I guess we
need to know if we can incorporate on Sunday.
I think that it is premature, really; we still have to finally confirm
the changes, and also wait for Board approval. I would be happy to have
an IRC meeting this weekend, however, if people feel that it would be
necessary.
Whilst I can certainly understand why people are raising some questions on
how the *Chapter* will work, the *Company* (which forms the basis of the
Charity) is subject to UK law and, as such, has to place that framework
first. It is also the case that we cannot start on the Charity
registration process (ie. start raising money to do "good works") until
the Company completes the registration process, and it will take time.
I am aware that a number of people have felt that we are slightly
'dragging our feet' on this; that there is a level of navel contemplation
going on and a surprise that the forms haven't been submitted yet (ie.
still). In respect of the company formation it is my belief that we
probably *are* in a position to process the paperwork and proceed, and
those signatures on the requisite forms and endpages are easiest done with
everyone in the same place at the same time, indeed the pages before the
final page can actually be amended before the whole set of papers are
submitted (not that one should plan to do such a thing, of course, but it
is an option).
IMHO there is a separation between the operation of the Company/Charity
(with its separate legal identity, concerned with raising money, etc) and
the Chapter (probably more concerned with liaison between and support of
editors) although they may be two faces of the same organisation in
practice. IRC meetings are very suitable for the latter, face2face for the
former.
Alison