Constitution
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Club Constitution

Revised and adopted 15/05/2008

  • The Club shall be called the Basingstoke Camera Club and membership shall be open to all those interested in photography.
  • The purpose of the Club is to promote the art and techniques of photography in the community through a variety of methods such as lectures, presentations, competitions and workshops. The club will also provide technical aid, assistance and the provision of any facilities required for these activities.
  • This Constitution can only be changed by an Annual General Meeting (AGM), or an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) held specifically for this purpose.
  • An AGM can only consider these changes if a copy of the proposals is supplied to the Secretary at least one month in advance of the AGM.
  • Membership of the Club implies the undertaking to comply with and abide by these rules.
  • The Club shall normally meet on Thursday evenings, from September to May.
  • An Annual General Meeting will be held on a Thursday evening before the end of May in each year (providing one months notice of the date of the AGM is given) .
  • The affairs of the Club shall be managed by the Committee elected at the Annual General Meeting. All Committee Members will be elected for a term of one year, with the exception of the President, who will be elected for a term of two years. All Committee Members will be eligible for re-election each year, with the exception of the President, who shall not be eligible to serve as President for more than two consecutive years.
  • The Committee shall be structured as follows:
  • the President
  • the immediate Past President
  • the President Elect
  • the Secretary
  • the Treasurer
  • the Programme Secretary
  • the Exhibition Secretary
  • the External Exhibition Secretary
  • the Competition Secretary
  • the Social Secretary
  • the Press Officer
  • the Webmaster
  • Committee Members (number decided at each AGM)
  • Committee Meetings shall be convened as required
  • At an Annual General Meeting a Member may propose another Member for appointment as Honorary Life Vice President. For the nomination to be accepted it must be seconded and approved by a unanimous decision of those present.
  • The Annual Subscriptions shall be fixed for the following year at each Annual General Meeting. All subscriptions are to be paid not later than 31st October each year. The Concessionary Membership will be set at 50% of the Full Membership Rate. A new Member, being elected on or after 1st January, will pay 50% of the subscription appropriate to the membership class. A new Member joining the Club after 1st April will be able to pay the full subscription appropriate to the membership class, which subscription shall remain valid for the following season. A new Member is defined as a person who has not been a member during the previous five years or, in special circumstances, for a period specified by the Committee.
  • The grades of membership are defined as:
    • Full - Any person who does not qualify for membership in the “Concessionary” category.
    • Concessionary - Any person who:
      • is receiving full time education
      • is receiving income or disability benefits
      • wishes to be associated with the Club, but cannot attend more than 10% of normal Club meetings due to work, domestic or distance reasons.
  • Note: Acceptance of Concessionary Membership as defined in 13b is at the discretion of the Committee.
  • Extraordinary General Meetings may be convened either by the Committee, or on representation of a requisition to the Secretary, stating the object of the meeting and signed by at least 25% of the paid up ordinary members, at least fourteen days before the date proposed.
  • At Committee Meetings, five shall form a quorum and at General Meetings 25% of paid up members.
  • The secretary shall keep minutes of all Annual General Meetings, Extraordinary General Meetings and Committee Meetings.
  • At all AGM’S, EGM’s or Committee Meetings a majority vote of those members present shall decide the outcome.
  • The Treasurer shall collect all subscriptions and monies due and shall make all payments necessary after authorisation by the Committee. At the close of each year a Balance Sheet shall be drawn up by the Treasurer and audited by two Ordinary Members appointed for this purpose at an ordinary meeting.
  • All club cheques must be signed by two of the four signatories (which shall be selected as necessary by the committee).
  • A Member may be expelled or asked to resign from the Club at the discretion of the Committee. The Committee can request a Member to appear before it, provided that, where any accusation or charge is made, the Member shall be given full and reasonable opportunity to put forward a defence and bring witnesses at a later meeting. Any Member expelled or asked to resign shall have the right to appeal to an Extraordinary General Meeting called for that purpose.
  • All Committee proceedings and those of any Extraordinary General Meeting called under Rule 14 shall be treated as privileged and confidential.
  • The name of any Member whose subscription is not paid by 31st October each year may be removed from the list of members by order of the Committee.
  • A Member not in arrear of subscription may resign at any time by notifying the Secretary of the desire to do so.
  • Competitions and Exhibitions shall be run in accordance with competition and exhibition rules as agreed by an Annual General Meeting. These rules may only be changed or amended by an Annual /Extraordinary General Meeting or the committee.
  • In the event of a dissolution of the Club an Extraordinary General Meeting shall be called at which a liquidator(s) shall be appointed.
  • The liquidator(s) shall first offer the Club’s equipment to Camera Clubs/Photographic Societies in the area so that it can be of continued use to the community and will then make a decision on the disposal of the assets of the Club.

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