The Ballot - now there's a funny thing!
The "70% Majority"?
Some have questioned the fact that 120+ were able to call an SGM compared to the "thousands who voted in the ballot"
Hmmm!
The ICE made much of achieving the required two thirds majority for the Governance changes, albeit on a turnout of less than 9%; ie 3954 of the 44,437 eligible voters!
It got the required two thirds majority by just 163 votes. 70.8% of those who voted. But what caused 29.2% to vote against?!
Consider this:
Those 120+ calling for the SGM came from the limited number of Members who picked up on a letter to June's NCE, or who known to a few of us concerned about the proposed lack of democratic accountability of the proposed Governance changes - no consulation, no debate.
In the Ballot, the ICE put its case for the changes to the whole of the voting Membership of 44,437. It put a one-sided argument and with no opportunity to put the counterargument. The full weight of the ICE was deployed in favour, including a set of FAQs concocted midway through the Ballot.
Despite that, nearly a third of the votes cast chose to say No. Why?
Makes you think what might have happened if both sides of the argument had been heard! Just as they were at the SGM. The ICE's position was roundly defeated...