Council noted the update using the KPI reporting format now established. Key points are listed on the ICE website.

In discussing what the level of subscriptions should be Council took account of the following factors:
■ A 2.5% increase had been assumed in forward planning
■ CPI annual inflation stood at 4.2% (latest June figure)
■ In order to achieve a balanced budget and maintain services an overall average increase below inflation in the range 2% – 4% was required
■ Pressure from membership losses in some grades
■ Profit from TTL in 2012 was not expected to improve significantly
■ There was, however, potential for some income in 2012 from the alternative sources of funding initiative

Council approved an average increase overall for 2012 of 2.7%, broken down by grade as follows (actual £ increase in brackets ):
■ UK Fellows: 3.27% (£11)
■ UK Members and Associate Members: 2.72% (£7)
■ Non-UK Fellows: £3.11% (£8)
■ Non-UK Members and Associate Members: 2.59% (£5)
■UK-Graduates and Students in Employment: 2.34% (£4)
■ Non-UK Graduates: £2.34% (£3)
■ Retired and concessionary: 3.57% (£2)
Council also agreed increases in membership admission and transfer fees as follows:
■ Entrance Fee: 2.94%
■ Transfer AMICE to MICE: nil
■Transfer to Fellow: 2.84%
Council noted that no increase in voluntary donations was proposed, that the current reduction for payment by Direct Debit was under review, and that there would be no immediate changes to introduce a different subscription rate for long-term graduates.

Council approved the establishment of an ICE Group Remuneration Committee to review and approve senior staff remuneration across the ICE Group. Its role would also include providing advice to the Benevolent Fund Committee of Management; the Ben Fund would be invited to observe the process with a view to developing closer working in this area in future. It was also proposed that a lay member, not connected with civil engineering, should be invited to join the Committee.

Council approved changes in its operating practices arising from the Governance Review being led by VP Bill Hewlett. The main purpose of these changes was to:
■ Give emphasis to Council’s leadership role
■ Give the Institution a platform for change which retains Council’s strategic governance position while empowering the Directors and staff to do their work on members’ behalf.
■ Attract strong candidates to Council, but also to make it clear to those putting themselves forward, and to voters, what is required once elected

Key changes were:
■ To introduce an all-day Annual Strategy Meeting (ASM) to formalise the plan-do-check-act cycle of effective management; preliminary ASM to take place on 13 December 2011
■ To merge the Executive Board and the Finance Committee (name and terms of reference of the new committee to be subject to further consideration by the Governance Review Working Group)
■ To change the annual cycle of meetings to include an Annual Strategy Meeting, three ordinary Council meetings and 6 meetings of the new combined Finance Committee and Executive Board.
■ To increase the number of Graduate members on Council from two to three.
■ To instigate an improved process for recruiting, inducting and developing Council members

Council discussed emerging proposals relating to the creation and communication of ICE policy, including:
■ The role of Council
■ Governance arrangements for policy and public voice
■ Improving Council and member awareness of current activity
■ The establishment of a Public Voice Committee

Council discussed a paper arising from the Governance Review Working Group’s consultation with UK Regions and international representatives. The paper included proposed revised terms of reference for the UK Regional Affairs and International Policy Committees to make them more focussed and, in the case of UKRAC, to provide for improved continuity. It was also proposed to establish a VP UK Regions, which would align with the existing role of VP International. Both of these VP roles would include responsibility for member and employer engagement.

[In relation to the above Governance Review items it was the intention of the Working Group to bring its final recommendations to Council in October. ]

Council approved the development of an award to recognise the top performance at the Member Professional Review (IEng level), with a strong recommendation to the Membership Committee that it should be named the Anthony Chapman Award.

The Council approved the terms of reference and guiding principles to be adopted by the ASF Governance Panel.

Council received a presentation setting out the work and ideas of the Employer Engagement Working Party, from its formation in early September 2010, and its recommendations for the next steps in the development of the ICE strategy, the strands of which included:
• Links to other ICE groups/strategy development including ASF, and current initiatives in relation to Technician members, Fellows as well as Graduates and Students
• Promotion of Civil Engineering Excellence, linking to the public voice strand
• Recognition by ICE of employers as a key stakeholder category
• Development of national and regional awards – meeting employers’ needs
• Development of professionally qualified members – partnership throughout training and development
• Relevant CPD support and opportunities
• Supporting Corporate Social Responsibility
• Exploring the development of an ‘Excellent Employers of Civil Engineers’ framework

Council received an overview of the Learned Society Working Group’s remit and an update on progress and future goals aimed at modernizing the ICE LS function to ensure that all LS knowledge is topical, relevant and of use to members in meeting the Institution’s purpose in benefiting society.

Council heard that all university websites were now updated or in a position to guarantee that they would be updated. The JBM was now in a position to monitor university websites – they would do so twice a year - to ensure that the accreditation information provided met the JBM guidelines.

Council received a progress report on 8 Storey’s Gate refurbishment. While there had been some unforeseen setbacks for the contractor, causing some delay and necessitating some revisions to the programme, the overall intended programme end date of March 2012 is not affected. There was no impact on the budget for the refurbishment as approved by Council in March 2010.

The Bribery Act came into force on I July 2011 and Council received a report highlighting the salient points of the ICE Business Gifts, Hospitality and Prevention of Bribery Policy. Council noted that robust processes had been put in place to meet the ICE Group’s statutory obligations both in relation to staff and volunteers and that application of these processes would be closely monitored.

It was reported to Council that EMAP had informed ICE that it was reviewing the options for delivery of NCE. The NCE Supervisory Board would be exploring the implications of the options to ICE and its members and would collaborate with EMAP on this. A survey of members’ views on news and industry information would take place from 28 July – to be included in NCE on that date – with the results considered by the NCE Supervisory Board in September.