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Constitution
1. Title
The Federation shall be known as “The East Midlands & East Anglian Philatelic Federation”.
2. The Aims & Objects of the Federation shall be:
a. To promote the study of Philately - in its widest sense - in the area covered by the Federation and the study of local Postal History in particular.
b. To promote the idea that Philately embraces the spirit of good fellowship as well as the study of stamps and postal history.
c. To provide a means whereby lone collectors in the area can be put in touch with the nearest philatelic society and other collectors.
d. To encourage inter-society visits and displays.
e. To provide a panel of speakers willing to visit other societies in the Federation and to assist the smaller societies which might otherwise be unable to complete their programmes.
f. To provide a panel of judges for competitions organised by member societies and to encourage individuals to seek qualifications as judges at Federation and National levels.
g. To hold an Annual Convention during the spring of each year (or exceptionally, as the Committee may decide) and to hold competitions, publishing rules for these competitions, promoting high standards of displays, so that individual success may be seen as a stepping stone to eventual success in national competitions.
h. To encourage and assist in the formation of new societies within the Federation area and to provide back-up and guidance to such during their formative years.
i. To try to provide an Exchange Packet to circulate through member societies.
j. To produce a Federation publication for circulation by booklet or internet within the Federation and generally to encourage literary effort.
k. To support and represent societies at National level through the Association of British Philatelic Societies and other national bodies to which individual societies are to be encouraged to apply for affiliation.
3. Management
a. The management of the Federation shall be conducted by an Executive Committee “The Committee”, the Committee comprises of all Officers i.e. President, Vice President. immediate Past President, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, Packet Secretary, Bulletin Editor, Youth Officer, Web Master & Competition Secretary together with 5 elected members. That for continuity, the retiring past President shall serve on the Committee for two years immediately succeeding their term of office.
b. The President and Vice
President shall be nominated by the Committee and shall be elected at the
c. Members of the Committee (other than the President and Vice President) shall hold office for one year but shall be eligible for re-election at the A.G.M. Election of Committee members shall take place at the A.G.M. by a show of hands unless any member/delegate present requests that a Ballot be held, in which case the Ballot shall be taken forthwith.
d. If any Officer or member of the Committee shall resign, die, or become incapacitated so that they cannot fulfil their duties (the decision on incapacity being determined by a simple majority of the Executive Committee) the Committee shall have the power to fill the vacancy thereby arising and the person or persons so appointed shall retire at the end of the Federation year, but shall be eligible for re-election.
e. The Committee shall have the power to co-opt extra members to the Executive Committee. Persons co-opted to the Committee will have the same powers as elected members including the power to vote.
f. The Committee shall have the power to appoint such standing, temporary, or ad hoc Sub-Committees as it deems necessary or expedient and may from time to time delegate to any such Sub-Committee such powers and authority as may be considered necessary to enable it to discharge its function and may revoke or vary any such appointment or delegation. Persons who are not members of the Committee may be co-opted to serve on any such Sub Committee.
g. The Committee shall not meet less frequently than four (4) times a year. Six members shall form a quorum of whom one shall be the President, Honorary Secretary or Honorary Treasurer. The President or failing him the Vice President, Honorary Secretary or Honorary Treasurer shall be chairman of each such meeting.
h: The Committee shall cause:
1. Minutes to be recorded of all appointments of officers and members of Committee and of all resolutions and proceedings of all meetings of the Committee.
2. Proper books of account to be kept of all monies received and expended by the Federation and of the assets and liabilities of the Federation.
i; The Committee shall have the right to dismiss from office and/or Committee any person who brings disrepute to the Federation in any way. The Secretary shall first advise the person, in writing, of the act(s) complained of, requesting a written response within seven (7) days. A copy of the letter requesting a response shall be sent to the President and subsequently be presented, together with any response, before the Committee for consideration. In the event that the complaint is against the Honorary Secretary the above actions shall be taken by the President. A motion to dismiss an Officer or Committee member may be passed by a simple majority of the Committee. Once a motion to dismiss has been passed that person, if present, must immediately withdraw from the meeting.
4, Annual General Meeting
a: The A.G.M. shall be held in the autumn every year on a date to be fixed by the Committee and 28 days notice shall be given to member societies. A quantum of ten delegates shall be required. (Delegates being Officers, Committee Members and Society Delegates).
b: The business of the A.G.M. shall be:
1. Agree the minutes of the previous A.G.M.
2. Receive a report from the President on the previous year’s activities.
3. Consider the audited statement of income and expenditure and balance sheet which shall be produced at the meeting.
4. Consider the audited exchange packet accounts, which shall be produced at the meeting. (If an Exchange Packet is in operation)
5. Receive the reports of the Officers of the Federation.
6. Consider such other business as has been advised in the agenda.
7. Consider amendments to the constitution.
8. Elect the Officers and members of the Executive Committee.
9. Appoint Honorary Auditors.
10. Set level of subscriptions.
11. Consider such other business as has been advised to the Secretary not later than 21 days before the meeting.
If a new President is elected he or she may make a brief presentation to the meeting following item 11 above.
c. Society Delegates, not more than two in number, shall be appointed by their respective societies and each shall have one vote. Any member of an affiliated society may attend the A.G.M. and be entitled to speak, but not to vote. This rule shall not preclude the committee (Who are not considered to belong to any society) from speaking or voting. No one person shall have more than one vote. (Except the President under rule 4d.)
d. Voting on all matters shall be by a show of hands and in the event of a tie the President shall have a second or casting vote.
e; Any dispute arising at the Annual General Meeting in the interpretation of these rules or for which no provision has been made in these rules shall be referred to the President whose decision shall be final.
5. Extraordinary General Meeting. (E.G.M.)
An E.G.M. may be called at any time by the Committee or on the written request of at least two societies by giving all societies at least 28 days notice in writing of the date, time and place of the meeting and the general nature of the business then to be conducted and a quorum shall consist of ten delegates, as detailed in 4a above. The provisions in 4c, 4d and 4e relating to the A.G.M. above shall apply equally to an E.G.M.
6. Finance.
a; An annual subscription shall be paid by societies of an amount to be decided from time to time at the A.G.M. The financial year shall run from 1 April. Subscriptions being due on 1 January and to be sent to the Honorary Treasurer.
b; Separate accounts are to be kept of transactions relating to the exchange packet (if in being) and the financial year of these accounts shall run from 1 March. Only such money as is required should be retained in the exchange packet account, (if in being) and this amount will be determined by the Executive Committee from time to time. Amounts in excess of working capital must be remitted to the Honorary Treasurer annually.
c: Both the main Federation accounts and the Exchange Packet accounts (if in being) must be audited annually to protect both the Federation and the Officers concerned in controlling the Federation’s finances.
7. Auditor
Honorary Auditors shall be elected at each A.G.M. (these being nominees of the Committee) to hold office until the close of the next following A.G.M.
8. Convention
An Annual Convention shall be arranged by the Committee under the auspices of a member society at which the annual inter-society and individual competitions will be held as well as any other events of interest or concern to members. Qualified judges at Federation or National level shall be invited to judge all competitive entries.
9. Amendments to the Constitution
This Constitution may only be amended at an Annual General Meeting, or at an Extra-ordinary General Meeting specifically convened for the purpose, and shall take effect immediately upon resolution.
10. Interpretation
Any dispute arising from the interpretation of these rules or any contingency for which no provision is made in the rules, shall be referred to the Committee, whose decision shall be final.