Institute row reaches grand finale
The future of the ICAEW's district societies is set to be decided today at a controversial special general meeting in London.
District society rebel Don Heady will lead the charge for retaining the existing structure of the 22 district societies, scrapping plans for ten regional business centres.
The institute has fiercely defended its decision to introduce the regional centres, saying the move would provide extra support for the societies and allow the accountancy body to be mirror the government’s own regional structures.
But the vote could all come to nothing as the institute’s council could ignore the result and plough on with the reforms, which were officially launched in June.
However, the institute has acknowledged a vote against the new structure would be ‘bloody unhelpful’.
The meeting is being held at Insurance Hall in the City of London as the institute’s own Great Hall is being refurbished at a cost of £250,000.
The special meeting is itself believed to have cost the institute £100,000.
Links
Online voting is now complete, but you can still read our special report: Battle for the ICAEW’s district societies.