ACS is in the process of developing a new constitutional document.

The first round of consultation with members took place October to November 2021.

In December, a report on the Round 1 outcomes was provided back to the membership.

The second round consultation documents were released at the beginning of February 2022, and submission and discussion channels were open until mid-March.

The focus was on the elements that need to be incorporated into the new constitutional structure and processes.

The Working Group responsible for the project has now published the Second Report back to members.

Members seeking a brief overview can access the 1-page summary, or read the full Report.

The website also provides access to Annexes containing the source-material and the summaries and analysis.

Across the two rounds, input was received from a total of 260 contributors.

The input arrived in the forms of written submissions, meeting notes from 20 events, plus entries in web forms and in postings directly to the online forum.

The input comprised over 1,000 comments plus 650 'votes' on specific questions.

The input reaffirmed and further articulated the elements that members perceive to be most critical to their Society's effective operation as a professional association.

Branch powers and resources are seen as being central, as part of a strengthened commitment to services to the membership and to the public.

Members also want the governing body to be less remote from the members, and for members to have greater scope to contribute to the organisation's strategy and public policies.

Measures are also required to ensure that the governing committee is not just nominally, but is effectively, accountable to the membership.

"Recent decades have seen some not-for-profit organisations ushered towards corporate form, and the adoption of constitutional documents that centralise power in a board of directors", commented co-convenor of the Constitutional Reform Working Group, Roger Clarke.

"These default governance arrangements often fit poorly with the nature of a professional society, and with the requirements that members have communicated during the consultation process".

The Working Group is accordingly drafting customised clauses that will give effect to the key features that the Society needs.

However, these will need careful checking and refinement, to ensure compliance with regulatory constraints, and practical administration of governance processes.

ACS President and co-convenor of the Working Party, Dr Nick Tate, said "We plan to publish the draft clauses to the members by the end of June, and provide the promised third and final opportunity for members to shape the Society's new constitutional document".