A message from Geoff Griffiths, Chair of IALE (UK)

The IALE (UK) Constitution was written when the 'Association' was first established in 1992. Since then IALE(UK) has grown and is now taking a more active and significant role in the science and application of landscape ecology in the UK and Europe. The Executive Committee have had a number of discussions about the need to (i) simply and clarify the existing Constitution and, (ii) establish a sounder financial and constitutional framework for IALE(UK).

A significant problem with the existing format of IALE(UK) is that members of the Exec. Committee are liable for financial losses and, perhaps more importantly, for claims against the Exec. relating to injury to Third Parties. This could be physical injury resulting from negligence at a meeting run and organised by IALE(UK) or the result of poor advice given to a Third Party.

Obviously this is a concern for members of the Exec and, indeed, may discourage members from applying for positions on the Exec. Committee. The attached sets out proposed amendments to the existing IALE(UK) Constitution, namely simplification and clarification and a brief summary of the advantages/disadvantages of the present financial/constitutional model (Appendix A).

Essentially, the proposal is to move from:

IALE(UK) in its present form as an Unincorporated Association to a Company Limited by Guarantee.

The draft constitution is available here (Download as PDF, Download as Word)

Please read the proposed constitution carefully and send comments/suggestions to Geoff Griffiths, Chair of IALE(UK) (g [dot] h [dot] griffiths [at] reading [dot] ac [dot] uk) copied to Janet Jackson Secretary of IALE(UK) (janet [dot] jackson [at] northampton [dot] ac [dot] uk). The proposal was endorseed at the AGM on Friday 14th December 2007.