NORTHUMBERLAND
&
TYNESIDE BIRD CLUB
Registered Charity No. 517641
CONSTITUTION
1. Name
This association shall be called the Northumberland and Tyneside Bird Club.
2. Aims
a) To advance the education of the general public in the knowledge, understanding and appreciation of ornithology.
b) To promote research in ornithology and in any particular aspects as may from time to time be approved by the Committee, and publish the useful results of any such research.
In furtherance of these aims but no further or otherwise the club shall have the following powers:
1) To provide for the production of a regular bulletin and an Annual Report and other publications as approved by the Committee.
2) To organise field outings, lectures and indoor meetings.
3) To co-operate and assist in the work of other individuals and organisations with similar objects and pursuing charitable activities concerned with ornithology in North East England.
3. Membership
a) Membership shall be open to all who have an active and beneficial interest in ornithology
b) An annual subscription will be charged which will cover the membership fee, cost of bulletins, annual report and incidental expenses. The subscription shall become due on the 1st of October each year.
c) Members whose subscription has not been paid up by 25 November for the coming year will cease to receive copies of the bulletin immediately and will normally forfeit their membership.
d) Special subscription rates will exist as follows:-
1) A reduced subscription will be charged to Junior Members (18 years or less).
2) A special rate for family membership will exist. This is to be less than twice the annual adult subscription and will entitle families to one copy of the bulletin each month and to one copy of the annual report. It will however confer the privileges of membership on each member of the family resident at the same address.
3) A rate of subscription based on a sliding scale will exist for those wishing to take up membership at any time other than the beginning of the Club’s year. This subscription will never be less than the cost of the annual report and any bulletins supplied.
4) Institutional members will be charged at a rate approved by the Committee. Institutional members will have only one vote at the Annual General Meeting.
5) The Club reserves the right to expel any member whose behaviour is held to be irresponsible or detrimental to the interests of the Northumberland and Tyneside Bird Club. Any reported incident of behaviour will be investigated by the Committee. A simple majority decision of the committee shall be sufficient to effect the expulsion. The member is to be notified of the date of the committee meeting at which their expulsion is to be discussed and has the right to put their case to that meeting.
6) Honorary membership shall be available to any person whom the committee deems to be deserving of such an honour.
4. Committee Election
a) The Annual General Meeting (AGM) for the election of the committee shall be held at the October meeting of the Club each year.
b) The Committee shall consist of nine club members.
c) All nominations for the committee, each proposed and seconded by Club members, must be received by the Secretary no later than 21 days prior to the AGM.
d) Should only nine nominations be received these members will automatically constitute the committee: should less than nine nominations be received the committee shall appoint the necessary extra members: should more than nine nominations be received each member present at the AGM will exercise a maximum of nine votes and the committee will be elected by a majority decision.
5. Honorary Club Officers
a) The Committee shall elect from their members the following Club Officers who may hold more than one post: Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Recorder, Bulletin Editor, Outdoor meetings Officer, Indoor Meetings Officer, Sales Officer, Bulletin Distribution Officer and Minutes Secretary who in addition to any other duties authorised by the Committee will be responsible for the following matters.
1) Chairman: To be responsible for a general overview of club affairs and to ensure that the aims of the club as specified in the Constitution are upheld. To hold the Chairman’s file of Club Procedures & Dates and update each entry as necessary. Authorised to countersign cheques issued by the Treasurer.
2) Secretary: Subject to direction by the committee to deal with all correspondence affecting the Club and relating to Club matters, with the exception of the responsibilities and duties of the Recorder relating to the keeping of records, the Outdoor Meetings Officer concerning the arrangement of field trips and the Indoor Meetings Officer concerning the arrangement of indoor meetings and to ensure that an adequate record is kept of such correspondence. To provide a report on matters of interest and importance during the previous twelve months, to be presented to the Club members at the AGM. Authorised to countersign cheques issued by the Treasurer.
3) Treasurer To keep proper account of the Club’s finances showing source of revenue, authorised expenditure and balance in hand, and to arrange for the independent audit of these accounts. To arrange for payment from the Club funds of all accounts authorised by the committee. To prepare not later than the committee meeting prior to the AGM a report on the financial position of the Club and the expenditure during the previous twelve months. To prepare a balance sheet which has been audited by an independent person who may be a club member, to be presented to the AGM and arrange for this to be included in an appropriate monthly bulletin.
4) Recorder To receive all ornithological records and descriptions from members and other observers and to be responsible for all correspondence relating to records. To chair and preside over all meetings and business of the Records Committee.
5) Bulletin Editor To organise authors and artists to assemble the Club’s regular bulletin incorporating current observations, appropriate Club notices and other items of interest. To pass the finalised manuscript to the Bulletin Distribution Officer.
b) The Committee will normally meet once a month.
c) Full minutes of the Committee meetings will be kept and will be available for inspection by any Club member.
d) The committee may appoint the following officials from the Club membership: Annual Report Editor, Archivist, Conservation Officer, Renewals Officer and other such positions as may be required from time to time.
1. Annual Report Editor: To collate the information provided in the bulletin to facilitate the production of the species account in the Annual Report. To organise the authors and artists for the production of the Annual Report. To liaise with the Recorder on publication of the Records Committee’s decisions. To obtain the Committee’s authorisation for publication of the Annual report and to arrange for its printing.
2. Archivist: To organise in conjunction with the Recorder the storage and retrieval of historical information held as record cards, descriptions, record Committee minutes and survey results and other documents of ornithological interest.
3. Conservation Officer: To co-operate with other organisations on matters of conservation in north-East England under direction of the Committee.
4. Renewals Officer: To assist the Treasurer in membership renewals.
5. Outdoor Meetings Officer: To be responsible for the preparation of a programme of outdoor visits and to be responsible for their organisation.
6. Indoor meetings Officer: To be responsible for the preparation of a programme of indoor meetings and to be responsible for their organisation including arranging their venue.
7. Bulletin Distribution Officer: To be responsible for arranging the prompt printing of the monthly bulletin and its distribution to members.
8. Sales Officer: To be responsible for the stock of Club publications and for their sale.
9. Minutes Secretary: To maintain a record of all Club Committee meetings and distribute to each committee member a copy of the minutes of each Committee meeting, by the following club meeting or by post as soon as possible when no club meeting follows. To assist the Secretary in any other matter as required.
e) Except in the case of ill health or business reasons, if a committee member misses three consecutive meetings their membership of the Committee will be forfeited. The remaining committee shall co-opt a club member to take their place until the next AGM.
f) Expenditure in excess of £500 must be approved by a simple majority of Committee members present at the Committee meeting at which the expenditure is proposed.
g) Specialists may be invited by the Committee to attend committee meetings to offer expert opinions.
6) Records/Records Committee
a) The Committee shall elect annually four people who need not be Club Committee members, one of whom need not be a club member, to join the Recorder to form a Records Committee whose job it is to consider all ornithological records for publication in the Annual Report. Each of the elected members shall not serve for more than four consecutive years. Each shall not be eligible for re-election until 12 months has passed since their last term of office on the Records Committee.
b) Members are expected to notify the Club records committee of all records before submitting them formally elsewhere.
c) A record shall only be accepted for publication in the annual report provided the Records Committee accepts it with a majority decision. The Records Committee however has the option of consulting other specialists before reaching a decision.
d) The recorder shall notify the observer in writing of the acceptance or rejection of records where these have been scrutinised by the Records Committee.
7) Committee Procedures
a) Five members shall constitute a quorum and a simple majority decision will be sufficient to carry a motion. The Chairman will have a casting vote only.
8) Constitutional Amendments
Amendment of this constitution requires the support of at least 2/3 of the members present at the Annual General Meeting or special meeting called for this purpose.
Resolutions to amend the constitution must be received by the Secretary at least 21 days before the meeting at which the resolution is to be discussed. These must be proposed and seconded by club members.
The Secretary must give members 14 days notice of such a meeting and details of the proposed amendments. No alteration to Clause 2, Clause 9 or this Clause shall take effect until the approval in writing of the charity Commissioners or other authority having charitable jurisdiction shall have been obtained; and no alteration shall be made which would have the effect of causing the Association to cease to be a charity in law. No amendments shall be made to the aims of the club, this clause or the dissolution clause or any amendment of the other remaining clauses which would cause the club to cease to be a charity in law.
9) Dissolution or Amalgamation
If at any time it becomes necessary to wind up the Club or it is proposed to amalgamate with another Club or Society a General meeting shall be called to approve this with at least 2/3 of the members present voting in favour. Prior notice of such a meeting must be sent to all Club members in writing at least 28 days prior to such a meeting.
If there remains any money or assets, after settlement of all debts these shall be given to some other charitable organisation or organisations having similar objectives to the Club.
If there remains any money or assets, after settlement of all debts these shall be given to some other charitable organisation or organisations having similar objectives to the Club.
As at July 2008
