REVISED RULES
(Adopted 9 MAY 2025)
THE LEICESTERSHIRE AND RUTLAND ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY
- The name of the Society shall be “The Leicestershire and Rutland Ornithological Society”.
OBJECTS.
2.The objects of the Society shall be to: further the science of ornithology and the study of wild birds, especially in Leicestershire and Rutland (Vice-County 55); to promote the protection of wild birds and their conservation; to provide facilities for persons interested in ornithology; to meet and exchange ideas and information and to record, document, analyse and publish information gained in the study of birds in Leicestershire and Rutland.
MANAGEMENT
- Management of the Society shall be vested in a Committee consisting of a President, Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer and up to 21 other members, including, if possible, one representative from Rutland and one from members aged between 18 and 25. The President shall be elected by the Society and shall not be subject to retirement by rotation. The Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected by the Society for a term of three years.
COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP
4.1 At the Annual General Meeting in every year one third of the other members of the Committee (or the nearest number to one third) shall retire. The Society shall elect members in place of those retiring. The members of the Committee to retire in every year shall be those who have been longest in office since their last election, but a retiring member of the Committee shall be eligible for re-election.
4.2 The Committee may fill a casual vacancy and may also appoint additional members of the Committee up to the prescribed number. Members of the Committee so appointed shall retire from office at the next Annual General Meeting but shall be eligible for re-election. The retiring Chair shall remain a member of the Committee without election until the next Annual General Meeting.
4.3 Nominations for Committee shall be made in writing, duly proposed and seconded. The nomination indicating the nominee’s willingness to stand must be with the Secretary at least ten days before the Annual General Meeting.
4.4 Such nominations and the names of the nominees proposed for election by the Committee must be circulated to the Membership at least seven days before the meeting at which they are to be elected.
4.5 The Committee may propose an individual to be elected a Life Vice-President by the Membership at the Annual General Meeting.
4.6 Members of the Committee are Trustees acting in accordance with Charity Commission guidance.
COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
5.1 The Committee will meet at least four times each year. The meetings may be held virtually, in person or hybrid. Minutes will be circulated to all members of the Committee for comment and, eventually, approval at the beginning of the next meeting. The approved minutes will be signed by the chair and held electronically as a pdf for at least six years. A quorum for taking decisions will be a minimum of one third of Committee members.
5.2 The Committee may appoint sub-committees and working groups from time to time and may invite suitable persons to serve on such sub-committees and working groups. The terms of the reference of sub-committees shall be decided upon by the Committee. Working groups are time-limited to serve the purpose specified by the Committee. No decision involving finance shall be delegated. Such matters shall be dealt with by the Committee only.
5.3 A County Bird Recorder will be appointed from within the Society’s membership and approved by the Committee for an unspecified term. The Recorder will form a Records Committee and serve on the main Committee to report on activities of the Records Committee and follow any rules agreed between the Recorder and the two committees.
AUDITOR
- The Society shall annually elect an auditor to whom the Society’s accounts shall be submitted and audited before the Annual General Meeting.
MEMBERSHIP
7.1 Application for Membership shall be made in the appropriate format. Membership of the Society shall be open to all, subject to payment of the annual subscription, and shall only be refused by the Committee where there are concerns about the individual that are relevant to the objects of the Society.
7.2 A reduced Membership subscription is available for anyone aged 18 to 25, subject to accepting Newsletters and Annual Reports electronically, as and when they are made available.
7.3 If the Committee considers a Member’s conduct prejudicial to the interests of the Society, they may request such Member to appear before them. The Committee shall then have the power to suspend that Member, temporarily, or for all time.
GENERAL MEETINGS
8.1 The Society’s financial year shall end on December 31st, and an Annual General Meeting shall be held before May 20th following. At such meeting, the Balance Sheet and Statement of Accounts for the preceding financial year shall be presented for adoption. The Balance Sheet shall be circulated to Members at least seven days before the meeting.
8.2 14 days notice shall be given to Members of any General Meeting (for this purpose General Meeting includes Annual and Extraordinary General Meetings). Attendance by 30 Members provides a quorum. The meetings may be held virtually, in person or hybrid. Voting at General Meetings shall be transparent, and numbers will be recorded in the minutes.
8.3 Only Members whose subscription is paid for the current year shall have power to vote at a General Meeting.
8.4 Upon receipt of a requisition signed by 10% of the Membership the Committee shall call an Extraordinary General Meeting within four weeks of the delivery of the requisition to the Chair or Secretary. The requisition must state the object of the meeting. At least 14 days’ notice of the date of an Extraordinary General Meeting shall be sent to every Member. No business other than that of which notice has been thus given shall be entered upon or discussed at such meeting.
8.5 No new rule shall be added, nor any existing rule be deleted or altered unless sanctioned by Members at an Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary General Meeting called for that purpose. Notice of any proposed amendment must be circulated to the Membership at least 14 days before such meeting.
8.6 If Members resolve to dissolve the Society, the Committee will remain in office until the winding up of affairs is complete, to collect in all assets and make all necessary payments. The assets will be transferred to another charity operating in, but not confined to, Leicestershire and Rutland, with objects that best match those of the Society, and shall be determined at an Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting.
SUBSCRIPTIONS
- Annual Subscriptions shall be fixed from time to time by the Members in a General Meeting. The first subscription of any Member who is elected after 1st October in any year or other date agreed by the Committee, shall cover the period to 31st December of the succeeding year.
9.1 Subscriptions for the ensuing year become due on January 1st, the beginning of the Society’s financial year. Any Member whose subscription is unpaid by June 30th shall be deemed to have resigned.