Constitution
of the Scottish - Bulgarian Association
1.0 TITLE
1.1 The name of the Association shall be “The Scottish - Bulgarian Association” , hereinafter referred to “SBA”.
2.0 AIMS
2.1 SBA is set up as a non-profit-making and non-political organisation to
(i) foster and further cultural, scientific and educational understanding and awareness between Bulgaria and Scotland;
(ii) facilitate cultural, educational scientific and business interactions and exchanges between Bulgaria and Scotland.
2.2 In furtherance of these aims, SBA may do all such lawful things as are necessary for their attainment.
3.0 MEMBERSHIP
3.1 Application for Full or Youth Membership shall be made to and approved by the Management Committee.
3.1.2 Full Membership shall be open to any individual from Scotland and Bulgaria over the age of 18. Only Full Members shall be entitled to vote and to be nominated for office.
Youth Membership shall be open to any individual from Scotland and Bulgaria under the age of 18.
3.1.3 Life Membership is open to any individual in Scotland and Bulgaria at the discretion of the Management Committee. Life members are entitled to vote.
3.2 The Membership Secretary shall notify the AGM of new members.
3.3 The AGM may elect Honorary Fellows.
4.0 OFFICERS
4.1 The Association will have a President to be elected annually by the AGM.
4.2 The Association shall have a Chair, Secretary, Membership Secretary and Treasurer to be elected annually by the AGM.
5 ANNUAL AND SPECIAL GENERAL MEETINGS of the membership
5.1 There shall be an Annual General Meeting (AGM), normally to be held in March of each year, for which at least 21 days notice in writing shall be provided to all members together with an agenda.
5.2 The AGM will be chaired by (in order of precedence) the President, the Chair or the Secretary.
5.3 A quorum for Annual and Special General Meeting shall be the President or Chair or Secretary plus at least 2 other Officers and 20% of the membership. A duly convened AGM which is not quorate shall defer the opening of the meeting for 1 hour: thereafter, the meeting will be deemed to be quorate.
5.4 The business of the AGM shall include:
5.4.1 reports from: the Chair, Secretary, Membership Secretary and Treasurer. The President (if any) may also address the AGM;
5.4.2 election of President, Chair, Secretary, Membership Secretary and Treasurer, and of up to 4 members who will serve as Ordinary Members of the Management Committee. Nominations (including agreement of the nominee to serve if elected) may be submitted in writing to the Secretary prior to the AGM or submitted from the floor at the A.G.M. if no prior written nomination has been made;
5.4.3 election of Bankers and an Auditor, who shall be independent of the Association;
5.4.4 confirmation or removal of Honorary Fellows.
5.4.5 discussion of Any Other Business intimated to the Chair in writing by any member of the Association, provided it reaches the Chair at least 10 days before the AGM.
5.5 Reporting Officers unable to attend the AGM shall submit a written report to the Chair prior to the meeting.
5.6 Each Full or Life Member of the Association shall have one vote in connection with each motion put before the AGM. A resolution will require a simple majority, with the Chair having a casting vote in the event of a tie. Voting shall be by show of hands and / or valid postal voting unless the AGM decides otherwise.
5.7 The Association may affiliate with other organisations upon agreement by the AGM.
5.8 A Special General Meeting (SGM) will be held if 10 members of SBA give the Secretary written notice of the motion(s) they wish to present. No other motions will be discussed at the SGM. The Membership will be notified by the Secretary of the date and purpose of the SGM as in 5.1 above and the Quorum Rule (see 5.3 above) shall apply..
6.0 MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
6.1 The Management Committee shall consist of the President, Chair, Secretary, Membership Secretary, Treasurer and atleast 4 Ordinary Members elected at the AGM (see 5.4.2)
6.2 The Management Committee may appoint Sub-Committees and may co-opt additional members as and when necessary.
6.3 The above Sub-Committees shall report to the Management Committee, who shall devise their rules for working.
6.4 The Management Committee shall meet at least 4 times per year and at such other times as may be perceived as necessary by 3 or more of its members.
7.0 FINANCE
7.1 The Management Committee shall set the annual subscriptions that shall be paid by members, which shall then be proposed at the AGM.
7.2 Annual subscriptions shall fall due on January 1st. Membership shall be deemed to have lapsed should any member’s subscription not be paid within 3 months of that date, unless good reason be provided to the satisfaction of the Management Committee.
7.3 The Association’s accounts shall run from January 1st. to December 31st.
7.4 The appointment of banker(s) and auditor(s) shall be made by the Treasurer on the decision of the AGM.
7.5 All monies shall be administered by the Treasurer who will pay incoming monies into a bank or building society account in the name of the Association, and shall arrange, in consultation with the Management Committee, for the proper investment of any appropriate surplus. The Treasurer shall account to the Management Committee for all monies.
7.6 Any withdrawals from or cheques drawn upon the Association’s bank or building society accounts shall require any two signatures from the Treasurer, the Secretary or the Chair.
7.7 Travel expenses shall not normally be available for Management Committee members except in special circumstances by advance application to and agreement by the Management Committee. Advance notification of other expenses likely to be incurred by members, in connection with the work of the Management Committee or its Sub-Committees, shall be made to the Treasurer for approval, who will recompense the approved amounts to the members upon their submission of receipts.
7.8 The Treasurer shall prepare, and present to the AGM, financial forecasts based on the assessment of the Association’s audited income and expenditure accounts.
8.0 ALTERATION OF CONSTITUTION
8.1 Any proposal to alter the Constitution must be approved at an AGM.
8.2 Such a proposal shall be accompanied by a copy of the relevant part of the existing Constitution and the proposed amendment(s) in the documentation for the AGM.
9.0 TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP
9.1 The Management Committee is empowered to immediately suspend a member whose actions are considered by the Management Committee to be injurious to the interests of the Association.
9.2 Termination of membership shall be by resolution passed at the AGM by a two thirds majority of those present and voting.
10.0 DISSOLUTION OF THE ASSOCIATION
10.1 The Association may be dissolved only at the AGM or at a special meeting convened for the purpose of dissolution. The motion to dissolve must be carried by three quarters of members present and voting.
10.2 Before a vote for or against dissolution be taken, the meeting shall determine how the assets of the Association shall be disposed of in the event of the motion to dissolve being carried.
