I am pleased to have been elected by my colleagues as Chairman of the National Convention.  I’m now working with my fellow elected National Convention officers to implement our manifesto pledges, and will share regular updates with National Convention members.

I am available to National Convention members 6 days per week for Zoom surgeries – please use this link to book a call directly into my diary: https://calendly.com/julianellacott/30min

I’m Julian Ellacott, and I’m a Conservative campaigner and volunteer.

I have been active within the Party for 25 years, and served as an officer and chairman at Branch, Association, Area and Regional levels. 

Outside politics I have spent time volunteering for a range of charities and public bodies.  In my professional life, I am a qualified actuary, working for a mutual insurance company in Bristol.

Although I have served as a councillor in the past (for 19 years), I have never sought selection as a Parliamentary candidate, and do not wish to do so.  My focus is solely on the voluntary party.

Last year I was elected as one of the Vice Presidents of the National Convention, to serve on the Party’s Board, where I have brought my energy and experience to bear.  I have also spent time travelling up and down the county supporting activists, campaigning and fundraising.

For more information on the various roles I have held both within and outside the Party, and my achievements in those roles, take a look at the About Me page.

Following our loss of the General Election, the Party needs to change.  We need learn the right lessons and rebuild the Party from the ground up, as I set out in an article in ConservativeHome here, and another article here.

Selecting the best candidates

  • Nominate a senior volunteer as Chairman of the Candidates Committee, to oversee the selection rules and processes, and who will come to the National Convention and be accountable to you.
  • Review our selection processes from scratch, and entrench local member involvement
  • Ensure that selected candidates have demonstrable Conservative values, and that all have a fair opportunity regardless of background 
  • Implement and enforce performance contracts for all elected roles, setting out the responsibilities of candidates

Strong values and high standards

  • Ensure we apply our own values in the way we run the Party – and call each other out if we don’t
  • Hold elected representatives to a high standard, including the Nolan principles, with stronger sanctions for breaches
  • Reduce unnecessary delays in dealing with complaints, and ensure that the system is applied fairly, to all branches of the Party

Party democracy

  • Ensure that the post-election Party Review is thorough and its findings are implemented, including changes to the Party Constitution
  • Put together advisory groups of talented and motivated volunteers, to review and work closely with CCHQ in areas like campaigning, membership, VoteSource etc
  • Ensure the National Convention lives up to its full potential, as the “parliament” of the voluntary party, discussing important issues, sharing good practice and holding Board members to account

Supporting Associations

  • Renew the Incentive Scheme and publish regular performance information – provide meaningful rewards for the best, and support for the worst
  • Create clearer lines of communication to and from CCHQ – fewer points of contact, and emails which are clear and not too frequent
  • Support Associations with property/trustee issues, and those who want to create groupings or federations (or explore other ways of becoming more effective)

Involving and developing activists

  • Focus on training opportunities, continuing with the popular online courses and the in person Campaign Academy series
  • Support CPF, YCs, CWO and our “Friends of” groups as a means of generating more active members
  • Ensuring that we invest in our tools – VoteSource, Toolkit, Bluetree and others – to make activists’ lives easier

Endorsements

I am delighted to endorse Julian

I am delighted to endorse Julian as I can think of no-one better to become Chairman of the National Convention. He is steeped in the voluntary party, understands the members’ needs and already represents them effectively at the Party Board – we will all benefit from his pragmatic leadership.

Julian Ellacott

An effective voice for our Voluntary Party.

© 2024 Julian Ellacott