Welcome, one and all, to the Kent Union's Annual General Meeting 2010. Follow this live feed as I frantically hack every motion, movement and event as it happens. If you want to keep this window open keep hitting refresh (or F5) for the latest info. For those not in the know, you can get all the info here http://www.kentunion.co.uk/export/sites/Kent/upload_gallery/AGM_Agenda.p...

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21:11 Drama. Never known an AGM to be dissolved. An air of anti-climax about the place. I'm off, thanks for joining us.

21:07 Another count for those present. ONLY 128... we have not met quoracy... the AGM has been dissolved! Any remaining motions go to the next Union Council meeting, and will be voted on by Union Council members.

21:05 Goes to vote... MOTION PASSES!

21:01 Damon is back up. Struggling with nerves, he breaks his 2 minute allocation... the seconder for the motion steps up, it's Helen Wood, she says there is nothing wrong with the degree. 'Vote for this motion' says Helen Wood. 'Stop!' says Cai Robbins. Her 2 minutes are up Feisty.

21:00 Architecture student opposes the motion and claims they do have a vocational use for their degree around campus and it is the responsibility of the course convenors, not the Union, to implement such schemes.

20:59 Helen Wood voices her support for the motion.

20:58 'Cox'ies missus steps up' (according to Elliot) to the podium, I wonder which side she'll be arguing for... here we go...

20:57 Cai Robbins says 'fuck'

20:56 Aaron Kiely has a point of information, but it has been thrown out for being too opinionated.

20:55 Question for the opposer; why is it a bad thing to highten degree experience. Apparently, architecture students don't have the same opportunity that environmentalists do to apply their skills on campus.

20:54 Damon responds by saying in not so many words, 'do it'

20:53 Question; why not have more motions involving vocational work for students.

20:52 Leading question shot dead. Bang. Forget it.

20:48 On resolves 1 and 2; architecture students have been included on suggested involvement.

20:46 Question for Mr. Cox; Elliot believes that conservation students will benefit from such involvement, and will benefit their education. Cox replies that the time and effort in conservation could not be achieved by students over projects of the magnitue of new accomodation, for example.

20:41 Motion number 4. Finally. It's Eco Co-Op. Damon Williams, suffering from nerves up there. I can't really tell what he is saying. He wants the Environment and Ethics officer to liase with the Conservation Society and DICE students on environmental changes that may happen on campus (eg. building work). Niall Cox is up and opposes such environmental policies because we can't afford the time or money, simply. We will achieve nothing apparently and students will add nothing. Brave man.

20:39 Women's officer is back, she ran 4 or 5 forums open to students. She contacts students through a mailing list and her contact details are on the web, she claims the options are there for students but she can't force them to attend forums.

20:38 Men's officer steps up about the relevence of his post. He defends himself by saying that a motion last year to remove the position failed and so his position is justified. Men also have a higher suicide rate and more mental health issues

20:37 To Women's officer, why hasn't her manifesto pledges been met?

20:36 To Men's officer, she asks if the Men's officer is still relevent on this campus?

20:35 Men's officer hasn't had to deal with any requests for paternity leave and will approach it on a case by case basis.

20:34 LBGT officer is back, he said he would not do a gay v. straight quiz in response to a rather sarcastic question following on from the rather funny 'oppressive' trend being banded about.

20:33 Q for Men's officer, any work on paternity leave?

20:31 Women's officer, saying the Men v. Women clean-off is 'just a bit of fun' and not oppressive.

20:30 LGBT officer answers that gender neutral toilets will be further discussed later tonight.

20:29 Tom Pengelley asks about progress on the gender neutral toilets, to the LGBT officer.

20:27 Back to Dan; fees are not justified through contact hours but through use of facilities ie. library and labs.

20:26 Helen Wood saying they have to answer to charity laws re:referendum. It was the Chair's choice to collect signatures electronically.

20:24 Back to James Budge, he says everyone had the opportunity to say 'no' to the referendum.

20:23 Question for Dan; Social Science student saying she only gets 6 hours contact time compared to 22 hours for science students, how are the same fees justified?

20:22 Back to referendum, apparently signatures were obtained through Facebook and students weren't given the opportunity

20:21 Helen Wood says Sabbs are fully aware of what they are signing up to, they are financially liable and they are committed to it seven years after leaving office.

20:20 Sam Kennedy on the 'Yes' campaign.

20:19 Dan Curran steps up again.

20:18 A question asking if Sabbs are aware that they are signing up to be members of a limited company.

20:17 More on the governence review, apparently it improves student representation, this gentleman says it doesn't and asks how can we improve it?

20:14 Dan Curran talking about how we can improve student representation to MPs.

20:11 Finance Director steps up to the mic as the Sabbs claim they can't answer it. The current financial structure is based on other Student Unions, to be honest, I don't know what question that answers. But useful nonetheless.

20:08 James Budge, Sports Sabb, he appreciates 140 quid is a lot for membership, he suggests dividing up facility fees to make it more managable. He asks for a round of applause for approval he gets it.

20:06 Helen Wood addresses the question regarding volunteering. It is something they are going to address. She wants ideas about how to encourage volunteers.

20:04 A 'clerical error' is said to have been the reason behind the faulty ballot system. We've been told students should come forward if they have not received their ballot. Fair enough. But que the conspiracists.

20:03 Question for sport; asking if we can use sports courts without paying full gym membership

20:02 Second question; Sabina, Darwin President, is asking for more support for volunteers.

20:01 First question; someone is questionning the online ballot system in last year's elections, he's suggesting the democratic process is being undermined.

20:00 Sabb questions coming up. Elliot, to my left, raises his hand. This should be fun.

19:59 168 is the number. We can continue.

19:57 And we've been called back.

19:54 Not a lot of people are returning from the break. I don't blame them but we're going to struggle to meet the necessary level of quoracy. We need 150 students to meet it.

19:51 Some break babble; The Palestinian motion is big on everyone's lips, they want to partner a Palestinian university with Kent. The same (or a very similiar) motion passed last year only for the university to claim it was not financially viable.

19.43 AGM takes a break

19.37 Vote count results.. 93 for. 32 against. 19 abstained.

19.35 Union Chair declares motion passed but.... Elliot Dickens demands a vote count on the approval of Kent Union accounts 2008-2009 and approval of Kent Union Bidget 2009-2010. Exciting stuff!

19.33 Helen Wood reveals that all union staff are subject to a wage freeze. She can't give any exact numbers of anything though.

19:30 More figures, more restructuring talk. Elliot Dickens is back on the attack. Student spending is down, and Elliot is saying we shouldn't be budgeting for it. Union Chair, Cai Robbins, tells him to pipe down- 'going round in circles', apparently.

19:27 Someone is suggesting that the accounts should be transparent to the students. Helen Wood volleys back saying that it is commercially sensitive info. Fair point from both parties.

19:26 The Venue gets mentioned again, that is a big money loser. Someone is dissatisfied that their question didn't get answered. This is breaking down into a plain attack on the Union's accounts.

19:24 Deficit, deficit, deficit. The keys are starting to stick. Deficit.

19:23 Still talking deficit, people are scouring the figures print-out present on everyone's chair. More questions, this one mumbled, I've stopped caring.

19.20 Elliot Dickens, Woolf College President, asks a question- could the deficit have been avoided if the union provided activities and events that the students were actually interested in?

19.16 Kent Union reveals we are in deficit for the first time in 5 years. Brilliant.

19.15 Helen Wood starts talking about the Union Budget. Numbers... deficits... It's all a bit confusing.

19.12 Iain Kiy, Alex Clarke, Zain Sardar, Laura Pethers, Tom Christian and Danielle Tucker are awarded lifetime membership. Well done guys.

19.11 Some afters from the back of the hall. All is moving on after that monster motion.

19.10 The vote is taken and it looks like the motion has been carried.

19.09 A round of applause for the opposing summation.

19.08 What a shambles.

19.04 Microphone malfunction. Tech crew on hand to help, one nearly falls over. Almost. Murmur of disappointment from the crowd. (If you were at the Student Activities Awards last year, it was the same tech guy.)

19.03 Ben Alonso is back. Is he still wearing a scarf? Yes, he is.

19.02 Keynes College President Lauren Crowley, suggests an amendment. The term 'committee' now changed to 'working group'.

19.01 VP Student Activities Ben Alonso rocks up to the stage. He's wearing a scarf.

18.59 Questions are taken from the floor. Daniel Malynn, Parkwood Education Officer, asks whether the proposed committee would have any actual control over events on campus, or would they simply exist in an advisory capacity?

18.57 Faith Allen, Parkwood Welfare Officer, takes the stand. There is some confusion... Helen Wood takes over and Faith looks even more confused.

18:54 Motion 3, 'Entertainment for all', presented by Helen Wood. The motion wants better entertainment from the union and to create an entertainment committee made up from the student body. It will get my vote (Sam Hall).

18:53 Motion passed! One objection, tongue drilled firmly into cheek by Zack Whittaker.

18.50 Jenny Bojczuk, President of Amnesty Society takes the stand. Motion Two: Twinning Kent Union.

18.49 One person abstained from voting on this motion. Motion passed.

18.47 Tom Ritchie, Eliot College President begins discussion on Motion One: Let's Make Union Council Effective.

18.46 Aaron sits down again. A message from him.. vote in the General Election!

18:41 Aaron Porter, Vice-President of the NUS takes to the podium. He's talking about the upcoming tuition fees review, they could go up to £5-10k per academic year. This would impact on students' choice of which institution they attend. Aaron proposes that a rise in tuition fees would mean that students are forced to choose their university based on how much debt they would end up with, rather than which institution provides better courses and/or facilities.

18:38 Helen Wood, Union President, opens with a speech. I'm not going to transcribe it.

18:36 Tom got outvoted by the majority present, the non-UoK people will speak.

18:33 Action straight away! Non-UoK members have been opposed to talk. Tom Pengelley takes to the podium to explain why he opposed.

18:31 168 are here, thus we can pass votes.

18:30 Monster Munches are present. Delicious.

18:28 Cards are in the air, counting those present and judging if we are ready to get voting underway, start your engines.

18:25 This sounds official, I hope someone's taking note.

18:24 We have action, someone has got a mic and everything.

18:18 An impromptu conservation lecture and a few technical faults later, we are live again. Alex, anything you'd like to say? 'I'm trying to unwrap this refresher sweet. Difficult.' Indeed, the amount of sweets and Monster Munch is incredible, I'm hoping this isn't a 5 year-old's birthday party.

16:30. Apparently they are beginning to set-up, I wouldn't know, I'm still in the library but I can feel the buzz from Eliot already... honestly.