Heady escalates district societies row
Don Heady, co-organiser of the ICAEW district society rebellion, has hit back at the institute's president Graham Ward, who earlier accused Heady of wasting members' money.
Heady said he was ‘absolutely staggered’ that Ward had released a statement immediately after their showdown meeting over the future of the district societies.
Heady, with Noel Kelleway and Jan Rickler, met with Ward and general secretary John Collier on Thursday to thrash out issues of concern regarding the new district society infrastructure.
The meeting ending without reaching any compromise, paving the way for an extraordinary general meeting, likely to be held in July.
Heady dismissed the idea of debating the issue at the institute’s annual general meeting.
He said: ‘The issue would be subsumed within the other business of the meeting, there would only be a short discussion on the matter.’
‘The fact that only ten signatures are required to discuss the matter at the AGM show how much importance would be attached to it. The issue is far too important to be treated like that,’ he said.
The campaigners also criticised the institute for not helping to find a solution for the protest.
‘A way could have been found to avoid this situation,’ said Heady.
A date has yet to be fixed for the meeting as Heady is waiting to hear from the institute about whether a suitable venue could be found.
The Great Hall of the institute will be going through a refurbishment at the time a meeting is likely to be called. Hiring a venue would add significantly to the cost of a meeting, bringing it up to Pounds 100,000.
Ward also sought to appeal to the signatories of the EGM requisition directly, asking them to talk with their district society office holders.
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‘If members feel reassured by what they hear, I hope that they will indicate to Don Heady that he can no longer count on their support,’ he said.
This was immediately dismissed by Heady.
‘Members will have more sense than that. They will be able to see through the sham of these proposals,’ he said.
Links
Ward fights back over district societies
District Societies quarrel intensifies
Job losses as ICAEW revamps regions
Ward denies district societies are under threat
