By January 2016 it had also become clear that the need for the Chief Executive to be elected, with no certainty of the result, was a major impediment to encouraging a wide range of applications for position which was vacant at that time. NEC therefore decided to bring forward consideration of the proposed constitutional changes to establish SLCC as a purely professional body and at the same time create a new body, the Association of Local Council Clerks (ALCC) an independent trade union representing the interests of senior officers in the local council sector. Following the implementation of these changes the Certification Officer withdrew SLCC from the schedule of Trade Unions.