Constitution

The Club shall be called the Alton Camera Club and membership shall be open to everyone interested in photography.

Membership shall be by annual subscription payable at the first meeting in September each year. New members joining later than December 31st will pay a reduced proportion of the appropriate subscription. Students in full-time education are permitted membership at a lower rate as determined annually by the committee. See about us for current membership prices

The Club may have a Life President.

The electoral procedure shall be as follows:

• At the Committee meeting prior to the AGM, members of the existing Committee willing to serve in the coming year should submit their names and the post they are willing to hold.
• At the AGM, when the procedures reach the election of officers, the Chairperson stands down, and a member not willing to stand for that position is appointed temporary Chairperson until the new Chair is elected.
• The election of officers is performed in the following order: Chair; Hon Secretary; Treasurer; Programme Secretary; Competition Secretary; Field Trips & Publicity Secretary² and three² members willing to serve on the committee; two examiners.
• Volunteers and nominated persons willing to stand will be proposed and seconded. If more than one person is standing for a given office, a vote of all members present will be carried out before the next post is considered. The Chairperson will not vote unless a tied vote is declared, in which case he/she has the casting vote.
• All officers and committee members are eligible for re-election each year.

The Club shall meet at 7:30pm on Wednesdays from September to May and other evenings as decided upon.

A member may be expelled from or asked to resign from the Club at the decision of the committee. The committee can request a member to appear before it without stating the reason, 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.

A member expelled or asked to resign shall have the right to appear at a special general meeting of the Club called for that purpose. All committee proceedings and any special general meeting called at the request of a member under this rule shall be treated as confidential and privileged.

Any member may resign from the Club at any time by notifying the Secretary in writing of his/her desire to do so.

Children under 15 may only attend Club meetings if accompanied by a parent or guardian.

The Committee may bestow Honorary Membership when appropriate.

No alteration of or addition to these rules can be made except at an Annual General Meeting or a special meeting called for that purpose. Any motion made at the AGM which is likely to make a change or modification in either Club Rules or Constitution, MUST be submitted in writing with names of the proposer and seconder to the Secretary not less than SEVEN DAYS before the AGM for inclusion in the published agenda and a copy is to be posted on the Club website at the same time.

Any motion proposed and passed at any AGM shall stand for at least 3 years, unless specifically stated that it was for a 12 month experimental period only.

Any member has a right of appeal to the Club Committee, whose decision will be final.

At the AGM the Club’s Officers will report to members on key events, activities or changes of which the members should be aware.

Because the Club’s financial year ends after the AGM, it is necessary to hold an EGM at the start of each new season for presentation to members by the Treasurer of the balance sheet for the previous year. The Examiners will be then asked to state whether they recommend acceptance of the balance sheet and whether they have any observations or recommendations to make, before a vote is taken to approve the accounts.

Exceptionally it may be necessary to hold EGMs at other times, e.g. in the event that a Club Officer has to stand down and an election is required for his or her replacement. In this event, the same principles shall apply as for AGMs as regards giving notice to members, notice of proposals, publication of the agenda and voting procedures.

Dissolution Clause

In the event of the Club being dissolved, or otherwise ceasing to exist, any assets held following settlement of all liabilities incurred shall be transferred to the Southern Counties Photographic Federation to be held in trust by them until such time that any new Club be created for the area (or part thereof) covered by the previous Club.

If the Club is dissolved by calling a Special General Meeting then any Quorum requirements will not apply.

Amendments

¹ Vice chair to be chosen from the new Committee by the Committee – AGM 11th May 2022

² Field trips & publicity Secretary made a permanent post and other committee members reduced to three – AGM 1 May 2024