Chamber of Trade

[thrive_toggles_group”][thrive_toggles title=”The Constitution” no=”1/1″]

Dewsbury Chamber of Trade – Constitution

1. The Name of the Association shall be the Dewsbury Chamber of Trade.

OBJECTS

1. The objects for which the Chamber is established are:-
   1. For the association of traders, merchants, manufactures, professional people and others, to consider and promote all such lawful measures, plans and schemes as may be calculated to further, improve and secure the trading and commercial interests of the town of Dewsbury and its neighbourhood.
   2. To collect, collate and circulate statistical information and other information relating to trade, commerce and manufacturing, for members as will assist them in their commercial or professional pursuits, and to print and publish and distribute circulars, bulletins, journals and such other papers as may be necessary to disseminate such information.
   3. To advance and promote commercial and technical education.
   4. To borrow money or raise loans required for the purpose of the Chamber upon such securities as may be determined.
   5. To purchase take on lease or in exchange, hire or otherwise acquire any real or personal property, and any rights or privileges which the Chamber may think necessary or convenient for the purpose of its business.
   6. To sell, improve, manage, develop, lease mortgage, dispose of or otherwise deal with all or any part of the property of the Chamber.
   7. To support the principles of fair trading.
   8. To create and foster a spirit of goodwill, friendship and unity among the business people of the town and by meetings, discussions, lectures, debates, conferences and other functions to provide facilities for social intercourse on a friendly basis between all members of the Chamber and the wider community.
   9. To support such creative and artistic activities in the community as meet the objectives of the Chamber.
   10. To subscribe to and support from funds of the Chamber such local charitable institutions and objects as may be deemed worthy.
   11. To do all such lawful; things as are incidental or conducive to the attainment of all the above objectives.
2. The Chamber may be affiliated to an appropriate arm of the British Chambers of Commerce or such suitable other organisation as may be determined by the Committee and become a component unit of any appropriate regional sector of that Chamber.

MEMBERSHIP.

1. Membership of the Chamber shall be open to all individual persons, companies and firms interested or actively engaged in business in Dewsbury.  Membership may be extended to any other person or persons that the Chamber deems to be acceptable.
   Properly constituted community groups may also become members in order to participate in working groups dealing with wider community matters.  

The Chamber shall have power to refuse an application for membership without assigning a reason.

Any member of the Chamber who shall do any act or conduct calculated to injure or discredit the Chamber may be expelled from the Chamber by a resolution of the majority of members. Such members shall be allowed to appeal against their expulsion to a special meeting of the Chamber.

It is incumbent upon Chamber members to advise the Secretary of any change of address and/or contact details as soon as is practical after that change.

The Chamber shall have the right to create honorary members who shall give an undertaking not to divulge information from the Chamber to any other body not affiliated.

SUBSCRIPTIONS.

1. Every member shall pay an annual subscription determined by the Committee from time to time.  Companies and firms shall appoint a representative to attend and vote at meetings of the Chamber.
2. All subscriptions shall become effective for 12 months from the date of receipt of cleared funds by the Chamber.  No member shall be entitled to vote at a meeting unless their subscription shall have been previously paid.

OFFICERS.

1. The Officers of the Chamber shall be President, Vice-President, Honorary Treasurer, and Auditor and a committee of nine members and past Presidents if they are willing to serve. The Honorary Secretary may be elected or appointed by the officers this being a decision of the committee. The quorum at a meeting of the committee shall be one third of the members as near as maybe.
2. The Committee shall have the power to co-opt members and to appoint such sub-committees as may be deemed necessary.
3. The President, Vice-President, Honorary Treasurer, Auditor and one third of the committee members shall be elected at the Annual meeting.
4. The committee shall be elected for three years, one-third of whom shall retire annually but shall be eligible for re- election.
5. All nominations for Officers shall be made in writing, signed by two members and by the nominee consenting to serve, and sent to the Secretary not later than the first day of March in every year. The Committee shall then meet and make such other recommendations as they think fit.
6. The Officers of the Chamber shall have full executive powers within the policies of the Chamber to act on behalf of the Chamber.
7. The attendance of members of the Chamber committees shall be duly recorded by the Secretary and a report thereon presented at the Annual General Meeting.
8. In the event of a vacancy occurring in the officers during the year it shall, if necessary, be filled by the Executive (see article 21 below).
9. The Honorary Treasurer shall keep an account of all monies received and paid by them for and on behalf of the Chamber and shall pay all accounts approved by the Executive. They shall present to the members at the Annual General Meeting a duly audited statement of accounts showing all the financial transactions of the Chamber made up to the last day of January in each year.
10. The Secretary shall keep a record of the proceedings of the Chamber in a minute book to be kept for that purpose, and shall also keep a correct roll of members.
11. The Annual General Meeting shall be held in March each year. At such a meeting the President on behalf of the Committee shall present a report with reference to all matters which have been dealt with during the previous year.
12. General meetings of the Chamber shall be held as required. The Chamber may convene General Meetings of the members to consider particular matters and upon a requisition in writing of three or more members the Secretary shall convene a meeting to be held within twenty one days of the receipt of such a requisition.
13. For the purpose of voting at meetings, every member whose subscription is paid up shall have one vote exercised by a show of hands but it shall be competent for members before such a vote is taken to require that it shall be taken by ballot.

When a ballot is to be taken, two persons shall be appointed by the meeting as scrutineers who shall count the number of votes cast and report the results in writing to the Chairman who shall declare the result of the ballot to the meeting. In the case of equality of votes the President shall have casting vote.

1. In the absence of the President and Vice-President from any meeting the members present at the meeting shall elect a Chairman to preside at that meeting.

EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATION.

1. If no nominations are received for any of the Offices of President, Vice-President, Honorary Treasurer and Auditor, or if, in the opinion of those present at the Annual General Meeting, such nominations as received are insufficient in number to carry out effectively the administrative functions of the Chamber, then the Annual General Meeting shall, if it see fit appoint an Executive Officer to carry out administrative duties under such terms and conditions as necessary. The appointment shall be for one year and shall be renewable on a year by year basis subject to confirmation at each Annual General Meeting.

NOTICES OF MOTION.

1. Every fully paid up member of the Chamber shall have the right to submit a notice of motion in writing to the Secretary which shall be placed upon the agenda for the next meeting.

SUB-COMMITTEES.

1. The Chamber may set up such sub-committees or working parties for such purposes a may be decided from time to time. The Chamber shall appoint the Chairman of the group and establish the working parameters.

ALTERATIONS.

1. No alteration shall be made in these rules except by a resolution duly passed by at least five members present and voting at a General Meeting of members. Twenty one days notice in writing shall be given to all members.

NOTICES.

1. A notice may be served by the Chamber upon a member either personally or by sending it through the post, by email or text message to the contact information provided by the member.
2. STANDING ORDERS.
   1. That at every meeting the minutes of the preceding meeting shall be submitted and, if approved, signed by the President.
   2. That copies of all communications received by the Secretary or President, requiring the consideration of the meeting shall be made available to members after the minutes are confirmed.
   3. That resolutions of the Chamber and its reports and those of its appointed sub-committees shall have precedence of ordinary resolutions.
   4. That only one amendment shall be before a meeting at any one time, which must be carried by the meeting by voting for or against it. Any amendment which is carried shall take the place of the original resolution, and shall be subject to fresh amendments. No resolution or amended resolution shall be considered carried until it shall have been voted upon as a substantive resolution after all amendments thereon have been disposed of.
   5. That members wishing to speak shall address the Chair and shall take instruction from the Chair.  In the event of disagreement the Chair may invoke the following procedure:
      That each member shall rise on speaking and address the Chair, and not any other member, and while one member is speaking other members shall remain silent. If two or more members rise together for the purpose of speaking, the Chair shall decide who shall speak first; and whenever the Chair rises to speak, no other member shall continue standing, nor shall any member rise until the Chair be resumed.
   6. That the decision of the President with regard to the application of these Standing Orders shall be final.

Revised Constitution adopted 5 Feb 2019.

Paul Ellis

Acting President

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