Members' subs 'fully protected'

James Russell, ABDO president, has responded to further criticism of the financial support of Godmersham College.

Speaking on the ABDO website he said the College is an independent registered charity with limited liability status.

'The Association provided a one-off set-up grant of £250,000 to get the College founded and has agreed to support the College by occasional grants and loans but only up to the extent of the examination fees which ABDO receives as the result of working with the College,' he said.

'Accordingly, ABDO has limited any liability for the College's affairs and members' subscriptions are fully protected.'

He said that the ABDO board and its auditors are satisfied that the Association's financial position is sound, and in its share of the professional bodies' headquarters in Paddington 'we have a real and growing asset'.

'The College has completed five highly successful years and is now, having established itself as a centre of excellence, poised to expand its range of courses,' he claimed.

As to criticism from four members in a letter to Optician (February 17) on Godmersham's 'redecoration and refurbishment' he said the College has a lease which restricts its liability to internal decoration only. 'This is undertaken on a yearly rolling seven-year basis. ABDO has no responsibility for either the lease or any costs arising from it.

'Regarding the comments made by Mr High and others, the board made a policy decision not to respond to anonymous letters and they do not consider it to be in the Association's best interests to engage in open correspondence through the media concerning matters of internal management.

'The board invited Mr High to attend a board meeting to discuss his concerns but note, with regret, that he has chosen not to do so.'