NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2026

This is notification that Lambeth UNISON Annual General Meeting is happening on 3 March 2026. The meeting will be a rolling AGM, with a day time session from 1-3pm and a late afternoon session from 5pm – 6:30pm. You only need to attend one. 

The purpose of the AGM is to bring the branch committee and its officers to account:

• to report on the branch’s finances;
• to report on the branch’s activity during the past year;
• to receive a report on the annual assessment.
   
  It is also to make decisions for Lambeth UNISON in 2026:
• agree policies and plans for the year;
• to elect branch officers and branch representatives to external bodies for the coming year
• Elect conference delegates for Local Government Conference and National Delegate Conference
   

Do you want to write a motion for the AGM?

Motions at our AGM become branch policy and help guide us in campaigns we will run over the next 12 months.

Motions should be no more than 250 words (not including the title) and in numbered paragraphs and submitted by noon on 6 January.
      .
Email motions to our branch chair Gary Whiting (gwhiting@lambeth.gov.uk) and copy in the vice chair Dan Jeffery (DJeffery@lambeth.gov.uk) 

Do you want to stand for an elected officer position?

Nominations are now open for officer posts on our branch committee
Deadlines for nominations are open from Tuesday 9th December to Monday 06 January 12noon.

Lambeth UNISON is run by a branch committee, made up of officers elected at AGM, convenors elected by members in each directorate of the council, and stewards elected by members in teams/workplaces.  The branch committee meets monthly and is the leadership of the branch. For an overview of the different roles and their responsibilities, please check out (https://www.unison.org.uk/about/our-organisation/activists/branch-roles/)

All officer posts are open for nominations. For information on how to nominate please read below.

Branch Secretary                In charge of day to day running of the branch, overall strategy, campaigns, etc (5 days facility agreed)
Assistant Branch Secretary     Supports the Branch Secretaries in their duties and helps with campaigning work.
Branch Chair                        The branch chair facilitates branch and committee meetings, and may also be a senior negotiator.
Branch Vice Chair               Chairs meetings when the branch chair is unavailable
Branch Treasurer                 Responsible for finances in collaboration with the secretary
Deputy Branch Treasurer   Assists the branch treasurer
Publicity Officer                    Helps produce newsletters, manage social media accounts, press releases and so on.
Membership Officer             Assists with recruitment and retention, managing our membership database.
Health and Safety Officer##  Watch that badly fixed light! Is work making you stressed? Health and safety is the name of the game.
Environmental Officer         Helps keep the branch up to date on green issues and develops campaigns and policy (will be a very important role in years to come!)
Equality Officer                    Is responsible for equalities issues, assisting self-organised groups and being a union lead on equalities at work
International Officer            Keeps an eye on the news, is informed about international issues and feeds campaign ideas into the branch (e.g. anti-fascism in USA, solidarity with trade unionists in Colombia, anti-war campaigning in the Middle East)
Welfare Officer                     The lead person for assisting members with any welfare issues and providing access to UNISON’s welfare fund.
Learning Coordinator#      Works with employers and co-ordinates the work of union learning reps in supporting members with lifelong learning and skills for life
Education Officer                 Helps arrange training courses and education programmes for members, stewards, health and safety reps and branch officers.
Returning Officer                 Oversees elections for the AGM and any by elections that may be held for officer posts or convenor roles.
Branch Auditor                     Checks over our finances and ensures we have complied with UNISON regulations.
Deputy Branch Auditor       Helps the branch auditor carry out their duties
Young Members Officer**  Coordinates campaigning and organising work among younger members – are you under 30 and interested?
Labour Link Officer++         A crucial role in liaising with local Labour Parties and coordinating delegates from UNISON to Labour to advocate for our unions agenda.
** must be under 30 at end of their term of office (early 2026)  
++must be a Labour Party member who pays into the Affiliated Political Fund
# must be a trained ULR        (training provided)
## must be a trained safety rep (training provided)

All posts are open to job share 

To apply please email your name, membership number, employer and which role you are interested in standing for. You will also need to find another member to second your nomination.

To apply please fill in this form and email our returning officer Paul Fitzgerald (PDFitzgerald@lambeth.gov.uk) if you want to be nominated for any of these position.

If you want to be a delegate to and UNISON conferences or regional committees please fill in this form and return to our returning officer Paul Fitzgerald (PDFitzgerald@lambeth.gov.uk) 
Call Lambeth UNISON at 020 7926 2858 for more details or to answer any questions

Time Table for 2025 AGM

Tuesday 9 December		Nominations period opens up for branch officer posts.
Tuesday 6 January 12noon		Deadline for AGM Motions. Deadline for nomination of Branch Officers, Conference and other delegates
Tuesday 13 January		Circulation of motions and nominations received for AGM and reminder of dates
Tuesday 20 January 12noon		Deadline for amendments to motions for AGM and deadline for nominations for stewards
Tuesday 20 January		January Branch Committee
Friday 6 February 5pm		Copy Deadline for Annual Report
9 – 13 February		Lay up and printing of AGM report
17 February		February Branch Committee – compositing of motions and amendments for AGM
Friday 20 February		Branch Officer Ballot & Final Agenda Distribution date. AGM booklet electronic distribution
Tuesday 24 February		Deadline for Emergency Motions to AGM (motions will be accepted on issues after this date, contact branch secretaries for details)
Friday 27 February		Copying of additional papers for AGM
Tuesday 3 March	Lambeth UNISON AGM in two sessions: Day time for Council staff and then after work for Schools and private sector members