RULES
Name
1. The name of the Society is 'THE
MINSTERS' RAIL CAMPAIGN'.
Aims and Objectives
2.1 The object of the Society is to promote and sustain both the
restoration of the railway line between Hull and York via Beverley, and the
operation of train services on it. In furtherance of this but
not otherwise, the Society may do all such lawful acts or things as are
incidental to the attainment of that object, as far as may be necessary or
desirable to do such in collaboration with any person, body, institution,
authority or otherwise.
In particular, the Society may;
2.1.1 Recruit members, hold meetings
for them, issue a regular newsletter, and provide news items to newspapers and
other journals and public relations material.
2.1.2 If considered beneficial, secure
the registration of the Society as a charity.
2.1.3 Promote, the obtaining by any relevant bodies of demand studies,
feasibility studies, impact statements,
and all necessary planning and other approvals (including at the appropriate
time, an order under the Transport and Works Act by which to build and operate
the railway).
2.1.4 Seek funding by grants or
donations from any appropriate source to facilitate the above.
Membership
3.1 Any
person aged 18 or over who supports the objectives of the Society may apply to
become a Member. Persons between 14 and 18 may become Junior Members, but are
not entitled to vote at meetings of the Society. Family Membership can include
Member, spouse, and all children under 14; it entitles the holders to one vote
only at meetings.
3.2 The annual subscription for each
class of membership may be decided from time to time by the Committee and must
be ratified by the Annual General Meeting; Junior Members, Members eligible for
State retirement benefits, and unemployed Members, paying a lower subscription.
3.3 All subscriptions will cover
Twelve Months.
3.4
Any member may terminate his/her membership at any
time by written notice to the Secretary.
3.5 The
Society may offer one Presidency, up to four Vice Presidencies, and any number
of Honorary Membership to such persons as are considered worthy by reason of
their actual or prospective contributions to the objects and work of the
Society; they will have the same eligibility as ordinary Members in the affairs
of the Society. Such members will be elected by their names being proposed and
seconded at an Annual General Meeting and endorsed by at least three-fourths of
the members present.
3.6 The
Society reserves the right to refuse membership to an applicant whom the
Committee considers undesirable or whose aims are considered by the Committee
to be at variance with the aims and objectives of the Society . The Committee
may discontinue the membership of any Member if in its absolute discretion the
Committee considers this to be in the interests of the Society, provided that
any such member shall, in a written notice, be offered a reasonable opportunity
to be heard by the Committee before a decision is made, or, without hearing any
member whose subscription is eight weeks or more in arrears.
Management
4.1 The management of the Society
shall be vested in a Committee. Only persons who are members of the Society
shall be eligible to hold office as a Member of the Committee. The first
Committee was elected by the votes the
Members present at the Inaugural Meeting on 27th February 2004.
4.2 The
Committee has a maximum of 8 members; at each Annual General Meeting a third of
the Committee members (rounded up to the nearest whole number) retire in
rotation and are eligible for re-election. If a vacancy occurs, the Committee
may co-opt a Member to fill it until the next A.G.M. when he/she must stand for
election.
4.3 The
Committee elects one of its number to be Chairman, and others to be
Vice-Chairman, Honorary Secretary, and Honorary Treasurer. Other posts to be
filled by Committee members will include Membership Secretary, Newsletter
Editor, Publicity Officer, and Fund-Raising Officer.
4.4
The Committee may set up sub-Committees to deal with
specific items: it, or the sub-Committees, may invite persons who are not
themselves members of the Committee to assist them with specialist expertise,
and to attend meetings of the Committee. Decisions or actions of a
sub-Committee must be ratified by the main Committee.
4.5 The Hon.
Treasurer shall keep accounts of all monies received and expended on account of
the Society, and shall present such accounts at the A.G.M. Banking accounts
shall be opened on behalf of the Society and all cheques drawn on them shall
require the signatures of at least two authorised members of the Committee. The
Financial Year of the Society shall end on 27 February in each year. The Accounts
for each Financial Year must be made available for inspection on reasonable
request by members of the Committee or any competent authority during that
Financial Year and for at least six years thereafter. They will be audited by a
qualified accountant, or some other person qualified by experience (who may be
a member of the Society or another member of the Committee) before each A.G.M.
The findings of the audit will be reported to the A.G.M. The Committee will
choose the Auditor by majority vote and members of the Committee other than the
Auditor will fix the remuneration and other terms of appointment of the
Auditor.
4.6
Decisions of the Committee will be made by majority vote of those
present: in the event of a tie, the Chairman has the Casting Vote. Four members
shall constitute a quorum.
4.7 The members may, by a resolution passed by a majority of at
least two-thirds of those members present and voting at an Extraordinary
General Meeting, remove a Committee member, before the expiration of his or her
term of office, and may elect a successor to complete the term of office.
4.8 A
Committee member must not be remunerated for being or acting as a Committee
member but a Committee member must be reimbursed by the Society out of any
funds held by the Hon Treasurer for all reasonable expenses necessarily and
properly incurred by the Committee member in conducting the affairs of the
Society if and to the extent that the Committee has given prior written
approval both to the incurring of such expenses and to such reimbursement.
Annual General Meetings and
Extraordinary General Meetings
5.1 An Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held each year,
and always within 13 months of the previous A.G.M.; twenty-one days notice of
the Meeting must be sent to all Members. It is called to receive the Report of
the Committee, approve the Accounts, elect Committee members, decide the
subscriptions, and consider any resolutions proposed.
5.2 Nominations for election to
the Committee must be proposed and seconded by Members, and countersigned by
the nominee as willing to stand; they must be received by the Honorary
Secretary at least 7 days before the A.G.M.
5.3 Members may put forward
resolutions to be discussed and voted on at an A.G.M.; these must be received
by the Secretary at least 7 days before the Meeting, signed by the proposer and
seconder.
5.4 A minimum of 20% of the
Membership shall constitute a quorum at the A.G.M. In the event of a quorum not
being reached, the meeting shall be adjourned to such place, date, and time
within the ensuing 21 days as the Chairman shall decide, and the members
present at such an adjourned meeting shall constitute a quorum.
5.5 An Extraordinary General
Meeting (EGM) may be called at any time by the Committee, or requisitioned by
not less than one-tenth of the current members. Such a meeting to be held
within 28 days of the Honorary Secretary's receipt of such requisition, and
Members are to be given 21 days notice of such a meeting. A minimum of 20% of
the Membership shall constitute a quorum at the EGM
Amendments to this Constitution and Winding-up Arrangements
6.1 Matters not hereinbefore provided for and not involving an amendment to
the Constitution may be dealt with by the Committee. The Society in General
Meeting may amend this Constitution by a resolution passed by a majority of at
least two-thirds of those Members present and voting.
6.2 If the
Society decides, by a majority of at least two-thirds of those members present
and voting at a General Meeting, to discontinue the work of the Society and to
dissolve itself, any money or property belonging to the Society, after payment
of all expenses and liabilities properly incurred, shall be distributed to
institutions having similar objects to the Society.
Notices to Members
Notice will be deemed to be given to a member if sent by ordinary post or email
to his or her postal or email address last notified to the membership secretary
on the third working day after posting or on the third working day after
despatch of the email.