Apologies if this sends you to sleep, but if I have learned anything in the past two and a half years, it's that professionalism requires attention to the details. Here's my take on how the exec can be made to run more professionally:

• The NME will be run by a series of committees to increase accountability and decrease workload per individual thus expanding the scope and ability of the NME in each portfolio
• Each portfolio will have a member of the NME assigned to manage the brief and in addition one other member acting as deputy. These members will ultimately be responsible to the NME for the planning of their programme, consultation with members and the senior party and delivery.
• These members will recruit, as necessary, volunteers to help in the administration of each portfolio, thus expanding the capacity of each committee. The NME members leading each committee will be responsible for the conduct of their committee and it's volunteers
• Each committee will submit its plan of action, and amendments, to the NME for approval
• Each committee will be required to minute its meetings
• The NME will produce a 'handover guide' to next year's NME allowing for it's successors to build on their success rather than start again from scratch.
• The NME will use modern technology, e-conferencing, an NME blog and the existing websites to communicate with itself, chairmen and the members.

More info to follow - but the basic idea is simple. To run the NME as a national executive and not an overglorified branch. Bureaucracy seems pointless, and is boring - but I've seen the damage unaccountability and poor planning can do. Your exec should be accountable at every stage, these are some of the ways of introducing that accountability.