Governance

Constitution and principal activity

The Science Council was established under Royal Charter in October 2003 and was registered as a charity with the Charity Commission in September 2009. The principal activity of The Science Council is to promote the advancement and dissemination of knowledge of and education in science, pure and applied, for public benefit. An amended Charter received Privy Council seal on 10th December 2008.

Structure and governance

The Science Council is a membership organisation governed by a Board of Trustees answerable to the Full Council of Member Bodies. The Board of Trustees is chaired by the President and there are currently ten elected trustees and one co-opted trustee. The Full Council agrees the strategy, policies and priorities of the Science Council. Council also elects the President and the Board of Trustees. Council meetings currently take place three times a year and one of these meetings is the Annual General Meeting.

Board of Trustees

The Trustees are responsible for the overall governance and management of the Science Council and for ensuring that the Science Council meets its charitable objectives. The Board usually meets four times a year.

Professor Sir Tom Blundell CSci FRS (President of Council and Chair of the Board)
Elaine Boyes 
Dr Mark Downs CSci
Dr David Evans (Honorary Treasurer, co-opted April 2009)
Professor David Garner

Professor Paul Hardaker (co-opted November 2012)
Dr Colin Grant CSci
Edmund Nickless CSci
Dr Robert Parker CSci
Jon Poole
Jill Rodney

Trustees are elected by Member Bodies to serve in this capacity as individuals and not as representatives of organisations, interest groups or sectors. Elected Trustees normally serve a four year term with one quarter of elected trustees retiring each year. The Chair of the Registration Authority attends the Board but is not a trustee. The Chief Executive is secretary to the Board.

There are two Board sub-committees:

Audit and Risk Committee

Professor Paul Hardaker (Chair)
Dr Colin Grant CSci
Simon Jackson
Jill Rodney

Nominations Committee

Dr Mark Downs CSci (Chair)

Elaine Boyes

Edmund Nickless CSci

Dr Robert Parker CSci

Registration Authority

The Board is advised on matters relating to the Chartered Scientist Register by a Registration Authority. The Registration Authority is appointed by the Board and is responsible for upholding the standards of the Chartered Scientist designation. Its membership comprises of elected individuals nominated by the Licensed Bodies and experts from other areas. It meets four times a year, reporting to the Science Council Board, and is chaired by Professor Robert Chaplow (who attends the Board but is not a trustee).

Registration Authority Membership: 

Professor Robert Chaplow CSci (Chair)

Dr Kathryn Allton

Dr David Barr CSci
Elizabeth Friend
Alan Harper CSci

Trevor Holme CSci

Dr Trevor Lewis CSci
Sarah May CSci
Professor Peter Sharp CSci 
 

Dr Colin Grant CSci (Board Observer)

David Hogan (Observer), Engineering Council

Trish Hall (Observer), Society for the Environment