Institiutes - English ICA backs down on district plans

English ICA officials have back-pedalled on proposals to make the institute’s 22 district societies self-funding, calming fears about their future.

A compromise agreement delaying any decision on their long-term funding was hammered out at a conference last week at which district society presidents voiced their concerns to top institute officials and council leaders.

The institute has also agreed to continue the present system of funding the societies out of general subscriptions until at least the end of 2000.

Earlier this month, district society officials were behind a move to block the institute’s ‘Strategy for the 21st Century’ by council members.

The strategy is thought to contain plans under which district societies will be required to obtain contracts from the institute to carry out services. This could lead to them to levying extra local subscriptions.

The plans are to be reconsidered by two working parties. One will examine what services members want provided locally and how these will be supplied.

The other will consider how the administration of locally delivered services will be structured in future.

The district societies indicated overall support for the institute’s strategy, but said it was essential to maintain a local presence whose personnel, accommodation and establishment costs should be funded from general subscriptions.