THE ESSEX
DAHLIA SOCIETY
CONSTITUTION AND RULES
ADOPTED NOVEMBER 2007
(As amended 07.03.09, 14.03.15 & 07.05.16)
The Essex Dahlia Society
Constitution and Rules
1. NAME
1.1 The name of the organisation shall be The Essex Dahlia Society hereinafter referred to as “the Society”
2. OBJECTS
2.1 The objects of the Society are to encourage improve and extend the cultivation of the dahlia
3. AFFILIATION
3.1 The Society shall be affiliated to the National Dahlia Society
3.2 All competitions exhibitions and shows staged by the Society shall be conducted in accordance with the rules for the time being of the National Dahlia Society
3.3 The Committee may from time to time elect one of its number to represent and vote on behalf of the Society at any general meeting of the National Dahlia Society
4. PROPERTY OF THE SOCIETY
4.1 The Society must apply all property and income of the Society towards the promotion of the objects. No part of that property or income is to be paid or otherwise distributed directly or indirectly howsoever except in good faith and in the promotion of the objects of the Society
5. MEMBERSHIP
5.1 Membership shall be open to any person who wishes to further the interests and objects of the Society
5.2 Each person admitted to membership shall be
5.2.1 Bound by the constitution and bylaws of the Society
5.2.2 Liable for such fees and subscriptions as may be fixed by the Committee
5.3 Membership categories
5.3.1 President: the Society shall have one president who shall be elected at the annual general meeting.
5.3.2 Life Vice-Presidents: the Society may at its discretion and in general meetings elect Life Vice-Presidents of the Society. Life Vice-Presidents may be elected for exceptional service to the
Society and shall remain in office without re-election
5.3.3 Vice-presidents: the Society may at its discretion and in general meetings elect Vice-Presidents of the Society who shall remain in office until the Annual General Meeting next following their appointment whereupon they shall be eligible for re-election
5.3.4 The President, Life Vice-Presidents and Vice-President/s shall be regarded as full members of the Society with all appropriate privileges with power to attend and vote at general meetings.
5.3.5 Life Members: such Life Members as there are as at the date of adoption of this constitution shall remain Life Members of the Society with all appropriate privileges and power to attend and
vote at general meetings. No new Life Member shall hereafter be created
5.3.6 Ordinary member: any person who has been granted membership of the Society upon payment of the appropriate subscription.
5.3.7 Affiliated societies or clubs: the Society shall accept applications from any other society desirous of becoming an affiliated club or society. Each affiliated club or society may appoint or elect a delegate to attend general meetings of the Society. Such delegates shall not have the power to vote
6. TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP
6.1 Any person’s membership may be terminated by the following events
6.1.1. Resignation
6.1.2 Expulsion
6.1.3 A member’s annual membership fee remaining unpaid for five months after falling due
6.2 The Committee shall have the power to suspend or expel any member of the Society for
6.2.1 Breach of any rule regulation or bylaw of the Society
6.2.2 Any act detrimental to the Society after having undertaken due enquiry
6.3 Any member who is expelled or suspended shall have the right of appeal against their suspension or expulsion by presenting their case to a general meeting called for such purpose and the decision of the general meeting shall be final
7. MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
7.1 Management of the Society shall be vested in a management committee (throughout this document referred to as “the Committee”) and shall consist of:
7.1.1 Chairman
7.1.2 Secretary
7.1.3 Treasurer
7.1.4 Up to 6 committee members
7.2 No person shall hold more than one of the offices of Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer at any one time.
7.3 A quorum of the Committee shall be half of its members plus one
7.4 A member of the Committee may lose his or her seat on the Committee if absent from three or more consecutive Committee meetings without leave of absence
7.5 The President and any Vice-President may attend meetings of the Committee
7.6 Members of the Committee shall remain in post until the Annual General Meeting next following their election and shall be eligible for re-election
8. POWERS OF THE COMMITTEE
8.1 The Committee shall carry out the day to day running of the Society and (by way of example but not by way of limitation) shall have the power to:
8.1.1 Administer the finances, appoint bankers, and direct the opening of banking accounts for specific purposes and to transfer funds from one account to another, and to close any such account
8.1.2 Fix the manner in which such banking accounts shall be operated, provided the Committee passes all payments
8.1.3 Fix fees and subscriptions payable by members and decide such charges as are deemed necessary and advisable
8.1.4 Adjudicate on all matters brought before it which may in any way affect the Society
8.1.5 Cause minutes to be made of all proceedings at meetings of the Committee and general meetings of members
8.1.6 Make amend and rescind rulings and bylaws
8.1.7 Form and appoint any sub-committee/s as required for specific purposes (which may comprise non-Committee members)
8.1.8 Approve the appointment of a member to maintain an up-to-date register of members of the Society
8.1.9 In the event of a vacancy appoint a successor until the next annual general meeting
9. AUDITOR
9.1 An auditor shall be appointed each year by the Committee who shall not have taken part in any Committee meetings in the period to be audited
9.2 The auditor shall examine all the books and accounts of the Society annually and have the power to call for all books papers accounts receipts etc. of the Society and report thereon to the Annual General Meeting
10. GENERAL MEETINGS
10.1 Annual general meeting
10.1.1 The annual general meeting of the Society shall be held in or about May each year (usually at the Annual Plant Sale)
10.1.2 The secretary shall give at least 14 days notice of the date of the annual general meeting to members and the secretary of affiliated societies
10.1.3 The quorum at the annual general meeting shall be a minimum of 10 members which shall not include any delegates from affiliated societies. If at the end of 30 minutes after the time
appointed in the notice for the opening of the meeting there be no quorum the meeting shall stand and adjourn for such period as the Committee may determine not greater than 3 weeks. If at
such meeting there is no quorum those members present shall be competent to discharge the business of the meeting
10.1.4 The agenda for and business of the Annual General Meeting shall be given to members together with notice of the meeting and any notices of motion proposed by the Committee
10.1.5 Notices of motion proposed by members other than the Committee to be considered at the annual general meeting shall only be considered and voted upon provided such are received in writing by the secretary not later than 7 days prior to the date of the annual general meeting. If any such notice is received a copy shall be sent to all members and the secretary of affiliated societies
10.1.6 Notice of motion shall not be accepted from an affiliated society
10.2 General meeting
10.2.1 General meetings may be called by the Committee or at the request of the president or chairman or on the written request of 10 members of the Society or on the request of a member expelled or suspended in accordance with paragraph 6.3
10.2.2 The secretary shall give at least 14 days notice in writing of the date of the general meeting to the members and the secretary of affiliated societies. Notice of general meetings shall set out clearly the business for which the meeting has been called. No other business shall be dealt with at that general meeting
10.2.3 The quorum at the general meeting shall be a minimum of 10 members which shall not include any delegate/s from affiliated societies
10.2.4 An affiliated society shall not be allowed to call for a general meeting nor in anyway join with other members in requesting a general meeting
11. VOTING
11.1 Voting powers at general meetings
11.1.1 The chairman shall be entitled to a deliberative vote and in the event of a tied vote the chairman shall exercise a casting vote except that in the event of a tied vote in the election of the chairman the casting vote shall be exercised by the president
11.1.2 Each member present shall have one vote
11.1.3 Proxy voting shall not be allowed
11.1.4 Delegates of affiliated societies shall not have the right to vote
11.2 Voting powers at Committee meetings
11.2.1 The chairman shall be entitled to a deliberative vote and in the event of a tied vote the chairman shall exercise a casting vote
11.2.2 Each individual committee member present shall have one vote
11.2.3 The Patron, President and any Life Vice-President present shall each have one vote
11.2.4 Proxy voting shall not be allowed
12. FINANCE
12.1 All funds of the Society shall be deposited into the Society’s account at such bank or recognised financial institution as the Committee may determine
12.2 All accounts due by the Society shall be paid (by cheque if possible) after having been passed for payment at a Committee meeting and when immediate payment is necessary, account/s shall be paid and the action endorsed at the next Committee meeting
12.3 Petty cash may be maintained by the treasurer in a sum not exceeding £100.00 or such other reasonable sum as shall from time to time be approved by the Committee.
12.4 A statement showing the financial position of the Society shall be tabled at each Committee meeting by the treasurer
12.5 A statement of annual income and expenditure together with current assets and liabilities shall be submitted to the annual general meeting. The auditors report shall be attached to such financial report
12.6 The financial year of the Society shall commence on 1st November each year.
12.7 The accounts books and all financial records of the Society shall be audited each year
12.8 The signatories to the Society’s account/s will be any two of the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer
12.9 All property and income of the Society shall apply solely to the promotion of the objects of the Society and no part of that property or income shall be paid or otherwise distributed directly or indirectly to members except in good faith in the promotion of these objects
13. ALTERATIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
13.1 No alteration repeal or addition shall be made to the constitution except at the annual general meeting or general meeting called for that purpose and notice of all motions to alter repeal or add to the constitution shall be sent to members at least 14 days prior to the annual general meeting or general meeting called for such purpose.
13.2 Alterations to by-laws can be made only at Committee meetings
13.3 Motions, or any part thereof, shall be of no effect unless passed by a simple majority of those present and entitled to vote at any general meeting or Committee meeting as the case may be
13.4 Motion to dissolve shall be treated as a special case and dealt with below
14. DISSOLUTION
14.1 A motion to dissolve the Society shall be of no effect unless passed by an 80% majority of those present and entitled to vote at a general meeting
14.2 If on the dissolution of the Society any property of the Society remains after satisfaction of the debts and liabilities of the Society and the costs charges and expenses of the dissolution that property shall be distributed:
14.2.1 To another society having objects similar to those of the Society or
14.2.2 For charitable purposes such distribution to be approved by a simple majority of the membership
15. EVENTUALITY
15.1 Any eventuality not adequately catered for by this constitution shall in the first instance be dealt with and adjudicated by the Committee
15.2 Any significant eventuality shall be reported upon by the chairman at the next annual general meeting