CWU Womens Conference - Delegates, Visitors and Motions.

TO: ALL BRANCHES

Dear Colleagues,
CWU Women’s Conference 2011 - Saturday 5th February 2011
As you will be aware, the CWU Womens Conference will be held on Saturday 5th February 2011 at Edinburgh Training Centre, 16 St Mary’s Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1SU.
Delegates
Branches are entitled to send two delegates to the Conference. The details of delegates should be included on the appropriate form that is attached to this LTB. The completed form should be returned to Head Office no later than Thursday 6th January 2011.
Observers are also welcome to attend. It would be helpful, for administrative purposes, for details of observers to be entered on the form. Admission to the Conference for observers is by production of their membership card.
In order that we can cater for any delegate with special needs such as seating, it is important that you advise us in writing of the name of the delegate(s) and the particular requirement by return but no later than Tuesday 4th January 2011.
Crèche facilities will be available to delegates during the Conference and Branches should advise the Equal Opportunities Department in writing, by return, but no later than Tuesday 4th January 2011 if they require the use of this facility. Please ensure that the names and ages of the children, together with an appropriate address for sending the crèche form to for completion are included in this advice. It will not be possible to provide on the spot facilities to those delegates who have not informed us in advance.
Motions
Each Branch is entitled to submit 1 motion for consideration to be included on the agenda of the Conference. Motions should be submitted electronically to conferences@cwu.org using the template attached. Branches who do not have this facility may request paper motion forms by contacting Angela Niven on 020 8971 7256.
Motion forms must be returned by Thursday 6th January 2011, if by post by first post or 12 noon if submitted electronically. All sections of the form must be completed. If submitted electronically only motions emailed to the above email address will be accepted.
As with previous Equality Conferences, the agenda will be structured in such a way as to maximise debate and participation by delegates. There will be 2 sections to the agenda, one for motions which are eligible for consideration for submission to General Conference, and one for motions that in the view of the Standing Orders Committee would not be admissible to the General Conference agenda.
Branches will be aware that the Women’s Conference has the entitlement under the rules of the union to submit 2 motions to stand in the name of the conference to General Conference. It is therefore important that if branches wish their motions to be in this category, they must contain policy that is capable of being discharged by the NEC, as opposed to either of the Industrial Executives.
As with previous Equality Conferences, the 2 motions for submission to the General Conference agenda will be decided from amongst those motions adopted at the Conference. A ballot to select the 2 motions will be held at the Conference.
Any enquiries regarding this LTB should be addressed to Angela Niven either by post to head office or by email to conferences@cwu.org