1 NAME
The Society shall be called The Surbiton and District Bird Watching Society, hereinafter referred to as the Society.
2 OBJECTS
The objects of the Society shall be to advance the education of the public in the knowledge, understanding and appreciation of ornithology, birds and bird study. In furtherance of the foregoing objects, but not further or otherwise, the Society shall have the power;
a) to promote the study and protection of wild birds by means of meetings, informative talks, lectures, field outings, surveys and exhibitions;
b) to organise and co-operate in the formation and maintenance of nature reserves;
c) to rent and purchase properties and equipment;
d) to invest the moneys of the Society not immediately required for its purposes in or upon such investments, securities or properties as may be authorised by law.
The Society shall be non-political and non-profit making. Non-political means that the Society shall not espouse the cause of any political party.
3 MEMBERSHIP
a) Membership is open to any person who will support the objects of the Society.
b) Honorary Life Membership may be conferred on a Member in recognition of his/her outstanding service to the Society. Recommendations for Honorary Life Member shall be submitted by the Committee to an Annual General Meeting for approval.
c) The Society may have an Honorary Life President who shall be an ex-officio Member of all Committees. Recommendations for Honorary Life President shall be submitted by the Committee to an Annual General Meeting for approval.
4 MANAGEMENT OF THE SOCIETY
a) The Society shall be managed by an elected Committee consisting of Officers (Honorary Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer) and not more than twelve Ordinary Members. Ordinary Committee Members may serve not more than three consecutive years but shall then be eligible for re-election.
b) The Honorary Chairman shall not hold this office for more than three consecutive years.
c) Not fewer than four members shall form a quorum.
d) The Officers and Ordinary Committee Members shall be elected at each Annual General Meeting, by ballot if necessary. The Committee may, when necessary, co-opt a Member to fill a vacancy on the Committee, or for a specific purpose.
e) Any member of the Committee who fails to attend four Committee Meetings in the twelve months immediately following an Annual General Meeting shall be deemed to have retired from the Committee as from the end of that period, unless absence is due to illness, and shall not be eligible for re-election for the following twelve months.
f) The Society shall not be run for the private profit of a Member or Members. Any balance at the end of the year shall be carried over and devoted to furthering the objects of the Society.
g) The Officers and Members of the Society shall not receive payment either direct or indirect for their services, other than payment for reasonable out of pocket expenses.
h) The Society shall not be wound up except by a Resolution of three-quarters of those present at a Special General Meeting called for that purpose. In the event of a winding-up, the remaining funds of the Society shall not be distributed among the Members, but shall be devoted to charitable objects similar to those of the Society or to other purposes approved by the Charity Commissioners.
5 NOMINATIONS FOR COMMITTEE
All nominations for the Committee shall be in writing and in the hands of the Secretary by a date to be decided by the Committee, such date to be at least twenty-one days before the date of the Annual General Meeting, and shall be signed by two Members as proposer and seconder, and by the nominee, signifying consent to his, or her, candidature.
6 FINANCIAL YEAR
The financial year of the Society shall end on the 31st. July of each year, when the Accounts of the Society shall be balanced and independently reviewed and assessed.
7 SUBSCRIPTIONS
a) The annual subscription shall be determined at an Annual General Meeting or at a Special General Meeting.
b) The full annual subscription shall be due and payable on joining the Society; thereafter, it shall be due and payable on the 1st. August each year.
c) Members joining after 30th April shall pay the full annual subscription which shall cover their membership up to 31st July in the following year.
d) Any Member whose current year’s subscription remains unpaid at the end of the day of the Annual General Meeting shall cease to be a Member.
8 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The Annual General Meeting shall be held not later than the third Tuesday in November for the following purposes
a) To confirm the Minutes of the last Annual General Meeting.
b) To receive from the Secretary a report on the activities of the Society during the past year.
c) To receive the statement of independently reviewed Accounts for the last financial year.
d) To elect the Chairman of the Society, Secretary, Treasurer and Ordinary Members of the Committee as provided in Rule 4.
e) To discuss and take decisions on Motions submitted by the Members.
f) Any other business.
9 MOTIONS
Motions for submission to the Annual General Meeting shall be in writing and in the hands of the Secretary by a date to be decided by the Committee, such date to be at least twenty-one days before the date of the Annual General Meeting, and shall be signed by the Proposer and by the Seconder. At the Annual General Meeting any Motion shall be decided by show of hands. In the case of an equality of votes, the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote.
10 NOTIFICATION
Notification of the date and place of the Annual General Meeting, and of the closing date for receipt by the Secretary of nominations and motions, shall be in the hands of the Membership at least ten weeks before the date of the Annual General Meeting. Notification of nominations for Officers and other Committee Members and of any business, including motions, shall be in the hands of the Membership at least seven days before the date of the Annual General Meeting.
11 SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING
a) A Special General Meeting of the Society may be called by the Committee, or when requested, in writing, by not fewer than twenty Members.
b) Notification of the Meeting and of the business to be transacted shall be in the hands of the Membership at least seven days before the date of the Special General Meeting.
12 ALTERATION OF RULES
No alteration of Rules by addition, amendment or rescission shall be made except at an Annual or Special General Meeting of the Society, provided also that the motion be supported by at least two thirds of the Members present at the meeting. No amendment of Section 2, this Section and Clauses f, g, and h of Section 4 is permissible.
13 AFFILIATIONS
The Society may be affiliated to any appropriate organisation(s) on the recommendation of the Committee, subject to approval at a monthly Indoor Meeting of Members.
21 January 2020