ChEFF Constitution and Rules
TITLE
1.1 The name of the organisation shall be CHIEF ENGINEERS OF FACILITIES FORUM hereinafter called the Society which is not established for profit.
1.2 The name of the Society may be abbreviated as ChEFF.
OBJECTS
2.1 The objects for which the Society is established are…
2.1.1 To promote the advancement and improvement of technical and business standards in relation to the member companies.
2.1.2 To apply the income and property of the Society, whencesoever derived, solely towards the promotion of the objects of the Society. No portion thereof shall be paid or transferred directly or indirectly by way of dividend, bonus or otherwise by way of profit, to the members of the Society provided that nothing contained herein shall prevent the repayment to any member of legitimate expenses incurred in the furtherance of the work of the Society.
MEMBERSHIP
3.1 All companies who are desirous of furthering the objects of the Society and who fall into one of the categories detailed in Paragraph 3.3 of these rules shall be eligible for membership, subject to both Paragraph 3.5 of these rules and to the unanimous approval of those existing members that may be present at a general meeting.
3.2 Companies who are approved as members of the Society shall designate a Senior Technical Representative to attend General Meetings of the Society. This representative may be accompanied by up to two colleagues.
3.3 There shall be two categories of membership.
3.3.1 A company shall be eligible for Full membership if the majority of the business of the company consists of the supply of technical media facilities to a varied client base.
3.3.1.1 A company accepted as a Full Member may take part in all activities of the Society. The Senior Technical Representative of a Full Member company may vote at any meeting of the Society and be eligible for election to any post within the Society.
3.3.2 A company shall be eligible for Associate membership only if the majority of the business of the company does not consist of the supply of technical media facilities or if technical media facilities are only supplied to a single client or a restricted number of clients.
3.3.2.1 A company accepted as an Associate Member must satisfy the Full Members that the designated Senior Technical Representative is senior enough to influence policy within that company. The Senior Technical Representative of an Associate Member shall neither have the right to vote at any meeting of the Society nor be eligible for election to any post within the Society.
3.4 A subscription shall be payable annually by each member company. The level of the subscription, the date upon which the subscription becomes payable and the penalty for non payment shall be determined by the general Committee and may be varied from time to time.
3.5 When a company that is not known to any existing member makes an application to become a member of the Society, it shall be customary for the Senior Technical Representative of an existing member to make an informal visit to the company and to report back to a General Meeting whether or not the company maintains business and technical standards that are in accordance with the membership of the Society.
COMMITTEE
4.1 The management of the Society shall be in the hands of a general committee consisting of the Chairman (who shall preside at both general and committee meetings), the Secretary, The Treasurer and not less than two nor more than five other members of the Society elected annually.
4.2 At all meetings of the Committee four shall form a quorum.
4.3 Every member of the general Committee present shall have one vote and in the case of an equality of votes the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote.
4.4 The general Committee shall hold office from their election until the next Annual General meeting and all retiring members shall be eligible for reelection.
4.5 The general Committee shall be empowered to elect any member of the Society to fill any casual vacancy occurring by death or resignation or by any reason of a member of the Committee ceasing during his term of office to be a member of the Society.
4.6 Meetings of the general Committee shall be held whenever deemed necessary and shall also be convened by the Secretary at the instance of not less than three members of the Committee.
4.7 The general Committee shall have the power…
4.7.1 To do all things necessary to advance the objects of the Society.
4.7.2 To appoint from their own numbers sub-committees for special purposes and to delegate to them any of the powers of the Committee (except those of electing and expelling members and making, altering or revoking bye-laws) and may, if they think fit give to such sub-committee power to co-opt members of the Society who are not members of the general Committee. Such sub-committees shall report back promptly to the general Committee on actions taken under delegated powers.
4.7.3 From time to time to make, alter and revoke bye-laws for the internal management of the Society. All such bye-laws till revoked shall be binding on all members of the Society as if they were contained in these rules.
MEETINGS
5.1 An Annual General Meeting of the members of the Society shall be held once in every year when the following business shall be conducted…
5.1.1 The presentation and, if accepted, the passing of the accounts for the previous financial year.
5.1.2 The election of officers and of other Committee members.
5.1.3 Such other business as shall have been communicated to the Secretary and included in the notice of the meeting sent by him to the members.
5.2 An Extraordinary General Meeting may be convened at any time by the general Committee and shall be convened within twenty eight days on the requisition in writing of not less than thirty per cent of the members of the Society given to the Secretary stating the purpose for which such meeting is required.
5.3 The Secretary shall at least seven days before any General meeting send to every member at the member’s email address in the Society’s books a notice of the meeting stating the time and the place where it will be held and the business to be conducted.
5.4 Quorum shall exist at a General Meeting when eight or more full member companies are represented, two of whose Senior Technical Representatives being Committee members.
5.5 At all General Meetings the Senior Technical Representative of every member company will be entitled to attend and to give one vote upon every question. In the event of an equality of votes the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote.
5.6 In the event of the Senior Technical Representative of a member company not being able to attend a meeting he/she may, in turn and without notice, designate a colleague to attend a General Meeting and vote in their place.
5.7 Voting at General Meetings shall normally be by show of hands. The Senior Technical Representative of any full member company may request a secret ballot on any question at which time such a ballot will be conducted.
ALTERATION OF RULES
6.1 These rules may from time to time be repealed, amended or added to by a majority of the members present at any Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting provided that notice of such proposed change has been duly given in accordance with these rules.
DISSOLUTION
7.1 The Society may be dissolved by a Resolution of two-thirds majority of those present at a Special General Meeting of which twenty one days notice has been given to the members.
7.2 All surplus assets remaining after the payment of outstanding debts and liabilities, if any, shall be distributed according to the wishes of the Committee existing at the time, following a period of consultation with the members.
Roger Cumner - Secretary
Issue 4 - (31-10-2002)