Rules & Constitution

(updated November 2021)

The Sussex Beekeepers' Association - High Weald Division

Rules & Constitution

Section 1. Management and Organisation

  1. The Division shall be called “THE HIGH WEALD DIVISION OF THE SUSSEX BEEKEEPERS' ASSOCIATION”. The alternative informal name shall be “HIGH WEALD BEEKEEPERS' ASSOCIATION”.
  2. The objectives of the Division shall be the encouragement and advancement of beekeeping, and the furtherance of the interests of beekeepers in accordance with the aims of The British Beekeepers Association.
  3. The Division shall normally comprise the President, Committee, Registered Members, Partner Members, Junior Members, Associate Members, and other classes of members as may be approved by the BBKA.
  4. The Committee might comprise the offices of Chair, Vice-Chair, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, Newsletter Editor, Apiary Manager(s), Events Secretary, Membership Secretary, Training Manager, and AHAT coordinator, for example, together with ordinary members of the Committee. The President may also attend meetings.
  5. The Committee must at the very least include a Chair, Honorary Secretary, and Honorary Treasurer.
  6. The Committee may co-opt further Registered or Partner Members of the Division for specific tasks or for their particular expertise.
  7. All officers of the Division shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting.
  8. At any Committee meeting four members shall comprise a quorum.
  9. There should be at least two Committee meetings in each year.
  10. The Chair and one other person appointed by the Committee, shall be divisional members of the Executive Council of The Sussex Beekeepers’ Association.

Section 2. General Meetings

  1. At least ten days’ notice of a General Meeting and the agenda of the meeting shall be sent to every member of the Division.
  2. Registered, Partner, and Junior Members shall be entitled to vote. Associate Members are not entitled to vote.
  3. During any General Meeting the current Chair will chair the meeting until after “election of officers” at which point the incoming Chair takes over.
  4. The Division’s year shall run from October to September.
  5. The Division’s Annual General Meeting shall normally be held during the month of November, but in any case, not more than 15 months from the previous AGM.
  6. The Division’s Annual General Meeting will transact the following business:
    1. Consider the reports of the accounts of the previous financial year. Copies of these will have previously been sent to members ahead of the Annual General Meeting.
    2. Elect and install the officers of the Division.
    3. Deal with the remaining items on the Agenda.
    4. The last item on the agenda to be “Any Other Business” which may be brought before the meeting by a member or members for discussion at the discretion of the Chair.
  1. At any General Meeting 8 members or 15% of the membership, whichever is the smaller, shall form a quorum.

Section 3. Extraordinary General Meetings

  1. An Extraordinary General Meeting shall be called on the direction of either the officers of the Division, or upon receipt by the Honorary Secretary of a written request signed by at least six members of the Division, setting out the nature of the business to be transacted at the meeting.
  2. Ten days’ notice and the agenda of such a meeting shall be sent to every member.

Section 4. Finance

  1. The Division’s Financial year shall end on the 30th of September. Annual subscriptions paid by members become due on 1st of October.
  2. Subscriptions for Registered, Partner, and Junior Members shall include a levy to be paid to the British Beekeepers Association and The Sussex Beekeepers’ Association. However Junior Members do not have BBKA voting rights.
  3. Subscriptions for Registered Members shall include the minimum premium set out by “Bee Disease Insurance Ltd”.
  4. Subscription fee levels shall be set at the Annual General Meeting and apply from 1st October. Any change in the BBKA, SBKA or BDI portion of the subscription may be applied from the 1st October following the announcement without needing to be ratified at the Annual General Meeting.
  5. There shall be three signatories appointed by the Committee whose signatures will be registered with the Division’s bank or financial institution. Any two authorized signatories must countersign cheques or other monetary instruments issued in the name of the Division.

Section 5. Miscellaneous Provisions

  1. The Chair of any meeting shall have a casting vote.
  2. The President, Chair, Honorary Secretary, and Honorary Treasurer shall serve a maximum of three continuous years. They shall not be re-elected to the same office before one year has elapsed.
  3. Where there is more than one nomination for an office the election for that office shall be by ballot or a show of hands of the members present with an entitlement to vote.
  4. In the event of the Division being wound-up the officers and Committee shall form a resolution as to the disposal of the funds and assets of the Division. In forming this resolution due regard must be made to the objectives of the Division.
  5. If the Division wishes to resign from the Sussex Beekeepers’ Association and The British Beekeepers Association, notice of such resignation shall be submitted to The Sussex Beekeepers’ Association at least three months prior to the Annual General Meeting of The Sussex Beekeepers’ Association and be signed by at least two thirds of the Full Members of the Division.
  6. Any new rule or amendment to, or revocation of an existing rule, may be made by a two-thirds majority of Registered, Partner, and Junior Members present at a General Meeting, providing that the officers of the division consider such proposal at least six weeks prior to the General Meeting.
  7. Nothing in these rules precludes one member from holding more than one post within the Division.
  8. Membership is discretionary and may be withheld or withdrawn if membership is no longer considered to be in the best interests of the Division. The decision will be made by the Committee, requiring a two thirds majority should it come to a vote and that decision will be final.

Definitions

Registered Member   A Member who pays the full annual subscription to the Division
Partner Member   Any friend or relative of a Registered Member living with that Registered Member at the same domicile
Junior Member   A Member under the age of 18 years
Associate Member Either someone without bees or a Registered Member of another County association wishing to take part in the activities of the Division. N.B. Associate membership does not provide BBKA Public Liability Insurance.

Amended November 2021 and approved at the 2021 AGM

Should you want to retain a copy of this or would like to simply print it off, a pdf copy is available by clicking on the following hyperlink Rules & Constitution 2021