Re-election of Grand Master
HRH The Duke of Kent was unanimously re-elected as Grand Master



Commission for Appeals Courts
The following were elected by the Rulers’ Forum to the Commission for Appeals Courts, from the Annual Investiture of Grand Officers, for 2008-2011:
     D.L. Morgan (Lodge of Friendship No. 6, London), His Honour Judge L.C. Goldstone (Old Mancunians Lodge No. 3140, East Lancashire), G.G. Dearing (Pentalpha Lodge of East Kent No. 8535, East Kent), E.B.D. Waldy (Old King’s Arms Lodge No. 28, London). M.J. Messent (Globe Lodge No. 23, London), P. E. Lawton (Liberty Lodge No. 5871, Yorkshire, West Riding), P.L. Bird Vale Lodge No. 6632, Buckinghamshire), D.N. Cheetham (Bedfordshire Lodge of St John the Baptist No. 475, Bedfordshire).

Panel for Clemency
The following were elected by the Rulers’ Forum to serve on the Panel for Clemency, from the Annual Investiture of Grand Officers, plus the President and Deputy President of the Board of General Purposes:
     M.B. Davies, J. Gillyon, D.V. Hagger, R.F. Venn, M.T. Stollery, N.J. Burger.

Charges for Warrants
Under Rule 270A, Book of Constitutions, the Board considered the costs of preparing the actual documents specified in this Rule and recommended that for the year commencing 1 April 2008 the charges (exclusive of VAT) for Warrants be as follows:
     New lodge £275
     Confirmation £665
     Centenary Jewel £400
     Confirmation for a Centenary Jewel £570
     Bi-Centenary Bar £610
     Confirmation for a Bi-Centenary Bar £610
     Certificate of Amalgamation £70
     Enfacement (Alterations) Fee £95

Grand Orator
In giving notice of motion at the Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge in December 2007 to amend the Book of Constitutions to introduce the office of Grand Orator, the President of the Board recognised that an amendment would be necessary to specify a jewel for the new office. The design for the jewel, which has the approval of the Pro Grand Master as well as that of the Board, is as above.

Electronic Transmission of Forms
The Board has decided to exercise the power granted to it under Rule 191C, Book of Constitutions, in order to authorise the electronic transmission to the Grand Secretary’s office of the form of application for a Grand Lodge Certificate referred to in Rule 174 (a).
     The Board has been concerned, before exercising the power, to be satisfied that any necessary safeguards exist, and wishes to stress that, for the time being, this is the only form that may be transmitted by electronic means.

Amalgamations
The following Lodges have surrendered their Warrants:
     Appleton Lodge No. 6468 in order to amalgamate with Lodge of Equity No. 1384 (West Lancashire); Lodge of Franchelie St Leonard No. 6788 in order to amalgamate with Coston Lodge No. 5600 (Worcestershire); Kilgrimol Lodge No. 6851 and Aemulantes Lodge No. 8827 in order to amalgamate with Quadrant Lodge No. 8044 (West Lancashire); Lodge of Eldoret No. 9531 in order to amalgamate with Nandi Border Lodge No. 4756 (East Africa).
     A Motion to have the lodges removed from the register in order to effect the respective amalgamations was approved.

Erasure of Lodges
Ten lodges have surrendered their Warrants:
     Rewa Lodge of Viti No 2238 (South West Pacific); Ember Lodge No. 2540 (Surrey); Bramhall Lodge No.4059 (Cheshire); Silver Jubilee Lodge No. 5590 (Middlesex); Ellesmere Port Lodge No. 6126 (Cheshire); Wilmslow Lodge No. 6127 (Cheshire); Stockport Engineers Lodge No. 6327 (Cheshire); Cranford Park Lodge No. 6390 (Middlesex); North Durham Lecture Lodge No. 8125 (Durham); Cope-Stone Lodge No. 8487 (London).
     A Resolution to erase these lodges was approved.

Recognition of Foreign Grand Lodges
The Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Texas
     The Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Texas was formed on 20 August 1875 from five lodges set up in Texas by the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Kansas between 1872 and 1874. The Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Kansas was recognised by the United Grand Lodge of England on 9 June 1999.

The National Grand Lodge of Romania
     On 24 January 1993, the National Grand Lodge Romania was formed from three lodges meeting in Romania, by the Grand Orient of Italy, which at that time was still recognised by the United Grand Lodge of England.

The Grand Lodge of Congo
     The Grand Lodge of Congo was formed on 21 October 2000 from nine lodges established by the Grand Lodge of Senegal, which had in turn been formed by the Grande Loge National Française.

The Grand Lodge of Bosnia and Herzegovina
     The Grand Lodge of Austria consecrated the Grand Lodge of Bosnia and Herzegovina on 16 April 2005 from three lodges it had set up in Ljubljana and Sarajevo.
     Having shown that they are descendants of duly recognised Grand Lodges and that they conform to the Basic Principles for Grand Lodge Recognition, the Board, having no reason to believe that they will not maintain a regular path, recommended that these four Grand Lodges be recognised.
     A resolution to this effect was approved.

Grand Lodge of Russia
     At the meeting of Grand Lodge on 8 March 2006, the President of the Board of General Purposes spoke of rumours and reports received about the manner in which the Grand Lodge of Russia and its affairs were being conducted and controlled.
     As a result it was recommended that Brethren should refrain from visiting lodges under the Grand Lodge of Russia, and that lodges under this Constitution should exercise extreme caution before admitting, as visitors, Brethren from lodges under the Grand Lodge of Russia.
     The Board has been carefully monitoring the situation in Russia and now believes that any such restriction is no longer necessary.

Expulsions
There have been seven expulsions from the Craft.

Mentoring
There was a presentation to Grand Lodge on Mentoring from J. Gillyon and other representatives from the Rulers’ Forum Groups.

New Lodge
The Grand Master has granted a Warrant to Mike Hailwood Lodge No. 9839, Rugby, Warwickshire, from 12 December 2007.

Grand Lodge Meetings
Quarterly Communications of Grand Lodge are held on the second Wednesday in March, June, September and December. The next will be on 11 June 2008. Subsequent Communications will be held on 10 September, 10 December, 11 March 2009 and 10 June 2009.
     The Annual Investiture of Grand Officers takes place on the last Wednesday in April (the next is on 30 April 2008), and admission is by ticket only.

Grand Chapter Meetings
Convocations of Supreme Grand Chapter are held on the second Wednesday in November and the day following the Annual Investiture of Grand Lodge. Future Convocations will be held on 1 May, 12 November and 30 April 2009.