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Constitution |
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Constitution
adopted at First Annual General Meeting on 23rd October
2002 Revised at 2nd Annual General Meeting
on 26th November 2003 Introduction
1.
The
Scottish Borders Safety Forum (the Forum) was inaugurated at the
first meeting on 29th November 2000.
The first committee meeting was held at the Cross Keys Hotel
Kelso on 11th July 2001.
The constitution was first approved at the first AGM on 23rd
October 2002. Aims
and objectives 2.
The Forum aims to make the Scottish Borders a safer place to
work by promoting good health and safety practice, encouraging
members to share problems and solutions, and by providing health and
safety information to all interested parties. 3.
To support these aims, the Forum will forge links with
organisations whose aims are similar to our own.
4.
The Forum will be affiliated to the Scottish Chamber of
Safety, RoSPA, the Scottish Borders Community Safety Forum and the
National Health & Safety Groups Council.
The forum may seek affiliation with other groups in the
future. In the spirit
of co-operation, nnewsletters and other information will be circulated to affiliated
bodies and other interested groups. Activities
5. Forum meetings will be held quarterly, normally on the last Wednesday in the months on February, May, August and October at 5pm. The committee will set the programme for presentations, book a venue and arrange guest speakers. Membership
6.
Membership
is open to all firms, individuals and organisations in the Scottish
Borders and surrounding areas.
The forum is for anyone with an interest in health and
safety, not just for safety professionals.
We do not aim for members to be liable for any subscriptions
or membership fees. 6a
Types of Membership There
are two types of Forum Member, each with the same voting rights and
privileges – a.
Corporate members – Companies and organisations may nominate a
representative to act for them at General Meetings.
Where more than one person per company or organisation
attends, only one vote per organisation may be cast. b.
Individual members – self employed people or others with an
individual interest in health & safety In
addition, representatives from affiliated bodies may attend but not
vote at general meetings. Forum
committee 7.
The management of the Forum shall be the responsibility of
the committee. The committee shall consist of: Chairman
(The post may remain vacant if the members deem that one is not
required) Secretary
Treasurer Committee members - as many as deemed necessary. One
committee member may carry out two functions e.g.
secretary/treasurer. Specialist
sections or committees 8.
There are no plans for specialist sections or committees at
present. Co-options 9.
The committee shall have the power to co-opt Forum members.
Co-opted members shall have the same power to vote as elected
members. Vacancies
10.
The committee shall, in the event of a casual vacancy
occurring, appoint another member of the Forum to serve the
remainder of the term of office of the position vacated. Ex-officio
and Honorary members 11.
There are no ex-officio members of the committee at the
present time. Honorary
forum members may be admitted when duly proposed and seconded at the
AGM. This may include
an honorary President and any number of honorary Vice-Presidents. Committee
vote 12.
All votes shall be decided by a simple majority Quorum
13.
A quorum shall be three members of the committee. Nominations
for office and elections 14.
Nomination of Forum members shall be made with the consent of
the nominee and be properly proposed and seconded by Forum members.
Nominations for the committee shall be given in writing to the
secretary. Normally
this shall be twenty-eight days before the relevant Annual General
Meeting. 15.
In the event of insufficient nominations being received
twenty-eight days before the meeting, the committee will accept
nominations up to the day before the meeting. If there are still
insufficient nominations received, nominations may then be accepted
at the relevant Annual General Meeting. 16.
The secretary shall verify as soon as possible after
receiving each nomination that nominees are willing to stand. Auditors
17.
Independent audits of the forum accounts shall be carried out
as soon as reasonably practicable after the end of the financial
year to which the accounts relate.
The committee will appoint auditors Terms
of office 18.
All committee members shall hold office for one year from the
relevant Annual General Meeting and shall be eligible for
re-election. Finance
19.
The forum newsletter and associated information leaflets are
presently funded by a direct grant from the Scottish Borders
Community Safety Forum. 20.
As the forum does not intend to seek fees or subscriptions
from the membership, the committee will seek funding from other
sources to cover incidental expenses and will accept donations or
sponsorship from members or other interested bodies. Annual
General Meetings 21.
The
annual general meeting will normally be held on the last Wednesday
of November. The agenda
will be - ·
Secretary’s
report on forum activities ·
Financial
report - copies of accounts to be available ·
Election
of chairman (if requested by members), secretary and treasurer ·
Election
of committee members ·
Programme
for following year ·
Any
other business Extraordinary
General Meetings 22. The Secretary shall convene an Extraordinary General Meeting at the request of the committee, or at the written request of ten Forum members. The notice of the meeting shall state the purpose of the meeting and no other business shall be transacted thereat Notice
of general meetings 23.
The secretary shall send notices of all general meetings to
all Forum & affiliate members. They shall be sent through the
post or by e-mail at least fourteen days before the meeting, stating
the business to be transacted thereat. Voting
at general meetings 24.
All Forum members whose name appears in the membership list
shall have one vote. The secretary shall have and exercise a second
or casting vote in the event of an equality of votes. 25.
Voting shall be by secret ballot or by show of hands as may
be agreed by those present. Quorum
at Extraordinary General Meetings 26.
A quorum shall be at least ten members of the forum, of whom
at least three shall be committee members. Dissolution of the forum27.
In the event that the subject of an EGM is the dissolution of
the forum, the secretary will issue notice of an extraordinary
dissolution meeting, in line with the EGM procedures at items 22-26
above. If a quorum of
10 members does not respond to the dissolution notice a final
meeting will be held with those present to wind up the affairs of
the forum. 28.
The dissolution meeting minutes will record the reasons for
dissolving the forum. The
treasurer shall prepare a final statement of accounts.
Any unused funds for specific items e.g. newsletter grants
should be returned to the original donor.
Any other monies shall be donated to a charity to be
nominated and voted on at the meeting. 29.
After the meeting, the secretary will circulate the minutes
of the dissolution meeting and the final accounts to the former
membership. They will
be made available on the website until such time as the renewal for
the domain falls due for renewal, at which time the domain will
lapse. 30.
The secretary will also ensure that all assets are dispersed
in accordance with the wishes of the meeting, the Forum bank account
is closed and our affiliate bodies are notified of the winding up of
the forum. 31.
Finally, the secretary will ensure that the records and
minutes of the forum are offered to the Scottish Borders Library
Service for preservation, or failing that are disposed of
appropriately. NOTE - Not part of the constitution. The Forum bank account is lodged with Clydesdale Bank PLC, High Street, Galashiels TD1 1RY. The account requires signatures of two committee members on all cheques to withdraw funds..
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