Remember the hostile takeover bid made by ACCA for CIMA and CIPFA. It cost ACCA members around £300,000 (of course some bits were hidden away in admin., PR and other costs). At various AGMs, ACCA Presidents told members that talk were still going-on and that progress was imminent. This issue was also raised by John Davies at the EGM held on 17th February.

Now the retiring CIPFA executive David Adams has said, "the issue of merger is now 'dead in the water' ... [it was]  'doomed from the outset' and surreal because it never amounted to more than assertion and counter assertion on respective websites". He also says that "the merger diverted attention from the main business of the institute" (Accountancy Age, 9 March 2000, page 9).

So here are some questions.

• Why have ACCA Presidents continued to lie to members?
• Why have they not produced any evidence of the alleged 'progress'?
• Just like CIPFA, ACCA was also diverted from its "main business". Do ACCA officials have time and money  (yours and mine) to burn? They will be asking for another subscription increase. VOTE AGAINST IT.