Melbourn & District Photographic Club Constitution
(Revised March 2015)
1. The Club shall be called Melbourn & District Photographic Club.
2. The Club is open to all over the age of 18. Persons / Students under this age are welcome but must have written parental consent and/or be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
3. The objective of the Club shall be the practice and promotion of photography amongst its members by the demonstration of processes and methods, by the delivery of lectures relating to photography, by the promotion of outings and exhibitions of photographic work and by competition events judged by trained, external judges. The Club will seek opportunities to support other organisations in the area, such as supporting local Fetes and Exhibitions as well as in publicising Club Events in local magazines and Newsletters.
4. The management shall be vested in a Committee consisting of Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, Programme / Competition Secretary (which may be shared roles), Webmaster and up to 3 ordinary members. Four members of a Committee shall form a quorum. The Committee is empowered to elect appropriate Sub Committees or other specific roles as and when necessary. All members of the committee will be drawn from the membership of the club.
5. An Examiner shall be elected annually to audit the club accounts.
6. Elections to the Committee shall be held at the Annual General Meeting. Nominations for the committee may be made to the Secretary before the meeting, or at the meeting.
7. The Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held at a date within 3 weeks prior to the end of a season. All members will be notified in writing at least 3 weeks before the date of the AGM, giving the venue, date and time. The quorum for the Annual General Meeting will be 10% of the membership or 10 members, whichever is the greater number.
8. The financial year shall end at 30th June. The Treasurer shall submit Provisional Accounts to the AGM and will circulate audited accounts to all members by the end of July.
9. An EGM shall be called:
(a) When the Committee deem it necessary.
(b) On a requisition being presented to the Secretary stating the matter to be discussed and signed by at least twelve ordinary members.
The Secretary shall give members at least seven days Notice of an EGM, stating the matter to be discussed. The quorum for an EGM will be 10% of the membership or 10 members, whichever is the greater number.
10. In the absence of the Chairperson the meeting shall elect a temporary Chair.
11. A motion or proposal will be deemed to be carried at an AGM or EGM if a majority of members present vote in favour.
12. The annual subscription rates shall be determined at each AGM. Note that this may include different rates for single members, family membership, those of state pensionable age, students and members joining during the season, or other rates as determined at the AGM.
13. Subscriptions shall be payable on admission to membership and thereafter by the end of September each year. New Members may be exempt from payment for a trial period of no more than 4 weeks. Members shall only be eligible to enter competitions and exhibitions sponsored by the Club if they have paid their annual subscription.
14. Any member who has not paid their annual subscription by 31st October shall be deemed to have resigned from the Club, except at the discretion of the Committee.
15. Any member changing address, email address or telephone number must notify the change to the Secretary, otherwise all notices sent to the old address shall be held as duly delivered.
16. Member’s personal information will be held securely by the committee and will only be used for communication, accounting and the development of the club’s programme. Personal information will not be available on the club website, club programme or to non-committee members. Member’s information will be deleted if they confirm that they have left the Club.
17. The Committee shall have power to expel any member whose conduct or behaviour is in opposition to the well being and good name of the Club and its members.
18. The Club shall normally meet at 7.30 pm on Tuesdays from Sept to March and may also meet during the summer on dates to be arranged by the Committee. The Committee shall have power to alter the date and time of meetings as may seem desirable and necessary. They shall also have the power to arrange lectures, outings, extra meetings, intra- & inter-club competitions and exhibitions.
19. The Committee will devise and publish an annual Programme of events. This will be made available to members via the club website and / or hard copy.
20. The primary means of communication to members will be via email or via the club website. For this reason members are encouraged to provide a valid email address to the Secretary.
21. Each member may introduce friends or family to any meeting or outing (excluding business meetings). The Committee shall have the power to limit this facility if necessary. Appropriate charges may be levied on non-members attending Club Events as deemed appropriate by the Committee.
22. The Rules and Regulations contained herein shall be equally binding on all members.
23. These Rules can only be altered by a two-thirds majority of those attending the AGM or a EGM. Any member desiring to propose any alterations in, or addition to these Rules, may do so by submitting the terms of the motion, in writing, to the Secretary three weeks before the AGM or by requisitioning an EGM in terms of Rule 9.
24. In the event that the club has to cease, then the funds that are left after reimbursement of creditors will be divided equally between all the current members at that time.
Adopted at the Club AGM held 31st March 2015