
East Grinstead Horticultural Society Constitution
The name of the society shall be: East Grinstead Horticultural Society.
Objective: The objective of the Society shall be:
To encourage interest in and promote knowledge of horticulture by means of lectures, discussions, exhibitions and competitions, and any other means which may seem desirable to the officers and committee.
Membership: Membership shall be open to anyone interested in gardening. The membership shall consist of Honorary Members, Life Members and Members.To be eligible for Honorary Membership a person shall, in the unanimous opinion of the committee, have made a distinctive contribution to the society or horticulture. The society may elect a Life President, who by reason of his office shall be entitled to attend Committee meetings and vote, and their office is only terminated by resignation.
Subscriptions: Each member shall pay an annual subscription on the 1st January each year, the amount of the subscription to be fixed annually at the previous year's Annual General Meeting (AGM).The Society's Financial Year shall extend from October 1st to September 30th. Members who have not paid their subscriptions by the latter date shall cease to be members unless there are extenuating circumstances.
Annual General Meeting (AGM): The AGM at which the Chairperson's report, the audited accounts and the secretary's report shall be presented, shall be held at such time as the committee shall determine. Ten members shall forum a quorum at any General Meeting, and in the event of equal voting, the Chairperson shall have the deciding vote.The members shall elect an Executive Committee of not more than twelve members ( if there are not more than twelve nominations for the Committee an 'en block' election is permissible) and the Committee shall elect the following officers: Chairman, Vice Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary and Show secretary and also appoint any sub committees.The annual subscription for the ensuing year shall also be fixed at this meeting.
Special General Meeting: A Special General Meeting may be called upon the requisition in writing of at least 10 members of the society or of two thirds of the committee. At least 14 days' notice shall be given of any Special General Meeting. At Special General Meetings no matter may be discussed save that for which the meeting was called. Any resolution passed shall be a Special Resolution and shall simply require a simple majority of those present.
Committee: The affairs of the Society shall be conducted by the Executive Committee hereinafter referred to as the Committee, comprising the five Officers and not more than seven members.Both the Officers and the Committee Members shall retire at the AGM, but will be eligible for re-election immediately. A quorum at Committee meetings shall be not less than half the members of the Executive Committee. Vacancies occurring during the year may be filled by the Committee, and members appointed so should hold office only until the next AGM following their election. At their discretion, the Committee may invite persons to sit on the Committee. These persons should have skills or affiliations of benefit to the society, but would not be eligible to vote.
Funds: The Committee shall open a Banking Account in the name of the Society with such Bank as the Committee shall select, and all monies received from any source by the Treasurer on behalf of the Society, shall be paid into the account.Cheques shall be signed by the Treasurer and countersigned by the Secretary or Chairperson or any authorised committee member.
Auditor: There shall be appointed an Auditor, who is not a member of the Committee, to audit the accounts and submit his report at their AGM.
Affiliation: The Committee may arrange for association or affiliation of the Society with, or to, any organised horticultural group or society and pay any annual fees that may be prescribed by the said organisation.
Offences: The Committee may terminate the membership of a member whose conduct is proved to their satisfaction to be detrimental to the interests of the fellow members, Any charge against a member must be communicated in writing. An appeal from a decision of the committee may be made to a Special General Meeting on the requisition in writing of 10 members.
Conversion/ Dissolution etc.The Society may be converted into a Registered Society or may be dissolved, or these rules may be amended at a Special General Meeting.The object for which the meeting is called shall be stated in the notice convening the meeting. Fourteen days notice shall be given of such a meeting.
Matters not Provided for: Any matters not provided for in the Rules shall be dealt with by the Committee at their discretion.