RIBA presidency hopefuls reveal manifestos

The two candidates for the RIBA presidency, Andrew Hanson and Ruth Reed, have unveiled their election manifestos.

The duo are currently the only remaining contenders still battling it out to replace current figurehead Sunand Prasad following Paul Davis' decision to drop out last week. 
 
Hanson, currently chair of RIBA London, has proposed a number of commercial benefits for institute members, such as discounts at the RIBA bookshop and reduced rates for museum, exhibition and gallery entry. 'The RIBA membership card would, at last, have a use,' he said.
 
Other plans include setting up an annual 60 over 60 exhibition, a new 'group practice' which would allow smaller practices to work together to carry out larger projects, and a national business networking club. Hanson also wants to change the focus of the RIBA Trust from London to the regions. 

Meanwhile Reed, who is supported by Liberal Democrat MP Lembit Opik and worked as a sole practitioner in a rural practice from 1992-2006, has vowed to introduce 'an affordable and flexible education for architecture students'. 

Reed, course director of Birmingham School of Architecture's Part 3 course, also wants to persuade the government to give architects a lead role in reducing the load on planners, and to create a more flexible education system.

Reed's full manifesto can be read here and Hanson's can be read here.
 
Each of the hopefuls has also launched their own websites: www.ruthreed.co.uk and http://web.mac.com/ajhanson/campaign_site/Welcome.html