Amendments to the General Rules

Amendments to the General Rules (20/09/2002)

Ratified by the Board in May 2001 and incorporating amendments to General Rule 5 ratified by the Board in August 2002.

1. General Rule 4d will read as follows

“If a quorum (as specified in paragraph 9 of Part 1 of the First Schedule to the Act) is not present at the start of the time appointed for the meeting that meeting shall nonetheless undertake the business before it, subject to a following quorate meeting of the Board endorsing what was done.”

2. General Rule 5 will read as follows.

“Pursuant to paragraph 7 (1) of Part 1 of the First Schedule of the Act the Board shall elect a Chairman from amongst themselves.

Members of the Board shall also elect a Vice Chairman pursuant to paragraph 7 (3) of Part 1 of the First Schedule to the Act who shall preside at meetings of the Board and have the powers of the Chairman when the Chairman is absent.

The term of office for both the Chairman and the Vice Chairman is one year from the date on which they were elected.

In the event of a vacancy in the office of Chairman , or Vice Chairman, a successor shall be appointed at the next meeting of the Board by a majority of members to hold office until the expiry of the term of office of his predecessor.

The ballot for the annual election shall fall one week after the Board meeting held in February, unless otherwise directed by the Board, and shall be by a secret ballot conducted by the Chief Executive/Registrar.

Persons wishing to stand for election to the Chair and Vice Chair must be nominated by two other members of the Board and those nominations must be received by the Chief Executive/Registrar by 5.00 pm on 1 February.

Once nominations have closed the Chief Executive/Registrar will issue a press release stating the names of those standing for election.

Candidates for election may if they wish provide a statement of not more than 250 words which shall be circulated by 8 February to those eligible to vote in the election. In addition candidates and other Board members are allowed to converse, lobby and communicate with one another but not to make public statements relating to the elections.

Once the results of the ballot are known the Chief Executive/Registrar shall circulate to Board members the result of the ballot, including the number of votes cast for each candidate.

The Chief Executive/Registrar will issue a press release stating the names of those elected but not providing details of the votes cast.

3 (i) General Rule 13b will read as follows.

“(b) has completed at least two years practical training experience working under the direct supervision of an architect registered in the EU, 12 months of which must be undertaken in the UK, under the direct supervision of a UK–registered person. A minimum twelve months of the pre-requisite practical training experience must be undertaken after completion of a five year course of study and award of a qualification of the type described in sub-paragraph (a) of this Rule; and”

(ii) There shall be tabled to General Rule 13 a new paragraph (d) as follows:

“(d) the practical training requirement set out in (b) above can be varied by the Board in relation to the supervising person set out in that paragraph, acting within guidelines published by the Board from time to time.”

4. New Rule 4, in relation to the election of architect members of the Board, will read as follows:

“(a) Persons wishing to stand for election must be nominated by twelve registered persons. The nomination papers must be returned to the person designated as returning officer by the Board at the address specified in the election notice by noon on tenth day of January in an election year.

(b) A candidate standing for election shall be permitted to provide an election statement which shall be circulated to all registered persons entitled to vote. The statement shall not exceed 250 words.

(c) Notice of the election shall be announced to all registered persons by the last working day of October in the year preceding the election.

(d) Ballot material shall be dispatched to all registered persons by 1 February in the year of the election. Ballot papers shall be returned by 1 March in that year.

(e) The election shall take place by the single transferable vote system.

(f) Each elected member of the Board shall serve for a three year period of office which shall commence on the first day of April immediately following the announcement of the result of the election at which that member was declared to be elected and which shall end on first day of April three years following commencement.”