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Highlights from 2nd and 3rd December

18 Jan 2007

Council met in both open and closed session over the weekend of 2 and 3 December. In the open session, at which Council discusses regulatory and disciplinary matters, Council received a presentation from Michael Steiner, Chairman of the independent Disciplinary and Regulatory Appointments Committee, on the work of his Committee.

The main focus of the closed session of Council was ACCA’s future strategy. In the course of the discussions on this topic, Council received presentations on:

• ACCA’s relationship management initiatives
• its activities in the public policy area
• ACCA’s Customer Services Directorate

and

• challenges and prospects for ACCA in Pakistan.

Council concluded this topic by approving strategic measures and targets linked to ACCA’s Strategy Map.

A number of other important issues were discussed and debated in the formal Council sessions.

• Council agreed ACCA’s Budget for 2007.
• It confirmed Brendan Murtagh as Council’s preferred candidate for Vice President in 2007 - 2008. (The formal elections for ACCA’s Officers will take place at the Annual Council meeting immediately following the AGM on 17 May 2007.)
• It received oral reports from International Assembly members Oliver Bakili, Hin Leong and Laura Ipacs on the outcomes of the International Assembly which took place immediately before the December Council meeting. The reports covered ACCA in Employment Markets, Developments in Member Engagement and Emerging Issues.
• Council agreed to endorse the preparation of a formal submission to the Professional Oversight Board (POB) seeking its views on proposed amendments to ACCA’s bye-laws regarding reserved places on Council for UK Registered Auditors. Subject to POB’s views, members will be asked to vote on these amendments at the 2007 AGM.
• Council agreed that, from 2007 onwards, the AGM should revert to a single location (London) but, in order to increase the opportunities for member engagement, it should be broadcast live on the ACCA website. Following the success of the Council meeting held in Kuala Lumpur in September 2006, Council agreed that it should work towards a programme of non-UK Council meetings every other year from 2008.
• After consideration of a detailed report from Governance Committee, Council agreed to a number of initiatives aimed at improving communication to and from members’ networks and between members’ networks and the International Assembly.
• Council received a presentation on ACCA’s market performance in 2006, which demonstrated that ACCA’s reputation and market penetration continue to grow around the world. It also received a presentation on plans for a refreshed corporate identity, to be introduced in 2007, and agreed to establish a small group to finalise aspects of the new designs.
• Following consideration of ways in which ACCA could enhance its commitment to supporting students, Council agreed to support a pilot African Train the Trainer Programme, incorporating Study Schools, to be delivered in the first half of 2007 and the subsequent development of Train the Trainer support material.
• It also noted a report on the progress of ACCA’s CPD initiative, ACCA Realise, and agreed an amendment to ACCA’s CPD policy in relation to part-time and semi-retired members.

Council will next meet in both open and closed session on Saturday 3 March. The open session will feature a presentation from ACCA’s Lay Observer, Rosemary Rollason, who will give her annual report to Council. Anyone wishing to attend the meeting should confirm this to the Secretary by e-mail (michael.sleigh@accaglobal.com) or fax (+44 (0)20 7059 5734) by 23 February.