Date set for £100,000 institute showdown.
Future of district societies to be debated at meeting on 11 July
The date of the ICAEW’s special general meeting on the future of its district societies has been set for Wednesday 11 July.
A venue has yet to be found for the showdown, which has been forced by opponents of reforms to the institute’s regional structure, as the hall at the institute’s London headquarters will be undergoing refurbishment.
The institute is arranging meetings to discuss the controversy with each of its 22 district societies ahead of the date.
Don Heady, co-organiser of the special meeting, said: ‘It’s a pity the institute could not have done this several months ago, but we are happy to assist with its damage limitation programme.’
Heady added he felt the strength of feeling over the reforms was growing as people realised exactly what was happening to the societies. But institute president Graham Ward has said more than 100 signatories to the petition calling for the meeting have withdrawn their support.
Speaking at the Founding Societies dinner in Liverpool last week Ward said many supporters had now reversed their earlier stance. ‘This is an important show of confidence in our new structure,’ he told an audience of almost 200 people in Liverpool town hall.
But the withdrawals came too late to prevent the egm.
The cost of the meeting is expected to run to #100,000.
Ward said the changes to institute’s regional structure would benefit members. ‘Our plans to introduce a new regional framework of quality support for members will strengthen the existing 22 societies, lift the bureaucratic burden from volunteers, and promote chartered accountants as prominent opinion formers with key regional stakeholders.’
Is the ICAEW working with or against the district societies? See page 12.