Constitution

C O N S T I T U T I O N

1. TITLE: The Club shall be called "Clwb Camera Dwyfor – Dwyfor Camera Club". Membership of the Club implies the undertaking to comply with and abide by the Rules of this Constitution and the Competition Rules.

2. OBJECTS: The objects of the Club are the furtherance of photographic art and technique among members and others; exchanging ideas and mutual assistance between members; organising and holding lectures, demonstrations, competitions, exhibitions and other such activities within the Club and in the community.

3. OFFICERS: The Officers shall consist of Chairman, Vice Chairman, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer. The Committee shall comprise of the Officers plus the posts of Competition Secretary, Programme Secretary Outside Events Organiser and Publicity Organiser. The Committee shall have the power to co-opt further Members as required. The above shall be elected on an annual basis by majority voting at the Annual General Meeting. The Chairman shall be eligible to serve normally for two years (but, in exceptional circumstances, for not more than three years) consecutively. In the event of more than one nomination for any post, election shall be by written ballot, otherwise by open voting.

4. DUTIES OF OFFICERS: The Chairman (and in his absence the Vice Chairman) shall conduct Meetings and represent the Club. The Secretary shall keep notes of all General and Committee Meetings and conduct the correspondence of the Club. The Treasurer shall collect subscriptions and monies due and make authorised disbursements. At the close of each Club season, a Balance Sheet shall be drawn up by the Treasurer and audited by two ordinary Members appointed for this purpose.

5. CHEQUE SIGNATORIES: The Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary are authorised, together with one other Committee Member, to sign cheques, which must contain two (2) signatures.

6. EXPENSES: Reasonable expenses incurred on bona fide club business, which has been sanctioned by the Committee, shall be reimbursed by the Treasurer on production of dated invoices and receipts. Amounts over £50 shall require the approval of two (2) Committee members.

7. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING: The Annual General Meeting shall be held in April or May each year. The business shall include the Minutes of the last Annual General Meeting; Annual Reports from the Chairman, Hon. Secretary, Hon. Treasurer, with Audited Statement of Accounts, Programme Secretary, Competition Secretary, Outside Events Organiser and Publicity Organiser; election of Officers and Committee Members. The appointment of two Members of the Club, not being Members of the Committee, as Auditors for the club’s accounts shall be agreed and appointed by the Committee. Where external auditors are required for the club accounts, these shall be appointed by the Committee.

8. SPECIAL MEETINGS: Special Meetings shall be convened on a requisition signed by at least six Members (or one-third of the Membership if fewer), stating the object, and sent, at least 28 days before the date proposed, to the Secretary who shall arrange an Extraordinary General Meeting.

9. COMMITTEE MEETINGS: Committee meetings will be held at the discretion of the Chairman (or in his absence the Vice Chairman) or at the request of two members of the Committee.

10. COMMITTEE POWERS: The Committee shall have the power to propose bye-laws or changes to the Competition Rules, which shall be ratified at a General Meeting. The Committee shall appoint one of its Members as a fourth cheque signatory. In the event of an emergency arising not provided for in the Constitution and Rules of the Club, the Committee shall have the power to deal with the situation at their discretion. The Committee shall appoint Delegates to external functions.

11. QUORUM: At General Meetings at least one-third of the paid-up Members shall form a Quorum and at Committee meetings three (3) Members shall form a Quorum.

12. DUE NOTICE: At least fourteen (14) days’ notice shall be given to Members of any Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting of the Club. Such notice shall include an Agenda stating the business to be considered and a list of Nominations in the case of an Annual General Meeting.

13. CLUB MEETINGS: The Club shall generally meet weekly from the beginning of October to the end of April. Summer meetings shall be at the discretion of the Committee.

14. SUBSCRIPTIONS: The annual subscription fees shall be fixed for the following season at the Annual General Meeting and be payable in full in advance by the last day of October each year. Any Member who has not paid the annual subscription by this date will not be eligible to enter any of the Club’s Competitions or Exhibitions until such time that the fee is paid in full. No person shall be allowed to vote at any General Meeting of the Club until s/he is a fully paid-up Member. The name of any Member whose subscription is more than three months in arrears may be removed from the list of Members by order of the Committee. Any prospective new Member wishing to join the Club after January 1^st may do so on payment of a fee equal to half of the regular annual subscription. A reduced annual subscription fee (Associate Membership) will be available to people who are students in full time education, people who live outside of Gwynedd and those who are unable to regularly attend club nights due to personal circumstances. A weekly attendance fee will be paid, the amount of which will be fixed at the AGM for the following season. This fee will be paid by all members. Guests will also pay the attendance fee.

15. RULE CHANGE: A proposed change of Rules shall require a notice of motion signed by at least two (2) Members and presented to the Secretary. No alteration of, or addition to, these Rules, shall be made except at a Special Meeting called in accordance with Rule 8 or at an Annual General Meeting, provided the wording of the proposed change shall have been posted on the Club notice board at least 14 days before the proposed date of the Meeting.

16. SELECTION: Where images are required to represent the Club for external Competitions or Exhibitions, the entry will be selected by a Selection Sub-Committee elected by the Annual General Meeting. The membership will be as follows: The Competition Secretary and up to four other elected members. The Chairman of the Selection Sub-Committee will be elected by the Annual General Meeting. Vacancies for the Sub-Committee can be filled only by election at a Special Meeting.

Any Member wishing to witness the selection process may attend, but without participation.

17. HONORARY MEMBERS: Honorary Members of the Club may be appointed at the discretion of the Committee and be subject to approval at a General Meeting.

18. INTERNAL GROUPS: The proposed formation of any specialist group within the Club must be sanctioned by the Committee. Any group not so sanctioned shall not use the Club’s name or facilities.

19. GRIEVANCES: Any Member wishing to put forward a grievance or suggestion shall submit details in writing to the Committee. A complaint against any Member shall be submitted in writing bearing a minimum of three (3) Members’ signatures. The committee shall have the power to act upon the complaint but if expulsion is proposed the procedure under Rule 20 must be applied.

20. DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES: A Member may be expelled or asked to resign from the Club on the decision of the Committee, provided that the intent of that decision is not frivolous or unreasonable. The Committee may request a Member to appear before it, provided that where any charge or accusation is made the Member shall be given full and reasonable opportunity to put forward a defence and bring witnesses at a later meeting. Any Member expelled or asked to resign shall have the right of appeal to a Special General Meeting called for this purpose. All Committee proceedings and those of any Special General Meeting called under this Rule shall be treated as privileged and confidential.

21. PUBLIC LIABILITY INSURANCE: The club must hold Public Liability Insurance cover.

The premium will be paid each January, together with the Subscription to the North Wales

Photographic Association.

22. TRUSTEE LIABILITY INSURANCE: The club should hold Trustee Liability Insurance

cover. This is currently being negotiated by the Photographic Alliance of Great Britain for

all camera clubs.

23. DISSOLUTION: The Club may be dissolved only by consent of three-quarters of the paid-up Membership at a Special General Meeting convened for this purpose. The assets of the Club subject to all liabilities having been discharged shall be disposed of in accordance with a majority decision of that Meeting.

24. PROVENANCE. The undersigned hereby certify that this Constitution is a revised and updated version of the Club Rules dated May 1999, ratified at an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Club held on 10th February 2004, amended at the Annual General Meeting held on 26th April 2005 (Rules 8 and 15), amended at the Annual General Meeting held on 22nd April 2008 (Rules 3 and 6) and amended at the Annual General Meeting held on 28th April 2009 (Rule 6, 12 and 16) and amended at the Extraordinary meeting held on 17th January 2023 (Rule 7 and 14)

Signed by Dave Custance (Chair) and Jackie Mitchell (Secretary) January 2023