Constitution

Statement

The Inaugural Meeting of the Society was held at the Institution of Heating & Ventilating Engineers, 75 Eaton Place, London SW1 on 16 November 1951.

Objects

The objects of the Society are:

1. To provide a forum to discuss and promote mechanical and electrical engineering matters relating to Local Government Authorities and members of the Society.
2. To exchange information concerning professional, technical and managerial functions between members of the Society and other related business.
3. To make such information available to members of the Society and when considered desirable to their Authorities, to Local Authority Associations, Central Government and other appropriate bodies.
4. To deal with other matters of interest to members of the Society.

Membership

There shall be three classes of membership:

1. Members

   This class shall be open to qualified engineers who hold a senior position:

   1. in any branch of mechanical or electrical engineering including energy conservation, communications etc. in Local Government
   2. in bodies connected with Local Government including commercial organisations that provide services for Local Government

2. Retired Members

   This class shall be open to any member in retirement.

3. Honorary Member

   This class shall be open to any member who the Society may desire to honour but is normally confined to such members upon retirement. Election to the class of Honorary Member is for life. All applications for membership shall be submitted in writing to the National Secretary on the appropriate application form. Providing the applicant is eligible for membership and application is correctly completed the National Secretary is empowered to grant membership forthwith. In all other cases the National Secretary shall present the application to the next meeting of the National Executive Committee for consideration. If rejected, any subsequent appeals will be laid before the next available meeting of the Society, whose decision shall be final. Nominations for Honorary Membership shall be made to the National Secretary who will present the list of nominations at the Annual General Meeting of the Society.

Conditions of Membership

All grades of member shall undertake to abide by the Constitution of the Society, any resolutions formally adopted by the Society, and to disclose any financial interest in any matters under consideration by the Society. Any members in arrears of subscriptions for two years shall cease to hold membership.

President & Officers

The Officers of the Society shall comprise the President, Vice President, National Treasurer, National Secretary, Deputy National Secretary and Meetings Secretary. It is to be understood that normally a chain of progression will exist from Vice President to President. The Officers shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting. In the normal course of events the President shall not hold office for a period greater than two consecutive years. In the event of a vacancy arising through death or any other cause during the year of office of any officer, the vacancy shall be filled by a member co-opted by the National Executive Committee. The member co-opted to fill the vacant office shall continue until the next Annual General Meeting.

Nominations for Officers

The National Executive Committee may nominate any class of member, with their consent, for election to any of the positions as Officers of the Society and such nominations shall be published with the Agenda for the Annual General Meeting. Nominations shall also be invited from members at least 14 days before the meeting and such nominations shall require the signature of two members together with the signed consent of the nominee and must be received by the National Secretary. If two or more nominations are received for any office, the National Secretary shall prepare a ballot paper, which shall include all nominations. The ballot shall be conducted at the meeting and the President shall act as Scrutineer.

National Executive Committee

The National Executive Committee shall consist of the National Executive Officers of the Society, together with the Immediate Past-President and other such members as may be co-opted from time to time to assist the National Executive. The National Executive Committee shall carry out the policies of the Society as determined by the members at the Annual General Meeting of the Society. The Committee is empowered to make urgent decisions on behalf of the Society within the limitations of this Constitution. The National Executive Committee shall conduct its business generally in accordance with roles laid down in item 12 below.

Committees

Committees may be appointed by the National Executive Committee to deal with such matters as may be determined from time to time. Each committee shall include at least one Officer of the Society and the membership of all committees shall be reviewed annually as appropriate. The committee shall conduct its business generally in accordance with roles laid down in item 12 below except that the Chairmen of each committee shall be elected by the members of the Committee at their first meeting and shall be empowered to co-opt any member or members representative as required. Where the Society has not determined terms of reference, these shall be agreed by the Committee at its first meeting. The Chairmen of each committee shall report on such matters as are referred to him at the appropriate succeeding meeting of the Society and minutes shall be kept of the proceedings of the Committee.

Representation on Other Bodies

The President may, in consoltation with at least one other Officer of the Society, appoint a member or members to represent the Society on any other body or outside committee as from time to time may be deemed to be desirable on behalf of the Society.

Meetings

Meetings of the Society will be held as follows:

1. June/Joly – Annual General Meeting September/October – Autumn Meeting November/December – Winter Meeting March/April – Spring Meeting
2. The National Executive Committee shall meet as often as is necessary to folfil the business of the Society.
3. An Extraordinary General Meeting of the Society may be convened at any time by the President of the Society or at the written request of 10 members of the Society to the National Secretary.

Representation at Meetings

Shoold any member be prevented from attending a meeting he shall have the right, subject to the approval of the Chairman, of being represented by a senior member of his staff. Representatives have no voting entitlement.

Roles for the Conduct of Meetings of the Society

All meetings of the Society shall be conducted under the following roles:

1. Agenda

   The Secretary of the meeting shall prepare the agenda and give notice to the members at least 14 days before the meeting.

2. Resolutions

   A member wishing to submit a formal resolution for consideration at a meeting shall do so in writing to the National Secretary not later than 21 days before the meeting. Such resolutions shall be included in the agenda that shall be sent with the notice convening the meeting.

3. Chairman and Attendance Register

   The President, or in his absence, the Vice-President or other appointed member, shall chair the meeting and all members present shall record their names on the Attendance Register.

4. Roles of Debate

   The roles of debate in Local Authority Standing Orders shall be observed by the Society. The Chairman shall have power to exercise his discretion at all times and his roling on a point of order shall be final.

5. Quorum

   The quorum for meetings of the Society shall consist of ten members of any class. The quorum for committee meetings of the Society shall consist of three members of any class.

6. Voting

   Issues may be decided by Ayes or Noes. Alternatively, at the Chairman’s discretion or by a show of hands or upon the request of five members, by a ballot.

7. Rescinding Resolution

   No formal resolution passed at any meeting shall be rescinded at any other meeting unless 14 days notice of the intention to move such a rescission shall have been given in writing by ten members of the Society to the Meetings Secretary.

8. Any Other Business

   Nothing herein shall prevent any member, with the approval of the Chairman, raising any question or proposing a motion without previous notice, except one concerned with the rescinding of a resolution passed at a previous meeting.

9. Minutes

   The Meetings Secretary or other appointed member shall take minutes of all meetings. Draft copies of the minutes shall be circolated with the agenda for the next meeting. Any corrections shall be recorded in the subsequent minutes.

Society Year

The Society Year for financial purposes shall be from 1 January to 31 December each year.

Audit & Auditors

The National Treasurer shall submit to the Society, at the Annual General Meeting, a statement of the accounts up to the end of the previous Society Year, audited by two members, appointed at the previous years Annual General Meeting.

Entrance Fee & Subscription

The entrance fee and annual subscription for all classes of membership shall be determined by the National Executive Committee and shall be payable to the National Treasurer on joining the Society and on 1 January each year.

Interpretations of the Constitution

The National Secretary shall act as arbitrator for any disputes arising regarding interpretation of the Constitution.

Revisions of the Constitution

The Constitution of the Society may only be amended or revised by a two-thirds majority vote of the members attending the Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary General Meeting called for the purpose. Or, when deemed appropriate by the National Executive Committee, a two thirds majority of all classes of members who reply within a minimum of 14 days to a ballot issue by the National Secretary.

Dissolution

In the event of proposed dissolution of the Society, the National Executive Committee will formolate a policy for presentation to members.