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An assembly is, by and large, an open body of members and/or participants who collaborate to produce consensus, and then act together to make that consensus reality.

Consensus is generated through a three-step process. The first step is informal: an idea is proposed and those present discuss it. If it is complex enough that further discussion is needed, a kind of meeting called a "Moot" is organised by the assembly. At the Moot, people discuss the idea. If there is broad approval, then there is consensus, and the idea moves forward. If there is broad disagreement with the idea, it does not move forward. If there is deadlock, then a ballot is arranged using the STAR methodology to break that deadlock and produce consensus.

Most of our assemblies are open access, but some are restricted based on their remit. For example: the Disability Activism Society is only open to people identifying as disabled, and the Trans Liberation Assembly is only open to trans and nonbinary people.

An assembly consists of the participation - the membership and participants who are involved in it. When there is consensus that the assembly is sufficiently complex, assemblies may also elect a secretary who acts as a facilitator: organising meetings and organising note-taking and other structural, process-related matters. A secretary in-role may request the election of deputy secretaries by the assembly to support their responsibilities. Secretaries and deputy secretaries are elected by consensus

Assemblies can be members of other assemblies. This is called nesting and is a feature of our democracy that prevents the segregation that would otherwise arise from segregating decisionmaking by identity or geography. Nesting enables assemblies to join together to make decisions and take action when their remits intersect. For example: the Cardiff West assembly might act in collaboration with the other Cardiff assemblies on a project to enhance democracy across the city of Cardiff - it can do this because it is a member of the Cardiff City Assembly, which is actually just an assembly which has other assemblies nesting in it.

Umbrella assemblies act identically to their nested components. This is quite similar to, but not quite the same as, holacracy.

The kinds of assembly you will find in the Party are:

Operational Working Group

Helping Harmony work (and play!)

About this assembly

This umbrella assembly is responsible broadly for constitutional matters, for maintenance of the party's information technology infrastructure, and for operational support relating to these things.

In more detail, the Operational Working Group maintains the constitution by editing it in line with changes of practice within the federation of assemblies.

It also provides support to other assemblies relating to the constitution, and is responsible for monitoring consensus along with the Secretarial Committee.

The assembly is also broadly responsible for maintaining digital infrastructure except where that remit intersects with those of the Presentation of Policy member assemblies (such as the Media Working Group).

The assembly is also tasked with development of processes to the benefit of other assemblies - this includes observation of development of new processes in other assemblies and facilitating their use in different ones.

All IT-related assemblies are members of this assembly. For example, the Harmony Rec, our online community centre on Discord, while autonomous, is nonetheless a member of the Operational Working Group.

All Party participants are automatically considered members of this assembly.

Purpose of action

This assembly maintains the constitution, records consensus, is responsible for information technology in the Party, and develops processes which benefit other assemblies.

Composition

All Harmony participants are automatically a member of this assembly.

Reference: HPUK-ASSE-2025-09-4

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