BURY METRO MARINE MODELLING SOCIETY

CONSTITUTION

Adopted by the members on                                 2017

1.         Name. 

The name of the Society shall be the “Bury Metro Marine Modelling Society”. 

2.         Object.

The object of the Society shall be the promotion and fostering of all aspects of marine modelling. 

3.         Powers 

In furtherance of the object the Society shall have the following powers: 

3.1       To raise funds by way of subscriptions. 

3.2            To accept gifts, donations, legacies and awards. 

3.3            To deal with, manage and invest all monies of the Society and to operate bank accounts for such purposes.

3.4            To purchase, lease, rent, acquire interests in, enter into agreements for, land and property. 

3.5            To enter into agreements and arrangements, liaise with and otherwise to cooperate with and enter into association with such other companies, persons, bodies, associations and individuals, whether or not in the voluntary sector, as the Committee may consider conducive for achieving or furthering the object of the Society. 

3.6            To hold meetings, lectures, exhibitions and other activities and to undertake research and educational studies into the object of the Society. 

3.7            To borrow money and chattels and provide security therefor. 

3.8            The make grants and loans and provide guarantees. 

3.9            To insure the Society’s property, assets and liabilities and those of its Officers and members in connection with the performance of their duties to the Society. 

3.10         To employee or retain professional advisers. 

3.11         To appoint a Commodore who shall have such formal or representative role as the members or the Committee shall from time to time determine. 

4.         Membership:

4.1       Persons interested in furthering the object of the Society may be admitted to membership of the Society at the discretion of the Committee.

4.2       The Committee may establish different classes of membership and set subscription rates from time to time.

4.3       Persons wishing to become members of the Society shall submit an application in such form as the Committee may from time to time decide.

4.7       In accepting or rejecting applications for membership the Committee shall not be bound to assign a reason for their decision.

4.8       The Committee shall keep a register of members and may set terms and conditions for membership from time to time, subject to this Constitution.

4.9       Unless the Committee shall otherwise decide, membership of the Society shall be divided into the following classes:

4.9.1    Adult: aged 18 years and over on 1st January in the year of admission to membership. The Committee may fix a reduced annual subscription for students in full time education.

4.9.2    Junior: aged 14 years but under 18 years on 1st January in the year of admission to membership.

4.9.3    Associate: for friends and relatives of members and for members who are deemed by the Committee unable to attend meetings of the Society regularly due to distance of travel or some other cause.

4.10     Children under the age of 14 may not become members of the Society, but may attend Society meetings with a parent or guardian who is a member of the Society.

4.11     Members shall pay an annual subscription annually in advance at such rates as may be fixed by the Committee from time to time. Subscriptions shall become due on 1st January in each year.

4.12     If any member shall fail to pay his or her subscription within three calendar months after it shall have become due, membership of the Society shall terminate automatically. However, the Committee may, in its absolute discretion, suspend such automatic termination and extend the period for payment of a subscription on such terms as it deems appropriate.

5.         Meetings of the members.

5.1       An annual general meeting of the Society shall be held in April or May in each year at the Society’s premises or, failing which, at such other place decided by the Committee when the following business shall be conducted:

5.1.1 The presentation of the accounts for the previous financial year ended on 31st December prior to the meeting.

5.1.2    The recommendation to the Committee of persons to be appointed to the position of the Commodore from the membership of the Society who shall serve for a period of 2 years subject to re-appointment.

5.1.3    The election of the Officers and members to serve on the Committee who shall serve for a period of 2 years subject to re-election.

5.1.4    The election of two members (who shall not be members of the Committee) to examine the accounts for the current year.

5.1.5    Such other business as shall have been duly notified to the Secretary prior to the meeting.

5.2       An extraordinary general meeting may be convened at any time by the Committee and shall be convened within 21 days on the requisition of one third of the members in writing to the Secretary stating the purpose for which the meeting is required.

5.3       The business at any extraordinary general meeting shall be limited to the matters specified in the notice convening the meeting.

5.4       The quorum at any general meeting shall be one third of the members entitled to vote or ten members entitled to vote, whichever shall be the less.

5.5       At general meetings each member present in person, other than Associate members who shall not be entitled to vote, shall have one vote. If there is an equality of votes, the chairman of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote.

5.6       The Secretary shall, at least 14 days before any general meeting, send a notice of the meeting together to every member entitled to vote at the meeting, stating the time, the date and the place where it is to be held with the agenda stating the business to be transacted. Notices may be sent by e-mail to the e-mail address notified by a member or by post to a member’s notified address. Notices send by e-mail shall be deemed to have been delivered 24 hours after the e-mail is sent unless a non-delivery notice has been received. Notices sent by post shall be deemed to have been received 48 hours after posting. The non-receipt of a notice by any member shall not invalidate the proceedings of any meeting.

 

6.         Powers of the Committee 

6.1       The management of the Society shall be entrusted to the Committee.

6.2       The Committee shall:

6.2.1    exercise the day-to-day control of the Society and make rules for regulating the conduct of its business and that of the Society provided that any such rules shall be consistent with this Constitution.

6.2.2    exercise all the powers of the Society stated in clause 3;

6.2.3    be responsible for making suitable arrangements for the safe custody, repair and insurance of the Society's property.

6.2.4    ensure that all statutory duties and obligations relating to the Society are complied with.

6.3       No member of the Committee shall be liable to make good out of his own monies any loss occasioned to the Society caused by any non-compliance with the powers and duties of the Committee.

6.4       A member of the Committee who has a personal interest shall declare it at the commencement of the relevant meeting of the Committee at which it is to be discussed. Such member may, if the Committee agrees, take part in any discussion but shall withdraw from the meeting prior to any vote on the subject matter and shall not form part of the quorum of the Committee or vote in respect of such decision.   

7.         Membership of the Committee

7.1       The Committee shall consist of a Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and Exhibition Manager, who shall be the Officers of the Society.

7.2       Up to four other members of the Society may also be elected to the Committee. The Committee shall have power to co-opt members to fill casual vacancies amongst its number, who shall serve until the next Annual General Meeting.

7.3       Subject to the above power of co-option, Committee members (including Officers) shall be elected by the members at a general meeting of the Society.

7.4       The position of Commodore may be filled by the Committee from recommendations made by the members informally or in general meeting. The Commodore shall be entitled to attend meetings of the Committee and to speak thereat but shall not be entitled to vote.

7.5       Each Committee member (including any Officer) shall serve until the Annual General Meeting in the second year following that of his appointment. Any Committee member, (including any Officer) retiring under this provision may stand for re-election. At the first Annual General Meeting after this Constitution has come into force, all Committee members shall retire but may stand for re-election. One half (or as near as possible) of the members who are elected to the Committee at this meeting shall serve for one year and one half shall serve for two years. Each half as defined shall include at least one Officer and one non-officer Committee member. In the absence of agreement as to the length of service, the period for which each Officer or other Committee member shall serve shall be determined by lot. In the event of any Committee member (including any Officer) resigning or otherwise ceasing his position during his term of office, any member elected in his place shall serve only until such former Committee member would have retired. Any such member replacing a former member shall be eligible to stand for re-election.

7.5       The quorum for meetings of the Committee shall be 4. If a quorum is not present when the meeting proceeds to business, the person or person present shall form a quorum but only for the purpose of appointing a chairman of the meeting and adjourning the meeting to a date and place not more than 30 days after such adjourned meeting.

7.6       The property of the Society (other than cash which shall be under the control of the Treasurer) shall be vested in the Officers of the Society for the time being as trustees, to be dealt with by them as the Committee shall from time to time direct. The Officers of the Society may enter into agreements and arrangements on behalf of the Society for the purposes of implementing decisions of the Committee.

7.7       No person shall be a member of the Committee unless he is a member of the Society and if he shall cease to be a member of the Society he shall immediately case to be an Officer or a member of the Committee as the case may be.

7.8       The cessation of membership by any person shall not prejudice or affect any monies or other existing obligations due on the part of such former member to the Society.

8.         Expulsion of members

8.1       The Committee shall have power to expel any member who shall offend against the rules of the Society or whose conduct in the opinion of the Committee renders him unfit for membership of the Society.

8.2       Before any such member is expelled the Secretary shall give him 7 days’ written notice to attend a meeting of the Committee which notice shall contain particulars of the complaint made against him. No member shall be expelled without first having an opportunity to appear before the Committee and to speak in his defence. A member may alternatively make a written submission to the Committee provided that any such submission shall have been received by the Secretary (or such other Officer as may have been notified to the member for that purpose) not less than 48 hours before the time set for the meeting.  

8.3       A member shall be expelled on the vote of at least two thirds of the Committee then present voting in favour of his expulsion.

8.4       A member who is expelled shall not be entitled to the refund of any part of his subscription and his expulsion shall be without prejudice to any other right that the Society may have against such member.

8.5        A member who is expelled shall ipso facto cease to be a member of the Committee.

9.         Liability for members’ property

Members agree to use all reasonable diligence to protect and safeguard their personal property and agree that neither the Society nor any of its Officers shall in any circumstances be liable for any loss of or damage caused to the property of a member. 

10.       All services voluntary

No gift or payment shall be made out of the Society funds to any member for services rendered to the Society, but this rule shall not prejudice the right of a member to recover any reasonable out-of-pocket expenses or other expenditure authorised by the Committee and made or incurred by them on the Society's behalf. 

11.       Dissolution

11.1     In the event of the Society being dissolved there shall be a final meeting of the members of the Society. The members shall resolve at such meeting that the Society's remaining funds and other assets may, after the discharge of all liabilities (including any sums due to the guarantors of any loans raised by the Society), be paid or delivered to such one or more societies or associations with similar objects and in such proportions as the members shall determine.

11.2     Notwithstanding the record date under clause 10.1 the Committee and the Society shall continue in existence until such transfer shall have been completed. 

12.       Alteration of Constitution

No alteration, amendment or addition shall be made to this Constitution except by a resolution carried by a majority of at least two-thirds of the members present and entitled to vote at the general meeting at which it is proposed, notice of which shall have contained particulars of the changes proposed to be made.