At the Extraordinary General Meeting convened to coincide with our Admissions Day celebrations on 26 June, the Academy President formally announced that on 12 June 2019, the Queen in Council had approved the grant of a Royal Charter for the Academy of Medical Sciences. The Charter itself will be sealed later in the summer, at which point the new body will formally exist.
The EGM was convened specifically for the purpose of business connected to the application for a Royal Charter. The President outlined that over the coming months, all the operations and assets of the Academy will transfer to the new Charter body and since this body will be controlled by the same Council, formal approval by the Fellowship and the Charity Commission was required.
The EGM was attended by over 100 Fellows and the Academy's legal adviser, Jo Coleman (a Partner at Womble Bond Dickinson) was in attendance. Before voting on the two ordinary resolutions forming the business of the meeting, the President communicated the Academy Council’s recommendation that Fellows vote in favour of the ordinary resolutions. The President also reminded the meeting that the Academy under Royal Charter would still be subject to regulation by the Charity Commission and that the acquisition of a Royal Charter does not automatically imply inclusion of the word `Royal' in the Academy's name - such a step being an entirely different process which could potentially be undertaken at a future date.
The following formal items of business were approved by simple majority at the meeting:
Ordinary Resolution 1:
"That the disposal of all assets (including 41 Portland Place and 8 Weymouth Mews) by the charitable company, the Academy of Medical Sciences, to the Royal Charter body to be known as "Academy of Medical Sciences", be approved, subject to receipt from the Charity Commission of authority under s.201 Charities Act 2011."
Ordinary Resolution 2:
"That the Council of the charitable company be authorised to take all such necessary steps as may be required to give effect to the transfer, on such terms and at such time as the Council in its absolute discretion determines."
Following the votes and there being no further items of business, the President closed the EGM.