Council endorses clarification of procedure for introducing new membership categories
The Council has endorsed a rewording of Article 5 of the draft new Charter to clarify the procedure for establishing any new category of membership.
The revised wording, required by the Privy Council’s advisers,
is: “The membership of the Society shall consist of the persons
who are for the time being registered pharmacists in Great Britain and
such other categories of person as may be specified by Special Resolution
and approved by order of Our Privy Council.”
The Council’s draft wording had concluded: “... and such
other persons in such other categories as may be approved by Special
Resolution and by order of Our Privy Council.”
When the amendment to Article 5 was considered at the September
Council meeting, Mr Dajani asked why the word “approved” had been
changed to “specified”. The whole idea of being approved
was that the membership could influence Council policy. It was not a
clarification but a change of meaning.
Robert Bulling said that the point was that it was only at the point
of approval by the Privy Council that a proposal took effect. A Special
Resolution could propose it but not purport to approve it. That was the
distinction, albeit a narrow one.
Mr Dajani said that the idea was that the proposal would be approved
both by special resolution and by the Privy Council.
Mr Bulling said that that would be the effect of it.
Mr Astbury said that the amendment introduced a fundamental change and
he would not vote for it.
The President said that, if nobody else wished to speak, he would put
the amendment to the vote. It was ultimately for the Queen and the Privy
Council to determine, but the Council should take a view on it.
The amendment was then put to the vote, and was approved.
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