CARRADALE CAMERA CLUB CONSTITUTION

1.           Name

The Club is called the Carradale Camera Club.

2.           Aim

a. The aim of the Club is the furtherance of the art and technique of photography by exchanging ideas and assistance between members, and by organising lectures, demonstrations, competitions, exhibitions, and other photography-related events.

3.           Membership

a. The membership year will commence in September and finish the following September with the Annual General Meeting (AGM).

b. Any person interested in photography as an amateur or professional and who agrees to actively support the Club’s aim may apply for membership.

c. Persons wishing to become members are required to submit their names to the Committee, supported by a Proposer and Seconder. Membership is subject to election at a Committee meeting and payment of the appropriate subscription within thirty days of being notified of their successful application.

4.           Subscription

a. The amount of the Annual Subscription will be determined by the AGM.

b. Membership of the Club ceases if the Annual Subscription is not paid within three months of the AGM of that year.

c. No person may enter a Club competition or submit work for a Club exhibition if the Annual Subscription for the current year remains unpaid.

5.           Organisation

a. The Officers of the Club will consist of Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, and Competition Secretary.

b. Officers are to be elected each year at the AGM.

6.           Management

a. The Club is to be managed by a Committee, consisting of the Officers and at least two other elected members.

b. Four Committee members will constitute a Quorum.

c. The Committee will meet as often as business requires each year.

d. Club members may attend Committee meetings and take part in any discussions, but will not be able to vote. Notice of intended meetings to be announced by e-mail and on Club nights.

e. The Committee may fill vacancies that occur for any reason between AGMs. Persons so appointed will serve until the next AGM.

7.           Finances

a. The Committee is to keep, in the name of the Club, a bank account into which all monies are to be paid. All cheques are to be signed by the Treasurer and one other signatory nominated by the Committee.

8.           Annual General Meeting

a. The AGM will be held during the month of September each year.

b. The business must include:

i. Minutes of the previous year’s AGM.
ii. Annual Report of the Committee.
iii. Statement of Accounts and audited balance sheet.
iv. Election of Officers and Committee members.
v. Any other business.

c. The Committee must e-mail all members, at least twenty-one days before the date of the AGM, the following:

i. A notice convening the AGM.
ii. The names of the present Committee, and any Offices held, and any vacancies.
iii. Notice of vacancies on the Committee, and request for nominations.
iv. An agenda for the AGM.

d. Propositions for any other items to be included in the agenda of the AGM must be given to the Committee, by e-mail, not less than fourteen days before the date of the meeting, and supported by e-mail by two Club members as Proposer and Seconder.

9.           Special General Meeting

a. A Special General Meeting (SGM) may be called at any time by the Committee, or upon receipt of a request, signed by not less than one quarter of the Club members, stating the reasons for which it is required.  This is also named as an Emergency General Meeting (EGM).

b. Twenty-one days’ notice must be given, containing:

i. Notice convening the SGM/EGM.
ii. Details of all business to be transacted.

c. No business other than that appearing in the convening notice is to be transacted at the SGM/EGM.

10.         Emergencies

In the event of anything occurring that is not provided for or is unclear in the foregoing Rules, the Committee has authority to deal with it at its discretion.

11.         Dissolution

The Club may be dissolved only at an AGM or a SGM/EGM convened for that purpose. The consent of three-quarters of members present at the meeting is required to dissolve the Club. Disposal of Club funds and assets to be decided at the same meeting.

12.         General

Outline of tasks of Officers

a. Chairperson. Public facing; liaising with outside bodies; recruitment; generation of external funding; publicity; topping and tailing club meetings; coordinates / builds the following season's Club meeting agenda; arranges for guest speakers and seeks / encourages internal talks; chairs Committee meetings and E/AGMs; oversees agenda construction; manages record keeping of Committee membership and nominations; leads on personnel changes for Officers; can carry the vote if a Committee meeting is split on a decision; coordinates work done by, and action points for, Committee members, and similar for E/AGMs; members' issues (eg illness, life membership); coordinates generation of online resources; overseeing Club policies.

b. Secretary. Booking venue(s) and liaison - for club meetings, E/AGMs, Committee meetings; distributes agendas and writes minutes of Committee meetings and E/AGMs; manages and sets up Club meeting equipment and, if needed, operates equipment; manages Zoom; manages online Club space; manages, or coordinates, Facebook page and similar; manages (receives and sends) Club e-mail; manages and organises equipment storage and loaning. Arranges welcome information and deals with prospective enquiries.

c. Competition secretary. Manages external and internal competitions, as guided by the website competitions page, including judges, prizes, publicity.

d. Treasurer. Manages Club account, membership fees, other income, and financing of outgoings. Presents accounts at AGMs; arranges for two non-committee members to examine accounts. Maintains definitive list of members, current and legacy.

These tasks are guidelines and can be swapped over or taken on by another Officer, by agreement. It should be decided at the start of the season, which member of the Committee is to be the lead for the Summer Exhibition for that season.

13.         Behavioural Standards

The Committee has the power to expel any member whose conduct is in opposition to the well-being and good name of the Club.

14.         Policies

a. Members of the Club must be aware of, and adhere to, the contents of the Club policies.

b. Each policy must be reviewed annually, and changes must be agreed on by the Committee.

c. The Club holds the following policies:

i. Data protection policy, including copyright policy and social media policy.
ii. Vulnerable Persons policy.

15.         Rules

a. The foregoing Rules form the Constitution of the Club.

b. No alteration of any kind can be made to the Rules, except at an AGM or a SGM/EGM.

September 2023