F30: Membership Subscriptions and Federal Levy

Submitted by Federal Board

Mover: Tony Harris (Chair, FFRC) | Summator: Peter Dunphy

Application: Federal

In order to make the party's finances simpler, more transparent and more sustainable, Conference agrees to the following for 2019:

1. 1. To make the Federal Levy system more transparent and consistent by applying the Federal Levy to membership subscriptions in England, Scotland and Wales.
   2. To make the finances of the State parties sustainable by recognising the significant additional costs faced by the Scottish and Welsh State parties on account of the policy, communications, organisational and campaigning challenges presented by the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly. This will be done by introducing an Additional Costs Grant from the Federal Party for the Scottish and Welsh Parties.
   3. To address the significant imbalance in party resources shown by the relative balance sheets of the Federal Party and other parts of the party, and to provide the resources for the shared tools, services and support set out in the party's strategy passed at Spring 2018 Conference, by setting the Federal Levy at 55% for 2019.
   4. To encourage further membership growth by freezing the current membership rates of ś72 (recommended), ś12 (standard minimum), ś6 (minimum for those in receipt of or entitled to state benefits), ś6 (minimum for members paying via Liberal Youth) and ś1 (minimum for members paying via Liberal Youth in their first two years).
   5. That nothing in this motion shall prevent a State Party from setting via their internal procedures higher recommended or minimum subscription rates or from introducing additional concessionary rates.