ACCOUNTANCY AGE EXCLUSIVE: English ICA council 'denied debate'

In an open letter to Collier, chairman of the General Practitioners' Board John Malthouse said the council meeting agenda was too extensive and council members would be called to debate and decide on research findings they had not yet seen.

In a strongly worded letter, Malthouse said: 'There is a view that council members are not being provided with timely and comprehensive information.

'They cannot, therefore, hold a proper and informed debate - and certainly not in the timescale apparently afforded. In the view of some members the present approach is tantamount to a contempt of council and is intolerable.'

Malthouse said the items under discussion in the institute's reform agenda should be put back from the December council meeting and that a discussion of all items under review be held at the council conference in January.

The institute said president Sheila Masters has written to council members saying that detailed research papers would be considered at the January council conference.