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The Chertsey Chamber of Commerce Linking Local Business |
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Rules |
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Definitions
1.
Chertsey Chamber of Commerce shall be referred to as the Chamber.
2.
Executive
Committee shall be referred to as the Committee.
3. Annual General Meeting (‘AGM’) and Extraordinary Meetings shall be referred to as General Meetings. 4.
Members are those who have paid a membership subscription and not those
who are honorary members.
5. Quorum:
For a Committee meeting this shall consist of a minimum of 4 members. For a full Chamber meeting this shall consist of a minimum of 6 members. For an AGM this shall consist of a minimum of 8 members. For an Extraordinary General Meeting this shall consist of a minimum of 8 members.
RULES 1.
Title of
Association “Chertsey Chamber of Commerce”.
2. OBJECTS To promote trade and commerce within the Chambers town and its surrounding area. To further the general interests of its members. To be a channel of communication between its members and the public authorities of the area. To
promote social and charitable functions as may be deemed desirable. 3. MEMBERSHIP Membership is open to businesses in the Chambers’ town and its surrounding area. Only one representative per business is permitted. All applicants for membership shall be proposed and seconded by a current member of the Chamber and elected at any meeting by a majority of members present. The Committee shall have the right to refuse any application for membership without giving a reason for doing so. Each member is entitled to one vote at all meetings. 4. OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES The Committee shall comprise of the Officers, the immediate Past Chairman and up to 10 further members. Election of all Officers and members of the Committee will take place at the AGM. Nominations of Officers should be made in writing signed by two members and the nominee consenting to serve and delivered to the Hon. Secretary by the first day of April in every year. A vote shall be taken at the AGM and election shall be by a simple majority of those in attendance and entitled to vote. In the case of a contested election voting shall be by secret ballot. The
Committee has the power to fill any vacancies occurring between AGMs. The Committee may appoint or disband sub committees that may include non-members. The Committee has the power to appoint ‘Honorary Members’ to the Chamber. Honorary members do not have a vote at meetings and cannot stand as an Officer or for the Committee.
5. DUTIES OF THE HON. TREASURER The Hon. Treasurer shall maintain the Chambers’ accounts in accordance with good accounting practice. The Hon. Treasurer will make a report at each full Chamber meeting either orally or in writing. The Hon. Treasurer will ensure that the authorisation procedures of the Chamber are maintained. Any 2 Officers of the Committee may be signatories on the Chambers’ bank account. The Hon. Treasurer will present to the members, at the AGM, an audited Statement of Accounts showing all financial transactions of the Chamber, made up to the last day of December in the preceding year. 6. DUTIES OF THE AUDITOR Prior to the AGM the Auditor shall audit the accounts for the year and sign his report on them. The Auditor will be invited to attend the AGM. 7. DUTIES OF THE HON. SECRETARY The Hon. Secretary is responsible for keeping an up to date list of the names, addresses and business nature of the members. The Hon. Secretary shall keep a record of the proceedings of the Chamber and Committee meetings. The Hon. Secretary shall carry out all directions given to him or her by the Chairman, Vice Chairman and the Committee in accordance with these rules. The
Hon. Secretary is responsible for all the equipment of the Chamber and
should provide advice and assistance to the members. The Hon. Secretary should act as chairman in the absence of the Chairman and Vice Chairman. A Deputy Hon. Secretary may be appointed to assist the Hon. Secretary in his or her duties. 8. EXPENDITURE No member can incur financial liability on behalf of the Chamber unless previously approved by the Committee. In cases of urgency, the Chairman or Vice Chairman may sanction expenditure on behalf of the Chamber, but such action must be reported for ratification at the next Committee meeting. 9. DISCIPLINE The Committee has full power to expel or suspend any member whose circumstances or conduct renders him or her, in their opinion, unfit for membership. No member will be suspended or expelled without first being informed of the allegations against him or her by, at least, 14 days written notice from the Hon. Secretary and being warned to attend before the Committee and give any explanation he or she may have to offer. Any member suspended or expelled may appeal to a General Meeting of the Chamber. 10. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING The audited accounts for the preceding year shall be presented for approval of the members. An appointment of an Auditor shall be made for the ensuing year. In the event that the appointed Auditor resigns his or her office or is unable to act for any reason the Committee shall appoint a new Auditor to hold office until the next AGM. 11. MEETINGS The Chamber shall meet as often as the Committee requires, but no less than once in each three-month period. The Committee may convene an Extraordinary General Meeting if 8 or more members request this. The Hon. Secretary will convene the meeting, with a minimum of 7 days notice, within 21 days of the receipt of the request. The Chairman has the right to refuse petitions from the floor at a Chamber meeting. Such petitions should be made to the Chairman in person who will then put it before the Committee for consideration. 12. COMMITTEE MEETINGS The Committee shall meet at least once in every three months. The Chairman or the Vice Chairman or any other three members of the Committee through the Hon. Secretary may convene additional meetings of the Committee. 13. VOTING Motions and amendments are voted for by a show of hands. If a decision by a show of hands is challenged then a secret ballot can be requested by a minimum of 5 members. Two members, who do not lose their right to vote, will be appointed to count the votes and give the report to the Chairman in writing. The Chairman may have a second or casting vote in the event of equality of votes. 13. SUBSCRIPTIONS Every member shall pay an annual subscription as determined by the Committee. All subscriptions shall become due, in advance, on the 1st day of January in each year. No member shall be entitled to vote at any meeting unless his or her subscription has been previously paid. Subscriptions for new members joining after 30th June in any year shall be 50% of the full subscription for the current year. Any member 2 months in arrears with their subscription will automatically have all of their membership rights suspended. Any member 6 months in arrears with their subscription automatically ceases to be a member of the Chamber. No member who resigns or is expelled from the Chamber shall have any part of the current years subscription refunded. 14. STANDING ORDERS At every meeting the Minutes of the preceding meeting should be submitted and, if approved, signed by the chairman or acting chairman of the meeting. Only one amendment will be put before the meeting at any one time, which will then be decided by a vote for or against it. If an amendment is carried then this will replace the original motion and will be subject to fresh amendments. Motions or amended notions will be considered as carried only if they have been voted upon as a substantive resolution after all amendments have been made. Each member should address the Meeting through the Chair, and not any other member, and while one member is speaking the other members should remain silent. Each member should accord due respect to other members and refrain from comments of a solely personal nature. If any Meeting is adjourned the business shall be resumed as a continuation of the former Meeting. The decision of the Chairman of the Meeting with regard to the application and interpretation of these Standing Orders shall be final. 15. ALTERATION OF THE RULES No alteration shall be made to these rules except by a Resolution to be duly passed by two thirds of the members present and voting at an Extraordinary General Meeting convened for this purpose. Notice in writing of any such proposal shall be given to the Hon. Secretary who shall call such an Extraordinary General Meeting to take place, with a minimum of 14 days notice, within 28 days of the receipt of the request. In case any matter shall at any time arise not provided for in these Rules, or any doubts arise as to the interpretation of these Rules, the same shall be determined by the chairman of the Meeting whose decision shall be final. Any Notice required to be served on members by these Rules shall be validly served if sent to a member’s last recorded address by ordinary prepaid post or delivered by hand. If in the opinion of the chairman of the Meeting, whose decision shall be final, it shall not be practical, due to industrial action or for any other reason, to serve Notice by post, such a Notice may be given by advertisement in such local paper or papers circulating in the chambers’ town and the surrounding area as the chairman may select.
- The Independent Voice of Local Business Since 1921- |
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