Notes of RAC Meeting Held on 12 March 2008

• Robert Purton was appointed Chair of the Meeting. He welcomed Charles Veal, RTPI Member Services Officer, and Ann Skippers, Junior Vice President, to the meeting.
• The Committee extended its formal thanks to David Lock Associates for sponsoring the new Conference Delegate Folders which will be used for the first time at the day Conference taking place the day after this Meeting.
• To extend the debate on working with the Networks, Trish Cookson, the RTPI Networks Manager, will be attending the RAC meeting on 13 May. 
• The Treasurer, Steve Bateman, provided the final accounts for 2007. He explained that the Region’s reserves had been used to pay for the lease of the Regional Office as the proposed revision of Regional funding, which would have seen Regional Grants replaced by a central funding of each Region’s activities (including the costs of premises), had been abandoned. This run-down of Regional reserves is in line with the RTPI’s instructions to Regions and the final out-turn figures for the East of England accounts had been very close to the approved budget. Funding the lease of the office from reserves could not continue beyond 2008 as the reserves will have been substantially depleted by then. Provision will have to be made in the 2009 budget and Business Plan to increase income to meet this expenditure.
• Tina Jessup, the Regional Administrator, explained that her desk-top computer is 3½ years old and the software is out of date, particularly PowerPoint. The computer is also running low on memory. The lap-top is even older which causes problems at conferences when speakers try to use memory sticks with more modern versions of PowerPoint and Word.  It was agreed that a specification for the lap-top should be produced and forwarded to Botolph Lane for purchase by the IT department and the desk-top PC memory would be increased. (Since this meeting the PC has crashed completely and a new one is being sought).
• The regional conference programme was discussed; including the Presidents visit.
• Robert Hobbs reported on young planner events.
• Current vacancies: - Robert Hobbs had been volunteered for the Post of Junior Vice Chair but RTPI would need to give special dispensation as Robert is currently a licentiate member. 
• Since Phil Grant had left his post at Planning Aid, Jackie Thompson from the South East Service has been providing cover and she had produced a short report on the activities of the Service. The Committee expressed its grateful thanks to Jackie for her support and guidance to the East of England Service.
• RTPI Web Page Policy: Phil Grant, the RTPI Policy Officer, recommended and urged members to read the RTPI Planning Policy web pages. It gives the RTPI views on current policy consultations and, importantly, is open to views and responses from members.

PETER HAKES

Author:

Tina Jessup

Publisher:

The Royal Town Planning Institute

Date:

24-Nov-08

Categories:

Nations & Regions 

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