The Annual General Meeting of the Oxford & District Labour Party will take place on Friday 7th March at 7:30pm at Rose Hill Community Centre, Carole’s Way, Oxford, OX4 4HF.
CLP Officer Role Descriptions:
Chair Vice Chair: Membership Vice Chair: Campaigns Secretary Treasurer Women’s Officer BAME Officer Disability Officer Youth Officer LGBT+ Officer Policy Officer Social Media Officer TULO Officer
CLP Officer Candidate Statements:
Co-Chair (Oxford East)
Julia Drown
I’d like to have a second year as Co-Chair of our great ODLP.
It has been an honour to meet and see the work of so many dedicated, committed ODLP members this year. I wish to support you to be as effective as possible and to create as much joy as we can in what is often hard graft in challenging times.
Things I have done this year include filling EC’s empty roles, organising Oxford Pride, leading some of the election work which led to us re-electing Anneliese and getting Sean elected in Banbury, supporting Blackbird Leys where the branch has particular difficulties, pushing for a transport policy reset and helping out with financial decisions.
I am a Co-op Party Member, have been a Labour Party Member since the early 1980s and have experience of chairing many different meetings. I’ve been an Oxfordshire County Councillor and our spokesperson on Social Services, a MP and a Finance Director in the NHS. I’ve also been a carer and currently work and volunteer in local schools.
As Co-Chair I’d want to see us being as effective as possible in winning elections and supporting Labour Councillors and MPs to deliver for those they represent.
Co-Chair (Oxford West & Abingdon)
Stephen Webb
Ably supported by all the members of the EC, I have enjoyed working with Julia, Rick, Ann and Charlotte to manage our party this last year.
The chairs are crucial in fostering an environment in which every member wants to get involved and stay involved, in which every member feels able to give their opinion and be listened to, in which every member feels equally valued regardless of the constraints on their personal involvement. I thank all members for building a positive culture, to which the general election results are a testament. I would like to continue this work.
Being a member of Abingdon branch, I am keen to make sure that the Oxford and District Labour Party involves the membership both inside and outside Oxford, and indeed to interact with members in neighbouring areas where that is beneficial. The primary purpose of ODLP must always be to support its candidates and elected members at all levels to win elections and deliver change for residents.
2024 has been a great year for the Labour Party, lets make 2025 even better! Please consider nominating me for co-chair (Oxford West and Abingdon).
Vice-Chair (Membership)
Ann Black
I’d like to thank Rick, Julia and Stephen for taking over seamlessly as the new leadership team. I have assisted with transferring secretarial duties through the year, and with the AGM this should be complete. Also thanks to Klaudia for providing training in Organise, and redrafting the welcome pack.
Looking forward, I will continue to support branch officers. I hope to do more to follow up members in arrears, to reduce the large proportion who show as unsubscribed, to establish reasons for leaving and joining, and to arrange a social event. I expect to spend further time sorting out issues for individual members, using my contacts at HQ. I aim to respond promptly to any queries, and I report regularly to the executive committee.
The county elections in May will be contested on new boundaries which are not yet defined on Organise. Alex Hollingsworth matched October membership manually to the new divisions, but this list cannot easily be updated. As soon as Organise reflects the changes I will set up appropriate access for branches and candidates.
I am also willing to chair meetings if the co-chairs and the vice-chair campaigns are unavailable. Please consider nominating me.
Vice-Chair (Campaigns)
John Tanner
I would like to stand again as Vice Chair Campaigns for the Oxford Party. I was a councillor in Oxford for 31 years, rising to Leader and Lord Mayor. I retired as a councillor in 2021. I regularly knock on doors, help line-manage our organiser, and serve as treasurer of the Oxfordshire Local Government Committee.
I want to get as many Labour councillors elected as possible in the County Council elections on 1st May. To win we must be united, in constant contact with the voters and target our campaigning. We must also campaign on issues; including keeping Campsfield closed, ending child poverty and supporting Oxford Pride.
As the General Election showed if we work together, listen to the voters and choose where we campaign, we can win. Please nominate me and vote for me. Many thanks.
John Tanner
07816 837805 & john@tanox.co.uk
Policy Officer
Charlotte Vinnicombe
I would very much welcome the opportunity to get more involved in the Oxford and District Labour Party, as Policy Officer. The Policy Officer is responsible for giving members meaningful opportunities to play their part in developing Labour Party policies, and to help members learn about, and engage with, Labour Party policy consultations.
I am interested in standing for this role because I would like to further my own understanding and awareness of current Labour Party policy priorities; and because I think I can help to empower all members by encouraging them to help develop Labour Party policy as well. (In fact, this is one of the main reasons I joined the Labour Party.)
As the Policy Officer, I would organise events and discussions; I would help all voices to be heard in policy discussions, in a friendly and constructive way; and I would make submissions to the National Policy Forum and keep in touch with our NPF reps.
I cannot claim to be an expert on Labour Party policy at the moment – far from it. But in terms of relevant experience, I have been the Assistant Secretary to the CLP, so have listened to, and produced a written record of, policy discussion at Executive Committee; and taken minutes at all CLP meetings. As a candidate for City Council, I attended Labour Group meetings. And I participated in the discussions about the Labour manifesto for the General Election and the City Council election, as well as the conversations about transport last year. At work, I have a leadership role that entails a substantial amount of consultation, discussion and change management; and a senior role in the formulation of policy and strategy, both of which would no doubt be very useful skills in organising discussions and listening to feedback.
I would be grateful for this opportunity to do more for the party.
Greater Marston Branch
Observer to the City Labour Group
Harm-Jan Fricke
It is important for the Constituency All Member Meeting to be aware of and to have the chance to comment on issues discussed by the City’s LP Group. The LGC delegates as observers on City Group meetings should play an important role in keeping the AMM informed as part of a process of party democracy and accountability. That requires an ability on the part of the Observer to present and fairly summarise diverse perspectives.
My experience as an educator and, particularly, as a programme planning and evaluation consultant, working with a variety of civil society and state agencies, should stand me in good stead for fulfilling the role of Observer. My work has involved me in the development of reports that presented and reflected on varied and sometimes opposing opinions, and about options for addressing challenges and opportunities.
As a citizen of Oxford for the past 30 years and as a member of the Labour Party, contributing to branch affairs and activities, I have followed City Council affairs and the issues the Council faces. Reporting on, and contributing to, the ideas and debates within the Labour Group would make good use of my interests and experiences.
Harm-Jan Fricke
Hinksey Park Branch
Observer to the City Labour Group
Sumukh Kaul
My name is Sumukh Kaul and I’ve been a Labour Group observer for the last year. It’s a role I’d like to continue. For the last year I’ve provided all members who’ve asked, and many who haven’t, with full details of all Labour Group meetings, helping members with formulating branch motions and keeping all of our campaigners in the loop with City Labour decisions. I’ve tried to reflect the diversity of our party in Labour Group meetings and other policy/campaigning forums, speaking out on behalf of our immigrant, faith, BAME and disabled communities, and speaking out for the rights of members to be deeply involved and informed about what City Labour is doing
I’ve been a City candidate and am a County candidate this year, help to ward organise Greater Headington, and have completed 200 canvassing sessions in the last year in a dozen constituencies. Labour does best when it talks to people, and best when our campaigners are informed and knowledgeable about what Labour is delivering, in and out of Oxford. I am a proud member of Unite and have organised for more union campaigns in our CLPs over the last year. I speak Hindi, Urdu and Kashmiri.