A NEW North Yorkshire Local Association of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has been launched.

Almost 60 chartered surveyors and their guests, including architects, solicitors, accountants and associated professions from across the county converged on the Monkbar Hotel in York for the purpose.

They heard RICS regional director Chris Johnstone outline the work of local associations and highlight the opportunities and benefits open to members.

Jonathon Charters-Reid, of York-based Hunters estate agents, was voted leader of a new management team to steer the North Yorkshire Local Association, supported by the RICS regional team

The North Yorkshire Local Association will provide both networking and career development opportunities for chartered surveyors, other professionals and businesses in the county. It brings the number of LA groups across Yorkshire and the Humber to four.

Speaker Clive Gott, of Tadcaster-based Lighthouse Training, talked on Twelve Ways Of Becoming Unstoppable, providing an insight into success.

John Thompson, the RICS Yorkshire & Humber regional manager, said: "We have had excellent feedback from all those who attended this inaugural event and I am sure that the North Yorkshire Local Association will prove a highly-successful initiative."

The Local Associations have been established to provide a focus for local chartered surveyors and to link with other businesses and professionals in the area to raise the profile of surveying.

A guest speaker at each event will deliver multi-disciplinary, non-technical presentations. There will also be a three-course lunch.

The next North Yorkshire Local Association event will be on Wednesday, June 12. Details are available from Linda Adams at the RICS, telephone 0113 251 5036.

Updated: 13:09 Tuesday, May 07, 2002