Fellowship rules

These rules must be read in conjunction with the constitution

1. Organisation

  1. The fellowship has a federal type composition
  2. The principle constituent of the fellowship is a branch organisation within which local branches are set up according to demand. Branches shall operate within the fellowship constitution
  3. No arbitrary limits exist on the number of individual branches, but the number of members an individual branch may have should be in line with the capacity of the local area to supply suitable accommodation at reasonable letting fees
  4. Local branches are responsible for their own operations, fund raising and publicity
  5. A Coordinating Board shall be set up at County level. The principle tasks of the Board will be to coordinate the work of the fellowship, provide a direct link with Pensions Management, draw up policies and procedures, organise central meetings of all members and undertake revisions to the constitution and fellowship rules.
  6. The Coordinating Board shall organise activities on a county-wide basis as and when appropriate.

2. Membership

  1. All fellowship members must belong to a local branch to which their membership fees must be paid
  2. Applicants for membership must provide evidence of eligibility to the Branch Secretary by submitting sufficient detail of their employment and their retirement circumstances that will satisfy the criteria set out in the constitution
  3. Branch Officers will decide if a person is eligible. Persons who are refused membership and feel that their eligibility has been wrongly assessed may appeal to the Coordinating Board. The Board’s decision will be final
  4. Where a branch has a membership up to capacity, a waiting list for new members may be set up. Membership will be offered when vacancies occur, strictly in order of waiting. Applications from a member of a wound-up branch will be offered membership of an existing branch, in accordance with fellowship rule 11(5)
  5. In order to ensure optimum success in branch affairs it is incumbent upon members to make full use of the facilities and activities on offer. Should any member fail to attend meetings or events for a period of 6 consecutive months, the Branch Officers shall contact that person to enquire whether they wish to continue in membership. Failing a satisfactory reply or explanation, the Branch Officers may decide to terminate the membership.

3. Annual subscriptions

  1. Annual subscriptions at a level decided by the organisation shall be levied on the 1st April each year. The monies shall be paid to branch treasurers, by cheque, if possible. A receipt will be issued. Subscriptions must be paid during the month of April. Failure to pay in this period, or earlier, may lead to suspension/termination from fellowship activities until payment is made.

4. Elections

    Local

  1. Each branch shall appoint a Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer annually.  In very small branches the offices of Secretary and Treasurer can be combined
  2. Candidates for these Officer positions shall be proposed and seconded by current paid-up members only. These proposals must be made, in writing, to reach the Branch Secretary at least 1 month before the date of the meeting. Candidates must give their consent
  3. Officers shall be elected by simple majority of those voters present at the Branch Annual General Meeting.

    4. Central

  4. The Coordinating Board shall consist of 8 persons, 4 of whom shall be elected annually for a period of 2 years
  5. Candidates for the Coordinating Board shall be proposed and seconded by current paid up members only. Proposals must be made, in writing, to the Secretary of the Board at least 1 month before the date of the Annual General Meeting. Local branches may make formal nominations for the Board. All candidates must give their consent. Voting papers at the Annual General Meeting should include the names and branches of those members of the Board remaining on the Board for a second year
  6. On the resignation, disqualification or death of a Coordinating Board member, a replacement may be co-opted onto the Board. Such replacement member shall hold his or her seat until the next Annual General Meeting
  7. The Coordinating Board shall elect a Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer with responsibility for insurance and shall also appoint a Minute Secretary
  8. Candidates for these Officer positions shall be proposed and seconded at the first Board meeting following the annual election of the Board. Appointment shall be by a simple majority of votes of those Board members at the meeting
  9. No Officer of the Board shall serve more than 3 consecutive years in the same Officer position.

    10. General

  10. Candidates for any Officer position whether central or local must be fully paid-up members.
  11. Except in the election of Officers, the Chairperson shall have the casting vote.

5. Committees

    Local

  1. Each branch shall appoint a branch committee. This committee shall be formed by election if the number of candidates exceeds the number required or by co-option if not
  2. The branch committee shall consist of such numbers as deemed appropriate by the members of that branch
  3. The committee shall be responsible for branch operation and will promote member activities
  4. Sub-committees and working parties shall be subject to the control of the branch committee
  5. The committee shall have authority to exclude from membership any person who may be considered unsuitable to continue in membership by reason of behaviour detrimental to the fellowship’s good name and reputation or shall have behaved in an unruly manner at any meeting of members. A decision to exclude must be supported by two-thirds (2/3) of the committee members.

6. Meetings

    Local

  1. Branch committees shall meet not less than 4 times a year
  2. A quorum of members at committee meetings shall be not less than one third (1/3) of the committee members and must include the Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson
  3. All business transacted at committee meetings shall be minuted in sufficient detail to allow for a clear understanding of the meeting content and decisions taken. Names of Proposers and Seconders must be recorded and outcome of all votes. Decisions shall be by simple majority of those voting at the meeting
  4. Written copies of committee minutes must be provided for all committee members and submitted to the next meeting for verification, and signature by the Chairperson. The committee shall provide access for members to an approved copy of those minutes
  5. Branch membership meetings shall be held on a timescale deemed appropriate by the branch of which one shall be the Annual General Meeting. The AGM shall be held no later than 3 months after the end of the branch financial year. A quorum for membership and annual general meetings shall be not less than one quarter (1/4) of the current paid up membership and must include the Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson and Secretary or Treasurer
  6. Special general meetings of the branch may be called by resolution of the Committee. The request must be considered by committee at the first regular committee meeting following receipt of the request. If the committee decides to refuse the request, the Secretary shall inform the person who made the request, in writing, giving the full reasons for the refusal. The matter shall be reported back to the next general meeting and time for discussion allowed. If the special meeting is allowed, only the specific matter notified may be discussed.

    7. Central

  7. The Coordinating Board shall meet not less than 4 times a year. A quorum of members shall be not less than 4 Board members and must include the Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer
  8. All business transacted at Board meetings shall be minuted in sufficient detail to allow for a clear understanding of the meeting content and decisions taken. Names of Proposers and Seconders must be recorded and outcome of all votes. A copy of the minutes of the Board meetings shall be sent to all the Branch Secretaries
  9. All decisions by the Coordinating Board shall be by simple majority of those members voting at the meeting.

7. Finance

    Financial management

  1. Branch and Board officers shall be responsible for the operation of financial processes within their sphere of fellowship business
  2. In order to fulfil this duty they shall ensure that adequate procedures are adopted so that control over income and expenditure is exercised
  3. Branch and Board officers shall arrange for their financial accounts to be examined by an independent competent person
  4. Branch and Board Treasurers shall produce an annual statement setting out income and expenditure, over the past year, in sufficient detail to enable the membership to identify the general pattern of transactions
  5. Branch Treasurers shall present the financial statement to branch annual general meetings as a specific agenda item. Reasonable time must be provided for the meeting to ask pertinent questions.

    6. Financial operations

  6. Branch and Board Treasurers shall maintain a ledger with entries under income and expenditure. Entries must balance at all times. All cheque stubs, receipts, invoices and payment records must be kept for 5 years; these may be deposited at County Hall for safe keeping. An up-to-date list of members shall be kept by the Branch Secretary
  7. Branches shall open a bank or building society account under the name of KARF ……… Branch. All monies collected, from whatever source, shall be paid into the account at the earliest convenient time
  8. Invoices will normally be paid by cheque drawn on the branch account. If high account charges result, invoices under £50 may be paid in cash
  9. To enable the payment of minor accounts a cash sum at a maximum of £100 may be held by the Branch Treasurer. Such a sum must be administered in the manner of an Imprest account
  10. Authorisation of cheques or withdrawal slips by branches will be by 2 signatories
  11. All membership fees received by the branch must be used exclusively for the benefit of branch members. Loans to individuals or groups are not permitted. Small donations to a registered charity may be made subject to branch membership approval
  12. No Officer or Member of the fellowship shall enter into any contract or other form of financial obligation on behalf of the fellowship without explicit prior approval
  13. Branch Officers and local committees shall not be held responsible for injury or death of any person during an authorised event, meeting or function
  14. It is not the purpose of the fellowship to accrue large cash balances. The financial objectives shall be to remain solvent. Income shall be used to further the benefit of members while retaining viability
  15. Branches shall reimburse their members, if requested, for costs wholly and necessarily incurred on branch business
  16. Expenses, wholly and necessarily incurred on Coordinating Board business by Officers and members of the Board shall be reimbursed collectively by the branches. Such reimbursement shall be apportioned between branches in the same ratio as the fellowship’s annual insurance premium.

8. Annual General Meetings (AGM)

  1. The organisation and notification of the fellowship Annual General Meeting shall be the responsibility of the Coordinating Board
  2. The Coordinating Board shall produce information to be presented to the meeting setting out the current county-wide membership and branch statistics, the current financial state, plans for future activities and any other relevant and timely matters
  3. Elections shall be held for appointments to the Coordinating Board. Nominations may be made in advance in writing. Names and details of candidates shall be supplied to branches in advance of the election meeting
  4. Branches wishing to raise issues must give the Board 2 months notice, in writing, with sufficient detail to allow members to consider the implications in advance. Meeting agenda shall be sent to branches 1 month in advance
  5. The Annual General Meeting has the sole authority to make changes to the constitution. Changes will be approved by a simple majority of those members voting at the meeting.

9. Special general meetings

  1. Special general meetings of the fellowship will be called to consider matters of a serious nature that do not fit into the normal pattern of Chairpersons’ meetings or the Annual General Meetings
  2. The Coordinating Board shall make a decision regarding the calling of a special meeting only after direct consultation with Branch Secretaries.

10. Communication

  1. All communication between the Coordinating Board and branches shall occur via Branch Secretaries.

11. Winding up

    Local branch

  1. A decision to wind up a fellowship branch shall require a two-thirds (2/3) majority of current paid up members at a special general meeting. Each member of the branch shall be notified, in writing, of the resolution to close together with the date, time and venue of the special meeting. Arrangements must be made for postal and proxy voting
  2. Before a winding up meeting is called, the Coordinating Board shall be notified. The Board shall discuss with the branch committee what opportunities may exist for the branch to be maintained
  3. If the winding up is approved, the branch officers shall be responsible for the recovery and disposal of the branch assets in consultation with the Coordinating Board. First call on any monies shall be the payment of any debts and the settlement of any liabilities which must be completed within 6 months of the date of notification to wind up a branch
  4. Any assets remaining shall be held by the Coordinating Board for a period of 6 months. This is to allow local attempts to reform the branch. A reformed branch shall receive the assets when the constitutional requirements have been satisfied. Otherwise the assets shall be disposed of according to the wishes of local members
  5. A member of a branch which is wound-up may join another branch of their choice. Their continuing membership is assured when the accepting branch has vacancies. Where the accepting branch has a waiting list, priority shall be given to members of wound-up branches in accordance with fellowship rule 2(4).

    6. Coordinating board

  6. If, as a result of the winding up of the total branch organisation and a period of 1 year has elapsed without a successful relaunch of the fellowship, the Coordinating Board, following consultation with Pensions Management, shall be disbanded. Any monies remaining shall be donated to a charity for the elderly chosen by the Coordinating Board.

12. Amendments to fellowship rules

  1. Branches may suggest additions, deletions or amendments to the fellowship rules by writing to the Chairperson of the Coordinating Board, setting out in detail, the changes and the reasons for them
  2. The Coordinating Board may also suggest changes. These shall be circulated to branches.

Updated March 2012