Following consultation with the membership, at the AGM in March 2004 a new set of Bye-laws were approved, to be implemented from the 2005 AGM. Amongst other changes, the new Bye-laws introduced an age rule, as follows:
Bye-law 28
Subject to Bye-law 29, any Council member may continue to hold office until his or her 70th birthday provided that no person shall be eligible to be elected as a Council member after the age of 68.
Recommendation of the Governance Group
At a meeting of the Governance Group held in December 2007 the Group recommended that this rule should be reviewed and that the membership should be consulted on whether the Bye-law should be changed or removed, or whether waiver should be provided for. This recommendation was subsequently approved by the Board of Trustees, but there was insufficient time to consult with the membership prior to the 2007 AGM. This letter is, therefore, the means by which we are asking for your comments, with a view to putting any changes to the Bye-laws before the 2009 AGM.
Lay Advisory Panel
There is no restriction on the age of members of the Lay Advisory Panel (LAP). However, the age rule for Council means that any LAP member who is over 68 years of age cannot be nominated by the LAP as a lay member of Council. At present this affects one member of the LAP.
Your response is important. Please let us know your views by completing the enclosed Consultation on College Bye-law 28 response form and return it in the pre-paid envelope provided by 5pm on 21 November.
If you have any queries please contact Wingyee Chan, Clerk to Council on 020 7766 4341 or e-mail
