CONSTITUTION OF THE ARNSIDE AND DISTRICT NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY
- The Society shall be called the Arnside and District Natural History Society.
- The Society is an unincorporated organisation and is not a registered charity.
- The aims of the Society are to provide for the fullest appreciation of all natural history subjects and to support conservation in the interests of wildlife, including protection of habitats and the local landscape.
- The Annual Subscription which is due and payable on 1st September shall be determined by the members at the Annual General Meeting. If membership fees had not been paid after three reminders, having been sent , by the end of December in any one year , that person's membership would be deemed cancelled.
- The Officers of the Society shall consist of Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, Programme Co-ordinator, Membership Secretary and Treasurer.
- The Management of the Society shall be delegated to a Committee consisting of the Officers and three Ordinary Members .The Committee shall have the power to fill casual vacancies until the next Annual General Meeting and also to co-opt not more than two additional members. Committee decisions will be determined by a majority vote with the Chair having a second or casting vote.
- The Committee shall appoint such Recorders as seem appropriate. Such Recorders may attend Committee meetings by invitation, but not vote at same.
- The Committee may appoint a Website Manager, who may attend Committee meetings by invitation, but not vote at same.
- The Annual General Meeting shall be held during the month of April. A report on the past year’s activities shall be given by the Chair and the audited accounts shall be presented by the Treasurer. The accounts shall run from March 1st to the last day of February.
- Any member may call an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Society on notice to the Secretary of the issues to be discussed and with the written support of at least ten other members. The Extraordinary General Meeting must take place within eight weeks of receipt of the request by the Secretary .Members must be notified of the date and purpose of any Extraordinary General Meeting at least two weeks prior to the date of the meeting. The committee may call an Extraordinary General Meeting with the above notice but without ten members support whenever deemed necessary.
- The Officers, Members of the Committee and the Auditor (not being a committee member) shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting.
- The Chair shall not hold office as Chair for more than three consecutive years
- The maximum term of office for any other Officer shall be three consecutive years .This may be extended in exceptional circumstances to a maximum of five consecutive years if agreed at the relevant Annual General Meetings
- Committee members, other than the officers, may not serve for more than three consecutive years and shall not be eligible for re-election for at least one year after retirement.
- Membership of the Society shall be open to any person approved by the Committee.
- Non-members may be allowed to attend Society activities on payment of any fees as determined at an Annual General Meeting.
- The Constitution may only be changed at the Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Society. Agenda items and motions should be submitted to the Secretary twenty one days before the date set for the Annual General Meeting.
- No business shall be transacted at a meeting of the Committee unless at least five members are present.
- All voting at any meeting shall be by show of hands and resolved by a majority of those present.
- Honorary Life Members shall be nominated by the Committee and ratified at an Annual General Meeting.
- The Society may appoint a President at an Annual General Meeting. The President shall hold office for a maximum of five consecutive years and shall be entitled to attend but not vote at Committee meetings.
- Should the Society cease to exist any assets shall be given to another society sharing similar objectives following approval by the members at an Annual or Extraordinary General meeting.
Latest version, as approved at April 2023 AGM.