UKCP General Meeting: proposed changes to Articles of Association

The Articles are the rules that explain how UKCP is run. They cover things such as membership, voting, member meetings and the Board of Trustees. We are asking members to approve an updated set of these rules at the General Meeting (GM) on Friday, 27 November. You will vote on the proposed Articles as a whole. The Board has approved the proposal, but the final decision belongs to members who are entitled to vote.

Some of our rules need updating to make them clearer and easier to use. We want to bring back annual meetings, make it easier for members to take part in future meetings online, and help the Board work consistently. This is a first set of changes. Bigger questions about how UKCP should be organised will be considered separately.

• An annual general meeting (AGM), so members can hear about UKCP’s work, meet the Board and ask questions each year.
• Clear rules allowing future meetings to take place online, in person, or with both options available.
• A clearer explanation of which membership categories have voting rights.
• Clearer rules about who can become a trustee, how trustees can be removed, and how long they serve.
• Updates to administrative rules, including the company secretary role and the common seal, a device traditionally used to mark official company documents.

Yes. The four-year term and limit of eight consecutive years would stay. At present, a separate rule can require trustees to step down before their term finishes. Removing that rule would help the Board retain experience and keep its work moving. Elections and ways to remove trustees would remain. There would also be an additional Board removal process, with safeguards including notice and a chance for the trustee to respond

A company secretary supports legal compliance, formal meetings and organisational records. Since 2008, private companies such as UKCP have not been required by company law to appoint one, although UKCP’s current Articles still require the role.

The proposed Articles would remove that requirement. The necessary work would continue to be carried out by UKCP staff under the Board’s oversight. The Board would remain responsible for ensuring UKCP meets its legal and governance obligations.

These Article changes do not themselves change your clinical practice requirements, professional standards or supervision arrangements. They concern how UKCP is governed and how members take part in constitutional decisions. Bringing back an AGM would give members a regular opportunity to hear from the Board and ask questions.

Full individual members and full organisational members can vote. Students, trainees, retired members and members on sabbatical cannot vote on this decision. An organisational member will need to authorise someone to act on its behalf, following the meeting instructions.

If you are unsure whether you can vote, please contact the UKCP governance team at governance@ukcp.org.uk. 

You can appoint a proxy: someone who votes on your behalf. The GM pack will explain how to do this and when your form must be received. It will also explain the arrangements for attending and voting. The changes need at least 75% of the votes cast to be in favour to pass. This is called a special resolution. The proposed rules would allow future online meetings; please check the GM pack for the arrangements for this meeting.

If members vote in favour, the updated Articles will be adopted. If the proposal does not pass, the current Articles will stay and we will consider the result and members’ feedback. The wider review will explore how members can contribute and how UKCP is run. Any further changes to the Articles would need another formal member vote.

You will be able to find the current Articles, proposed Articles and a plain-English comparison on this page (above).

The General Meeting information will include voting instructions and a way to send us your questions. You can also ask questions through the planned member and college briefings. The longer FAQ provides more detail if you would like it.