I have created a spreadsheet with details of the three main options, which you can download here. It's also in the Library.

However, this quick summary might be all you need.

I think it will take us until the end of April to have an updated draft of the Charter and the Laws - ie legal drafting which will reflect Council's decisions, which in turn will reflect the results of the consultation with Members and Fellows (more on this later on in the meeting). We are then at the mercy of the Privy Council. Depending on how long it takes them to say yes, there are three main options:

• One: They say yes so quickly that there is time for an EGM well before the September AGM - so the elections and the AGM could take place under the new governance structure
• Two: They say yes in time to submit the proposals to Members and Fellows at the September AGM - so even though the AGM and the elections would be governed by the current structure, the "new world" could start straightaway with separate Board of Trustee and Council meetings from September 2024. Obviously, it will take a few months to recruit the Lay Trustees, and perhaps a few weeks for the other Trustees who are not yet "in position", but that's inevitable with any sort of change like this.
• Three: They don't say yes until some point in the Autumn - so this means we will need an EGM. In this case, we will need some drafting to ensure that the governance years line up - ie so that the first year of the "new world" is deemed to end in September 2024 (if September still feels like the right time of year to start a governance year) not an exact calendar year from the date of the EGM - which could be October or November.

I have discussed this with Kenneth, and we think that all three options would be fine. Obviously, it would be nice and tidy if we could get approval from the Membership well before the September 2024 AGM. But a late Autumn EGM would be entirely manageable.

This is really just to note - the only element of this that we have control over is the journey to "having a first final draft ready for the Privy Council". The rest of it will be driven by the Privy Council.

I want to start this as soon as possible (I know Andy does too). My proposal is to do this in stages.

• Stage 1 - I think this should officially kick off after the EGM on January 29th, otherwise it will get confusing.

This would start with the most important changes - obviously the creation of a separate Board ofTrustees, with more Lay Trustees, would be the big ticket here. We could also bring in the new role for the function of the Charter Trustees. What else do you think is important enough to go here? I think term lengths (moving to three years from one year) would be good - and perhaps also some reassurance about the powers and rights of Members and Fellows.

I think this will need a LOT of background explaining the fundamentals of being a charity, and what the disadvantages are with the current situation. I'd also like to tackle some classic worries immediately (ie not even wait for the questions to be asked) - especially "won't you all be marking your own homework?" and so on.

I would also provide a list of the topics to cover in Stage 2, in which we can offer the opportunity to comment on the detail of the proposals. 

• Stage 2

Detail! - essentially, the sorts of decisions that you and Council have been making over the last few months.

Some of this will have to run in parallel with Council's consideration of these issues, but I think we can make a virtue out of a necessity: it will be a positive to say to Council "here are some Member views to help you decide" and to say to the Membership "your views will help Council decide what to propose to you as a final draft".