Constitution of St Ives Photographic Club [Revision May 2022]
1. TITLE
The club shall be called the St Ives Photographic Club, hereinafter referred to as “the Club”.
2. AIMS
To encourage knowledge and proficiency in the art of photography and provide a stimulus for the fellowship and recreation of its members by friendly exchange of ideas, mutual assistance and an appropriate programme of lectures, competitions, exhibitions and other suitable events.
3. AFFILIATION
The Club shall be affiliated to the Photographic Alliance of Great Britain (PAGB) through the East Anglian Federation of Photographic Societies (EAF).
4. MEMBERSHIP
4.1. Membership is open, on payment of an annual subscription, to all who are interested in photography and who agree to support the Club’s aims.
4.2. Annual subscriptions are due on 1st September (see also 11.2).
4.3. Any member whose subscription is unpaid on 30th September shall be removed from the Club’s membership register.
4.4. A member may be asked to resign from the Club at the discretion of the Committee, which must show just cause. Before such action is taken the member will be given an opportunity to discuss the problem with the President or a person nominated by the President.
4.5. Any member wishing to resign should notify the Honorary Secretary.
5. FINANCE
5.1. Annual subscription rates and membership categories shall be determined by the Annual General Meeting.
5.2. A banking account shall be maintained in the Club’s name. Cheques drawn on this account shall be signed by any two of three officers nominated by the Committee and notified to the bank. One of those so nominated shall be the Honorary Treasurer. All unbudgeted expenditure must be approved by the Committee.
5.3. The accounting year runs from 1st April to 31st March the following year. The Club’s accounts shall be independently examined or audited annually. A financial statement drawn up by the Honorary Treasurer and approved by an independent examiner or auditor shall be presented to the Annual General Meeting.
6. MANAGEMENT
6.1. The day-to-day affairs of the Club shall be the responsibility of a Committee of 7 officers and up to 5 other members to fulfil the remaining functions. The 7 officers shall be the President, Vice-President, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, Programme Secretary, Internal Competition Secretary and External Competition Secretary.
6.2 Members will be elected to either an officer or committee position after being nominated in advance of an Annual General Meeting (see section 9.3), and voted into position by a majority of members present by a show of hands. Once duly elected, club officers will stand for a period of three years after which time they are to offer themselves up for re-election and committee members will stand for one year after which time they are to offer themselves up for re-election. Club officers and committee members are to stand down after a period of six years and can only offer themselves up for re-election annually thereafter if no other member is nominated for their specific position.
6.3. The Committee shall meet at least every two months. Five members shall constitute a quorum.
6.4. The Committee shall have the power to fill any vacancy which may occur during the year, and appoint sub-committees or working groups and co-opt members for special purposes deemed necessary for the smooth running of the Club.
6.5. The Committee shall have the power, by resolution carried by a majority of two-thirds, to remove from office any Committee member for persistent non-attendance of meetings or failing to carry out the duties of office.
6.6. At any Committee or General Meeting decisions shall be by simple majority of those present. The chairman will only vote if no simple majority is achieved.
6.7. Minutes shall be kept of the proceedings of all General Meetings and meetings of the Committee and its sub-committees, and displayed on the Club’s notice board as soon as practicable.
7. EMERGENCIES
The Committee is empowered to deal with any matter arising unexpectedly that is not specifically covered by the Constitution. In an emergency the President may make an executive decision after consulting key officers of the Club. Any such decision must be reported to the Committee at its next meeting.
8. ORDINARY MEETINGS
The normal Club season runs from the beginning of September to April/May the following year. Meetings during this period shall normally be held on Tuesdays at 8pm at the Free Church or at such other times and venues as the Committee may decide. Other events and activities may be organised during the year.
9. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
9.1. An Annual General Meeting shall be held within 6 weeks of the end of the Club’s financial year.
9.2. The business of the AGM shall include the minutes of the previous AGM, the annual report of the Committee, the President’s report, consideration and approval of the accounts, the election of officers and other Committee members, members’ proposals, and any other business.
9.3. Members must be notified in writing of the AGM at least 21 days prior to the date of the AGM. Nominations for election to the Committee and proposals must be notified to the Honorary Secretary in writing at least 14 days before the date of the meeting. Members must be notified of the agenda, detailing nominations and proposals and other items must be sent with the notice convening the meeting to members not less than 7 days before the meeting. Amendments to proposals can be tabled at any time prior to the vote on the substantive motion. If tabled before the AGM, amendments must be in writing. Amendments may, at the President’s sole discretion, be tabled verbally during the AGM Notification may be by any combination of: (a) posting on the club noticeboard, (b) posting on the club website; (c) email to the member’s notified email address or (d) letter.
9.4. In the event of nominations for any particular Committee post not being notified in accordance with Rule 9.3, any such nomination may be accepted at the Annual General Meeting.
9.5. No business shall be transacted at any General Meeting unless a quorum is present. A quorum for this purpose is one-quarter of the total paid-up membership of the Club.
10. SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING
If requested by the Committee, or on receipt of a written request signed by at least one-quarter of the paid-up membership, the Secretary shall convene a Special General Meeting as soon as reasonably possible giving members at least 7 days’ notice. No business other than that specified in the notice of the meeting shall be transacted.
11. RULES
11.1. Club competitions are governed by rules drawn up by the Committee and approved by the membership as a whole.
11.2. No member may enter a competition unless his/her subscription is paid.
11.3. No alteration to the Constitution or the competition rules shall be made except at an AGM or a Special General Meeting called for that purpose when the proposed alteration must be specified in the notice convening the meeting.
11.4. Members must be furnished with an up-to-date copy of the Constitution and the competition rules together with the current Club programme.
12. DISSOLUTION
12.1. Should the active membership of the Club fall to such a point that the Officers of the Club consider that it is no longer able to fulfill its purpose, a special general winding-up meeting will be convened by the Secretary giving at least 28 days’ notice. Those attending the meeting shall constitute a quorum.
12.2. If a simple majority of all members, in person or by post, decides that the Club shall be wound up, the meeting shall appoint at least 3 Trustees to oversee the winding-up process and the disposal of the Club’s assets.
12.3. The Club’s assets shall be disposed of as follows:
(a) All outstanding debts to be settled.
(b) The remaining assets to be retained for at least 6 months to enable attempts to be made to re-form the Club.
(c) If the Club is not re-formed after 6 months, then all equipment and other assets will be disposed of at the discretion of the Trustees and all proceeds, together with any cash and bank or building society deposits, will be given to another organisation having similar aims or to a charity or charities of the Trustees’ choice.
(d) An account of the disposal of the Club’s assets will be provided by the Trustees to all who were members at the time of the winding-up.