Project Relevance: Terms of Reference

1. Having cognisance of the Recommendations of the Uff Report, and work done in the Institution on this subject between the publication of the Uff report and the present, the Relevance Group will consult the Membership as to the way in which they would want the Institution to be taken forward.
2. This will be a consultation not a referendum. Any changes that the Institution may wish to make as a result of this consultation will be made in accordance with the Charter and Byelaws as constituted at the time.

3. A draft list of issues over which the Membership may be consulted has been prepared. Finalising and agreeing this list will be an early task for the reconstituted Relevance Group.

4. The Relevance Group will prepare, circulate and analyse a consultation of the membership. A draft process has been prepared and it will be an early task of the Group to finalise this process.
   a. Agreement by the Relevance Group as to the questions to be asked
   b. Preparation of the consultation document
   c. Publication of the consultation document to the Membership
   d. A period for the membership to meet and debate the issues
   e. Return of the consultation papers by the Membership
   f. Analysis of the results by the Relevance Group
   g. Recommendations to Council by the Relevance Group
   h. Communication to members of the main outcomes of the consultation.

   The process will have the following key steps as a minimum:
   It will be an early task of the Relevance Group to prepare a time-based plan to deliver items a-h. Version 6, 11 Oct 2019.

5. The Relevance Group will report only to Council and will advise Council of its progress at each Council Meeting. Such reports will be available to the Trustee Board at the same time.
   
   
   
6. Following the composition of Council as currently defined in the Council Constitution and Terms of Reference Clause 4.1 i), the following Project Relevance sub-group composition is proposed to ensure representation with all of the main means of regular engagement which takes place via IMechE’s defined structure and its membership:
   
   
   • A Representative of the Regions
   • A Representative of the Divisions and Groups
   • A Representative of the International Strategy Board
   • A Representative of the Young Members Board
   • A Representative of the Elected Members of Council
   • A Trustee (non-voting, as an observer and consultee)
   • A Representative of the Executive (non-voting, as an observer and consultee)

   The members of the Relevance Group shall be agreed between a nominated member of the current Relevance Group and the Chairs of the RSB, TSB, Council, ISB, YSB, TB and CEO, as appropriate. Note: this has been done and the members have been agreed as:

   7.  All members of the Relevance Group shall be:

   • Members of Council at the time of their appointment, except the representatives of the Trustee Board and the Executive
   • Able and willing to commit to the task
   • Not committed to any specific course of action on any of the major issues to be consulted on.

   Should any member of the group cease to be a member of Council, through the normal progression process, they may remain a member of the Relevance Group, subject to the agreement of the Group

   8. The Relevance Group shall elect its own Chair from amongst its members except that the representatives of the Trustee Board and the Executive shall not be eligible. The Chair shall be a member of Council at the time of their appointment but can continue to be Chair should they cease to be a Member of Council through the normal succession process, with the agreement of the Group.

9. Rules of Engagement

a. Decisions shall be made by a simple majority of those present and entitled to vote. A quorum shall be 3 voting members and the Chair will have a casting vote.

b. If proposed by any voting member and agreed by a majority of those present and entitled to vote, specific issues may be decided by a later, remote vote of all voting members, conducted electronically.

c. Meetings may be face to face or by electronic means, as agreed. Members may join face to face meetings remotely if necessary.

d. The Group will be supported by a member of staff who will provide administrative support and take minutes, recording items discussed, decisions taken, and actions agreed.

e. The minutes will be circulated within one week of meetings and a further week allowed for comments. The Chair will resolve any issues with the minutes as soon as possible regardless of the timing of the next meeting. If resolution, in a timely manner, of such queries is not possible, a remote vote will be taken on the issue.

f. Once finalised, as above, the minutes will be deemed agreed and published immediately on the Institution’s main website in the secure Member area.

g. Any changes to these Terms of Reference or the position of Chair shall be agreed by a full vote of the Relevance Group, taken remotely if necessary.

h. Any such changes shall be reported to Council at its next meeting and any views of Council on the matter shall be considered by the Relevance Group at its next meeting.

i. These Terms of Reference shall be made available to all Members via the secure Members’ area of the IMechE’s main website as soon as they have been ratified by Council.

These Terms of Reference envisage that the initial step will be to engage with the existing membership to solicit their views. These Terms of Reference and maybe the composition of the team will be revised on completion of this first phase, taking into account the views of our membership, when these are known, and the needs of future members and the profession.