AABA has now learnt that during his term in office, ACCA President Peter Langard was accompanied on his overseas travels by a Ms Norma Matchett. Norma is not his lawfully wedded wife. The cost of her travel has been charged to the Association. There have been no disclosures in the ACCA accounts.

Each year ACCA officeholders go on world-wide travels. They also take their friends and spouses with them and charge the resulting costs to the Associations. There are no bye-laws which permit them to do this. Other professional bodies (e.g. the Law Society, CIPFA) specifically forbid their officeholders from charging the spouse travel costs to the professional bodies. But at the Association anything goes.

The spouses and friends are not ACCA members and are not elected by anyone. They are not ACCA officials or employees. Financial Reporting Standard (FRS) 8 on related party disclosures recommends that such travel costs are disclosed but the Association ignores the standard. The need for disclosures arises indepdently of any justification for taking spouses and friends on world travels.
 

We invite Peter Langard and the ACCA Council to make the disclosures.