Member's Area

Fagus Constitution

  1. Title

The title of the Club shall be FAGUS

  1. Aims

The aims of the Club shall be to further the interests of its members in all aspects of gardening and directly associated activities.

  1. Membership
    1. An application for membership must be signed by the applicant who, on payment or renewal of the first subscription shall be deemed a member of the Club and to have to abide by this constitution.
    2. The Committee shall have the power to expel any member whose conduct in the opinion of the Committee renders that person unfit to be a member of the Club. No member shall be expelled without first having been given the opportunity to appear before the Committee.
    3. The Committee may elect any person as an Honorary Member for such period and subject to conditions as they think fit.
    4. A member shall be deemed to have resigned from the Club if the subscription is more than 2 months overdue – unless special circumstances prevail.
    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.
  2. Subscription
    1. The annual rates of subscription shall be determined by the Committee and ratified at the Annual General Meeting of the Club.
    2. The financial year shall run from 1st January to 31st December; the membership year shall run from 1st March to the end of February and the annual subscription shall be due at the beginning of the membership year.
    3. An attendance charge may be payable in respect of each meeting attended.  This charge shall be determined by the Committee and ratified at the Annual General Meeting of the Club.
    4. For special speakers, a higher attendance charge might be required.
    5. Two members resident at the same address shall be eligible for a joint rate of subscription.
  3. Financial Provision
    1. All monies payable to the Club shall be received by the Treasurer or other such officer as shall be appointed to receive the same. All funds belonging to the Club shall be deposited in the Bank/or Building Society in the name of the Club. Payments to third parties will be made by BACS or cheques signed by two of those persons appointed by the committee and mandated by the bank unless card payment is required.
    2. The Club may also hold credit and debit cards associated with bank accounts held by the Club. The credit card may be used to secure hotel bookings and to settle overseas invoices. The cards will be held securely by the Treasurer. Statements will always be available for inspection by the committee if required. No sub-committee or Fagus Outing Group member may spend money on behalf of the Club unless expressly authorised to do so by a minute of the committee.
    3. Audited accounts of the Club funds shall be presented at the Annual General Meeting.
  4. Membership of the Club’s committee
    1. The Committee may appoint a distinguished individual to the honorary position of President. The President may sit on the Club’s committee and may vote.
    2. The management and administration of the affairs of the Club shall be vested in a committee consisting of;-
      1. The President
      2. Six principal officers to be elected at the Annual General Meeting namely the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Secretary and Speaker Secretary.
    3. A maximum of 6 non-voting others to include the Newsletter Editor (ex-officio) and one/two representatives from the Fagus Outings Group.
    4. Nominations for Officers and Members of the Committee must be initially seconded and received by the Secretary in writing not less than 28 days before the date of the Annual General Meeting.  
    5. Elected committee members can be eligible for re-election each year, if they wish to stand, for a term not exceeding 5 consecutive years. This period can be extended further in exceptional circumstances.
    6. A quorum of the Committee shall consist of five persons to include not less than one officer.
  5. Sub-committees
    1. The Main Committee may appoint sub-committees for carrying out specific work or duties connected with the Club.  Members of such sub-committees need not necessarily be members of the Main Committee but at least one member of the sub-committee must be a member of the Main Committee.  Unless otherwise decided by the Main Committee, all sub-committees shall elect their own Chair and have the power to co-opt not more than 3 members.
    2. The Main Committee may alter the membership of any sub-committee at any time, and no sub-committee shall have the power to act on behalf of the Club unless expressly authorised to do so by the minutes of the Main Committee. No sub-committee may spend money on behalf of the Club or enter into any obligation on behalf of the Club, unless expressly authorised to do so by a minute in writing of the Main Committee.
  6. Fagus Outings Group
    • The purpose of this group is to organise garden visits, both at home and abroad, for the Club members and their friends. The Committee shall be advised of all proposed visits and following discussion and agreement the group can organise any necessary research visits and publicise the proposed trips. Expenses for research visits, in line with Fagus General Expense Guidelines, should be submitted to the Club Treasurer for approval and payment.
    • Organisers of visits involving all travel and accommodation must ensure the Club will not be liable for losses in the event of any supplier going into liquidation after booking or payment. To this end, suitable insurance cover must be in place, or the trip organised in participation with an ABTA registered travel agent. Unless otherwise stated it is the member’s responsibility to have and show proof of current comprehensive insurance.
    • This group may not enter into financial obligation on behalf of the Club unless authorised to do so by an officer of the committee. Receipt of cheques / monies with application forms from members should be acknowledged promptly.
  7. Annual General Meeting
    1. An Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held each year at a date, time and place decided by the Committee.  Written notice of the Annual General Meeting together with particulars of the business to be transacted there at, shall be sent by the Secretary to each member of the Club at least 42 days before the meeting.
    2. Items to be raised by members under Any Other Business must be notified to the Secretary in writing not less than 14 days before the Annual General Meeting.
    3. The Annual General Meeting meets to:-
      1. Receive and if approved to adopt the annual report and an audited statement of the accounts to the end of the last preceding financial year.
      2. Elect the officers and members of the Committee
      3. Deal with any other matter that the Committee desires to bring before the members and to receive and consider suggestions from the members for consideration by the Committee
    4. Should more nominations be received than there are committee vacancies a secret ballot will be held with the members present at the AGM being eligible to vote.
  8. Extraordinary general meeting
    1. An Extraordinary General Meeting shall be convened by direction of the Committee or on request in writing signed by not less than 25 members of the Club stating the purpose for which the meeting is desired.
    2. Notice of day, time and place of an Extraordinary General Meeting and full particulars of the business to be transacted there at shall be given not less than 21 days before the meeting.
    3. No other business may be transacted at an Extraordinary General Meeting.
  9. Amendments to the Constitution
    1. The Constitution shall not be added to, amended or rescinded except at an Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary General meeting of the Club except in the case of extraordinary circumstances e.g.Covid 19 and then only with the consent of not less than 2/3rds of members present at the meeting.
  1. Dissolution of the Club

A decision to wind up the Club shall only be taken at an Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting. There must be a majority vote in favour of members present, of the proposal to wind-up the Club. If the decision to wind-up is agreed, the meeting shall then go on to appoint a Committee of not fewer than three and no more than seven individuals to oversee the disposal of the Club’s assets. The meeting shall give a clear indication to that Committee as to how any remaining funds should be used.  The Committee appointed at this meeting shall abide as closely as possible to the wishes expressed.

February 2021.