Have you heard the one about the ACCA President who opposed three resolutions that don’t exist? Well, it all happened at the AGM on 9 May 2002.

ACCA member Anthony Thorne submitted three resolutions. These were

1. That all AGMs should have ‘Any Other Business’ as the last item on the agenda. This would enable members to ask questions about matters that did not relate to the resolutions at AGMs. Frequently, President makes statements which some members wish to respond to. Currently, there is no opportunity to deal with such matters.

2. That all subscription increases proposed by council should be supported by a financial plan. Thus the council needs to focus on a growth strategy.

3. That the council agenda papers should be published a week before the meeting. As many members would know ACCA has been forced to modernize by external pressures. ACCA leadership opposed an earlier EGM proposal for ‘open’ council meetings. But following mobilization of shame, the leadership made a half-hearted attempt at reform and now parts of council meetings are held in the 'open’. By knowing the agenda items in advance, concerned members can communicate their concerns, if any, to council members. This would strengthen the links between members and council. But ACCA does not believe in empowering its members.

Thorne collected the required number of signatures and submitted the resolutions to the ACCA management. But his resolutions were rejected as they arrived slightly after the deadline.

So the resolutions did not exist, did not form part of the AGM papers and members were not asked to vote on any of them. But that did not stop ACCA President, George Auger, from opposing them. Augur said that ACCA council was against all of them. It does not want more effective AGMs. Currently, members are only given three minutes to speak and questions are rarely answered. There are no bye-law limiting members to three minutes.

ACCA President could have done the decent thing and invited Tony Thorne, who was at the AGM, to speak for the nonexistent motions. But he did not.