1. Introduction

 This development plan provides an overview of activities in Richmond Constituency Labour Party (RCLP) for 2021. The Plan takes place alongside ongoing safety issues around the Covid-19 pandemic, which seriously affects our activities.

2. Objectives

 RCLP will pursue the following six objectives in addition to the Party’s national aims.

1. Prepare for elections, including contingency plans for bye-elections.
2. Support community initiatives to promote social justice and improve the lives of residents.
3. Increase membership, particularly from under-represented groups and ensure members are informed of the Party’s activities
4. Offer all members training and support so that they are ready, willing, and able to campaign.
5. Facilitate political education by, for example, inviting speakers to meetings.
6. Raise funds to support campaigning and build up savings, while ensuring the CLP’s finances are kept in order.

3. Constitution and Co-ordination

 RCLP holds General Meetings six times a year, currently virtually using the Party’s Microsoft Teams or Zoom software.  They are open to all members. When physical meetings resume, venues will be rotated between the three Branches Richmondshire (RBLP), Northallerton (NBLP) and Great Ayton and Stokesley (GASBLP) and an element of remote participation could well continue. An Executive Committee consists of the Chair, Vice-Chairs, Secretary, Treasurer, Policy, Communications & Social Media, Women’s, Youth, and additional officers, plus Chairs and Secretaries of the branches and the Campaign Co-ordinator (CC).  The constituency, one of the largest in area in England involves long journeys to meetings, and to minimise travel time, members have channelled many activities within Branches.  However, RBLP covers the whole of Richmondshire District.  NBLP comprises 7 Hambleton Wards and GASBLP – 3 Wards. The new Osmotherley & Swainby Ward is currently located in NBLP, but HQ have suggested it should be in GASBLP.  A Women’s Forum (WF) also operates for women members.  Campaigning is co-ordinated by the CLP CC and Branch Campaign Organisers (BCOs).

Campaign Co-ordinator’s Roles and Responsibilities Include:

1. put together a CLP campaign plan that focuses on the next set of elections but also looks towards the one after as well
2. build campaigns that reflect our communities, incorporating new electronic campaign techniques
3. show leadership but also delegate, develop and create a team;identify talent in others and encourage and support members.
4. identify training opportunities and requirements
5. work closely with candidates, elected representatives, Party Officers, and neighbouring CLPs to ensure that an effective, co-ordinated campaign is delivered in the area
6. build on relationships across the Labour movement including Trade Unions and affiliates, and Registered and Affiliated Supporters 

Branch Campaign Officer roles and responsibilities link to and from CC tasks.  They are to organise in the branch area, effective election, and issue-based campaigns.

4. Core activities for 2021

 1. Campaign for the excellent ALISON HUME Labour’s Prospective Candidate for the 6.05.21 Police Fire and Crime Commissioner and the North Yorkshire County Council elections – the latter should regional devolution into Unitary Authorities NOT take place.

2. Encourage participation in national and local action days and through meetings of the Party Units – CLP, Branches and WF.

3. Promote participation in canvassing and voter engagement, supported by training and support for members.

5. Election Campaigns

 In May 2019, Gerry Ramsden became our first Labour Councillor since 2003 and defence of his Northallerton South seat will be prioritised.  Electioneering today is no longer a matter of contacting voters just before elections. Labour should provide, ongoing regular voter contact to build a relationship, increase our support and record where our supporters are.  However, historically, low numbers of active canvassers have meant a low percentage of returns for the Party’s digital database.

Our campaign priorities for the 6.5.21 Elections will incorporate lessons learnt from the 2019 elections, following a through analysis of the 2019 election campaigns, that was led by the campaign committee.  These include -starting earlier, reusing data protected leaflet deliverers, and enhancing use of data protected electronic information for messaging.  We will work with the Region and County with hopefully a team of candidates for every division and identify and select possible election messages, all within a timetabled grid of activity. 

6. Promoting active membership

Capturing member’s expertise and enthusiasm will activate our work to promote the Labour Party – though Covid Safe campaigning and virtual political education and social events.  Members should be contacted by Branch and WF Officers by email or telephone and asked about their skills and availability; and then be encouraged into appropriate roles such as, telephone canvassing, delivering, information technology help, displaying posters, financial contributions and standing for local elections.  Branch and WF officers should also continue to telephone all new members to introduce themselves and explain how they can become involved.  RCLP will continue to support the WF and be keen to start supporting other equality branches once established.

Members should have opportunities to discuss and submit policies and engage with the Party’s National Policy Forum, whose papers will form the basis of Labour’s next Manifesto. Where local policy debates and speaker events are arranged, details could also be advertised to neighbouring Labour Parties via https://labour.org.uk

Community work will be encouraged, for example – the effect of pandemic lockdowns, climate change, housing, transport, the future of the Friarage Hospital, combating hunger and loneliness.  There should be more member involvement on Broadacres Housing Association, on South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust; plus, more Party involvement as school governors and as magistrates.

7. Communications

Party Units will continue or start to circulate an annual programme of dates.  All planned sessions should also be uploaded to the RCLP website https://richmond-yorkshire.laboursites.org/ and our digital presence will grow through social media posts via Facebook and the Twitter account @richmondshirel2.  The Party’s ‘Organise’ email system will continue to work well for contacting all members.

8. Fundraising

 Given our large constituency, the branches will continue holding local fundraisers, including as Covid restrictions allow – coffee mornings, suppers, car-boot sales, Christmas Parties, and quiz nights.  A constituency-wide event may also be considered.  Fundraising will be ongoing, including encouraging members to join the RCLP 100 Club (applications to join are on https://richmond-yorkshire.laboursites.org/), to build cash reserves for election campaigns.

To comply with regulations, all spending and income including donations, must be included in financial reports from RCLP, Branches and the WF.

9. Training   

To assist RCLP to meet its objectives, members should be encouraged to join Regional & National events. In addition, RCLP should fund and run training sessions, which hopefully as the virus subsides may take place with people attending!

1. Communications. A CLP, Branch and WF Officer get together, on how we can improve what we do, by examining some or all the following: – officer roles, agenda setting, learning from meeting evaluations; the CLP’s branch composition and organisation.
2. Campaigning. For both experienced and “new to campaigning” members on (telephone) canvassing, social media, and the Party’s digital software

10. Using Data Lawfully

Running effective campaigns and winning elections is the primary function of the Labour Party. However, we must ensure we do this whilst staying inside the law e.g., the 2018 data protection laws. We must ensure that we hold data securely and do not hold data on members or voters that would breach their fundamental rights. Our CLP should ensure it is well acquainted with the Labour Party guidance on data protection https://labour.org.uk/privacy-policy/  and the General Data Protection Regulation which can be found here: https://labour.org.uk/gdpr-legal/

Barbara Hawkins, RCLP Campaign Co-ordinator, 2018 – 2021

28.1.21