Rules of the BPS

The Society shall be known as “BURTON UPON TRENT PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY”.

The object of the Society shall be the encouragement and advancement of photography among its members.

Ordinary meetings shall be held at such time and place as the Committee shall determine. Each member shall have the privilege of inviting visitors to ordinary meetings and outings. At all ordinary meetings members shall sign the register provided. All visitors shall be asked to sign their names and addresses.

Membership of the Society implies the undertaking to comply with and abide by these rules.

There will be four classes of membership, viz:

a) Full membership, for persons more than 18 years of age at the commencement of the Society year will entitle the member to participate in Society activities and to vote upon Society affairs. Pensioners, students and UB40 holders will be entitled to a reduced rate of subscription.

b) Joint membership of husband and wife, both of whom shall be entitled to all the privileges of full membership. Pensioners, students and UB40 holders will be entitled to a reduced rate of subscription.

c)Junior membership at a reduced rate of subscription will be open to persons between the ages of 12 to 18 years, and will entitle the junior member to participate in the Society’s activities, but not to vote on the Society’s affairs.

d)Family Membership of husband, wife and any number of children less than 18 years of age. Adults will be entitled to all privileges of full membership. Children will be entitled to participate in the Society’s activities, but not to vote on the Society’s affairs.

Annual subscriptions for each class of membership shall be agreed annually at the Society’s Annual General Meeting (AGM).

A nightly visitors fee is to be agreed annually at the Society’s AGM.

A prospective member may attend up to three evenings for the visitors fee, but must then either become a full member and pay that portion of the annual subscription due, less the visitors fees already paid, or continue to attend only as a visitor and thereby forfeit the right to participate in the Society’s activities or to vote upon Society affairs.

On certain evenings a supplementary fee may be levied on all who attend to ensure that all necessary expenses are covered.

If the conduct of any member shall in the opinion of the Committee be detrimental to the interests of the Society, the committee shall be empowered immediately to suspend or expel the member of the Society, subject to appeal to a Special General Meeting called for that purpose.

No member of the Society shall on behalf of the Society enter into any agreement or arrangement, financial or otherwise with any individual or organisation without the written authority of the Committee.

The affairs of the Society shall be in the hands of a committee of not less than six members, which shall include the President, Secretary, Treasurer and all other officers of the Society. The Committee shall retire annually but be eligible for re-election. Elections shall take place at the Society’s AGM.

Nominations for the officers should be submitted to the Secretary at least 21 days before the AGM and in the event of more than one nomination per office then voting papers shall be drawn up by the Secretary for the membership to use at the AGM. Nominations shall be printed on the agenda.

The Committee shall be empowered to appoint members of a sub-committee to be convened by appropriate officers.

At meetings of the Committee two thirds of the Committee members shall constitute a quorum.

The Committee may from time to time fill any vacancy, which may occur in their number. Subject to confirmation at the next ordinary meeting of the Society.

The Society’s year shall commence on 1st April and terminate on 31st March of the following year. After which the AGM shall be held as soon as possible.

The date of the AGM shall be published in the Society’s programme. The agenda for the AGM shall be available to each member of the Society at least 7 days before the meeting and the Treasurer shall produce a statement of accounts for the past year for approval of the members.

The Annual reports of the President and Secretaries will be available to the members at least 7 days before the AGM and these are to be adopted at the meeting.

Any proposals for the AGM are to be submitted in writing to the Secretary at least 21 days before the AGM. Proposals shall be voted on, on the night of the AGM.

The proposer must be present at the AGM to explain the reasoning for their proposal to the members. If the proposer cannot be present then he/she must nominate a willing deputy and inform the Secretary at least 7 days before the AGM. Anyone from the floor will be able to join in any debates. If either the proposer or deputy is not present at the AGM, the proposal shall be removed from the agenda.

The agenda for the AGM and any proposals will be available to the members at least 7 days before the AGM.

Any matters brought up in Any Other Business may be debated but no voting shall take place. These matters may be taken to Committee for discussion or taken as a proposal to an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) or next AGM.

The Society’s financial year shall commence on 1st April and terminate on 31st March of the following year. All subscriptions are due in advance on 1 September. If the subscription has not been paid by 31st August then the member owing shall cease to be a member of the Society. New members joining after 31st December shall be required to pay only half of the full year’s subscription.

No new rule or alteration to the rules shall be made except by a majority of two thirds of the members present and voting at an AGM. An EGM may be called at any time by the Committee or by one quarter of the members of the Society. 7 days notice of such a meeting together with an agenda shall be sent to every member of the Society. Only the items on the agenda shall be discussed.

The Committee shall have full discretionary powers to deal with all matters not specifically mentioned in these rules. In any case of dispute or disagreement as to the interpretation of these rules, the decision of the Committee is binding.

The Secretary shall keep an inventory of the Society’s property and permanent records, which shall be certified by the President and the Treasurer. Alterations, omissions and discrepancies shall be reported at the AGM.

In the event of the dissolution of the Society, the funds may either be distributed among those persons who are paid up members at that date, or be devoted to such similar organisations or charitable purpose as the majority of two thirds of the remaining paid up members may think fit.

Revised May 2001