There has been significant progress in the establishment of an LOC Central Support Unit (CSU) which has the backing of the majority of LOCs, delegates attending the National Optometric Conference were told.
Speaking at last week's conference, the Association of Optometrist's chief executive, Bob Hughes said that the proposal to introduce the CSU concept had received strong support from LOC representatives attending roadshows held across England and Wales earlier this year.
He pointed out that the three main optical bodies had shown a united front, with FODO and ABDO representatives attending the roadshows.
The CSU was proposed to help LOCs meet their statutory functions with the initiative being financed by funds coming from the statutory levy.
Hughes told delegates: 'A capable and an energetic support unit is in our judgement absolutely vital to our ability to be able to achieve significant advances in England and indeed be able to sustain the advances that we have made in Wales and hope to make in Northern Ireland and in Scotland.
'It is a new and a very complicated venture to set up. As we build up the support unit, in my judgement it has to be an act of faith. We have to say as a profession - we want this - we understand why we want it and we will judge it on its outcomes - and not on the minutiae of what it is doing as it gets up to strength, recruits its staff and puts together its programme.'
The conference attracted around 185 delegates and ran alongside the LOC Training Day and the Hospital Conference.
During a panel discussion, Peter Smith, representing Worcestershire LOC, raised the question of whether in future funds from the voluntary levy should continue funding the AOP's Central Fund which helps it finance its political aims and undertake research.
Smith's resolution which had majority support among delegates was to the effect that the Central Fund should be no longer be asking LOCs to contribute towards its running but instead seek to find a more 'equitable method of funding'.
'If the Central Fund is worth maintaining then the AOP should not be asking a minority to fund it,' said Smith. 'It needs to be funded by a wider source or the AOP should be asking for direct contributions'.
In response, Hughes said that the AOP would report back on this resolution at its AGM in 2009. 'This is a serious issue that Peter has raised. Over 30 years the fund has been fantastic for the profession,' he said.
Delegates also heard that several LOCs had stopped collecting a voluntary levy altogether since the introduction of the statutory levy.