TO BE APPROVED AT THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2009
Contents
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The Society
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Aims, Objectives and Policies
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Membership
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The Executive Committee
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Votes of No Confidence
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Removal of the President
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Annual General Meeting (AGM)
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Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM)
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Elections
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Amendments
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Discrimination
1. The Society
1.1 The Society shall be known as ‘Birmingham University Conservative Future’, and also by its acronym, ‘BUCF’. References to ‘the Society’ refer to Birmingham University Conservative Future.
1.2 BUCF is a university branch of the national organisation ‘Conservative Future’ and adheres entirely to the constitution of Conservative Future.
2. Aims, Objectives and Policies
2.1 The principle objective of BUCF is to promote knowledge, discussion and support of the principles and policies of the Conservative and Unionist Party, and to aid in the Party’s progress.
2.2 BUCF is committed to advancing the Conservative cause in the
2.3 The Society functions to provide an arena for political discussion and as a meeting point for like-minded people.
2.4 The Society is committed to freedom of speech, thought and opinion at all times and all members of the society and committee are bound by the anti discrimination procedures outlined in Article 11.
3. Membership
3.1 All members of the
3.2 Membership must be registered through the Union Society and confirmed by the officer on the Executive charged with representation and membership matters.
3.3 Members can be expelled from the Society through a majority vote at a Committee Meeting. This course of action can only be taken where a member is deemed to have brought disrepute to the Society or the Conservative Party or where it has been discovered that a member holds membership of a political party other than the Conservative Party.
3.4 Members are considered to have resigned from BUCF when they have put their resignation in writing to the Secretary. Membership fees are non-returnable upon resignation.
3.5 The Executive may bestow honorary associate membership on any person it wishes, through a majority vote. These memberships should be reserved for those who are deemed to have had a particularly positive impact on the society and its development.
3.6 The Executive shall maintain a full list of all members and their details, and shall ensure that this list is forwarded on to the local party.
4. The Executive Committee
4.1 The Executive must consist of a minimum of seven individuals, and the following positions must be filled as they are regarded as the central roles on the Executive: President, Vice President (Internal), Guild Officer, Treasurer. The roles of these offices shall be outlined by the Executive of the day.
4.2 The President has the authority to create any role on the committee he or she so chooses which must then be approved by committee vote
4.3 Officers shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting and shall only cease to hold office upon death, resignation or the passing of a vote of no confidence.
4.4 Should the office of President become vacant for whatever reason, then the Vice President (Internal) shall assume all the powers and responsibilities of the President until an official election has been held.
4.5 The Executive Committee shall be empowered with the day-to-day running of the Society and shall make decisions on behalf of its members. Subject to Section 4.6, a motion is passed when a majority vote in its favour.
4.6 At least one half of the executive officers must attend meetings for any motions to be passed.
4.7 The President may call an Executive meeting for whichever date he likes, but must give at least two days’ notice.
4.8 Non-Executive members are entitled to contribute to Executive meetings but do not have voting rights.
4.9 An officer is considered to have resigned from the Executive when they have put their resignation in writing to the President. Should the President resign, he must do so by putting his resignation in writing to the Secretary. In the event of a resignation, the President must call an election to fill the vacancy.
4.10 Each individual officer must submit a report at the end of their term to be presented at the Annual General Meeting. Each report is expected to contain information as to how they fulfilled their roles and any problems or issues that they encountered. It is hoped such a system will provide guidance to future executives.
5. Votes of No Confidence
5.1 Any member of the Society can request a vote of no confidence in any member of the Executive. For the vote to take place, 10% of the membership, or four individual members, whichever is greater, must submit a request for a vote of no confidence in writing to the President. Should the motion of no confidence be in the President, then the request must be submitted to the Secretary. Upon receipt of such a request, the President is obliged to call an Extraordinary General Meeting, whereupon both sides of the case are put forward and the vote of no confidence itself shall take place. A vote of no confidence shall be considered passed when a simple majority is in favour and 25% of the membership, or ten individual members, whichever is greater, are in attendance at the meeting.
5.2 Upon a vote of no confidence passing, the position will be considered vacant with immediate effect, and the President must organise an election to fill the vacancy. In this event, it is permissible for seven days’ notice to be given.
6. Removal of the President
6.1 In addition to the method outlined in Section 5.1, should two-thirds of the Committee express no confidence in the President in an Executive meeting, he shall be considered suspended from office with immediate effect and the Vice President (Internal) shall take over as 'acting President' and call an election, inviting any candidates to stand.
6.2 The incumbent is entitled to stand in this election.
6.3 Whoever receives the most votes shall be elected to the position of President with immediate effect.
7. Annual General Meeting (AGM)
7.1 The Annual General Meeting (AGM) may be called by the President at any time in the summer term, for the following purposes:
a) To receive and adopt the reports of the Executive of the previous year (as outlined in 4.10)
b) To elect officers to serve on the Executive for the coming year, outlined in Section 9.
c) To re-ratify and put forward any amendments to the constitution.
d) To deal with any other business deemed necessary.
7.2 All members of the Society must be given seven days’ notice before the AGM can take place.
7.3 Subject to Section 9.10, it is at the discretion of the President as to whether a vote is held by secret ballot or by show of hands.
7.4 A motion is considered to have passed when a majority present vote in its favour.
7.5 The President is entitled to give the vote to anyone who has shown their support to the development of the society so long as a majority of the committee agree with his decision
8. Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM)
8.1 An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) may be called by the President at any time during the academic year, for the following purposes:
a) To elect a member onto the Executive in the event of an office becoming vacant.
b) To hold a vote of no confidence.
c) To hold an election which has arisen due to the process followed in Section 6.1.
d) To vote on expulsion of a member from the Society.
e) To deal with any other matter that the President, or a majority of the Executive, believes warrants all members of the Society being invited to vote on a matter.
8.2 All members of the Society must be given fourteen days’ notice before the EGM can take place, subject to Section 5.2. The EGM must be held within 21 term-time days of the President having called it.
8.3 All votes at an EGM must be held by secret ballot.
8.4 A motion is considered to have passed when a majority present vote in its favour.
9. Elections
9.1 All members of the Society are entitled to run for any office on the Executive at any time, subject to Section 9.9.
9.2 Upon an election being called by the President, those wishing to stand for office must put their candidacy in writing or email to the Secretary or the President. In the event of the position of Secretary being vacant, then the message should be sent to the Vice President (Internal).
9.3 All prospective candidacies must be seconded to be entered onto the ballot paper.
9.4 Members can stand in more than one election.
9.5 Positions must be assigned in the following order: President, Vice President (Internal), Vice President (External), Treasurer, Secretary followed by any other offices created
9.6 Members must be given the option to Re-Open Nominations (RON) in all elections.
9.7 The candidate with the most votes will be declared the winner. In the event of a tie, the candidates with the most votes will be entered into a run-off election. In the event of another tie, the candidates with the most votes will enter into another run-off election. This process should be repeated until a clear winner is chosen. Should all candidates tie, then the President shall have the casting vote. In the event that all candidates tie for the position of President, then the incumbent retains his seat, unless he or she is retiring, in which case he or she shall have the casting vote.
9.8 With the exception of the President-elect, those who win their elections do not take their positions on the Executive until the incumbent President has closed the meeting.
9.9 No member may hold more than one position on the Executive.
9.10 All elections must take place by secret ballot.
10. Amendments
10.1 Proposals for amendments to the Constitution can be raised at any meeting of the executive committee however any amendment must be put to both executive and member vote.
10.2 An amendment to the Constitution will be made when a majority of the committee and two-thirds of members present vote in its favour.
11.0 Discrimination
11.1 BUCF tolerates no discrimination of any kind however there shall be no codified Executive committee role(s) relating to individual matters of discrimination
11.2 It is expected that each member of the Executive Committee will ensure that any matters of discrimination are dealt with and should they be approached by any member of the society regarding apparent cases of discrimination then it shall be raised at a full meeting of the Executive Committee.
11.3 If a member of the society is seen to have engaged in any racist, homophobic, sexist or discriminatory way against any other member of the society then the member in question can be expelled in accordance with article 3.3
11.4 If a member of the Executive committee is seen to have violated BUCF’s anti discrimination policy then a vote of no confidence must be pursued as outlined in Article 5.
