CONSTITUTION & RULES OF THE EPSOM GARDEN SOCIETY
l. NAME: The name of the Society shall be "The Epsom Garden Society".
2. OBJECTS: The objects of the Society shall be:
a) To promote the horticultural interests of its members and to act therein generally for their benefit.
b) To arrange for lectures and discussions in horticulture, exhibitions and competitions and to distribute relevant literature.
3. MEMBERSHIP: The Society shall consist of persons interested in horticulture.
4. SUBSCRIPTIONS: Each member, or household, shall pay one annual subscription, which shall become due on 1st April. The amount of which shall be determined at the Annual General Meeting.
5. ARREARS: Any member who is three months in arrears with his or her subscription shall be held to have ceased to be a member unless there are special extenuating circumstances.
6. OFFICERS & COMMITTEE :
a) The Officers shall be Hon. Chairman, Hon. Secretary, Hon. Treasurer, Hon. Show Secretary & Hon. Membership Secretary.
b) The affairs of the Society shall be conducted by a committee of up to ten members in addition to the Officers. The Officers & the Committee shall retire at that Annual General Meeting but shall be eligible for re-election. Subject to this annual re-election the maximum term of office for the Hon. Chairman only shall be 3 years at any one time, unless decided otherwise at the Annual General Meeting.
7. COMMITTEE MEETINGS: Committee meetings shall be called from time to time as deemed necessary. Five members shall form a quorum. The Committee shall have full power to fill any vacancies occurring among the Officers of the Society, to co-opt members to serve as full Committee members until the next AGM, and to appoint from amongst themselves and from other members of the Society, sub-committees to deal with matters arising from the business of the Society. Such sub-committees shall report the result of their findings to the full Committee before putting these into operation. The Committee shall have general power to act in pursuance of the objects of the Society.
8. GENERAL MEETINGS: The Annual General Meeting shall be held between 1st October and 3lst December. It shall receive and approve reports from the Officers & Committee and the audited accounts from the Hon. Treasurer and shall elect the Officers & Committee members. Twenty members shall form a quorum.
Notice of the Annual General Meeting and a provisional agenda shall be circulated to all members not less than 4 weeks before the date of the meeting. Nominations for the Committee and Officers, duly proposed & seconded, and any other items for inclusion in the agenda shall be in the hands of the Hon. Secretary not less than two weeks before the date of the meeting.
Alterations of rules can only be made at a General Meeting by two-thirds majority of those members of the Society present and voting. Other matters shall be decided by a simple majority. The Chairman may not participate in any initial voting, but in the event of a tie, shall have a casting vote. A special General Meeting shall be called by the Hon. Secretary on a requisition signed by not less than l0 members or by resolution of the Committee. All members shall receive notice of such a meeting 7 days before the date thereof, together with the agenda, which shall be the only business discussed.
9. WINDING UP:
a) A decision to wind up the Society shall only be taken at an Annual or Special General Meeting which is attended by not less than 20 members of the Society.
b) A member may be deemed to attend a meeting if represented by a person nominated, in writing, to act as proxy on their behalf, in such a manner as similarly directed by the absent member.
c) There must be a majority vote in favour of the proposal to wind up the Society‘s affairs by those attending the meeting and any nominated proxies.
d) In the event that the decision to wind up the Society’s affairs is agreed, the meeting shall then go on to appoint a Committee, of not less than three and not more than seven members, to oversee the disposal of the Society's assets.
e) The meeting shall give a clear indication to that Committee of the use to which any remaining funds shall be put.
f) The Committee so appointed to oversee the disposal of the Society's assets shall abide as closely as possible to the wishes expressed at the meeting which appointed it.
g) The Committee so appointed shall publish a Notice in at least one local newspaper to the effect that the Society has been wound up.
10. DISCUSSIONS AT MEETINGS: No party political or sectarian discussions shall be raised or resolutions proposed either at any Committee or General meeting of the Society.
11 FUNDS: All monies received by any officials on behalf of the Society shall be paid by them to the Hon. Treasurer who shall be responsible for their safekeeping and their deposit as necessary in the Society's bank or building society accounts. The financial year of the Society shall end on 30th September when the accounts shall be balanced and submitted to the Auditor.
12. AUDITORS: There shall be appointed at the Annual General Meeting an Auditor who is not a member of the Committee, to audit the accounts and submit a report to the Annual General Meeting.
13. HONORARY MEMBERSHIP: The Committee is empowered to create Honorary Membership for a limited number of persons in recognition of their outstanding contribution to the Society and to appoint distinguished individuals to the positions of President and Vice Presidents.
14. DATA PROTECTION: The Committee shall agree an approved Data Protection policy which will comply with the requirements of any current Data Protection Regulations. This policy will be displayed on the society website and available to members on request.
15. Any matter which is not covered by the above will be dealt with by the committee, whose decision shall be final and binding upon all members.