ICAEW Clueless

The ICAEW is clueless, not my words this time but Dennis Howlett's.

Maybe Dennis was thinking about handling of the recent ICAEW Council nominations.

In November the ICAEW wrote to all members, informing them that Croydon had no representation from members "not in practice".

"Election to the vacancy will therefore be 'assured' for a member not in practice provided one or more such candidates come forward..."

Election procedure 18 states:

"To redress the under-representation on Council of members not in practice and, in particular, of members in business, the Council has agreed that, for the years 1995-2007 inclusive, it will 'assure' one seat per constituency for a member not in practice..."

Well, I am not in practice, and I am in business. I offered to stand, and advised the ICAEW as such; but noted that although I know many ICAEW members nationally who would sign my nomination, I knew no one in Croydon.

Despite this, they refused to notify members of my wish to stand.

Given that they could not have possibly known, before nominations were in, as to whether there would have been a non practising member standing, and given that they were asking for non practising members to stand, I wonder why they did not help me inform the members of my wish to stand?

Or maybe I don't:)

The ICAEW Bunker is welcome to comment.

The Times

My thanks to The Times for again mentioning my attempt to stand for Council in dispatches, and for trying to energise the Croydon vote:

"Ken Frost, the Croydon maverick, has failed in his attempt to make it on to the Council of the accountants' professional body the ICAEW. As I have written, Frost, who has been making trouble for the association these past couple of years, needed the support of ten accountants in his area. 'Regrettably the ICAEW and Croydon District Society refused to inform Croydon members that I wished to stand. As such, only one of those who offered support lived in Croydon,' he says. Joy at the ICAEW is presumably unconfined."

Thank You

I would like to thank all of you who wrote, and called me, offering support in my attempt to stand for ICAEW Council.

Regrettably the ICAEW and Croydon District Society refused to inform Croydon members that I wished to stand.

As such, only one of those who offered support lived in Croydon.

Therefore ICAEW Council will have to manage without me.

It is ironic that at a time when the ICAEW claims that it wishes to take a more active role on the international stage, it is still using a voting model (local constituency based nominations and votes) more suited to a Victorian trade association.

However, do not be downhearted, this site will continue!

The New Logo

The new logo of the ICAEW has been leaked to the world today, it cost £65K.

Here is the new logo



Here is the old logo



Money well spent?

LOL!

In theory the logo was not to have been officially unveiled until Monday. However, this being the ICAEW, things have not gone to plan.

This shambles come as no surprise, as I am informed that the ICAEW bunker is in a terrible mess internally on a number of fronts.

Frost Selected For Honour

My thanks to my ICAEW colleagues who nominated me for the AccountingWEB New Year's Honours awards for "services to the opposition".

"Qualified accountant and AccountingWEB member Ken Frost was recommended by some of his fellow members for an honour. With a degree in economics from Edinburgh University, Frost joined KPMG in 1984 where he gained his accountancy qualifications.

With several years audit experience in businesses including Philips and De Beers, Frost is best known for his outspoken comments on the ICAEW. He has been most vocal in his opposition to the institute's attempts to merge with other accountancy organisations.

In 2004, Frost set up the 'Stop the Merger' website where he regularly voices his opinion on the issue. Frost is currently seeking support to stand as a candidate for the ICAEW council.

Member's reason for award:

'Sir Ken Frost sounds about right. He has done the most for the ICAEW in recent times and his messages now command widespread support amongst its members and students'"

Volunteers

A fellow FCA informs me that the executive of the ICAEW have a new word that they use to describe us, the membership of the ICAEW.

They refer to us as "volunteers".

Now correct me if I am wrong, but the ICAEW is not a political party, a charity or indeed a voluntary organisation.

In order to be able to use the designatory letters ACA or FCA, after passing the exams, you have to pay an annual membership fee to the ICAEW.

The ICAEW is a closed shop, not a voluntary organisation.

The fees collected from the membership pay the handsome salaries of "our" executive officers, and are used to pay for failed PR campaigns to try to persuade the membership to support mergers.

To refer to us as "volunteers" is not only arrogant and patronising, it demonstrates how out of touch the executive of the ICAEW has become with the membership.

Should you want to change the status quo, then please help me find 10 ICAEW members living in Croydon who will nominate me for Council.

Thank you.

Ken frost MA FCA FIPFM

AccMan Supports Frost

My thanks to Dennis Howlett for coming out in support of my candidacy for the forthcoming ICAEW Council elections.

The Times Supports Frost

My thanks to The Times, which has come out in support of my candidacy for the ICAEW Council elections:

"Ken Frost has found one Croydon accountant, so it’s nine to go. As I wrote the other day, Frost, a long-standing critic of the accountants’ professional body in England and Wales, wants to stand in elections to its council. But according to the peculiar rules of the ICAEW, he needs ten nominations first from members of his local association. One has come forward, he tells me, and I may be able to put him in touch with another, if Herne Hill in South London is deemed sufficiently local. The ICAEW insists the rules must be observed in all cases. Frost must run!"

Let us see what happens!