NEW Extraordinary General Meeting Requisition at the Landscape Institute

In accordance with the bye laws of the Landscape Institute clause 13.3 we require an Extraordinary General Meeting to be convened in London, within two months of delivery of this Requisition to the offices of the Landscape Institute, to discuss the unopposed election of former members of the Executive Committee (namely Jo Watkins CMLI President Elect, Keith Rowe, Honorary Secretary and Colin Goodrum, Honorary Treasurer) and Brodie McAllister, Vice President to the Board of Trustees, and the current regulations governing nomination to the Board, and to discuss and vote on the following motions.

Motion 1: VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE

Preamble:

During the past twelve months the Institute has gone through a cathartic experience. The organisation has no cash reserves. To overcome this problem, (lack of cash reserves, the Institute’s only tangible asset, property at Barnard Mews, Battersea in London), the L.I. is seeking to heavily mortgage the property and is also seeking to secure a large overdraft. Membership subscriptions have increased dramatically. The Executive Committee and Council agreed to, and are therefore accountable for policies that resulted in the employment of large numbers of headquarters staff. The Executive Committee and Council tied the Institute into a lease arrangement on office accommodation in central London, without fully considering the long-term implications of taking on such a lease if, as has happened, an economic downturn occurred. No suitable risk assessment was drawn up that identified to the wider membership the actual risks to the Institute. No satisfactory system of management accounting was put in place by the Executive Committee and appropriate regular budget checks carried out. The Executive Committee relied unduly on advertising revenue to fund the growth of the secretariat.

Motion

THE MEMBERSHIP HAS NO CONFIDENCE in the abilities of former Executive Committee members, now elected unopposed to form the Board of Trustees of the Institute, namely

Jo Watkins CMLI President Elect

Keith Rowe Honorary Secretary

Colin Goodrum Honorary Treasurer

And Brodie McAllister, a former Council Member – elected unopposed through the undemocratic and restrictive process currently in place,

to properly discharge responsibilities set out in the ‘Board of Trustees Terms of Reference’ briefing note. MEMBERS REQUIRE THOSE OFFICERS, LISTED ABOVE, TO RESIGN WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT.

Motion 2

The newly elected Advisory Council (or the Executive Committee and Council – whichever is in office at the time of this EGM) shall appoint an INTERIM BOARD OF TRUSTEES drawn from Council and volunteer Past Presidents and Fellows to assume the duties of the Board until such time as a new Board of Trustees is elected.

Motion 3

Preamble:

Members consider the Regulations currently in place for the election of the Board of Trustees to be unduly restrictive and wholly undemocratic. Current regulations make it virtually impossible (short of calling an EGM) for members to discharge the governance regime of the Institute. THESE REGULATIONS MUST BE CHANGED WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT. Our President acknowledges (letter to membership 15 May ’09) ‘changes can be made if they (our processes) are not fulfilling the purposes for which they were designed’.

Motion

The newly elected Advisory Council (or the existing Executive Committee and Council, depending on timing) shall revise as soon as practicable, regulations determining eligibility for election to the Board of Trustees – opening nominations up to all Corporate members of the Institute (CMLI FLI), dropping the requirement for a nominee to have served on Council or as a Trustee.

Council (or the Advisory Board or Executive Committee whichever is authorised) shall call an election to the Board of Trustees immediately the new unrestrictive regulations (coinciding with members instructions at this EGM in Motion 3) are put in place.

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We are fighting for Democracy and Transparency within our own Institute. Make sure it remains in the hands of Memebers and not in the hands of a few employees and unelected individuals with a poor track record. The same people that have bankrupted our Institute want to perpaetuate themselves in power forever. Let’s stop it. Landscape Institute for Landscape Architects! Join us at Facebook too!

Please Download Form from link below, print, sign, fax to LI and let me or Dominic Cole at LUC know.

http://www.adrive.com/public/1f405718ddf97dcdcde37aa9b82448b62d39fc0b7fd3873c582cc5ef247b58e9.html