RICS to restructure

Changes to be piloted in the next two years include a management board to turn the governing council's strategic decisions into business initiatives through a three-year business plan.

The board would report to the governing council annually about RICS performance and also be responsible for delegating work to the staff or committees they think best placed to deal with it.

The governing council voted for the changes on Tuesday 28 March. The pilot management board will be tested until 2007, giving it the chance to deliver its 2006-7 business plan.

A shadow management board will also be set up to monitor the progress of the management board, and in 2007 it will report on how a permanent management board would function most effectively.

James Alan, RICS governing council honorary secretary, said that while bringing the institution's structures up to date "is not an easy task… it is progressing".

Bidders could be reimbursed, either in part, or in whole, or there could be more collaboration

Ed Badke, RICS

However, some members of the governing council raised concerns. Jeremy Hackett said he was unsure where responsibility and representation lay, while Philip Sealey said he wanted a clearer idea of who would feed ideas about potential strategy up to the governing council.

The governing council meeting also voted for four strategies that will see the RICS attempt to raise professional standards, grow its membership base, communicate more effectively with members and share professional knowledge and information.

Other decisions made on Tuesday included endorsing the direction being taken by RICS Matrics and agreeing a set of statements about good governance. On Monday 27 March it voted for regulatory reform following the Carsberg Review.