January meeting minutes

Present: Jemima Kiss, Virginia Bridgewater, Rachel Glazier, Charles Whitney, Cath Quinn, Andy Tate, Adrian Colley, Adam Juniper.

1 Several new members elected

2 No officers reports

3 Memorial to late Argus journalist and branch stalwart Rowan Dore. Virginia suggested a Brighton/Hove bus be named after him. Jemima suggested a seat at the new Albion stadium could be sponsored. Meeting backed payment of £45 to Adrian Colley for the cost of a wreath sent on behalf of the branch to Rowan's funeral early in January.

4 ADM nominations: it was decided to send Argus journalist Andy Tate and Jemima Kiss to Liverpool to represent the branch at the Annual Delegate Meeting in March. The branch also backed sending two observers - Adam Juniper and Virginia Bridgewater - and agreed it would foot their costs to a maximum of £400 (in total).

5 ADM motions. There were no amendments proposed to the draft ADM agenda.

6 Appeal for help with branch business. Chair Jemima said she could still attend branch meetings and that she was splitting her time between Brighton and the West Country. She urged members to start using the branch website at www.nujbrighton.org.uk by logging on and contributing to it, as a way of increasing interest in the branch and boosting its activities. She said: "It's really easy to log in and it's one way of helping out. The more people that use it the better. It should be the place where we try to communicate with each other and any help with that would be appreciated."

Secretary/treasurerAdrian said his position was unclear and that if he moved to a new job he hoped to get after then he would need help to carry on the secretarial duties, perhaps on a joint basis - treasurer duties are minimal. He reiterated that the branch would not continue if nobody came forward to help as 99% of branch business is carried out by himself and Jemima.
He said there would be no February meeting as he could not do the legwork involved. But, come what may, there would be a March meeting, probably on Tuesday March 21.

Welfare officer Virginia said she was not living in Brighton at the moment - she was based in London.

Charles Whitney, of the Argus, offered to help with production of the branch newsletter. Adam Juniper also indicated a willingness to help out. Via email, Newhaven-based Amanda Wilkins has also indicated she might be able to help. Adrian and Jemima are grateful for the offers and we hope to be able to firm something up in spring.

*Just to update the branch: Adrian can continue as secretary as he is not changing jobs. Many thanks for the offers of help - maybe at the March meeting we can devise ways of getting the new faces more involved in branch work.

7 Any other business: Andy Tate hinted that there were new developments at the Argus. Read more at http://www.mediaweek.co.uk/news/index.cfm?fuseaction=details&nnewsID=540012