CRDARS Constitution

1. Name

The Society shall be known as the Colburn and Richmondshire District Amateur Radio Society.

2. Aims

The aims of the Society shall be to further the interests of its members in all aspects of amateur radio and directly associated activities.

3. Membership

Membership shall be open, subject to the discretion of the Committee, to all persons interested in the aims of the Society.

  1. Full members. Full members must be 18 years of age or over or must hold the permission of any competent authority to install and operate an amateur radio station.
  2. Student members. Student members must be under 25 years of age and in full-time formal education.
  3. Honorary members. Honorary Life Membership may be granted to any person, who, in the opinion of the Committee, has rendered outstanding service to the Society, either directly or indirectly. Such membership shall carry the rights of full membership but shall be free from subscriptions.
  4. Guests. Members may  invite guests to meetings. No visitor may attend more than three meetings in each year.

All members shall abide by the constitution of the Society. The Committee shall have power to expel any member whose conduct, in the opinion of at least three-quarters of the full Committee, renders that person unfit to be a member of the Society. No Member shall be expelled without first having been given an opportunity to appear before the Committee.

4. Subscriptions

  1. The annual subscriptions for membership shall be set by the Committee.
  2. All subscriptions shall be due and payable at the beginning of the financial year. Members in arrears have no voting rights.
  3. The financial year shall run from 1 October to 30 September.
  4. A member shall have deemed to have resigned from the Society, if, by the following 30 September, the subscription has not been paid.
  5. The Committee shall have the power to waive or reduce subscriptions in special circumstances for a period not exceeding one year at a time.

5. Finance

All money received by the Society shall be promptly deposited in the Society’s bank account. Withdrawals require the signature of the Society’s Treasurer and one other nominated officer of the Society.

6. Membership of the Society’ s Committee

The Society’s affairs shall be administered by a Committee elected at the Annual General Meeting. The Committee, in whom the Society’s property shall be vested, shall consist of:

  • A Chairman who will preside at all meetings at which he is present. No member may hold this position for more than two years. He/she may be re-elected after a break of one year.
  • A Vice-Chairman who will act as chairman in the absence of the Chairman.
  • A Secretary who will be responsible for: keeping the minutes of all meetings of the

7. Annual General Meeting

  • The Annual General Meeting shall normally be held on the first day of October each year.
  • At least 21 days notice shall be given to each member in writing.
  • The quorum for the meeting shall be four.
  • The agenda for the meeting shall be:
    1. Apologies for absence
    2. Minutes of the previous AGM
    3. Chairman’s report
    4. Secretary’s report
    5. Treasurer’s report
    6. Election of the new Committee
    7. Any other business

Items 1-5 shall be chaired by the out-going Chairman, item 6 by an acting Chairman who is not standing for election to office, and the remaining business by the newly elected Chairman.

Nominations for Committee members will only be valid if confirmed by the nominee at the meeting or previously in writing.

Items to be raised by members under other business must be notified to the Secretary not less than 21 days before the AGM.

8. Extraordinary General Meeting

  1. Extraordinary General Meetings may be called by the Committee or not less than ten members of the Society, the date of the meeting being the earliest convenient as decided by the Committee. At least 28 days notice in writing must be given to the Secretary, who in turn shall give members at least 14 days notice in writing of the agenda. No other business may be transacted at the EGM.
  2. The quorum for the EGM shall be four.

9. Amendments to the Constitution

The constitution may be amended only at an EGM called for that purpose.

10. Winding Up of the Society

  • The decision to wind up the Society may be taken only at an EGM.
  • The funds of the Society shall, after the sale of all assets and the payment of all outstanding debts, be disposed of as directed by members at the final EGM.

11. Committee Standing Orders

  • The quorum for the Committee shall be 4. In the absence of a quorum, business may be dealt with but any decisions taken only become valid after ratification at the next meeting at which a quorum exists.
  • Committee meetings may be called by the Chairman, the Secretary or any vote.