1. Name
The Society shall be known as the Christchurch Amateur Radio Society.
2. Aims
The aims of the Society shall be to further the interests of its members in all aspects of amateur radio, electronics and such other associated activities as the committee may determine.
3 Membership
1. Membership shall be open, subject to the discretion of the Committee, to all persons interested in the aims of the Society.
2. All members shall abide by the Constitution of the Society and with such Policies as may be issued from time to time by the Committee as provided in 7.5 below.
3. The Committee shall have power to expel any member whose conduct, in the opinion of not less than three-quarters of the full Committee, renders that person unfit to be a member of the Society.
4. No Member shall be expelled without first having been given an opportunity to state their case to the Committee.
5. No refund of membership or other fees shall be made to an expelled member and any monies due to the Society from an expelled member shall be paid immediately.
4. Subscriptions
1. The annual subscriptions for membership shall be set by the Committee.
2. All subscriptions shall be due and payable at the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting (AGM).
3. A member shall be deemed to have resigned from the Society, if, within 60 days following the AGM the subscription has not been paid.
4. Members in arrears shall have no voting rights at general meetings.
5. Finance
1. The financial year shall run from 1st of June to 31st of May.
2. All money received by the Society shall be deposited promptly in the Society’s bank account.
3. Withdrawals require the signature of two duly authorised committee members.
4. On-line payments may be made by the Treasurer with the agreement of another authorised committee member.
5. Expenditure in excess of such amount as may be specified in the Policies shall be the subject of consultation with the Membership.
6. Membership of the Society’s Committee
1. The Society’s affairs shall be administered by a Committee which shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting. The Committee, in whom the Society’s property shall be vested, shall consist of the following:
Chairman
Vice-Chairman
Secretary
Treasurer
A maximum of four Ordinary Committee members.
2. The Committee may co-opt members upon such terms as they think fit.
3. Any member who is absent from three consecutive Committee meetings without good reason shall be deemed to have resigned from the Committee.
4. Any member of the Society shall be eligible for election to the Committee subject to such qualifying period of continuous membership as may be decided by the Committee from time to time.
7. Committee standing orders
1. The quorum for the Committee shall be five members. (For the avoidance of doubt ‘members’ in this paragraph includes Officers and Ordinary Committee Members but excludes co-opted members.) In the absence of a quorum, no business shall be transacted and a further meeting shall be convened within 14 days at which the number of members actually present shall constitute a quorum.
2. Committee meetings may be called by the Chairman or the Secretary or at the request of not less than three committee members.
3. The Committee shall endeavour to reach decisions unanimously, but if a unanimous decision cannot be achieved after reasonable discussion, then a decision may be made by simple majority.
4. The Chairman shall be entitled to vote initially and shall have a second casting vote in the event of a tied decision.
5. The Committee may, when they consider it necessary and appropriate, issue Policies, Rules and Procedures (‘Policies’) to support the administration and management of the Society and the safe and proper conduct of its activities. In the event of a conflict or discrepancy between this Constitution and any such Policies, the provisions of the Constitution shall prevail.
8. Annual General Meeting (AGM)
1. The Annual General Meeting shall normally be held in the first week of July each year.
2. At least 21 days notice shall be given to each member by e-mail to their last recorded e-mail address.
3. The quorum for an AGM shall be the lesser of eight (8) or one half of the number of members (rounded down when necessary) at the date of the meeting.
4. The agenda for the meeting shall be:
1. Apologies for absence
2. Confirmation of the Minutes of the previous AGM
3. Matters arising from the minutes of the previous AGM
4. Chairman’s report
5. Secretary’s report
6. Treasurer’s report
7. Election of the new Committee
8. Appointment of Accounts Examiner
5. No other business may be transacted at the AGM.
6. At an AGM the Chairman shall be entitled to vote initially and shall have a second casting vote in the event of a tied decision.
9. Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM)
1. Extraordinary General Meetings may be called by the Committee or upon the request of the lesser of ten (10) or one half of the number of members of the Society (rounded down when necessary). The meeting shall be held on the earliest convenient date as decided by the Committee. The Secretary shall give members at least 14 days notice of the date and agenda by e-mail to their last recorded e-mail address. No other business may be transacted at the EGM.
2. The quorum for an EGM shall be the lesser of fifteen (15) or one half of the number of members (rounded down when necessary) at the date of the meeting.
10. Amendments to the constitution
1. The constitution may be amended only at an EGM called for that purpose.
11. Winding up of the Society
1. The decision to wind up the Society may be taken only at an EGM.
2. The funds of the Society shall, after the sale of all assets and the payment of all outstanding debts, be disposed of as agreed by the members at the final EGM.
12 Virtual Meetings
1. Meetings may be held in person and /or by other appropriate means.
—End—
Note: This Constitution is to be read in conjunction with the Policies of the Society.
This Constitution for Christchurch Amateur Radio Society has been agreed by members at an EGM held on May 16th 2024 and subsequently adopted.
Constitution 2024 Last Modified 17/05/24