Minutes of JCR Committee Meeting Week 3 Trinity 2025

Minutes

In attendance – President, Secretary, Treasurer, VP Admin, Lindsay, Women’s, Disabilities, LGBTQ+, Access, Foodie, International, Tortoise, IT

Bop cleanup

Bea again. Also, Sarah, Maddie, JC

Domestic Bursar update (from President)

Lack of update sadly, Domestic Bursar quite busy.

Picnic Blanket

Motion by Elsa, supported by Phoebe

Rent

Treasurer – massive difference in daily rent between short lease and long lease, meaning that taking short lease saves much less money than expected compared to long lease. Has talked about this with Financial Bursar and Housing Reps, aiming to over next 3-4 years, gradually make price per night the same. Would eventually make long lease more expensive 

Tobi – not in favour, would reduce amount of affordable housing available, currently very limited short lease, if instead you have to take long lease because of no other option, it is not too much worse. Support from Maddie, Daisy, Bella. Issue of insufficient short-lease accommodation available. Bea supports this, important to ensure that there is enough short-lease accom if making some sort of change.

Arina – for those who have to take long-lease for Welfare reasons or other reasons, this only increases financial pressures for long-lease, fair for short-lease to subsidise long-lease.

Mukund – no reason why short-lease should have to subsidise long-lease, crazy levels of daily rent right now. Seems very unfair given that the room is the exact same.

Tobi – Agrees, very high daily rent. But important to ensure that there is enough short-lease available then.

Elsa – college only cares about total rent, so if we were to have more short-lease rooms, would increase the rent for long-lease rooms. Only way to implement is separate short-lease and long-lease ballots. 

Callum – not in favour of changing, understands fairness perspectives, but important to ensure that we are keeping accommodation is affordable for as many people as possible. Gives personal example of why he needs long-lease, and if this was more expensive, would be an issue in terms of financial viability. 

Elsa – some people are going for short-lease because they want it cheaper, others because of other reasons, e.g., friends. To solve this, would need to remove group balloting and have individual balloting.

Keira – can’t be too bad to have individual balloting, surely you can end up near your friends. 

Bea – more general point, why do 2nd/3rd years on Jowett get priority over 2nd years.

Callum – mainly due to exams. Phoebe and Elsa add its about long-lease/short-lease too. 

Callum – valid concerns, but don’t worry, accom is not that deep, you’re very close to all your friends regardless.

Elsa – all the rooms are nice.

Elsa – what do you think about universal rent?

Nearly all disagree. 

LGBTQ+ Motion

Callum – motion to reaffirm support for trans students. Brought it up here to ask everyone to support motion, can’t say that in GM as he is chair.

Sarah – Reaffirming that Balliol JCR supports the trans community rather than disagreeing with the Supreme Court decision.

Maddie – Confirms that she will have to post on Instagram.

Yvette Cooper

Callum – received an email about former Balliol tutor about putting a statement out about Yvette Cooper in light of her recent statements on immigration. 

Bella – No need to as she does not represent us. Mukund, Elsa agree, no need to apologise for her.

Cora – Can work with Meg to emphasise support that International Reps provide for international students at Balliol.

Adam – can remove her JCR membership 

GM Quorum

Callum – change so that quorum requires minimum 35 people attending in person.

Elsa – if you cannot convince 35 people to come for even this 

Sarah – do we have a set schedule for GMs, who sets them? Mukund/Callum.

Phoebe – concerned that people won’t come and then GMs just won’t happen, motions won’t pass. If you are trying to do something but don’t have friends who will support it, very hard to get it passed.

Elsa – doesn’t think it’s right to text the group chat to have people pass.

Keira – annoying that people come for a motion and leave. GMs should not take as long as they do.

Callum – had 2 motions last GM and took an hour. 

Sarah – to confirm, proposing a constitutional amendment to change this rule? Not convinced it would pass.

Callum – incentive to come is that if you don’t get people to come, nothing will happen. But currently farcical. 

Elsa – not democratic either as so many people are not even there to hear about the debate. This could encourage people to come to GMs physically again.

Phoebe – or could have all debate to occur, and then vote on all at the end.

Mukund – could do all voting online instead. 

Callum – but worsens attendance issue.

Keira – could have less frequent GMs

Conflict of Interest

Elsa – was talking with Amanda about how in most charities, they have conflict of interest rules so those who have a conflict cannot vote. Extending this to JCR so in motions those who directly benefit from changes involving funding cannot vote. So if it benefits a specific member or society. Aim to make it less corrupt so you can’t just come and get something through.

Phoebe – what about items such as picnic blanket?

Elsa – would enrich everyone’s lives. This applies only for things that affect specific individuals or groups.

Keira – what about items for BUMS, does this means no maths student can vote?

Elsa – those who are active, yes. Hopefully a common sense thing.

Sarah – likes idea, is this about preventing people coming to GMs solely for their own items. So then they get more people to vote.

Bella – often people are not using money for themselves, but doing something voluntary.

Elsa – still a conflict of interest.

Phoebe – how would you enforce? Many college societies don’t have formal membership.

Elsa – if you are directly receiving money, you can’t vote. It’s more of a common sense thing.

Cora – more of compliance with charity rules, so supports that element of it.

Keira – unsure logistically and your friends are part of JCR.

Elsa – should still try and involve rest of JCR.

Mukund – how would you do it logistically? Would need to completely change the voting system. Also, not necessarily bad if people vote to receive funding, if others are so against it they should just come in and vote.

Bella – paper and pen could be used as alternative.

Callum – could use show of hands.

Keira – wording needs to be careful.