Why we need to make this change

Alongside members and registrars, all stakeholders including domain name registrants and UK Internet users should have a voice in Nominet if they wish. This is in keeping with our commitment to a wider public purpose for Nominet. Specifically, we are seeking backing from you that you agree the principle of wider stakeholder involvement in Nominet. If this principle is agreed, we will then give detailed consideration to how we can bring this about, and we would bring back specific suggestions for you to consider and vote on in due course -  we think such changes will need the most careful thought and deliberation. We see this change as a further essential part of effective governance, and as a critical part of satisfying Government that there will be an effective stakeholder voice within Nominet.

What this change will mean

At this stage we are seeking agreement in principle, together with members' authority for the Board to develop and bring back specific proposals. We recognise that this does not fully meet the Garratt recommendations in this area and therefore we will need to explain this position to the Government and also to the wider stakeholder base and observers.

However, we believe that with the adoption of the clause enshrining Nominet's public purpose benefit being given prominence in the constitution plus an expanded Board which would avoid sectional capture, together with better representation of wider stakeholders via the Policy Advisory Body process (see below), then this may be sufficient for the present time for us to continue without Government intervention. However, the Board does want membership support for us to review this fully in the future.

We propose an additional ordinary resolution along the lines of "Members agree the principle of wider stakeholder involvement in Nominet, and request the directors to begin a considered process of examining the membership structure and voting rights so as to bring them into line with the Garratt recommendations and ensure representation of wider .uk stakeholders".

In the meantime, we are conscious that widening stakeholder involvement in Nominet has a number of facets, and one of these is Nominet's Policy Advisory Body. This has reviewed the way it operates and has developed a suggested new structure which it is confident will result in a .uk policy process that will provide an opportunity for the wider stakeholder community to identify issues which are relevant to Nominet and .uk. The new process will effectively capture stakeholder views by providing a mechanism where relevant stakeholders are identified and able to participate in discussion on issues pertinent to them.

We should also emphasise that we do not propose at the present time to make any changes to the link between membership and discounted domain registration, or to change the voting rights, because members have given us mixed views on these issues.