From Birdcage Walk

The latest in our ongoing series of updates about activities at the Institution.

Dear Member,

At a South Essex meeting at Anglia Ruskin University in Chelmsford a few days ago, it was great to acknowledge 30 years of continuous volunteering of the founder of the Automobile Division Essex Centre, Charles Morlham.  It was a great reminder not only of the importance of our active membership, but also the pleasure that recognising such contributions brings.  We must look to do this more often around the world.  In England, there must have been some damp, cold and dismal weather in those thirty years when Charles would rather have stayed at home than go out to provide CPD for our membership.  We are just grateful that he always did, and indeed that he has now set his sights his next anniversary of events organising.

Meanwhile, back in Birdcage Walk we have completed our final Nominations Committee of 2018.  It will be reporting to Trustee Board this coming Wednesday on its recommendations for Honorary Fellowship, as well as names for entry on to the ballot for Trustee Board next Spring.  This year there will be bumper crop of potential new Trustees as many of the existing members come to the end of their terms.  Recommendations will be made for President-Elect, three Vice-Presidents and three Ordinary Members.  Importantly, now is the time for each of you to also consider if you would like to add your own name to the ballot.  Joan Gibbins can give you the full details of the closing dates and type and number of supporting signatures you will need.  Our plan is to remind you again of the opportunity to ‘take the helm’ with an article in Professional Engineering magazine early in 2019.

Finally, we are looking forward to our Audit and Risk Committee on Tuesday morning.  Arguably because of our current situation this is the most important of our committees right now.  As well as auditing all of our internal processes and being the main detailed scrutiny of our accounts, it holds the top level risk register for our entire organisation.  On that register of course are our action plans which include ensuring that our digital upgrade is successful, that our commercial businesses are supported to deliver, and that we are taking the right actions to make sure that our Governance is effective.  It is a committee made up from Trustees, staff, and external experts to help us make sure that we are learning from best practice elsewhere.  Right now the President invites himself along too, to make sure that we are putting in place the right actions that will drive through the changes needed.  The Trustee Board on the following day then represents the culmination of what we have been planning for the last few months by bringing it all together into our 2019 Operating Plan.  Our aim is to then publish that so that you can see the progress we have been making.

Colin Brown

Chief Executive (Interim)

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