PREVIOUS EVENTS                                                              

This year's Branch meeting programme started, as is traditional, with the President's autumn visit. Jim Leckie had taken up the presidential mantle in Spring 2003, and ours was the twelfth branch he had visited.

After explaining how being a son of the manse was good preparation for finding yourself in Hell (well, not really, but it was a good introduction), Jim gave us a rundown on the Agenda for Change. This is the Institute makeover being rushed through to meet Privy Council and Charity Commission deadlines. It really sounded rather like 'What not to Wear' with Trinny and Susannah. The Little Black Dress was so last year, as were any paid appointments for members of Council (who are trustees under charity law), and on top of that they had to slim down from Size 42 to Size 14, and all in such a short time. Discipline had been excessive recently, and they had not got satisfaction for all the expense involved - a lighter touch was required. Finally, there was a wonderful new look expected next year, Chartered Mediator, which was sure to be a wow with a whole crowd of eager buyers.

Jim encompassed change in the Institute (there are many more non-construction members than when he joined in 1980), and continuity (there are still many members from construction, and a jolly good thing too). He praised the standard of Institute training, and argued strongly for the service provided by the consumer schemes. He also revealed that £250,000 rent for Angel Gate (the previous HQ building) was haemorrhaging from the accounts until a new tenant was found.

Jim had begun by saying that he'd started without a theme for the year, but we soon understood how many major issues there were to deal with, particularly as the Institute is now completely set on its course of international expansion. The President's role may have changed radically in recent years, but as members we have no less need for our Institute to be led and managed by officers and staff with vision and judgement, and we should thank them for it.

reported by Robin Orme