Election Addresses: Rodell Board of Directors

Index

Alan Debenham ...................................... pages 2-3Danny Zinkus Sutton .............................. pages 4-5Stephen Carter ....................................... pages 6-7Owais Rajput .......................................... pages 8-9

Note: candidates names have been randomised on the ballot paper and in this booklet to minimise any unintentional bias.

Alan Debenham49 Clifford Avenue, Taunton, Somerset TA2 6DL

Tel: 01823 321304 E-mail: alandebenham@hotmail.com

I have been a member of the Unlock Democracy Council and its antecedents continuously for over 15 years now and my meetings' attendance record is probably second to none. I originate from Bungay Suffolk,15 miles south of Norwich, but have been living for the past 45 years in Taunton Somerset, where I have spent 6 years on the Taunton Deane District Council from 1973 as a Labour Councillor, followed by 12 years from 1991 as a Green Socialist andlatterly Green Party Councillor ( dumped by Labour because of my leading massive local protests against Thatcher's iniquitous Poll Tax). I am currently a board member of Rodell Properties and now know well its importance and vital contribution to UD's well-being from the inside, also being able to contribute from my long experience of District Council housing and planning and property redevelopment.On the theme of 'real democracy starts at street/parish level' I have spent some 30 years as a Councillor on various local parish councils and various schools' governing bodies. The really sad thingin my area is that for the whole of Taunton Deane there are some 50parish councils and yet very rarely are there more than ten or a dozen contests for seats at four-yearly election times. I have been acandidate in nearly all local elections for the past 40 years.Equally I have been - since leaving university in 1963 - and still am, active in politics at local, regional and national levels, currently with the Green Party since 1998 and currently fighting hard, from street stalls upwards, to win our first South West MEP in the European elections on May 22nd, where wonderful proportionality rules that we need around 10% of the total vote and where we've been within a whisker of getting there in previous years.

Yet another damn good reason why adoption of PR for general elections and for local government is something which must remain high-up on our UD agenda despite the set-back of the AV referendum three years ago. We must try our hardest to get a fresh commitment from Labour in its coming manifesto for the 2015 showdown to add to what should be certain support from the LibDems and the Greens. I strongly support UD's current strategy and programme, certainly believing the Lobbying Bill was well worth the fight to win a few important battles, despite ending-up losing the war. Our battle for much fairer and more balanced party funding with heavy restrictionson individuals' and companies' donations is something close to my heart ( plus, in my opinion, significant state support ), as is getting atleast an 80% elected House of Lords and the achievement of a written constitution. I have been a humanist and a 'co-operator' all of my life, very much supporting the 'third way' of co-operatives and mutual societies. In fact I much support democracy spreading its wings well outside of government into industry, businesses, schools, hospitals, family life, etc.,etc. This is why I have been for many years, and still am, the Honorary Secretary of the Building Societies Members Association, currently fighting a campaign to 'Democratise Nationwide Building Society' with myself trying to stand again as a candidate for the coming board of directors annual elections and trying to get a package of democratising resolutions voted on for the July AGM see www.building-societies-members.org.uk and also currently a board member of the Somerset Co-operative Community Land Trustredeveloping an empty shop in Taunton to provide flats for the needy and shop and office space for co-op enterprises e.g. my local credit union.. I am a long-standing supporter of Red Pepper, CND**, Stop the War, FoE, Oxfam, Water Aid, Soil Association**, Somerset Wildlife, and Uniting for Peace ( ** previous National Council member ). PLEASE VOTE FOR ME AS A VOTE FOR 'GREENERY', LOYALTY AND CONTINUITY .!

Re-Elect Danny

Zinkus Sutton

Email: danny.zinkus@gmail.com

Mobile: 07730 559628

Blog: http://danieldwilliam.livejournal.com/

I am Danny Zinkus Sutton. I am seeking re-election to the Unlock

Democracys Council and election to the Rodell Board. I live in

Edinburgh, where I am co-convenor of the Edinburgh democratic

reform group. For the last two years I have served on Unlock

Democracys Management Board.

I am a qualified accountant with nearly two decades of experience

managing the financial affairs of private, public and third sector

organisations.

During my two years on Council and on the Management Board the

most important thing I have learned is that reforming our

constitution is a long, slow process.

In order to fight for more democracy over the long term, it is

critical to have sustainable, effective resources. Unlock

Democracys most important resources are our people, our

finances and our links with other like-minded organisations.

I believe we must build up our network of local groups over the

next two years. Some of our money should be spent supporting

activist groups around the country. Council members should also

show leadership and seek to support, build and create local groups

in their areas.

In order to support our staff, volunteers and activists we must grow

our financial base. Over the last two years Unlock Democracy staff

and the Council have worked hard to balance our budget and to

seek opportunities to grow our financial resources. I fully support

the plans of the current Rodell board to grow our capital base so

that we can use our increased income to fund more staff, more

activist support and more campaigning on a wider range of issues.

Over the coming years we must continue to manage our financial

affairs in a business like way. We must take action to maximise our

income. We should constantly seek to build the ability on Council,

on the Rodell Board and in our staff to maximise the resources we

can devote to fighting for democracy.

Our third source of strength is the links we can forge with other

like-minded organisations. I support Unlock Democracy working

with pro-reform groupings inside all of the democratic political

parties in the UK. We must also continue to ally ourselves with

national pro-reform organisations such as the ERS, Spinwatch and

Republic.

By building our resources of people, money and alliances we can

make progress in the long, slow process of reforming our

constitution and improve our country step by step.

Stephen CarterI was elected to the UnlockDemocracy and Rodell boardstwo years ago, and have takenan active part in the helpingboth organisations get throughsome challenging and excitingtimes. Two years ago Unlock Democracy faced a significant shortfall in funding, and difficult decisions had to be taken about the direction of the organisation. I was proud to work with other council members, our excellent Chair Vicky Seddon, and above all with UDs dedicated staff to make the changes that were needed. This included significant cuts, but put us on a path towards a sound and sustainable future fighting for greater democracy in the UK my most important responsibility as a member of the council. The other, far preferable side of the coin was efforts to raise revenue, mainly by making better use of the two London properties that are UDs main assets. I was unusually well placed to do this through my membership of both the UD council and the Rodell board. The first credit for the changes that are now being made must go to UD staff and my Rodell board colleague Phil Starr, but I was actively involved in supporting and scrutinising the process, and in persuading other council and board members to back change. Together the board has put together a plan which offers a good chance

of increasing revenue while safeguarding our long-term asset base. Since joining the board, I increased my commitment still further by becoming part of the UD Management Board, meaning that I am now active on all of the organisations governance bodies. I have attended all but a few council meetings, despite having a job which takes me out of the country for long periods. (I am the head of the Afghanistan campaign for Global Witness, an international civil society organisation working against corruption and conflict.)The work of Unlock Democracy is more important than ever. British democracy could be so much stronger, and in turn could make our society so much stronger. The governments scandalous treatment of the lobbying issue, the urgent need for electoral reform as the two-party system crumbles, and the profound constitutional questions posed by the Scottish independence referendum make that clear. These are the issues we need to lead on. We are part way through its transition to a sound foundation for the future, and very real challenges remain. If I am re-elected to the council I would support decisive action to continue on this path. We need to move carefully, but stayingwhere we are is not an option. I would be happy to answer any questions UD members might have I can be reached at cartersf@hotmail.com.

Owais Rajput was born in Mirpur Azad Jammu & Kashmir. He was based in Johannesburg from 1993 to mid-1995 doing work with local communities in Transvaal Province and other Southern African Countries. He moved to the UK in 1995 and settled in Bradford. He has eighteen years intensive practical hands-on experience, working with local communities using a bottom to top approach. He has a Masters degree in International Politics and Security Studies with a focus on International Terrorism from University of Bradford. He is a member of the Advisory Board of the British Association for Islamic Studies, British Sociological Association, Political Studies Association, European Sociological Association and American Sociological Association. He is a member of two working groups (RAN PREVENT & RAN INT/EXT) of the Radicalisation Awareness Network which is organised by DG Home Affairs European Commission, and he contributed to the UK Home Office Contest-III round the table consultation in February 2011. Owais started his current PhD in 2012 with Leeds Metropolitan University and his research project is entitled Counter-terrorism policy & radicalisation among UK citizens of Kashmiri heritage. He is working on Security, Terrorism, Counter-Terrorism, Policy, Exclusion, Radicalisation, Marginalisation, and Identity. In his case studies he focused on disengaged local communities (British Kashmiri) living in the North of England using

an inductive approach (bottom to top). His work will be useful to those who are responsible generating Policy and Practice for local disengaged communities living in the UK/EU. Furthermore Owais engaged with ERASMUS International Street Work, Intensive Program and he is also working on a collaborative research approach project, on local communities living with in the Leeds West Yorkshire areas. Owais strongly believes in bottom to top approach politics means working with the people rather then top to bottom approach which means working on the people. Owais Rajput can be contacted on 07588486483 for further questions regarding his political thoughts.