Soap Box

My thanks to Des Hudson, the CEO of ICAS, who emailed me last night; and pointed me in the direction of his article, that appeared yesterday in the Soap Box section of The Herald.

The article is written in response to the one a week earlier, featured on this site, in which Eric Anstee discusses the merger; and makes a play for ICAS merging with the ICAEW.

He points out that Anstee's article was inaccurate; in as much as the Scottish Institute is the oldest when compared to the ICAEW.

150 years old, as opposed to 125 years old, to be precise.

The article goes on to point out that ICAS believes that competition is good for the profession, I tend to agree.

Additionally, it notes that the Consultative Committee of Accounting Bodies is the appropriate vehicle for the profession to speak with one voice.

He states unequivocally that ICAS has no current intention to merge, noting that there are far more important issues to be focusing on.

He also notes that the takeover of CIPFA would:

"..be an amalgam of accountants not all of whom are, in an everyday sense, recognised as being chartered accountants. The mixture of qualifications the new body would embrace would mean that ICAS would be the only one in the UK that could accurately claim to be called The Institute of Chartered Accountants".

In other words, as I have said, the takeover of CIPFA will dilute the brand.

Now let us be done with this nonsensical proposal and concentrate on more pressing issues, such as cutting Council down to no more than 12 people.