THE DEVON BUILDINGS GROUP CONSTITUTION
1. NAME
The name of the Society shall be THE DEVON BUILDINGS GROUP
2. OBJECTS
The objects of the Group shall be:
(i) To promote the study, wider understanding & appreciation of the historic buildings of Devon.
(ii) To liaise between local & national groups & other interested bodies concerned with Devon’s historic buildings.
(iii) To afford advice to owners & public authorities in regard to the conservation & repair of historic buildings in Devon.
(iv) To take an active part in the preservation of historic buildings or groups of buildings in Devon, especially through casework on buildings or groups of buildings under threat.
3. MANAGEMENT
(i) The general management of the Group shall be in the hands of a Committee, meeting not less than six times a year and consisting of not fewer than ten and not more than sixteen members of the Group, elected at an Annual General Meeting. Any member of the Group shall be eligible for nomination for election to the Committee and the invitation to make such nominations will accompany the notice of the AGM at which the election is to be held. Such nominations, signed by a proposer and a seconder – both of whom shall be members of the Group – and accompanied by a statement, signed by the candidate, of his/her willingness to serve, must reach the Secretary fourteen days before the AGM at which the election is to be held. If, when nominations close, sixteen or fewer than sixteen candidates have been nominated, all candidates shall be deemed elected.
(ii) The Committee will include two officers: a Secretary, to be Secretary of the Devon Buildings Group, and a Treasurer, to be Treasurer of the Devon Buildings Group. These officers will be elected triennially at an AGM. Any member of the Group shall be eligible for nomination for election as an officer and the invitation to make such nominations will accompany the notice of the AGM at which the election for officers is due. Nominations – proposed, seconded, and agreed in the same way as those for Committee members – must reach the Secretary fourteen days before the AGM in question. Nomination to office automatically includes nomination to serve on the Committee. Election of officers, in the event of their being more than one nomination to each office, shall be by show of hands at an AGM and shall follow the election of the Committee.
(iii) The Secretary & Treasurer will serve for three years; elected members of the Committee will also serve for three years, but one third of their numbers will retire each year by rotation. Officers may resign their post at one month’s notice. In the event of a vacancy arising in one of the offices, the Committee may elect a new officer from among its number, to serve until the next AGM, when that officer must stand for re-election to the Committee if he/she wishes to continue. Retiring Committee members & officers will be eligible for re-election.
(iv) The Committee may add to its number any member or members of the Group who, in the opinion of the Committee, may help in the furtherance of the aims of the Group. In such instances, the co-opted member or members shall attend in an advisory & non-voting capacity.
(v) The Committee shall have the power to invite any member of the Group to become Membership Secretary.
(vi) The Committee may also appoint sub-committees, answerable to the Committee, with such powers & authority as are specified at the time of appointment, as well as advisory “ad-hoc” committees from time to time, if it appears to them that such will assist in furthering the objects of the Group. Membership of such advisory & sub-committees shall not be confined to members of the Committee.
(vii) The Committee may, at its discretion, undertake to publish & circulate such material as it deems to be in furtherance of the aims of the group.
(viii) In an emergency, the Secretary – or, in the event of absence, his/her nominee – & any two elected members of the Committee, shall have the power to act on behalf of the Committee & the Group, provided that a report of any action so taken is made to the next meeting of the Committee.
(ix) At meetings of the Committee a quorum shall consist of the Secretary – or, in the event of absence, his/her nominee – & three elected Committee members.
4. MEMBERSHIP
(i) The membership of the Group shall consist of those persons or bodies who are sympathetic to the objects of the Group and who, having been invited to join by a paid-up member of the Group, shall be elected by the Committee. The Committee shall reserve the right to refuse membership to any person or body.
(ii) Annual or other subscriptions shall be at such rates and of such classes as the Committee shall recommend from time to time & which have been ratified by a General Meeting of the Group.
(iii) Annual subscriptions will be due each year in January, except that members joining in the last three months of any calendar year will not be called upon to pay a further subscription until January of the second year following that in which they joined.
(iv) Bodies wishing to join the Group shall nominate an individual to act as their representative, that representative to enjoy the same status as an individual members of the Group. Apart from this representative, individual members of an affiliated body will not be members of the Group unless separate application for membership is made.
(v) The Committee shall reserve the right to terminate the membership of any person or body who is eleven months in arrears with a subscription, or whom the Committee deems has failed to observe the rules of the Group as defined in this Constitution, or has acted in a manner prejudicial to the interests of the Group.
5. GENERAL MEETINGS
(i) An Annual General Meeting if the Group shall be held once in each calendar year at a time & place to be fixed by the Committee. The Secretary shall give at least twenty eight days notice of the AGM to all members of the Group. The business of the AGM shall be to agree the minutes of the previous AGM, to receive a report & accounts for the preceding year, to appoint auditors & to conduct such other business as the Committee may decide or as may be raised from the floor. In addition, the annual election of Committee members & the triennial election of officers shall take place at the AGM as detailed in 3 (i), (ii) & (iii) above.
(ii) Special General Meetings to discuss specific topics may be convened by direction of the Committee and shall be convened upon the written requisition of twenty members of the group. The Secretary shall give at least fourteen days notice of such General Meetings to all members of the Group.
(iii) At Special General Meetings a quorum will consist of a minimum of twenty five members of the Group.
(iv) The Chairperson of the AGM or other General Meeting of the Group shall be a member of the Group appointed by the Committee.
6. FINANCE
(i) Primary responsibility for the financial affairs & assets of the Group shall be vested with the Treasurer, while ultimate responsibility shall rest with the whole Committee.
(ii) Accounts shall be kept by the Treasurer of all monies received & expended by the Committee on behalf of the Group; and an annual statement of accounts shall be presented to the AGM after having been audited.
7. DISSOLUTION OF THE GROUP
(i) The Group may be dissolved by resolution by a three quarters majority of members voting at an AGM provided that, at least fourteen days before the date of the AGM, the Secretary has received notice of the intention to move the resolution to dissolve; having received such notice, the Secretary shall inform all members before the AGM. The Group may also be dissolved by resolution of a three quarters majority of members voting at a General Meeting specifically called for the purpose; any such General Meeting shall be such to the provisions 5 (ii) & (iii) above.
(ii) Any debts incurred by the Group & outstanding at the time of dissolution shall be cleared by the Committee. Any funds outstanding shall be disbursed according to the direction of the Meeting that dissolves the Group.
8. CHANGE OF RULES
The rules of the Group, as contained in this Constitution, may be altered by resolution by a two thirds majority of members voting at an AGM provided that, at least fourteen days before the date of the AGM, the Secretary has received notice of the proposed alterations; having received such notice, the Secretary shall send details to all members before the AGM. The rules of the Group may also be altered by a two thirds majority of members voting at a General Meeting specifically called for the purpose; any such General Meeting shall be subject to the provisions of 5 (ii) & (iii) above.
Agreed at the first Annual General Meeting of the Devon Buildings Group – 18th October 1986.