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Conclusions of BAMC-BMC meeting on 29 September 2004

  1. The conclusions of the discussions at both the 2004 BMC and the 2004 BAMC are that a decision on a further joint Colloquium should not be made until after the 2005 event.
  2. The 2004 BAMC asked David Abrahams to take on the task of liaising with BMC and proposing how such liaison should continue. He is recommending to the BAMC in 2005 that its existing committee (comprising the current Chair of BAMC, the chairs of the two immediate past BAMCs and the chairs of the next two BAMCs) should be augmented by a separate longer-term Chair. The committee's terms of reference would include having concerns for the continuity of BAMCs, the transfer of good practice, and liaison with the BMC Scientific Committee; it would have no role in determining specific content of BAMC programmes.
  3. There is currently a mismatch in the decision timescales of BMC and BAMC. BAMC in 2005 will note a venue for the 2008 Colloquium, BMC will agree the 2007 Colloquium. The BMC Scientific Committee will need to look to move to a 3-year timescale, both for the practicalities of planning and so that decisions on any future joint Colloquia can be taken at the same time.
  4. By mutual agreement:
    1. the next joint meeting cannot reasonably be in 2008;
    2. subject to the outcomes of Liverpool in 2005, and the conclusions of the two communities in the light of that, the next joint meeting might take place in 2009 or 2010;
    3. if joint meetings are to continue, the next joint meeting should not be later than 2010;
    4. no decision can be taken (or assumed) on the cycle of future meetings.
  5. Assuming that BAMC2005 agrees to David Abrahams' recommendation (2), subsets of the new BAMC Committee and the BMC Scientific Committee should meet in a year's time (21 September proposed):
    1. to confirm whether a further joint meeting is wanted;
    2. if yes, to give preliminary consideration to potential venues.
    Preceding that meeting, the two communities will need to debate their views on the matter (in a manner and on a timetable appropriate to their communities). A final decision on the venue should be taken at the 2006 BMC and reported to the 2006 BAMC.

P.R. Cooper
30 September 2004