ICG Committee needs to readjust to new circumstances

It is now over three months since the local elections, and the loss of all six of the seats on the local authority that we had previously held.

Even before that fateful day the ICG Committee was the source of all power within the organisation. But in practice, at least before the last AGM in January 2010, it was so heavily dominated by councillors that its two non-councillor members were never in a position to override the predominant councillor input even if they had wanted to.

Things have now changed on two fronts. First of all the majority on the ICG Committee (which currently has eleven members as opposed to the eight it had for most of last year) have never been councillors. The source of real power has changed.

Secondly there have never been so many relative "newbies" all at once at the centre of the decision-making process within the group.

Dealing with this, along with our expressed desire to regroup and reshape, has obviously meant that a lot of deep discussion - sometimes impassioned discussion - has taken place. Sometimes some of the newbies don't completely understand what is required of them in terms of keeping up with the situation within the ICG and the wider community on a day to day basis. Whilst I have defended those people on the grounds of their inexperience they will need to learn, and soon.

At the same time us former councillors are having to come to terms with the fact that we are no longer ruling the roost on the Committee in the way that we undoubtedly once were. Interesting times.

What is important is that the ICG identifies the areas in which it has been underperforming and uses the relative sanctuary that the next two or three years will provide to address those issues. We need also to address them at an appropriate and sensible pace, risking neither burnout nor prolonged inactivity.

We have always said that irrespective of whether or not we decide to contest the next local elections in 2014 we will be prepared for them, enabling us to take such a decision when the time for it comes from a position of strength. This is why the coming two or three years will be so important to us.

Whatever happens the key to our long-term stability and success will be new blood. Some of the established leadership, myself included, may not necessarily be the best people to be taking us to the next level. We need new people helping to run the organisation so that it may remain fresh, and infused with new ideas and an up-to-date approach to campaigning.

If you are an activist or even at this point just an inactive member or supporter, it is time to consider whether you might not wish to make a bigger contribution than is the case at present.