Geoscientist Online

Advisory ballot results

The advisory ballot for Council closed on 31 March.   The election was conducted by Electoral Reform Services.  A total of 2062 valid votes were cast for the seven vacancies on Council.      The results are as follows:

The seven candidates receiving the most votes (above the line) will go forward to the Annual General Meeting on 6 June 2018 for election as Council members.  At over 17%, this is the highest turnout for a Society election in living memory.

Notification of Officers for 2018/2019

At the AGM Fellows will be asked to elect the following members of Council as Officers for 2018/19:

• President:        Prof Nicholas Rogers.  Vice-Presidents:         Mr Keith Seymour, Mr John Talbot.
• Secretaries: Dr Colin North; Dr Katherine Royse; Dr Alexander Whittaker
• Secretary, Foreign & External Affairs: Dr Sarah Gordon
• Treasurer: Mr Graham Goffey

President’s Day

President’s Day at Burlington House on 6 June will begin with the Annual General Meeting at 11.00am followed by a buffet lunch with the award winners (members with ticket only – £27.50 per head). As in previous years, the recipients of the major medals have been invited to give a short talk on their subject, and the Awards Ceremony will be followed by presentations by the Lyell, Murchison, William Smith and Wollaston medallists (details on the website).  

The timetable for President’s Day and the agenda for the AGM are below. To obtain luncheon tickets please send cheques (made payable to The Geological Society) to Stephanie Jones at Burlington House or email Stephanie Jones. 

Please also contact Stephanie if you wish to attend the afternoon events for which there is no charge.

Timetable

11.00               Annual General Meeting (members only)

12.30               Lunch with the Award winners (members with tickets only)

14.00               Awards Ceremony

15.15               Talks by Lyell, Murchison and William Smith medallists

16.30               Tea

17.00               Talk by Wollaston Medallist

17.30               President’s closing remarks

17.40 – 19.30    Drinks reception

AGM Agenda

• Apologies
• Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on 7 June 2017
• Appointment of Scrutineers for the ballots for Council and Officers
• Ballot for Council
• Annual Report and Accounts for 2017

                  President’s Report

                  Secretaries’ Reports

                  Treasurer’s Report

• Comments from Fellows
• Report of Scrutineers on the ballot for Council
• Ballot for Officers
• Fellowship subscriptions for 2019
• Deaths
• Appointment of Auditors
• Report of Scrutineers on the ballot for Officers
• Any other business
• Provisional date of next Annual General Meeting – 5 June 2019

Annual Fellowship subscriptions, 2019

Since 2015 the annual increase in Fellowship Fees has been set with reference to the prevailing annual rate of Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation when proposals are considered for the following year in March and April.   The rate of CPI for January 2018 was 3.0%.  Inflation has been rising slowly but steadily since mid-2017 and current economic predictions are for this to continue and that the costs of providing services to Fellows in 2019 will reflect this. It is an established principle that the fee should cover the cost of services provided. 

At its meeting on 18 April Council agreed to recommend to the Fellowship for approval at the Annual General Meeting the subscription rates for 2019 shown below which equate to an average increase of 3.0% (a maximum increase of £6 on 2018 rates).  In addition, it is proposed to amend the Joint Fellowship Supplement, which has previously been a flat rate for the second payer irrespective of membership class, so that a discount of 35% across all classes is applied to both payers instead.