Following Thursday's article, about Warwick SU President Hope Worsdale applying for £600 towards a trip to London, to demonstrate against the Government and giving students £6 return tickets, the Development Exec was then hit by the Union's biggest Conflict of Interest scandal to-date!
SU Regulation 7 (R7).9 on Funding Bids Regulations state: (link)
'Any member of the Development Exec who is involved in the project/campaign must declare a conflict of interest and should abstain from voting.'
President Hope, also WFFE Admin (NCAFC's Warwick affiliate-group) was the one to submit the funding bid for the National Free Education Demo. For those who don't know, WFFE is a staunch left student group, with no established affiliation with Warwick Labour.
The Development Exec were about to vote on the bid (03-NOV-2017), but it then transpired that 4 out of 9 Development Exec members, who are involved with the 'National Free Education Demo' bid are now ineligible to vote, due to SU conflict of interest rules.
This was noticed, after they publicly called students to attend the event with Warwick For Free Education on Facebook, here (as of 01/11/2017). Student were told to buy tickets for a £6 return journey, before the vote for the £600 bid had taken place.
Presumably, it can only be subsidised for a £6 return, if the four had known they were all going to vote for the funding bid, otherwise, how can they be promoting it for £6 if the bid hasn't been voted on yet!?
For the very least, you know if they had voted, they wouldn't be cutting any funding, since they would all directly benefit from the £6 return trip to London. Conflict of interest? Non?
Anyway, trebles all round!
The Development Exec members with conflict of interest are as follows:
Chair of the Development Exec - Ana Catarina Barbedo
Development Exec Member - Helena Navarrete Plana
Environment and Ethics Officers - Julie Saumagne and Christian König
It is not known whether the remaining members of the Exec are involved with WFFE in the planning and promotion of the event, or plan to attend and benefit from the subsidised travel. But that should be declared and appropriately minuted at the vote.
If these four members take the vote on Friday, it would be in breach of SU Conflict of Interest regulations... Unless, of course, flyer-ing, putting up posters, hanging up campaign banners outside the Library, and calling students in a Facebook campaign post to take part, does not constitute as 'involved in a project/campaign'... Don't hold your breath, though.
The Eye understands that of the remaining five members, two have political affiliations to Warwick Labour and Warwick Tories.
We have tweeted our findings to the SU, and expect a response in due course.
By Warwick Eye
Update: At the vote on Friday 3rd November 2017, the members in question involved with the bid declared NO conflict of interest and proceeded to vote and approved the £600 bid.
SU Regulation 7 (R7).9 on Funding Bids Regulations state: (link)
'Any member of the Development Exec who is involved in the project/campaign must declare a conflict of interest and should abstain from voting.'
 |
| Funding Bid 'National Free Education Demo' Applicant: President Hope Worsdale with Warwick For Free Education |
President Hope, also WFFE Admin (NCAFC's Warwick affiliate-group) was the one to submit the funding bid for the National Free Education Demo. For those who don't know, WFFE is a staunch left student group, with no established affiliation with Warwick Labour.
The Development Exec were about to vote on the bid (03-NOV-2017), but it then transpired that 4 out of 9 Development Exec members, who are involved with the 'National Free Education Demo' bid are now ineligible to vote, due to SU conflict of interest rules.
 |
| #FreeEdNow National Demo Facebook album calls students to buy tickets for £6 |
This was noticed, after they publicly called students to attend the event with Warwick For Free Education on Facebook, here (as of 01/11/2017). Student were told to buy tickets for a £6 return journey, before the vote for the £600 bid had taken place.
Presumably, it can only be subsidised for a £6 return, if the four had known they were all going to vote for the funding bid, otherwise, how can they be promoting it for £6 if the bid hasn't been voted on yet!?
For the very least, you know if they had voted, they wouldn't be cutting any funding, since they would all directly benefit from the £6 return trip to London. Conflict of interest? Non?
Anyway, trebles all round!
The Development Exec members with conflict of interest are as follows:
Chair of the Development Exec - Ana Catarina Barbedo
Development Exec Member - Helena Navarrete Plana
Environment and Ethics Officers - Julie Saumagne and Christian König
 |
| Ana Catarina Barbedo supporting Warwick For Free Education's 'National Free Education Demo' (link) |
 |
| Helena Navarrete Plana supporting Warwick For Free Education's 'National Free Education Demo' (link) |
 |
| Julie Saumagne supporting Warwick For Free Education's 'National Free Education Demo' (link) |
 |
| Christian König (right) flyer-ing for Warwick For Free Education's 'National Free Education Demo' (link) |
It is not known whether the remaining members of the Exec are involved with WFFE in the planning and promotion of the event, or plan to attend and benefit from the subsidised travel. But that should be declared and appropriately minuted at the vote.
If these four members take the vote on Friday, it would be in breach of SU Conflict of Interest regulations... Unless, of course, flyer-ing, putting up posters, hanging up campaign banners outside the Library, and calling students in a Facebook campaign post to take part, does not constitute as 'involved in a project/campaign'... Don't hold your breath, though.
The Eye understands that of the remaining five members, two have political affiliations to Warwick Labour and Warwick Tories.
We have tweeted our findings to the SU, and expect a response in due course.
By Warwick Eye
Update: At the vote on Friday 3rd November 2017, the members in question involved with the bid declared NO conflict of interest and proceeded to vote and approved the £600 bid.
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