[Edmonton County School Old Scholars' Association]

Constitution and Rules of the Association

Introduction

The current Constitution was prepared by the Committee and accepted at an Extraordinary General Meeting in February, 1999.

Previously the Rules of the Association had not been revised for over forty years and had become completely irrelevant to the current situation. The main problem with those previous Rules was that they failed to differentiate between constitutional ideas and the running of now defunct Sections. They applied to a local Association where interested members were in a position to attend meetings if they choose but gave no rights to distant members. Now the majority of ECSOSA members are no longer local which means we have to protect their interests whether or not they choose to exercise their rights.

The aim of the Constitution therefore was to make it appropriate to the contemporary structure yet flexible enough to cover future changes in circumstances (especially developments in communication technology). This approach allowed us to make the Association more democratic and responsive to the needs of the membership as a whole, giving us a format which protects the existence of the Association and the rights of its members. We were very careful in setting up the new Constitution bearing in mind that it is likely to be some time before anyone revises it again.

The Rules are designed to cover the day to day running of the Association. As such, they are more easily amended appropriate to any situation that may develop.

Constitution of The Edmonton County School Old Scholars' Association

1. Name

The Association shall be called "The Edmonton County School Old Scholars' Association".

2. Objects

The objects of the Association shall be to promote contact between Old Scholars of Edmonton County School, and provide for their common interests.

3. Membership

  1. All old scholars of Edmonton County School shall be eligible for membership of the Association.
  2. Members of associated Clubs and Societies shall be members of the Association.
  3. The Headmaster shall be invited to become Joint-President of the Association.
    Past and present members of the school staff shall be invited to become Honorary members.
  4. For service to the School or the Association, the Committee may nominate Joint- Presidents, Vice-Presidents or Honorary membership. Any nominations shall be ratified at the first available General Meeting.
  5. Various types of membership may be considered by the Committee.
  6. All applications for membership shall be considered by the Committee.

4. Government

  1. Government of the Association shall be in the hands of a Committee appointed at the Annual General Meeting.
  2. The Committee shall be composed, and meet at intervals, sufficient for it to carry out the business and meet the obligations of the Association.

5. Finance

  1. The finance of the whole Association of Clubs and Societies shall be controlled by the Committee. Accounts of all associated Clubs and Societies shall be submitted to the Committee annually.
  2. All properties, including those of the associated Clubs, shall be invested in the Association.
  3. Subscriptions shall be due at the beginning of each financial year of the Association at such amount as shall be levied by the Committee and approved by the Association in General Meeting.
  4. Auditors shall be appointed by the Annual General Meeting to audit the accounts annually.

6. General Meetings

  1. There shall be an Annual General Meeting of members, held within two months of the end of each financial year.
  2. An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called by the Committee or any member with sufficient backing. Such members may be held liable for the costs of the meeting.
  3. All members shall be entitled and registered to vote at a General Meeting either by attendance or by verified communication.
  4. Motions for consideration at a General Meeting may be proposed by any member with sufficient backing by giving adequate notice to the Committee.
  5. Notice of any General Meeting shall be circulated by the Committee and be sufficient
    1. for all members to be informed of the business of the Meeting
    2. for all members to have time to comment on that business
    3. for members registering interest to be given notice of those comments and sufficient time to vote on the business of the Meeting.
  6. Any decisions reached at a General Meeting on matters not on the Agenda and without sufficient notice being given as above shall require ratification at the first available General Meeting.

7. Constitution and Rules

  1. Amendments to the Constitution may only be made by a two thirds majority of all members registered to vote at a General Meeting.
  2. Amendments to Rules may be made by a simple majority of all members registered to vote at a General Meeting, provided that such amendments do not conflict with the constitution.

8. Discipline

  1. Membership may be denied to those in arrears or to any bringing the School or Association into disrepute.
  2. Members expelled from the Association may appeal to a General Meeting.

9. Termination of the Association

  1. Termination of the Association may only take place as an amendment to the Constitution.
  2. Any assets of the Association shall be transferred to the school, or if this is not possible to a charity or charities nominated in the final amendment to the Constitution.

As revised and agreed at the Extraordinary General Meeting held at the Old Edmontonians Clubhouse on February 26th, 1999.

Rules under the Constitution of The Edmonton County School Old Scholars' Association

1. Name

The Association shall also be recognised by the initials ECSOSA for the purpose of receiving cheques, etc.

2. Objects

The objects may be promoted by the Association as a whole, by associated sections, clubs or societies or by affiliation with other bodies connected with the School.

3. Membership

  1. Membership shall be open to any old scholar of the school no matter by what name it was known at the time they attended or by whatever name it has been, or may become, known at any time during its existence.
  2. Associated Clubs and Societies will be open only to members. The Association may be affiliated to other Clubs and Societies open to non-old scholars of Edmonton County School.
  3. The committee may nominate the retiring Chairman as Joint-President.
  4. Current membership categories are - Annual, Annual Joint, Life, Life Joint, and other time periods.
  5. Applications for membership and any subsequent changes in personal circumstances should be forwarded to the Membership Secretary.
  6. All members currently are sent the Newsletter and notifications of meetings and events. The Constitution and Rules of the Association are available on request.

4. Government

  1. The Committee shall consist of a Chairman, a General Secretary, an Assistant Secretary, a Treasurer, a Membership Secretary, a Social Co-ordinator and five other members.
  2. The Committee shall meet not less than four times in each year. The quorum shall be fifty percent of its membership.

    Vacant offices may be filled by the committee.

    The committee may co-opt other members to ensure representation of each of any associated groups, Clubs and Societies.

5. Finance

  1. Accounts of all associated Clubs and Societies shall be submitted to the committee via the Treasurer in time to be included in the overall Accounts presented at the AGM.
  2. Current subscriptions are Annual £3.00, Joint Annual £4.00, Five years £12.50, Five years joint £16.50, Ten years £22.50, Ten years joint £30.00, Life £30.00 and Joint Life £40.00.

    The financial year shall run from 1st September to 31st August.

6. General Meetings

  1. Motions for consideration at the General Meeting may be proposed by any member with the backing of five other members giving notice to the committee at least three months before the AGM.

    At least four months notice of the date and venue of the Annual General Meeting shall be given by the committee to the membership.

  2. An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called by any member with the backing of nineteen other members or ten percent of the membership whichever is the less. The committee shall be informed of the proposal for an Extraordinary General Meeting by written request signed by all the proposing members. The committee may hold these members liable for the costs of the meeting.

    It may be refused on the grounds

    1. It is within four months of the AGM at which the business could take place.
    2. The business is frivolous, against the interests of the membership or unconstitutional.

    If refused under grounds 6b)ii and the members persist, the committee shall provide to these members all information necessary to call a General Meeting.

    If the meeting is not sanctioned by the Committee, then these members may reclaim their expenses from the Association, provided that

    1. Those calling the meeting have complied with the Constitution.
    2. Any motion or business is not contrary to the Constitution.
    3. Any motion is passed.

    The committee may refuse to reimburse expenses incurred if any of these conditions do not apply.

    Those members can otherwise reclaim their expenses from the Association by a motion sanctioning payment being passed at the next general meeting.

  3. The definition of "members registered to vote" will be those returning a ballot by post or email, registering a proxy or attending the General Meeting in person.
  4. Motions for a General Meeting by the committee require notice to members as under 6e).
    1. First notice of any General Meeting shall be circulated to all members and include an Agenda of all business of the meeting and the opportunity for members to register their interest and to comment on that business.

      First notice of the business of any General Meeting shall be circulated at least two months before the meeting.

    2. Second notice of any General Meeting shall shall be circulated to all members who register their interest and include any comments received by the committee on the business of the meeting. It shall also include copies of accounts, voting papers or proxies.

      Second notice of any General Meeting shall be circulated at least one month before the meeting.

  6. Any motion passed at a General Meeting on business not previously circulated to members with sufficient notice under these rules will have the force of a recommendation only.

    The committee shall resubmit any such motion passed at a General Meeting to the next available General Meeting.

7. Constitution and Rules

A "majority" applied to amendments to the Constitution or Rules is defined by those voting for the motion over all those members registered to vote at the General Meeting whether or not they vote on that particular motion.

8. Discipline

  1. Members wishing to appeal must provide notice in accordance with Rule 6.

As revised and agreed at the Annual General Meeting of the Edmonton County School Old Scholars' Association held on Thursday, 17th October, 2002 at 8.00 p.m. at the Edmonton County Lower School, Little Bury Street, Edmonton, N9.

Updates

Rule 5c relating to the current subscription has been updated on more than one occasion since 2002, the last occasion being at the AGM held on 9th October, 2019. The effect of the the latest change is that all members now have Life or Joint Life membership and the one-off subscription for a new Life member is £12.50, and for Joint Life members is £16.50.

[ECSOSA: Quis separabit - Who shall separate us?]
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