By-laws

1. Membership

1.1  Membership shall be open to all persons who make formal application, who pay the prescribed subscription and who are willing to abide by and uphold the Constitution and By-Laws of the Group.

1.2  Institutions, societies or groups may become members on the payment of the appropriate subscription. Voting by such corporate members will be on the basis of one vote for each group.

1.3  Members subscriptions shall be established by recommendation of the Committee and ratified by a majority vote at the Annual General Meeting.

1.4  All members in good standing shall have the right to vote and to hold office and to receive publications on the basis of such additional payment (if any) as may be decided.

1.5  A member who is in arrears of subscription shall not be entitled to participate in the ways described in 4 above.

1.6  Honorary Membership, with all the privileges of membership, may be awarded to any individual who has rendered outstanding service to the study of myriapods or terrestrial isopods or to the Group. Such honorary members shall be elected at an Annual General Meeting.

 

2. Committee

2.1 The elected officers shall comprise the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Recording Scheme Organisers, Librarian and Collections Manager, Newsletter Editor, Bulletin Chief Editor, Field Meeting Co-ordinator, Website Manager, Social Media Manager, Resources Officer, Training Officer, Projects Officer, Exhibition and Events Co-ordinator, Conservation Officer and BENHS representative.  Officers shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting for a three year term of office.

2.2 The Committee shall comprise the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Recording Scheme Organisers, Bulletin Chief Editor, Social Media Manager, Website Manager, Newsletter Editor, Field Meeting Co-ordinator and up to five other co-opted members from the elected officers. All individuals elected or co-opted to the Committee shall be entitled to vote.

2.3 A quorum of the Committee shall comprise not less than one third of those entitled to be present and vote.

2.4 The Committee may set up sub-committees for specific purposes but their recommendations can only be implemented through the Committee.

2.5 The Secretary, Treasurer and Recording Scheme Organisers shall report their work to the Annual General Meeting each year.

 

3. Meetings

3.1  The date, time and place of the Annual General Meeting shall be determined by the Committee but shall normally be during the spring field meeting if held.

3.2  Notice of the Annual General Meeting, with agenda, shall be given to all British members at least one month in advance.

3.3  Additional meetings shall be called by the Committee as and when necessary.

3.4  A Special General Meeting to discuss identified items may be called at the request of not less than 20% of members in good standing or four members of the Committee.

 

4. Finance

4.1  All funds accruing to the Group from subscriptions, contributions, sales, donations, gifts or bequests shall be used, at the discretion of the committee, for the administration and activities of the Group and the production of its publications.

4.2  The Group’s accounts shall be subject to annual examination and shall be presented to the annual general meeting.

4.3  Subscriptions and publications charges shall be at rates determined by the committee and announced to the membership.

 

5.  Amendments to By-laws

5.1  By-laws may be adopted, amended, suspended or repealed by a majority vote at an Annual General Meeting provided that at least one month’s notice of such proposals has been given.