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Landscape Institute members "emasculated", saysformer archivist in call for elections overhaulBy Magda Ibrahim Tuesday, 26 May 2009

14 CommentsA group of Landscape Institute members are calling for a second Extraordinary General Meeting to overthrowelections to the body's new Board of Trustees and Advisory Council.

Landscape Institute members including Land Use Consultants principal Dominic Cole, Society ofGarden Designers chair Annabel Downs and past president Brian Clouston have called for the resignation offour members of a new Board of Trustees.

The Landscape Institute is now preparing for elections to the new Board and an Advisory Council, which willbe formed from July.

The EGM requisition calls for four members who are being elected unopposed to the Board to stand down.

They include Landscape Institute Board of Trustees president elect Jo Watkins, honorary secretary KeithRowe, honorary treasurer Colin Goodrum and vice-president Brodie McAllister.

Annabel Downs - who was archivist at the Landscape Institute before being made redundant earlier this year -said the call was to try to allow new members to gain control of the body.

"The membership is emasculated," said Annabel Downs. "This is an attempt to gain some control back."

The Landscape Institute held a first EGM in January, when its financial woes - including £750,000 of budgetcuts - were discussed.

Landscape Institute president Neil Williamson said the EGM requisition was now being considered by Council.He added that voting turnout for elections had often been low but said: "The more members use their votes,the more confidence we can have that the candidates elected reflect the choice of the organisation as awhole."

For the full story see Horticulture Week magazine on 29 May.

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10 of 14 comments

Landscape Institute members "emasculated", says former archivist in cal... http://www.hortweek.com/news/908240/Landscape-Institute-members...

1 de 4 08/08/2013 12:23

To add to this ongoing "farce" the LI has now turned its Forum into a private one. So now I am bothpermanently banned and unable to check what statements are being made by whom. A nifty move on thegrounds of "privacy". There was an MP complaining that publishing his ridiculous expenses was a violation ofhis "privacy". Equally, my forceful exposing the parasitic behaviour of a few may be misconstrued, as aviolation of privacy. Ironic: it is my money too, after all!

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I will correct myself: they will publish any messages that shows them in a good light!

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Just to stock this fire a little bit further, I find amazing that the LI will not enter into correspondence with,supply any documents requested or even mention my name in its communications intended \(possibly) for me:http://www.talkinglandscape.or...

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Jaquelin, Like everybody else that dares to support me in public, you are risking your reputation, so I have tocommend your courage as much as Amanda's. It may be a bit too late for all of us but it should not be too latefor our Institute.The sad truth is that I have gone through FIVE years of accounts and the facts are daunting. People in chargeat the LI and those closely associated with them, must resign to restore Members confidence.The we should launch a wide ranging enquiry, looking into patterns of expenditure and decission making. Thewe allocate responsibilities and discuss other issues, supported always by facts that we can all share andscrutinize. This is the begining of the process.

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Gabino,

I write in support. While your language is a bit spicy, I think banning you from the LI forum was wrong. Thefinancial situation of the Insititute is such that it is right that Council members who participated in thosedecisions should be subject to recall. It may mean that some Council members that were less culpable areaffected, but that is the nature of democracy. I was on Council (as Treasurer) for 4 years and was exhausted

Gabino Carballo

4 years ago

Gabino Carballo

4 years ago

Gabino Carballo

4 years ago

Gabino Carballo

4 years ago

Jaquelin Fisher

4 years ago

Landscape Institute members "emasculated", says former archivist in cal... http://www.hortweek.com/news/908240/Landscape-Institute-members...

2 de 4 08/08/2013 12:23

by fighting those that had little understanding of finance, and I can see that the seeds of the present crisiswere being sown then, by some Council members who suffered an excess of vanity. We are where we arenow, and change must come, including an EGM, which I also support. Jackie

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Please Brodie, take time to read my correspondence and check the facts. You have neither the knowledge northe legitimacy to talk to us Members in this tone. You are walking into a cesspit of liabilities, blinded by asense of self-importance. Check the Charitiy COmmission's rules on financial shortfalls and personal Trusteesliabilities. How do you fancy being personally liable for your share of 350k or more? I thought so. I am readyto talk, but the LI must comply with my re4quests for information and I must be reinstated to be free to talk toother Members, freely and without prior censorship. I understnad you not liking me saying that you have allbeen reckless and incompetent. But that is the deal with Democracy, mate: as long as I back my opinion upwith facts, you have to listen to me and respect my rights. If you do not like it, just quite and move toZimbabwe. You will be all happy there.

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this is not a criticism, but your confusion stems from not keeping apace with information that was and is wellpublicised on the institute website and followed up by direct emails to members from the President. Thecurrent election is for the advisory council. The only reason there is a vote on this is because there are morecandidates \(9) that have come forward than positions available \(7). There were elections for other trusteepositions including in the excecutive. All of these required multiple nominations. If no other candidates stand inwhat was a well publicised event then those that do get elected. That is not undemocratic. To claim that I gotthere only by having extensive connections to the current regime is again a wrong assumption. I was amember of council 6 years ago well before any of the recent troubles and along with dozens and dozens ofother members of council then and since. In that respect, I'm the odd one out as I'm coming into the executivefrom outside it. If you care to read my nomination citation, you will have found infact that historically I nevervoted in my time for any of the expansionist policies that have now had to be reined in. Other than that, manyorganisations have had to make very significant cuts because of the recession. Some members are saying theLI should be more communicative and perhaps there are areas for improvement but it's a bit odd that they cite'talking landscape' as the ideal forum to improve this without acknowledging that it was the LI that set this up.The Royal Charter says that election to the most senior positions within the excecutive must come with someexperience within council but sets it widely as within the last decade. If members want change they mustcontribute \(as I have done) to tasks and duties at Branch or central level rather than carp from the sidelines.You mention politicians..they get paid, trustees of the LI don't. Please don't assume I'm in some self protectingclub. My way of thinking and acting is the opposite of what a small minority is accusing the LI of. If you knockpeople like that what you are left with is those who want to point the finger but not lift it to help constructivelyfor years on end. I think this is a golden opportunity to radically change for the better in our creative outlook,now the steps to end the financial crisis have been made. Please also don't forget that there is a huge slice ofthe membership at all levels who have been supportive of the institute digging itself out of trouble.

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Gabino Carballo

4 years ago

brodie mcallister

4 years ago

Amanda Davey

4 years ago

Landscape Institute members "emasculated", says former archivist in cal... http://www.hortweek.com/news/908240/Landscape-Institute-members...

3 de 4 08/08/2013 12:23

I am a bit confused about how we already have a new Vice President before the elections have been carriedout. I think this is why his name is on the requisition for the EGM. The rules for eligibility for standing for any ofthe major posts in the Landscape Institute preclude all bar those who have extensive connections to thecurrent regime, so Brodie McAllister must have more experience than he is making public here to have beenvoted in with no opposing candidate. There is little point in making Gabino's courage in standing out from thecrowd a focus of attack, he has done what many of us have not done and has fought publicly for an open anddemocratic future for the LI. Neither Gabino nor Annabel were involved in the preparation of the requisition forthe EGM. There are some very major figures in the landscape world who care deeply about our professionalcredibility. This situation deserves a proper and open discussion. They have done this with that in mind. No-oneis casting slurs on the dedication of voluntary officers who have acted with honour. All of us deserve the rightto expect that we can vote for officers who have no vested interest in keeping a few things quiet and possiblyacting in a protective manner. We rightly expect this of our politicians and we should be able to expect it of ourofficers.

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Brodie,

I am not getting too personal. I have been represented as "hysterical", "aggressive", "threatening" and"libellous" from the start by the LI. If the Institutes's representatives use character assassination andcensorship as a way to shut its Members up, I am afraid I will pay you all back in kind, and more. By the way,this is a Motion I had nothing to do with drafting up. As for its chances of succeeding, we shall see: I was toldthat I was going nowhere early on, and look now, I have several past presidents on my side. In any event,your attitude honours you, as you are the first council member to ever even address me as if I was a humanbeing, let alone a Member. I will take you on that beer, I have a soft spot for English pubs.

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Gabinoyou are getting too personal.The elections were democratic, by the book, and according to the Royal Charter. Your comments areunrepresentative and have become counterproductive because of their extremeness \(and irrationality in thenon-case against me) to what you claim you are fighting for.....I think you can guess your chances ofsucceeding. I don't want to comment on this any more in this format for fear of falling into the same trap asyou. But, if you would like to actually volunteer to contribute to the running of the institute, please comeforward and do so...I will buy you a beer, and be happy to discuss issues.

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Gabino Carballo

4 years ago

brodie mcallister

4 years ago

Landscape Institute members "emasculated", says former archivist in cal... http://www.hortweek.com/news/908240/Landscape-Institute-members...

4 de 4 08/08/2013 12:23