- Council’s function is to agree matters of policy and to oversee the administration of The Academy, as delegated to it by the members, and its operation is governed by Standing Order. (Most such policies and procedures are decided by the Executive Committee of Council, and referred to Council for approval (or amendment) and ratification.)
- Council is required to ratify Executive Committee recommendations for appointments of:
- non-executive officers (except Immediate Past Chairman)
- vice-chairmen
- co-opted members of the Executive
- chairmen of Academy standing committees and vetting committee
- recommendations for Membership, Fellowship and Companionship of The Academy.
- Members of Council are elected annually by the membership by postal ballot. Council members may serve for a maximum of six years (two elected terms of three years each), and must then serve a minimum of two years out of office before re-standing for election to Council.
- The elected (executive) officers of The Academy – Chairman, Deputy Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary, are ex officio members of Council. The Chief Executive is entitled to attend Council meetings, and usually does so and takes the Minutes, but is not entitled to vote on Council business.
When the expert becomes part of the problem: The King v ZX and the limits of expert independence
How often do you see an expert witness themself become part of the reason a criminal conviction is overturned? That is, in effect, what happened in The King…