CHEAM CAMERA CLUB – CONSTITUTION

TITLE

to promote the art and science of photography.
to provide a meeting place for those interested in photography, together with technical advice and assistance to members.
to make the enjoyment of photography accessible to the wider community.

Membership shall be open to all upon application and payment of the annual subscription or, for new members joining after September, an amount proportional to the remaining part of the club year.
The club year shall run from 1 September.
Membership of the club implies the undertaking to comply with and abide by the club constitution and its competition rules.
The annual subscription for the following year shall be fixed by the annual general meeting. Subscriptions shall not be refundable.
Membership will lapse automatically should such subscription fall more than three months in arrears, but may be redeemed by full payment of the annual subscription.

The officers shall consist of a Chair, a Secretary and a Treasurer to be elected at the annual general meeting of the club.
The affairs of the club shall be managed by a committee consisting of the officers of the club and a minimum of six other members all to be elected annually at the annual general meeting or co-opted by the committee.
Nominees for committee membership shall be nominated and seconded. This may be from the floor at the annual general meeting or by prior written notification to the Secretary.
At a committee meeting five shall form a quorum and at a general meeting twelve members.

The Secretary shall keep minutes of all meetings and conduct the correspondence of the club.
The Treasurer shall collect all subscriptions and moneys due. The Treasurer shall pay out all duly authorised costs incurred in running of the club. At the end of each club year the Treasurer shall prepare an income and expenditure account together with a balance sheet and shall present them to the Auditor for review. The Treasurer shall present the audited accounts to the following annual general meeting for approval.

A member not in arrears of subscription may resign at any time by notifying the Secretary of his/her desire to do so.
Membership ceases automatically under clause 7.
Any member may be expelled or asked to resign from the club at the decision of the committee. The committee can request any member to appear before it, provided that where any charge or accusation is made, the member shall be given full and reasonable opportunity to put forward a defence and call witnesses at a later meeting. Any member expelled or asked to resign shall have the right of appeal to a special general meeting of the club convened for that purpose. All committee proceedings and those of any special general meeting called under this rule shall be treated as privileged and confidential.

The club shall be affiliated to such regional and/or national federations and alliances as will benefit the club membership. Affiliation fees shall be automatically incorporated in the annual subscription.

The club may be dissolved only by a special general meeting at which 75% of those present vote for dissolution, this number exceeding 67% of the then current membership.
If the club members have voted for dissolution, the committee shall appoint a Liquidator to dispose of the club’s assets.
After meeting all recognised liabilities the Liquidator shall pass any remaining assets to a voluntary organisation having aims similar to those of the club.

The officers shall organise an annual general meeting of the club, and give members not less than 4 weeks’ notice of the meeting.
At the annual general meeting members shall be given the opportunity

All motions or amendments shall be proposed and seconded by club members and sent in writing to the Secretary 3 weeks before the date of the annual general meeting. The Secretary shall publish such motions or amendments at least 2 weeks before the meeting. Written objections to motions and amendments shall be considered at the meeting.

All members present at a meeting who have a right to be present shall be entitled to vote on any issue. Proxy votes will be accepted if in writing and signed. The Chair shall not vote except to exercise his/her casting vote.

The committee may call a special general meeting at any time provided that notice of the meeting and the agenda are sent in writing to each member at least 3 weeks in advance of the meeting, except in the case of a meeting called under clause 26.
The committee shall call a special general meeting if requested by one-third of the total membership, provided that 3 weeks’ notice is given to the committee in writing, signed by one-third of the total membership, and the committee shall give the members the agenda not less than 2 weeks before the meeting.
At a special general meeting only business included on the agenda may be discussed.

Current as of January 2018
Last Revised – 22 November 2006