1. Democracy Review – Council
23/04/2015

2. Background Last Democracy review was 3 years ago
This removed policy making powers from Council
By and large good (?) but has left behind problems
Council being ‘stale’, ‘long’, ‘boring’.
Events of last Council

3. Opportunity ‘We can’t go on like this’…
Put in changes for next academic year

4. This Consultation Today we’ll hopefully:
Discuss what any changes should achieve
Discuss what the current problems are with Council
Touch on Direction of Travel
Lets try not to get bogged down in the detail yet.
Distinct from the Sabb Role Review

5. Drivers for Change
What are the broad themes that any new Democratic system should achieve?
Students Achieving Change
Officers of the Future
Widening Participation
Accountability
More Representative
Transparency

6. The Problems with Council
Discuss for 5-10 mins on tables (I will switch people around during this time )
‘Isn’t worth my while’
Procedurally focused – not issue focused
Accessibility
Unsafe Atmosphere
Too long, Agenda too full
Not ‘action orientated’
Not able to achieve desired outcomes (ie. Is policy writing directly related to action)

7. Execs Autumn Elections gathered 2400 Votes 91 Candidates publicly ran
They ran because:
They wanted to improve life at Warwick for students
They wanted to contribute to the SU as an organisation
They wanted to grow and develop
They wanted to effect change
Instead they got wasted in the council chamber

8. Execs (2) Autumn Elections
Execs (essentially Committees) would be like Sports and Socs Committee
They would:
Have issues of substance to discuss and decide on
Allow elected members to take on responsibility and develop into active knowledgeable members of the Union
Work on projects, campaigns and effect change
Less procedurally focused, more issue focused

9. Execs (3) Execs would: Be supported by relevant Sabb and Staff Member
Have a Chair (not the Sabb)
Represent key areas of the Union
Do a most of Council’s Current Functions
Funding bids, Procedural non-controversial bylaw changes etc.

10. What it could look like…

11. Discussion and Questions

12. Council
What’s left?
Referrals to ASM
Questions to Officers

13. Assembly Body comprised of a cross section of all our members.
30 members invited via random ballot (a bit like Jury Service)
Officer Team & Exec Chairs
With safeguards? Probably Definitely
Incentive
Undertakes:
Questions to Officers
Referrals to ASM
And….

14. Issue Based Discussions/Consultancies
Open to all.
Officers can consult on key issues and discuss solutions
Eg. Welfare Officer on experiences with Housing.

15. Composition Split into thirds
Stage of study (split 50%/25%/25%: UG/PGT/PGR)
International (split 50% each: EU/Non-EU)
Liberation (split 25% each: Disabled/Ethnic Minorities/LGBTUA+/Women's)
So if 48 invited with idea that perhaps 2/3 turn-up (i.e. 32):
UG/PGT/PGR = 8/4/4 EU/Non-EU = 8/8 Disabled/Ethnic Minorities/LGBTUA+/Women's = 4/4/4/4

16. Advantages
Involves a group of students that would not normally engage in the SU
Incredibly representative group
Ideas and Issues would be discussed by the engaged students and also the body representative of our membership.

17. Discussion and Questions

18. Feedback