An Annual General Meeting of the Society.
Society Rules
1.The Society. The Society shall be called "The Society of Poole Men".
2. The Object. The object of the Society shall be to arouse and maintain an interest in all that apertains to the welfare and progress of the Borough and Town of Poole.
3. Management. The management of the affairs of the Society shall be conducted through the officers together with the Executive Committee.
4. Membership
a. Membership in the Society shall be open to all Men over the age of 18 who are able to show to the satisfaction of the Executive Committee that they are genuinely proud of the historic past of Poole and are willing to work in order to enhance its present and future.
b. Forms of Application for membership may be obtained from the Honorary General Secretary. Every application must be proposed and seconded by two members of the Society. The completed form plus the current annual subscription must be returned to the Secretary. The application shall be considered by the Executive Committee at their next meeting and the applicant informed of his membership status.
c. A Register of Members shall be kept and the Members' names entered therein. The Register of Members shall be produced at the AGM for inspection and for signing by new members.
d. The Annual Subscription for general membership shall be recommended by the Executive Committee and placed before the Annual General Meeting. It shall become due on 1st January following. Life Membership of the Society shall be twenty times that of Annual Subscription. The Annual Subscription for those reaching State Retirement Age shall be half that of the general membership. However, members reaching State Retirement Age may apply for Life Membership which shall be ten times their current annual subscription.
e. Members joining in November and December of any year shall not be required to pay another subscription until the January of the next succeeding year.
f. Lapsed Members. Any member whose subscription is in arrears by more than two years, excluding the current year, will no longer be considered a member of the Society and his name shall be deleted from the Register.
5. The Annual General Meeting. The Annual General Meeting shall be held on or about St.George's Day (April 23rd) when the following business shall be transacted:
a. To receive the Annual Report.
b. To adopt the Annual Accounts and Balance Sheet.
c. To elect the Officers and Officials of the Society.
d. To elect an Executive Committee.
e. To invite new members to inspect and sign the register.
f. To alter the Rules of the Society (See also Rule 10)
g. Any Other Business (of which 28 days notice shall be given to the Honorary General Secretary in writing)
6. The Officers
a. The Officers of the Society shall be: President, Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Honorary General Secretary and Honorary Treasurer.
b. The Officials of the Society shall be Honorary: Minute Secretary, Social Secretary, Registrar, Circulation Secretary, Sick Visitor, Newsletter Editor and Press Officer. Two or more of these posts may be amalgamated from time to time when deemed appropriate.
c. The AGM may elect upon the recommendation of the Executive Committee:
(i) Life Vice-Presidents
(ii) Vice-Presidents
(iii) Honorary Members
These members shall be those who in the opinion of the AGM have rendered special services to the Society.
d. The AGM shall appoint an Auditor, an Honorary Chaplain and an Honorary Solicitor.
7. The Executive Committee
a. The Executive Committee shall comprise 25 members of whom the Society's Officers, together with the immediate past President and the Officials appointed under rule 6b, shall be ex-officio members. Those nominated to the Executive Committee must have had at least one year's membership in the Society.
b. The Executive Committee shall normally meet once a month under the Chairman or, in his absence, the Vice-Chairman, with five members constituting a quorum. Other Society members may attend and express their views, but shall not have a vote.
c. The Executive Committee shall be empowered to co-opt, if necessary, additional members to a maximum of five in any one year.
d. The Executive Committee shall have the power to fill a casual vacancy until the next AGM.
e. The Executive Committee may appoint representatives to other organisations as required.
f. The Executive Committee may appoint sub-committees for specific purposes who shall then report back to the Executive Committee.
g. The Executive Committee shall arrange an annual dinner, a church service on the Sunday nearest St.George's Day, and events of interest to the membership including, in March, an HP Smith Memorial Lecture of historical importance with local connections.
h. The Executive Committee shall in March of each year set a budget.
j. Any member of the Executive Committee who is absent for three consecutive meetings shall be deemed to have vacated his seat unless a good and sufficient reason has been given.
8. The Honorary Secretary General shall:
a. Perform all secretarial work, make preparations for meetings and ensure that a programme of events and newsletters are sent to all members.
b. Maintain an inventory of the Society's material assets.
c. Send notices of all meetings to the membership, except in the case of the AGM when he shall send the Convening Notice (i.e. Agenda, Accounts and Notice of any change of Rules) to all members at least 21 days before the AGM.
9. The Honorary Treasurer shall:
a. Keep an account of subscriptions received and of all monies of the Society, together with an account of all expenditure.
b. Produce an audited Accounts and Balance Sheet for the AGM.
10. Changes to the Rules. These Rules may be changed by agreement at an annual general meeting or extra-ordinary general meeting. Notice of motion to add to or alter the Rules of the Society at an AGM must be in writing and reach the General Secretary not later than midday of the March meeting of the Executive Committee. Written notice of such proposals shall then be given to the membership at least 21 days before the AGM.
11. Extra-Ordinary General Meetings. An extra-ordinary general meeting of the Society may be called to discuss any item of business affecting the whole membership. The meeting shall be convened by the General Secretary on application in writing by at least twelve members. The General Secretary shall give at least 14 days notice of such a meeting in writing to all members and, in the convening notice, shall state the nature of the business to be discussed.
12.Dissolution. In the event of the dissolution of the Society an Extra-Ordinary General meeting shall be called to ascertain the distribution of any assets of the Society that it may hold at the time of the proposed dissolution.
Poole April 1995