Extraordinary General Meeting, Monday 5th June, 3pm - to wind up or not?
Cath M in Bentley (A Commune in the North/Radical Routes/Platform6) Thu 4 May 2023 12:14PMPublicSeen by 112The current directors do not have capacity to keep Platform 6 Development Co-op functioning.
Extraordinary General Meeting open to all, Monday 5th June, 3pm
Meeting link: https://de.meet.coop/b/gra-cpf-owy-a9s
We have around 30 members, including member organisations, but this meeting is open to everyone in the Platform 6 community.
Decisions/Proposals for the EGM, which need input from you lot in advance:
a) To dissolve Platform 6 Development Co-op, to pass the cash assets and the funds/brands of Ways Forward and of Breadfunds/Mutual First Aid on to (??)____ and to pass the fiscal hosting of our 30-odd Open Collectives to (??)_____ [Note - Graham is checking whether innovate.coop could take this on] - or to wind up once Open Collectives have found their own alternative fiscal hosting.
or...
b) to transfer assets and fiscal hosting as above, and to turn the company dormant with new named directors [Mx Y, Ms Z and Mr X - people would need to take this on before we could vote for it].
Why?!
P6 has been struggling for years now to create a culture of participation. The people putting in the graft have themselves been stretched over many projects and have not been able to put in the work of promotion, induction, outreach and organising which is necessary for an organisation of unpaid enthusiasts. When we surveyed to find more interested people, we didn't then have capacity to follow-up on the interest that was shown.
The fiscal hosting of Open Collectives has increased the administrative workload significantly, with constant issues over payment platforms and a vast amount more bookkeeping.
We really never got to the exciting position of having many members contributing to a fund for co-operative development, which was the original nub of the project, and would have created an engine driving inspiration and participation (in relative terms, at least).
We note that Development Co-op and the Young Co-operators Network have similarly struggled to survive/thrive and wonder what the similarities, differences and contexts are, what can we learn from this?
What we want from you now
respond below with any alternative suggestions for how we should proceed, or any questions
If you want to join Platform 6 in order to vote at the EGM or step into a directorship role, follow the link from https://platform6.coop/.
Suggest appropriate homes for the 'Ways Forward for the Co-op Movement' brand and seed fund for future events
Suggest appropriate homes for the Breadfunds/Mutual First Aid remaining moneys
Suggest appropriate homes for the Platform 6 Development Co-op fund
if you are considering taking on the responsibility for Platform 6, do express interest here or let us know. Happy to have conversations about what we think running Platform 6 entails/how it could be different.
RSVP
The work of re-homing Open Collectives will begin after the EGM - feel free to put questions here, but there may not be answers for a while.
We are very sad to have ended up in this position - all the challenges and opportunities that prompted the founding of Platform 6 still exist, it is no less necessary than it ever was, but we have run out of steam.
Cath, Graham & Austen
Chris FunnellTue 9 May 2023 3:29PM
Thanks and appreciation to Cath Graham and Austen. I will be with you on June 5th. Chris
bob cannellFri 5 May 2023 2:24PM
Understandable. It isn't fair or sustainable for a few enthusiast activists to be left holding the burden with no let up in sight.I can't take this on. Was always one of the supporters. I'll think about your options and try to attend.
Bob
Mark Simmonds (Co-op Culture)Thu 11 May 2023 6:30AM
@Sion Whellens (Principle Six/Calverts) It's Monday the 5th Sion.
Sion Whellens (Principle Six)Fri 5 May 2023 11:30AM
Likewise @matt wilson - I know we've been on the whole passive supporters/participants. Platform 6 was in my mind a test of whether the Solidfund methodology could work to generate 'wider movement' development resource, and there are lessons to be learned. Solidfund itself is due a review of its purposes, although it will always be a worker co-op focused thing - simply because there is a passionate community of people who will put their hand in their pocket for the cause (actually this is its 'secret sauce', along with the 'trade union' direct debit style way of collecting subscriptions).
I'll be on holiday and mainly away out of phone signal/internet on June 6th, but will come if I can.
matt wilsonFri 5 May 2023 11:15AM
Sorry to hear this. maybe you're all just feeling relieved, but i know these things can potentially be tough, so I hope you're all feeling ok...
I don't thave much to say on a practical level, except for the Ways Forward side of things. I'd really like to see that continue, and would be up for maybe seeing if it could be brough under the worker fed project somehow... not sure exactly what it would mean to pass this on, but happy to have a chat about this, on this forum or directly...
cheers
adrian ashton ·Wed 10 May 2023 12:43PM
afraid I won't be able to join you live on the 6th, but echo all of the sentiments ably expressed above by others - I'd be included to favour option (a) to encourage some clear lines to be drawn to help with reflections, people being able to move on, etc, rather than it going into a limbo space...