The General Optical Council met yesterday (March 24) to discuss its budget, communication to the devolved administrations and a review of its performance.
In the year to March 31 2011 a surplus of £880,792 was expected, but income to the GOC next year would fall by 15.6 per cent to £5.46m as a result of reduced registration fees (News 03.12.10).
Massive cost cuts at the Council have reduced spending, leaving an expected deficit in 2011/12 of just £16,381 on the £5.48m budget.
The GOC also laid out plans for additional roles for its central office, including the proposal that the chief executive's office provide a central communications and support role for those working under the devolved administrations.
The meeting was told that by the beginning of this year 56 per cent of registrants had earned at least one CET point per month, the GOC's target level, up from 32 per cent.
Progress is also being made on peer review, although there was still work to do on the numbers taking it up.