Council, the Society's trustees, met on 22 June for the second meeting of the 2022 session.
The senior management team were pleased to advise that the Society is making good progress against the 2022 plan, and that we are making financial plans for 2023, in particular for the financial challenges we expect next year from a combination of the significant forthcoming fall in journal income, additional pension costs (relating to the long-closed staff final salary pension scheme), and the effect of high inflation on the Society’s ongoing costs.
The Council received an update on developing the 2023-2028 Strategic Plan and looks forward to receiving the first draft later this year.
As part of their annual trustee reporting, Council members approved the audited accounts for 2021 as an accurate and fair report on the normal financial activities of the Society in the year ending 31 December 2021 and signed the letter of representation.
Council members are pleased to announce the appointment of Michael Elliott as Joint Editor of Series A; Daniela Witten as Joint Editor of Series B. Both new editors will take up their posts from January 2023.
The Council also approved the formation of a Statistical Engineering Special Interest Group and looked forward to the activities the new group is planning.
Sylvia advised the Council that Trevor Llanwarne retired as chair of the Audit & Risk Committee in May. On behalf of Council and the Society, Sylvia thanked Trevor for his four years in service.
The Council are seeking nominations for the Audit & Risk Committee Chair, which a serving Council member cannot fill. Fellows with interest in the role or who would like to nominate a Fellow are to contact Charlotte Stovell at c.stovell@rss.org.uk
Council is pleased to approve the formation and remit of a new Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I) task force that will be chaired by Dr Eugenie Hunsicker, the Society's Honorary Officer for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. The task force's role is to support implementing an ED&I strategy across the RSS.
The Council received the report and recommendations from the Building Task Force, a group to investigate the options for the Society's premises prompted by a serious damp problem in the basement of Errol Street. As a result of the recommendations, Council agreed to a six-month research project led by RSS staff into external funding options for a potential refurbishment project at 12 Errol Street.