AGM 2010 vote

Welcome to the AGM 2010 vote page. Here you will find information about the changes to the RCN's Royal Charter and bye-laws that members voted on at the AGM 2010 at RCN HQ in London on 20 October.

Visit the Legal & Governance Review page to read an update from Sandra James, RCN Chair of Council, about what the results mean.

Vote results in detail

Here are the results of the vote. You can also download the AGM results report (PDF 406KB) from Electoral Reform Services.

N.B. Special Resolutions require 2/3 majority of those voting to be carried.

Ordinary Resolution

That PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP be reappointed as Professional Auditors for the year 2011/2012 and that Council be authorised to determine their remuneration.

Votes in favour - 14,027
Votes against - 414
Total number of votes cast - 14,441
97.13% in favour and the resolution is carried.

Special Resolution 1

That the charter is amended to update, clarify or simplify the current wording and include a new schedule of rules subject to Special Resolution 2.

Votes in favour - 14,578
Votes against - 180
Total number of votes cast - 14,758
98.78% in favour and the resolution is carried.

Special Resolution 2

That article 11 be adopted to make it possible for the AGM and Congress to be held together if members decide in the future they would like this to happen.

Votes in favour - 11,639
Votes against - 3,335
Total number of votes cast - 14,974
77.73% in favour and the resolution is carried.

Special Resolution 3

That the new standing orders for the College are adopted in place of the bye-laws which are hereby revoked, subject to the final form of the standing orders reflecting the decision of the members on Special Resolutions 4, 5 and 6.

Votes in favour - 13,519
Votes against - 470
Total number of votes cast - 13,989
96.64% in favour and the resolution is carried.

Special Resolution 4

That standing order 5.2 is adopted to make it possible for all members of the nursing family to become full members of the RCN if members decide in the future this should happen.

Votes in favour - 9,404
Votes against - 5,238
Total number of votes cast - 14,642
64.23% in favour and the resolution is not carried.

Special Resolution 5

That standing orders 6.1 and 6.2 are adopted to enable Council to approve annual subscription increases over the current rate of up to 2% above RPI in June in any given year. Any change to this would have to be approved by the membership in General Meeting.

Votes in favour - 9,451
Votes against - 4,852
Total number of votes cast - 14,303
66.08% in favour and the resolution is not carried.

Special Resolution 6

To rename the Association of Nursing Students as RCN Students.

Votes in favour - 11,045
Votes against - 3,736
Total number of votes cast - 14,781
74.72% in favour and the resolution is carried.

Background to the vote

The RCN's current Royal Charter and bye-laws set out the aims of the College and how we work. The current charter came into force in 1978, and since then a lot has changed. This vote was about revising the charter and bye-laws to make them easier to understand, and member voted to accept these new documents. Member also voted to make some changes that we believe will improve the way the RCN works and takes decisions.

Once Privy Council approves the revised Royal Charter and new bye-laws, we will have four levels of governance regulation in the future and only changes at the very top level will need to seek Royal approval. This reflects the way that the Privy Council prefers organisations like ours to work. The four levels will be as follows:

The Royal Charter – decisions resulting in a change to the charter would require a resolution of your elected RCN Council, a vote by members with a two-thirds majority of those voting in favour, and the approval of Her Majesty the Queen.

Rules – decisions resulting in a change to the rules would be amended by a resolution of RCN Council, a vote by members with a two-thirds majority of those voting in favour, and the approval of the Privy Council (note – these should not be confused with the current RCN rules).

Standing orders – these will contain much of what is currently in the RCN bye-laws. Standing orders would be amended by a resolution of RCN Council and a vote by members with a two-thirds majority of those voting in favour.

Regulations – as part of phase three of the Legal & Governance Review, which is beginning now, we will also have a new fourth level – regulations – to replace the current rules. These regulations may be created by RCN Council and will set out in detail how the standing orders are implemented.

What were members voting on at the AGM?

Vote yes RCN members voted to accept a revised Royal Charter, with new rules added to it. They also accepted new set of standing orders to replace the current bye-laws. These were Special Resolutions 1 and 3.

There are lots of small changes in the revised documents. Most of these do not change the actual meaning or spirit of the original articles, but modernise the language and reflect recent technological developments.

We have produced a summary document that explains the changes in detail, and you can also compare the existing charter and bye-laws with the proposed new charter and standing orders. These are available below, but you can also request printed versions through RCN Direct on 0345 772 6100 or by writing to Jane Clarke, Director of Governance Support, 20 Cavendish Square, London W1G 0RN.

Download the Proposed changes summary document (PDF 229KB)
Download the revised Royal Charter (PDF 59.5KB)
Download the current Royal Charter (PDF 115.6KB)
Download the revised standing orders (PDF 79.4KB) (N.B. a number of small errors and omissions were corrected on 13 October - visit the amendments page for more information)
Download current bye-laws (PDF 133.3KB)

There were also four key changes that RCN members were asked to vote on separately.

What were the key changes members voted on?

Special Resolution 2: To make it possible for the AGM and Congress to be held together

Members voted to amend the charter to give us the option of holding the AGM and Congress together, should members decide they want it to happen. Just to be clear, this result does not mean Congress and the AGM will be held together from now on – it just means that it is constitutionally possible if it is agreed at some point in the future.

Previous funding arrangements did not allow us to fund members to attend the AGM, so voting members funded to attend Congress would be advantaged. This amendment will clear that up.

Special Resolution 4: To make it possible for all members of the nursing family to be full (as opposed to associate) members of the RCN

This resolution received 64.23% of the vote, so narrowly did not pass. The resolution was put to the membership because the current constitution does not expressly allow all members of the nursing family to be full members of the RCN. Health care assistants, for example, can only be admitted as associate members because they are not on a register of nursing. Associate members are unable to nominate or be nominated to stand for election to RCN Council.

This vote was not about giving HCAs that right immediately – simply to make it possible if required. RCN Council remain committed to valuing and supporting all members of the nursing family, and will discuss how to move forward on this issue at their next Council meeting.

Special Resolution 5: To enable RCN Council to approve annual subscription increases over the current rate of up to 2% above RPI in June in any given year.

This resolution received 66.08%, so narrowly was not passed. It was put to the membership because under the terms of the current governance documents, the membership must agree to every subscription increase. This can make planning and managing the RCN's financial position very difficult.

Five years ago members gave Council a special dispensation during which time Council could approve the subscription increases. If this resolution had been accepted, the arrangement would have been made permanent with the addition of extra safeguards. Council would have been able to approve annual subscription increases in any given year but capped at up to 2% above RPI in June of that year. Any proposed increase above this level would have required a vote by members with a two-thirds majority of those voting in favour.

The vote result will not affect the subscription rate for 2011, as Council has already set it with a rise of only 1%, less than 4p a week for full members. This rate was agreed in the context of the current economic climate as being the minimum increase required to enable the RCN to maintain its current level of service and meet forecast increased representation and legal costs.

Council has noted members' feelings on this issue and remains committed to effective management of the RCN's finances, and to ensuring that subscriptions continue to offer value for money.

Special Resolution 6: To rename the Association of Nursing Students (ANS) as RCN Students

Members voted to accept this change, which reflects the fact that students may now be studying for vocational qualifications in health and social care as well as nursing and midwifery. Because of the way it is currently worded in the Royal Charter and bye-laws, the change can come into effect immediately.

Why did members have to approve these changes?

Any change to the Royal Charter and bye-laws require membership approval before they can be passed to the Privy Council, which must then agree to the amendments.

W hen will the changes be made?

The changes to the charter and bye-laws accepted by the membership will now be submitted to the Privy Council for approval. It is expected that they will come into force in April 2011.