Constitution of the Coleopterists Society of Britain and Ireland

 

1. NAME

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The name of the Society shall be Coleopterists Society of Britain and Ireland, hereinafter referred to as the Society.

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2. AIMS

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The aims of the Society shall be:

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a) to promote the study, recording and conservation of beetles (Coleoptera) in Britain and Ireland, while fostering and maintaining links with allied organisations and coleopterists internationally.

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b) to promote the study of beetles, including their taxonomy, zoogeography, ecology and behaviour, by amateur, student and professional entomologists.

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c) to promote the recording of beetles in Britain and Ireland, by means of its website, indoor and field meetings, workshops and other events, recording schemes, assisting young and beginner coleopterists, and by fostering links with local and national biological records centres.

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d) to promote the conservation of beetles by fostering alliances with entomological and other conservation organisations.

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e) to provide advice about beetles to statutory conservation organisations and other relevant bodies.

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f) to disseminate information about beetles by means of its

publications, website and other such means as may be available.

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g) to work to increase public awareness of beetles and their ecological importance.

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3. POWERS

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The Society shall have the following powers:

 

a) to raise funds, apply for, invite, obtain, collect and receive contributions, grants, subscriptions, fees and otherwise in furtherance of the aims of the Society.

 

b) to employ any paid worker to assist in the attainment of the aims of the Society.

 

c) to rent or own property and equipment necessary to achieve the aims of the Society.

 

d) to affiliate to any organsiation or association that the Management Committee decides is appropriate and disaffiliate from any organisation or association if continued affiliation be, in the Management Committee’s view, against the interests of the Society.

 

e) to do all such other lawful things as shall further the attainment of the aims of the Society.

 

4. SUPPORTERS OF THE SOCIETY

 

4.1 Eligibility

 

a) Any person 18 years and above, who supports the aims of the Society and is willing to abide by and uphold this Constitution of the Society shall be eligible to join as a supporter. There shall be no discrimination by the Society on the grounds of gender, race, colour, ethnic or national origin, sexuality, disability, religious or political belief or marital status. Such persons are then defined as “active supporters” of the Society.

 

b) The Society reserves the right to charge a fee to supporters at any time if this is decided to be appropriate by the Management Committee.

 

c) Any commercial society, organisation or institution that supports the aims of the Society and is willing to abide by and uphold this Constitution of the Society may join as a corporate supporter. The society reserves the right to apply a levy to profit-making organisations in this regard.

 

d) Supporters will be required to register as such on the Society’s website, and will then remain active until they request to be removed.  They may apply to join, or leave, at any time.

 

e) The society reserves the right to refuse applications to be a supporter without having to provide specific justification, or to review or cancel the active status of a supporter if they are shown to have violated the policies of the Society.  Such persons will then no longer be considered active supporters for the purposes of this constitution.

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4.2 Supporter privileges

 

a) A supporter of the Society whose membership has not been cancelled shall be entitled to receive whatever privileges are currently appropriate and available, as proposed by recommendation of the Management Committee and subject to ratification by a majority vote at an Annual General Meeting of the Society.

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b) Supporter privileges shall cease when affiliation has been cancelled for whatever reason and is no longer in effect.

 

4.3 Supporter cancellation

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a) Supporters may at any time send a written notice to the Secretary of the Society to be removed from its database and to cease receiving its social media communications.

 

b) The Management Committee may remove any supporter bringing the Society into disrepute. The supporter concerned shall have the right to be heard by the Management Committee before a final decision is made. The Management Committee’s decisions are final.

 

 

5. MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

 

a) A Management Committee consisting of a minimum of ten persons and a maximum of sixteen persons including the Chairperson, Secretary, Supporters Secretary, Treasurer and such other officers and any others as may be deemed by the Management Committee to be necessary from time to time shall manage the business and affairs of the Society.

 

b) The Management Committee shall have the power to appoint a President, to promote and support the society, who will have duties as agreed from time to time as appropriate.  The President will not have a voting role on the Management Committee and the role can be terminated at any time at the discretion of the Management Committee.

 

c) All officers of the Management Committee shall be elected at an Annual General Meeting of the Society and subject to ratification by a majority vote of the supporters present.

 

d) The Management Committee may appoint supporters to the committee without election at an Annual General Meeting or ratification by a majority vote.

 

e) All active supporters who have joined the Society shall be entitled to be nominated for positions as officers or ordinary members of the Management Committee.

 

f) Nominations for elected officers of the Management Committee shall be by submission of a written application sent to the acting Secretary of the Society by a proposer and a seconder and signed by the nominee.  Such submissions should be received by the Secretary a minimum of one month before the corresponding Annual General Meeting.

 

g) Officers of the Management Committee except for the Chairperson shall serve for a period of up to three years consecutively from the date of their election, after which period the officer shall be required to resign from their current position but is entitled to seek immediate re-election to the same or different position on the committee.

 

h) The Chairperson and ordinary members of the Management Committee shall serve for a period of up to three years consecutively from the date of their election but shall not be permitted to seek re-election or appointment to the same or different position on the committee until a further period of one year has passed.

 

i) The Management Committee may fill any casual vacancies among the officers and any person so appointed shall serve until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting.

 

j) The Management Committee shall hold meetings at least three times per calendar year.

 

k) The Management Committee may set up sub-committees for specific purposes but their recommendations can only be implemented by means of resolutions adopted by the Management Committee.

 

6. MEETINGS

 

6.1 Eligibility for attendance at General Meetings

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a) General Meetings of the Society shall be open to all active supporters.

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b) General Meetings of the Society shall be open to a single representative of any active corporate supporter.

 

c) General Meetings of the Society may be opened to the general public at the discretion of the Management Committee.

 

6.2 Annual General Meetings

 

a) The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Society shall be held once a year. This shall be held not more than fifteen months after the holding of the preceding AGM.

 

b) The purpose of the AGM is to:

i) receive and adopt the annual accounts;

ii) receive the annual report from the Management Committee;

iii) elect officers for the Management Committee;

iv) consider any motion put before the meeting;

v) appoint an appropriate person to independently examine the annual accounts and determine the remuneration (if any) of the independent examiner for the following year.

 

c) The date, time and venue for the AGM shall be determined by the Management Committee.

 

d) Supporters shall be invited to put forward agenda items for the AGM at least two months in advance of the meeting.

 

e) Notice of and an agenda for the AGM shall be sent to all active supporters at least one month in advance of the meeting.

 

f) The agenda shall include reports on the activities of the Society by members of the Management Committee.

 

6.3 Special General Meetings

 

a) A Special General Meeting of the Society may be called at any time by recommendation of a minimum of four members of the Management Committee.

 

b) A Special General Meeting of the Society may be called at any time by submission of a written request for such a meeting sent to the Secretary of the Society and signed by at least 25 active supporters.

 

c) The date, time and venue for the Special General Meeting shall be determined by the Management Committee.

 

d) Notice of and an agenda for the Special General Meeting shall be sent to all active supporters at least one month in advance of the meeting.

 

7. RULES OF PROCEEDINGS AT MEETINGS

 

7.1 Attendance at meetings

 

Any supporter entitled to attend a meeting shall be permitted to attend either in person or if practical to attend by means of an electronic link including teleconferencing without prejudice to that member’s ability to contribute to or vote at that meeting.

 

7.2 Quorum at meetings

 

a) The quorum at a General Meeting of the Society shall be 5% of those supporters invited to attend the meeting or five whichever number is greater.

 

b) The quorum at a Management Committee or sub-committee meeting of the Society shall be greater than 50% of those currently entitled to attend meetings of the committee.

 

7.3 Minutes of meetings

 

Minutes of all meetings of the Society shall be taken.

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7.4 Voting rights at meetings

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a) Only active supporters who have joined the Society shall be entitled to vote at meetings of the Society. A supporter whose activity has been cancelled shall not be entitled to vote at any meeting of the Society.

 

b) Voting at any meeting of the Society including General Meetings and committee meetings shall be on the basis of one vote per individual supporter and one vote per representative of a corporate supporter.

 

c) All questions at any meeting of the Society shall be decided by a simple majority vote but in the event of a tied vote the acting Chairperson at that meeting shall have an additional casting vote.

 

8. FINANCES

 

a) Any and various fees and charges for goods sold by the Society shall be at rates set by the Management Committee from time to time.

 

b) The Society may also be in receipt of donations, gifts or bequests.

 

c) All funds accruing to the Society from fees, sale of goods, donations, gifts or bequests shall be used at the discretion of the Committee for the administration and activities of the Society in pursuit of its aims.

 

d) A bank account shall be opened in the name of the Society.

 

e) All withdrawals from the bank account shall be authorised by two of at least three available signatories authorised by the Management Committee none of whom shall be related or live at the same address.

 

f) The financial year shall run from January 1st.

 

g) The financial accounts of the Society shall be kept by the Treasurer.

 

h) The financial accounts of the Society shall be subject to an annual independent examination. An independent examiner shall be elected at each AGM for the following year.

 

i) The examined financial accounts of the Society shall be presented by the Treasurer at the AGM.

 

9. AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION

 

a) Any part of this Constitution of the Society may be added to, amended or deleted.

 

b) Any active supporter may propose an amendment to this Constitution by submission of a written proposal sent to the Secretary of the Society for consideration by the Management Committee.

 

c) If the amendment is approved by a majority of members of the Management Committee, the proposed amendment shall be adopted by the committee and subject to ratification by a two-thirds majority vote at an AGM or Special General Meeting of the Society.

 

d) If the amendment is not approved by a majority of members of the Management Committee, the amendment may be resubmitted at any time by submission of a written proposal sent to the Secretary of the Society and signed by at least 25 active supporters. The proposed amendment shall despite not being adopted by the Management Committee be subject to ratification by a two-thirds majority vote at an AGM or Special General Meeting of the Society.

 

10. DISSOLUTION

 

a) Dissolution of the Society may be considered to be an appropriate course of action by the Management Committee at any time.

 

b) Dissolution of the Society shall be subject to ratification by a two-thirds majority vote at an AGM or Special General Meeting of the Society provided that a notice period of at least three months has been given to supporters.

 

c) If on dissolution of the Society there are any assets remaining after the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities then these should be paid or transferred at the discretion of the Management Committee to some other organisation having similar aims to the Society.

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THIS CONSTITUTION WAS ADOPTED AT A MEETING HELD ON  1st February 2022 

 

Beulah Garner  (Chairperson)

 

Clive Washington  (Secretary)

 

C. Turner  (Treasurer)