A move to merge the Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF) and Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has failed following a crucial vote by ICF members.
The vote at the ICF’s AGM secured a 64.3% majority in favour of merging but fell short of the 75% support required by the ICF constitution.
It follows 18 months of discussions between the two organisations, during which the ICF and RICS leadership both supported a merger.
ICF president Wilma Harper said she was “disappointed” that the proposed transfer would not go ahead but hoped the two bodies could work together on common issues in the future.
She said: “For ICF, the main priority now is to build on our past achievements and strive to develop a strong and dynamic institute to serve the needs of professional foresters and arboriculturists.”
RICS president Barry Gilbertson said: “While we believed there was an excellent fit between RICS and ICF, at the end of the day professional people must have the right to choose their own future.”
