joint union heatwave protocol and additional advice are available on the website and can be used by reps in negotiations with school leadership.
Section 7 Letter Usage: James described the use of a Section 7 letter from the Health and Safety at Work Act as a softer alternative to Section 44, with a suggested threshold of 35°C for classroom temperatures.
International Comparisons: Jessica shared that South Australia uses 36°C as a statutory indoor temperature limit, and James noted differences in building design and climate between the UK and other countries.
Follow-up tasks:
Branch Committee Meeting Minutes Approval: Send the Branch Committee meeting minutes to members for approval at the next OGM, ensuring clarity on attendance and quorum throughout the meeting. (James BS) – Clarification note – The minutes provided to the Committees were of the Rescheduled BDCM2 as the original meeting was inquorate (3 attendees) – the Rescheduled meeting was quorate for Branch, but not for District – additional clarity from informal notes added along with attendees
Casework System Update: Pull the latest version of the case management system from the other branch and explore options to archive or transfer existing data for improved functionality. (James BS) – To be completed following year end closedown
Reps Training Scheduling: Continue to pursue a venue for July reps training and, if not feasible, arrange an additional session in early term one (October/November), prioritising new reps for attendance. (James BS) – Actioned – 16th July, 25th Sept.
Mentoring New Representatives: Task the membership Secretary with identifying experienced and suitable reps in different geographical areas to act as mentors for new representatives next year. (James BS, Claire MS)
Mentoring Support Offer: Coordinate with KAY to assign new reps for mentoring support as needed, following her offer to mentor from now onwards. (James BS, Kay CW)
Branch and District Development Plans: Retrieve and share the current year's Branch and District Development Plans from version history for committee review before the OGM. (James DBS) As files have been moved location, this has not been able to be done in the timeframe – a verbal update to points will be provided as targets are persistent year on year. Supplementary evidence will be provided.
Transparency of Travel and Taxi Expenses: Ensure ongoing transparency by sharing both taxi and mileage expenses for caseworkers with the committee and members as requested. (James Treasurer) There is transparency already to a level greater than what other branch and districts provide, and a higher level of scrutiny than is required by HMRC or Local Finance. Approximate running totals for this can be provided at committee meetings, however it is not within the remit to restrict this as it is a core operational need of the function of a Branch Secretary and of Caseworkers to attend settings in person.
Treasurer Recruitment Strategy: Draft and circulate a set of criteria for the treasurer role to assist in targeted recruitment, and coordinate with reps to identify and approach suitable candidates, especially those with relevant skills. (All)