Organisation > Constitution
Please note: County rules are covered by paragraphs 1 to 8 and Branch rules by paragraph 9
WBKA RULES
Agreed by the WBKA COUNTY EXECUTIVE ON 17 MARCH 2011
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NOTE: BBKA only accept Members aged 18 years or over, therefore juniors can not be Members of WBKA and will not have Public or Product liability insurance
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WARWICKSHIRE BEEKEEPERS’ ASSOCIATION
(A Registered Charity)
1 Title
The name of the Association is ‘The Warwickshire Beekeepers’ Association.’
2 Objects
The objects of the Association shall be to promote and further the craft of Beekeeping and also to advance the education of the public in the importance of Bees in the environment.
3 Affiliation
The Association shall be affiliated to The British Beekeepers’ Association (BBKA).
4 Membership
a) The Association shall consist of Honorary Life members, Full Members, Partner Members, Associate Members and Junior Members.
b) The membership shall be organised into Branches and any person may become a Member of the Association by joining a Branch. The business of Branches shall be conducted in accordance with Rule 9 below.
c) Any person may be elected, by resolution at an Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Association, to the office of President of the Association. The President shall normally hold office for a period of five years and on completion of his term shall be elected a Vice President of the Association. The office of Vice President includes Honorary Life Membership.
d) In recognition of services to the Association, any Member may be elected an Honorary Life Member of the Association by resolution proposed by the Executive Committee and carried by two-thirds majority at an AGM of the Association. An Honorary Life Member shall normally be a full Member, but any person elected or proposed to be elected in accordance with this rule or rule 9(f) who does not own or manage bees may choose to become an Associate Member at any time by notice in writing to the Honorary Treasurer. That choice may be reversed at any time in like manner.
e) Full Members and Partner Members shall be entitled to vote at General Meetings of the Association and of the Branch of which they are members; to receive a monthly newsletter and to receive such other benefits as the Executive Committee may from time to time decide.
f) Associate Members shall be persons who do not own or manage bees or persons who are Members or Partner Members of another organisation affiliated to the BBKA.
g) Junior Members shall be under the age of eighteen years.
h) Associate and Junior Members may participate in Association and Branch activities, but shall have no voting or other rights within the Association.
i) In the following Rules the word ‘Member’ refers to a Full Member or Partner Member unless otherwise stated.
j) Partner Members shall be persons who reside at the same address as a Full Member as defined in clause 4e, subject to there not being more than one Partner member registered at the same address as the Full Member.
5 Organisation
a) The business of the Association shall be conducted by the Trustees of the Association who are the Executive Committee consisting of Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer (referred to herein as the Executive Officers) together with the President, the immediate past Chairman (during the first year of office of the current Chairman), the Chairman-elect (during the second year of office of the current Chairman) and two accredited representatives from each Branch.
b) The Chairman shall hold office for a period of two years and other officers for a period of one year.
c) A retiring President or Chairman shall not be eligible for immediate re-election.
d) In the event of an office falling vacant the Executive Committee shall have the power to appoint a Member to fill the vacancy. The Member so appointed shall hold office until the next AGM and shall then be eligible for election.
e) The Executive Committee shall have the power to appoint and dissolve sub-committees of Members for such purposes as it may consider desirable. Sub-committees shall report to the Executive Committee.
f) Members may be appointed Delegates to attend such meetings of other bodies as the Executive Committee may from time to time decide. Delegates shall act in accordance with the instructions of the Executive Committee.
6 Subscriptions
a) Except in the case of Honorary Life Members, Full Membership shall be conditional upon prompt payment of annual
subscriptions, comprising the total of:
• The Capitation Fee payable to the BBKA.
• An Association Capitation Fee.
• A Newsletter charge.
• A Branch Capitation Fee and
• The minimum annual insurance premium payable to Bee Diseases Insurance Limited (BDI).
Partner Membership shall be conditional upon prompt payment of annual subscriptions, comprising the total of:
• The Capitation Fee payable to the BBKA.
• An Association Capitation Fee.
• A Branch Capitation Fee and,
• The minimum annual insurance premium payable to Bee Diseases Insurance Limited (BDI).
Associate and Junior Membership shall be conditional upon payment of subscriptions (if any) determined by their Branch under Rule 9.
b) Annual Subscriptions shall be payable to Branch Treasurers and shall become due on joining and thereafter on 1st January in any year. If a Member’s subscription is unpaid on 31st March following, the membership of that Member shall be deemed to have lapsed.
c) Association and Branch Capitation Fees payable during the next financial year shall be determined at the AGM’s of the Association and Branch respectively. The Newsletter charge shall be determined from time to time at an AGM of the Association.
d) The Honorary Treasurer shall inform all Branch Treasurers of the amount of the BBKA Capitation Fee payable by members by 30th September.
e) Branch Treasurers shall remit quarterly to the Honorary Treasurer all BBKA Capitation Fees, Association Capitation Fees, Newsletter charges and BDI premiums to date in respect of Branch Members including Branch Honorary Life Members.
f) The BBKA Capitation Fee in respect of Association Honorary Life Members who have not chosen to be Associate Members in accordance with Rule 4(d) shall be met from Association funds.
7 Finance
a) The Honorary Treasurer shall deposit monies in a banking account held in the name of the Association. Cheques drawn on the Association’s funds shall be signed by any two of the Executive Officers, one of whom shall normally be the Honorary Treasurer.
b) An Annual Report of the Association accounts made up to 31st December shall be published each year and shall be sent to each Member at least seven days before the AGM. The accounts must be presented to the Independent Examiner prior to the AGM and the Independent Examiner’s report shall be submitted to the Executive Committee if not available for the AGM.
c) The property and investments of the Association shall be held in the name of two Holding Trustees each of whom shall be appointed at a General Meeting and may remain in office during the Association’s pleasure.
d) In the event of a Branch being wound up, the assets of that Branch shall be retained by the Association and may be used at the discretion of the Executive Committee in the event of a Branch being formed in the area formerly covered by a defunct Branch.
8 Meetings
a) An AGM of the Association shall be held in March. The business of the meeting shall include:
i) The receipt and consideration of reports and of the accounts for the previous year.
ii) The election of Officers, Delegates, Trustees and Honorary Life Members in accordance with Rules 4, 5 and 7 hereof. Such elections shall take effect at the termination of the meeting.
iii) The appointment of an Independent Examiner.
iv) The determination of the Association Capitation Fee payable for the next financial year by Full Members and Partner Members and the Newsletter charge.
v) The determination of the amount and conditions of payment of any honoraria for the next financial year.
vi) Consideration of any proposal or other matter of which due notice has been given in accordance with sub-rule (e) below.
vii) Any other business at the discretion of the Chairman of the meeting.
b) The Honorary Secretary shall call an Extraordinary General meeting if instructed to do so by the Executive Committee or if requested by any Member, provided that any such request is signed by ten Members or by five Members of the Executive Committee and states the nature of the business for which the meeting is requested. The meeting shall take place within ten weeks of a valid instruction or request being received by the Honorary Secretary. In the event that the Honorary Secretary is unable to call the meeting the Chairman may act in his stead.
c) At least one month’s notice of a General Meeting shall be given to all Members. The agenda for a General Meeting shall be sent to all Members at least seven days before the date of the meeting.
d) Twenty-five Members shall form a quorum at a General Meeting of the Association.
e) Any Member wishing to make any proposal or raise any other matter for discussion at an AGM shall give written notice thereof to the Honorary Secretary not later than 1st February preceding the meeting. In the case of a proposal, the notice shall be counter-signed by the Member seconding the proposal. This sub-rule shall not preclude the amendment of any proposal during discussion in the course of the AGM.
f) The Executive Committee shall meet at least three times each year. Not less than fourteen days notice of any meeting, together with a copy of the agenda, shall be given to each Member of the Executive Committee.
g) Ten Members, including at least one accredited representative of half the number of Branches, shall form a quorum at a meeting of the Executive Committee.
h) The Chairman shall normally conduct the business of all meetings of the Association. In his absence a deputy, preferably a past Chairman, shall be elected from amongst the Members present.
i) At any meeting of the Association each Member shall have one vote. If necessary the Chairman of the meeting shall be entitled to a casting vote.
j) The accidental omission to notify any Member in accordance with sub-rules (c) and (f) above shall not invalidate any meeting provided that due notice has been given to Members in general conformity with the sub-rules.
9 Branch Rules
a) The name of the Branch shall be ‘The Warwick & Leamington Branch of the Warwickshire Beekeepers’ Association’.
b) The business of the Branch shall be conducted by a Branch Committee consisting of Chairman, Immediate Past Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer, with other Members elected at the AGM of the Branch, together with Association Executive Officers (ex officio). Other officers, if required, may be elected to carry out business of the Branch and need not be members of the Branch Committee.
c) The Branch Chairman shall not hold office for more than two years in succession. The two longest-serving non-executive members of the Committee shall not be eligible for re-election.
d) In the event of an office falling vacant during the year, the Branch Committee shall have power to fill the vacancy. The Member so appointed shall hold office until the next Branch AGM and shall then be eligible for election to the office.
e) At its first meeting after election the Branch Committee shall appoint three representatives (preferably the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer) to serve as Trustees of WBKA on the Executive Committee. The names of those appointed shall forthwith be notified to the Association Honorary Secretary. Any representative unable to attend a particular meeting of the Executive Committee may appoint a substitute for that meeting.
f) Branch Honorary Life membership may be bestowed in recognition of services to the Branch. Nominations may be made to the Branch Committee and confirmed at a Branch General Meeting. The BBKA Capitation Fee and the Association Capitation Fee, in respect of Branch Honorary Life Members who have not chosen to be Associate Members in accordance with Rule 4(d) shall be met from Branch funds.
g) An AGM of the Branch shall be held in February. The business of the meeting shall include:
i) The receipt and consideration of reports and of the Branch accounts for the previous year.
ii) The election of Officers and Committee Members.
iii) The appointment of an Independent Examiner.
iv) The determination of the Branch Capitation Fee payable by Branch Members and Partner Members other than Branch Honorary Life Members for the next financial year.
v) The determination of Associate and Junior Members’ subscriptions (if any) for the financial year.
vi) Consideration of any proposal or other matter of which due notice has been given in accordance with sub-rule (h) below.
vii) Any other business, at the discretion of the chairman of the meeting.
h) Any Member of a Branch wishing to make any proposal or raise any other matter for discussion at a Branch AGM shall give written notice thereof to the Branch Secretary not later than 10th December preceding the meeting. In the case of a proposal, the notice shall be counter-signed by the Member seconding the proposal. This sub-rule shall not preclude the amendment of any proposal during the discussion in the course of the AGM.
i) The Branch Secretary shall call an Extraordinary Branch General Meeting if instructed to do so by the Branch Committee or if requested by any Member of the Branch provided that the request is signed by five Branch Members or by three Members of the Branch Committee and states the purpose for which the meeting is requested. The meeting shall take place within ten weeks of a valid instruction or request being received by the Branch Secretary. In the event that the Branch Secretary is unable to call the meeting the Branch Chairman may act in his stead.
j) At least one month’s notice of a Branch General Meeting shall be given to all Members of the Branch and to the Association’s Honorary Secretary. Such notice shall include the agenda of the meeting and an invitation to submit nominations for such Officers or Committee Members who may be due for election at the meeting.
k) Four Members or 25% of the membership, whichever is greater, shall form a quorum at a Branch General meeting.
l) Four Members shall form a quorum at a Branch Committee meeting.
m) Subject to Rules 6 and 7(d), Branch funds shall be administered at the discretion of the Branch Committee.
n) A copy of the independently examined Branch accounts for the previous year shall be furnished to the Association Honorary Treasurer prior to the Association AGM.
o) The Branch shall have power to make supplementary rules at a Branch General Meeting provided that they do not
contravene these Rules. The Branch Secretary shall notify the Association Honorary Secretary and Members of the Branch of such supplementary rules within four weeks of their being made.
10 General provisions concerning rules
a) These Rules may be amended only by a General Meeting of the Association, after due notice in accordance with Rule 8(b) or (c). Amendments shall be effective at the termination of the meeting at which they are decided, except that amendments relating to financial matters shall take effect at the end of the financial year in which they are decided and that no amendment of Rule 2 shall become effective unless approved by the Court of the Charity Commissioners or other authority having jurisdiction under the Charities Act 1960 or amending legislation relevant to Charitable status.
b) A copy of these Rules and a list of Members shall be obtainable from the Honorary Secretary by any Member on request.
c) The decision of the Executive Committee shall be final in any dispute as to the interpretation of these Rules. Any such dispute occurring during a meeting shall be resolved by the decision of the Chairman of the meeting, which shall be valid, so far as that meeting is concerned but may be referred to the Executive Committee for confirmation or correction.
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