1 Constitution
The Society shall be called the “Stafford Photographic Society” and subject to Rule 12, membership shall be open to any person.
2 Objective
The objective of the Society shall be educational in character, being the improvement of its members in the art and science of photography through the arranging of lectures, demonstrations, competitions, exhibitions, debates, outings and the transaction of any matter consistent with its title. The funds of the Society shall be devoted solely to this stated objective.
3 Ordinary meetings
Ordinary Society Meetings shall normally be held weekly from September through to May. They shall have the power to transact any business of the Society, except as provided otherwise by these rules. It shall not be necessary to give notice of Ordinary Meetings other than by a printed programme, a copy of which shall be made available to each member every year.
4 Extraordinary Meetings.
Extraordinary Meetings shall be held if so requested by the Committee, or upon receipt of a written request to the Secretary from at least six members, stating the business of the meeting. Two weeks notice of such meetings shall be given to Society members.
5 Annual General Meeting
An Annual General Meeting shall normally be held in May of each year:
To receive from the retiring Committee a report on the position of the Society and its progress during the past year.
To receive from the Treasurer, a statement of accounts for the year, duly audited.
To elect the Officers and Committee members to serve for the ensuing year.
To establish the subscription rate for the following year. To decide such matters relative to the Society as the Meeting may think fit.
6 Officers of the Society
The Honorary Officers of the Society shall be President, Vice-President, Secretary and Curator, Treasurer, Programme Coordinator, Competition Coordinators, Publicity and Exhibitions Coordinator, Minutes Secretary, Social Events Coordinator.
The above Officers shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting. All nominations shall be submitted to the Secretary prior to the commencement of the meeting. All Officers shall retire and be eligible for re-election except the President who shall normally hold office for one full year.
7 Committee
The Committee shall consist of the President, Vice-President, immediate Past President, Secretary and Curator, Treasurer, Programme Coordinator, Competition Coordinators, Publicity and Exhibitions Coordinator, Minutes Secretary, Social Events Coordinator, and up to six other members. The committee shall:
Govern the affairs of the Society in accordance with the rules.
Have full control over the funds of the Society except that the subscription rates shall be determined by the Annual General Meeting.
Have the power to fill any vacancy of Officers or Committee, which may occur between Annual General meetings.
Have the power to co-opt members onto the Committee for specific purposes.
Have the power to appoint sub-committees with such terms of reference as may from time to time be determined.
No business shall be transacted at any Committee meeting unless five members, including at least two Officers, are present. Committee meetings shall be convened by the Secretary whenever he/she deems it necessary, or on the written request of any two members of the Committee. There shall normally be at least four Committee meetings held each year.
8 Voting rights.
Ordinary, Extraordinary and Annual General Meetings – each member is entitled to attend and shall have one vote: the Chairperson having a casting vote. Resolutions shall be carried by the majority of the members present and voting.
Committee meetings – each Committee member shall have one vote: the Chairperson having a casting vote. Resolutions shall be carried by the majority of the Committee members present and voting.
9 Chairperson
At all meetings and Committee meetings the chair shall be taken by the President if in attendance, otherwise by the Vice-President. If neither of these Officers is present, the meeting shall proceed to elect one of its members present to act as Chairperson for that meeting or Committee.
10 Minutes
The Secretary shall keep minutes of the proceedings of all meetings and Committee meetings, except Ordinary meetings, which shall be kept by the Minute Secretary. At all Annual General and Committee meetings the reading of the minutes of the previous meeting shall normally proceed the transaction of all other business, except the election of Chairperson if necessary. The Chairperson, as conclusive evidence that the matters have been properly recorded, shall sign the minutes.
11 Membership List
The Treasurer shall maintain a list of current members.
12 New Members
The Committee shall have the right to accept or decline application for membership to the Society.
13 Admission of non-Members
Members may introduce friends at Ordinary Meetings up to three times in any one year. Members of other photographic societies visiting Stafford shall be permitted to attend Ordinary Meetings.
14 Termination of Membership
Any member whose conduct is injurious to the welfare of the Society may be expelled by the resolution of an Extraordinary meeting called in accordance with rule 4. Seven days notice of such a meeting must be given to the offending member. This should be served by post to the last known address.
15 Subscriptions
Subscriptions are due on or before the 30th November each year. The amount to be paid to the Treasurer shall be such sum as the previous Annual General Meeting has decided. Any person whose subscription is one month in arrears shall cease or be ineligible to be a member of the Society upon resolution of the committee. At the discretion of the Committee, reduced subscriptions may apply to new members joining after the 1st January.
16 Society Property
The Secretary and Curator shall keep and maintain an inventory of Society property. The Society shall maintain adequate insurance cover on its property.
17 Venue
Any proposal for a permanent change in the venue for the Society’s Ordinary Meetings shall be considered by the Annual General Meeting, or if necessary by an Extraordinary Meeting.
18 Admission of minors
Any member or visitor under the age of sixteen years will be deemed a “Young Person”. Young Persons will be subject to all Society Rules and must be accompanied by a parent, guardian or responsible adult who will be solely responsible for the welfare, safety, actions and behaviour of the Young Person at all times. This condition will apply to all SPS meetings, events and/or outings wherever and whenever they may occur.
19 Alteration to the Society’s Rules
Any proposal for an alteration to the rules of the Society shall be considered by the Annual General Meeting, or if necessary, an Extraordinary meeting.