Constitution

1. Name

The Society is called “The Broads Society” (the Society).

2. Objects

a To stimulate public appreciation and knowledge of the Broads area by promoting educated and informed discussion about all matters related to the Region, thus encouraging maximum enjoyment of its special features.

b To maintain, restore, conserve, improve and develop objects, features, buildings and sites of historical, social, artistic, ecological and scientific interest relating to the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads for the public benefit.

c To take all available steps to safeguard the Region‟s environment, including its landscape and ecology, and to support, as and when appropriate, the measures being taken by the Broads Authority, Environment Agency and other bodies to achieve this objective.

d To consider and take such steps as are appropriate to comment upon and make representations (including appearing at public enquiries) concerning planning, management and operational proposals likely to affect the region.

e To preserve and, where appropriate, improve facilities for navigation.

f To encourage activities beneficial to the Broads and in particular to enable young people to appreciate the regional opportunities.

3 Officers

The Officers shall consist of the following:

Chairman Immediate Past Chairman

Vice- Chairman Treasurer

4 Constitution of the Committee

Chairman Editor of “Harnser”

Vice-Chairman Eight elected members

Immediate Past-Chairman Ex officio but with full voting rights:

Treasurer Chairmen of Sub-Committees

A quorum shall be seven, with the Chairman of the meeting having the right

to a casting vote. Each Committee member shall be a Trustee of the Society.

5 Election of President

The President shall be nominated by the Committee and elected for a 5-year period by a show of hands at an Annual General Meeting and will serve in an advisory capacity and may be invited to Committee meetings.

6 Election of Vice-Presidents

Each of the Vice-Presidents, who shall be chosen in recognition of his or her outstanding contribution to the Society, shall be nominated by the Committee and elected by a show of hands at the Annual General Meeting. They are elected for life or until their resignation or until the Committee shall resolve otherwise.

7 Election of Chairman

The Chairman shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting from nominations in accordance with Rule 10 and shall serve until the next Annual General Meeting when he or she shall be eligible for re-election so long as his or her period of office does not exceed four consecutive years unless there are exceptional circumstances.

8 Election of Remaining Officers

The remaining Officers shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting from nominations in accordance with Rule 10. They shall serve until the next Annual General Meeting and shall be eligible for re-election. Should a member attain more than one Office, this person shall have only one vote on the Committee.

9 Election of Committee

a) The eight elected members of the Committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting from nominations in accordance with Rule 10 and they shall serve until the next Annual General Meeting. Subject to the second part of this rule they shall be eligible for re-election.

b) Elected Committee members may serve for six continuous years and then will not be eligible for re-election for one year, except that, in any year, only two members should stand because they have served six years. If more than two have served for six years, then the two who have

served on the Committee longest will stand down and the others will be eligible for re-election for that year.

10 Nomination of Officers and Committee

Each of the nominations earlier referred to shall be in writing giving the names of the proposer and seconder and, in respect of individuals not currently serving on the Committee, shall be accompanied by a curriculum vitae. Each nomination, together with the written agreement of the nominee, must be received by the Secretary seven clear days before the relevant meeting. Email is an acceptable format for nominations.

11 Duties of the Committee

The Committee shall manage the affairs of the Society to further the Objects and inter alia has the following powers to: a) engage paid staff , which shall include an Administrator to assist, in conformity with the Constitution

b) raise funds

c) borrow money

d) establish or support charitable trusts, associations or institutions formed for the charitable purposes included in the Objects 18

If a majority of the Committee shall so resolve, any controversial matter must be submitted for decision at a General Meeting.

12 Committee Meetings

The Committee shall meet, subject to at least seven days‟ notice, as summoned on behalf of the Chairman, or at the written request of at least three members of the Committee. The Committee shall meet at least four times a year.

In this constitution the expression „Committee meeting‟ includes, except where inconsistent with any legal obligation:

(a) a physical meeting;

(b) telephone conferencing or similar telephone linking allowing

simultaneous audio participation;

agreement by all Committee members.

13 Committee Attendance

Members of the Committee and its Sub-Committees who fail to attend 50% of its relevant meetings in any one year without reasons that are deemed satisfactory, shall be ineligible for election for the succeeding year.

14 Vacancies

The Committee shall have power to appoint until the next Annual General Meeting a member of the Society to fill any vacancy amongst the Officers or the elected members of the Committee that arises during the year. Such appointed members shall each have a vote.

15 Co-Option

The Committee shall also have the power to co-opt to the Committee up to three members of the Society for a particular meeting or for the period up to the next Annual General Meeting. Such co-opted members shall not be entitled to vote

16 Sub-Committees

The Committee may at any time delegate any of its powers to Sub-Committees, the Chairmen of which shall be full Committee members. The Committee may disband such Sub-Committees at any time. The Chairman of such Sub-Committees and up to six members of such Sub- Committees shall be appointed by the main Committee at any time. Sub- Committees shall have power to:

a) appoint their own Vice-Chairman and Secretary

b) co-opt members of the Society for a period expiring at the next AGM.

Such co-option can be renewed at the first meeting after the AGM. The number of co-opted members shall not constitute a majority on any Sub- Committee.

In the exercise of the powers granted to it, any sub-committee shall conform to any regulations and terms of reference accorded by the main Committee. Their minutes and any reports shall be circulated with the Agenda for the Main Committee meetings.

The Chairman of the Society shall be an ex officio member of all such Sub- Committees.

17 Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting shall be held not later than nine months after the end of each financial year. Notice of the Annual General Meeting or of any

Extraordinary General Meeting shall be sent to all members not less than twenty- one days beforehand.

18 Subscriptions

The financial year shall close on 31 March and annual subscriptions shall be such sum as determined by the Committee from time to time, such subscriptions next becoming payable with effect from the following April or, if later, the date on which a member‟s annual subscription is due for renewal. The Committee may arrange for the issue of a reminder to any member who has not paid within six months of such subscription being due. If that subscription has not been paid within one calendar month of the date of posting of the reminder the Committee may revoke that membership and remove the name from the list of members.

19 Corporate Membership

In the event of membership being given to any group of individuals under one designation, whether a school, company, partnership or any other organisation, such body, paying a single subscription, shall be entitled to one vote only at any meeting of the Society.

20 Duties of the Treasurer

The Treasurer shall submit to the Committee a statement of the financial position as often as may be required and shall present summarised accounts at the Annual General Meeting.

21 Extraordinary General Meeting

Any twenty members, on giving at least one calendar month‟s notice to the Administrator or Chairman in writing or by email, stating the reason, shall be empowered to call an Extraordinary General Meeting.

22 Data Protection

For the purposes of the Data Protection Act 1998, membership shall be deemed to constitute consent to the holding of relevant personal data and to its use in the form of addressed envelopes or address labels and for confidential reports to the Officers and Committee.

23 Change of Rules

Any members wishing to propose any alteration or addition to the Rules shall give three calendar months‟ notice thereof in writing to the Administrator, stating the nature of the proposed alteration or addition, which must be supported in writing and signed by no fewer than ten members provided that no change shall be made to Rule 2 (Objects) without the prior approval of the Charity Commission. The Administrator shall then cause the proposed alteration or addition to be circulated at least 21 days in advance of a General Meeting, when a vote on the proposal shall be taken.

24 Dissolution

If at any time it appears that the objects of the Society have been fulfilled or can no longer be achieved, the Society may be dissolved with the concurrence of a two-thirds majority of those present and voting at a Special General Meeting called for the purpose at 28 days‟ notice. The Special General Meeting shall instruct

the committee as to the disposition of any assets outstanding after the satisfaction of all proper debts and liabilities. Such assets shall only be given or transferred to such other charitable institutions or institutions having similar objects to the Objects of the Society as the Special General Meeting shall determine. The Committee must notify the Charity Commission that the Society has been dissolved.

Registered Charity No. 1078434