Former RIBA councillor, honorary secretary and whistleblower Kerr Roberston, told the AJ the move was ‘not a surprise’ and suggested architects were finding the institute increasingly irrelevant.

They used to have RIBANet back in the day, but it was closed in 2014. In hindsight, when introducing a new forum, the RIBA might have had some idea about what works and what doesn’t. The online forum was for members only. Maybe if they had made it partially free, with some aspects as paid, it might have gained more traction.

Was this an unexpected turnaround for the RIBA? It was bound to happen, as the ARB has been taking on more responsibility for the profession, alongside the yearly increase in fees. Can you afford to be a member of the RIBA as well?

This year, the new CPD recording system was easier in some ways and better suited to my needs. Having to explain what I learned and how I plan to use the information makes the choices I made in learning much more intentional. In all my years as a RIBA member, not once was my CPD audited, nor were there any issues with losing my membership because of it. Now that there’s a better alternative, it’s only a matter of time before more people shift to the ARB.

It ultimately comes down to who is better for the architectural profession. Sadly, over the years, the RIBA has diminished the role of architects to less than it should be, chipping away at the core of the profession and leaving behind only glorified designers.