News

Council Meeting - December 2007

Council met on Thursday 20 December 2007 at The Society’s Headquarters in Bath.
Council received the up-dated status report of progress on the main items arising from Council meetings of the previous Council as attached to the minutes of the November Council meeting.  Completed items were received and noted.  Progress was reviewed on on-going items and actions agreed.  Council considered the resignation of the South East Organiser – Mr. D. Wise.  It was agreed to write to the current Committee plus the members of the previous Committee for advice and suggestions for the way forward.  If there was no progress then consideration would be given to writing to all members in that Region to ask for volunteers.
Mr. Bailey advised that a form of words for the plaque had been agreed with Smethwick PS and that Omni Productions would be asked to prepare a suitable sign.  It was agreed that an event be arranged at Smethwick to present them with the plaque.
The following Committees were confirmed by the Trustees.
Exhibition Mr. Robertson (Chairman), Messrs, R. Reynolds and D. Wheeler, Mrs. R. Wilman, Ms. L. Goode and the President and Vice-President (ex officio).
Science Mr. D. Birch (Chairman), Prof. R. Jacobson, Prof. F. Ring, Dr. A. Saunders, Dr. H. Muammar, Dr. A. Hodgson, Mr. R. Tapper, Dr. G. Awcock (External), Mr. H. Robson (External)
Mrs. Wilman suggested the creation of a Working Party (Think Tank) to consider ways in attracting younger / student members.  The working party would consist of representatives from the Advisory Board and possibly staff.  It was agreed that there was a need to create a special project which would also include consideration of the suggestion for a pilot liaison project with the University for Creative Arts at Farnham by Mr. M. Jones, Regional Organiser of the Southern Region.  After a brief discussion it was agreed to go ahead with Mrs. Wilman’s suggestion.  Mrs. Wilman would chair the Working Party.
Council received the membership statistics up to the end of November 2007 and noted that there had been a net increase for the eleven months of 342.
Mr. Bailey reported on his meeting with the staff to consider future staffing levels.  Following these discussions a need was identified for additional resources to be made available to the Exhibitions and Distinctions Department and also to deal with the maintenance of the Website.  It was agreed to discuss this in more details at their January 2008 meeting.
Council considered the bids for Special Project funding and agree to support the following projects.
The recommendations of the Distinctions Advisory Board on the re-appointment of the various Distinction Assessment Panels were approved.
The proposal by Omni Productions for Phase 111 of the website development will be considered at the meeting in January 2008.
Council received a report from Mr. Robertson in respect of Overseas matters.  The possibility of a visit by representatives of the Chinese Photographers Association (CPA) was discussed but as this had not been confirmed and no details were available the suggested date of January 2008 was considered to be insufficient notice.
Dr. J. Fletcher joined the meeting to advise of her recent decision to leave the Museum for personal reasons.  She had submitted her resignation as Curator of the RPS Collection and was due to leave at the end of January 2008.  It was noted that she would be available to continue working with the Society on the Visual Literacy project as a consultant and further discussions on this would take place once the Society had met with Mr. Paul Goodman from the Museum in February 2008.
Council considered the approach from Mr. Andy Finney in respect of recognition the anniversary of Infra-Red photography in 2010.  Mr. Birch agreed to act as the liaison between the two parties.
It was agreed to submit Portfolio One for the Krause Awards.
Council agreed that an approach be made to the National Media Museum to stock Portfolio One in the Museum’s bookshop in Bradford.
The next Council meeting was scheduled for Tuesday 22 January 2008 in Bath at 10.30 a.m.