Direction and management of the Guild
 

11. DIRECTION AND MANAGEMENT OF THE GUILD

Guild Members take all major decisions relating to the policy and direction of the Guild, and monitor its performance relative to its Constitution.

As part of this process Guild Members elect an executive and a Committee comprising Full Members in good standing to handle its day to day business. This Committee can lay down rules and procedures to give effect to the requirements of this Constitution, which is an expression of what the Members want their Guild to do.

Guild members exercise their powers through the Annual and General meetings and the Committee governs through its regular meetings and by appointing sub-committees and/or contracting suppliers to perform specific tasks.
The Committee remains responsible at all times to its Members who vote to approve its actions in Annual or General meetings.

12. COMMITTEE STRUCTURE

13. COMMITTEE RULES

14. DUTIES AND POWERS OF THE COMMITTEE

   
  Back to menu contact us for more information

 

 

 

  Committee structure
 

The committee is structured with an executive consisting of the chairman, vice-chairman, secretary and treasurer, and at least three and not more than seven elected ordinary committee members.

The executive committee members (chairman, vice-chairman, secretary and treasurer) have the power to take decisions between committee meetings when necessary, but these actions must be tabled for ratification at the next available meeting of the full committee.

Elected Committee Members are required to attend committee meetings regularly and may be suspended or asked to resign from the committee if, without prior permission from the Chairman, they miss three consecutive meetings.

The Committee may appoint standing or ad hoc sub-committees and regional sub-committees, and may co-opt Full Members or others to serve on the main committee or any sub-committees.

The Committee can invite one Associate Member to attend meetings to represent the interests of Associate and Corporate Members.

   
  Back to top contact us for more information

 

 

 

  Committee rules
  To provide quality management of the Guild the members select a Committee with a mixture of newcomers and experience. To achieve this, the Committee keeps half of its members for two consecutive terms of office and annually seeks new members. There is also planned leadership succession. These elements are embodied in these Committee Rules which form part of this Constitution.

13.2 The Chairmanship

The Chairman of the Guild shall step down at the end of each year of office, but may accept nominations for re-election, joining any other nominations that might be received for the position.

If he is not going to be available for re-election, the Chairman shall endeavour to give the Committee a minimum of three months notice of this fact.

When it is known in advance that the Chairmanship will change, the Committee shall ascertain the availability of the vice-Chairman or other suitable candidate for the vacated position and generate a nomination for the position to join any other nominations that might be received.

13.3 The President

Upon retirement from the position, the Chairman shall become the President of the Guild and shall hold that office until replaced by the next retiring Chairman.

If a current Chairman is removed from office the President at that time will be asked to remain in office until the next Chairman in good standing retires from office.

If there is ever an occasion when the Guild has no President, the Committee shall decide on who will carry out prescribed Presidential duties.

The President's duties include representing the Guild on ceremonial occasions and taking the chair at AGM's and other general meetings during elections for the Guild Committee. The position is non-executive in the Committee, where the President may attend meetings at his own discretion and will not carry a Committee vote.

13.4 Succession

The President must also draw up and endorse a document calling for nominations for the Guild Committee, which accompanies the notice of meeting and agenda for the Guild's Annual General Meeting.

This document will identify those Executive and Committee members who do not have to step down from the Committee, those who must step down but are available for nomination for re-election, and those who must step down and are not available for a further term.

No member of the Committee will serve for longer than two consecutive years without stepping down and either offering himself for re-election or not. The President's decisions in these matters will be final.

If there is no President, or the President is unavailable to compile this document, it will be composed by a previous President of the Guild, or a Fellow requested to do so by the Committee.
   
  Back to top contact us for more information

 

 

 

  Duties and powers of the committee
  14.1 When the committee is elected by Guild members, it is mandated at that time to carry out certain duties and have certain powers which include:
Meeting at least every six weeks and giving focused attention to all current Guild affairs;
Examining, handling and accepting or rejecting properly completed, proposed and seconded membership applications;
Establishing subscription and entry fees subject to the approval of voting Members in an annual or ordinary general meetings before implementation;
In special circumstances waiving or reducing subscriptions or fees payable by individuals or categories of membership subject to approvals by Members at an annual or ordinary general meeting. (Fellows and Retired Members of the Guild are not compelled to pay subscription fees);
Opening and operating banking and savings accounts;
Negotiating sponsorships and entering into contracts that benefit Guild activities without compromising its name or the integrity of its members;
Running one or more Guild offices and employing the necessary staff for the benefit of its members;
Providing members with membership cards and other insignia to identify them as members of the Guild;
Arranging benefits that are exclusive to Guild members; and
Arranging competitions and making awards to its members and to others provided these further the Guild's aims.

14.2 The committee is also required to:

14.2.1 Maintain and keep monthly accounts. Appoint auditors subject to Members' approval who will provide an annual audit of the Guild's income, expenditure and reserves. Annually select three members from the executive and the committee to have signing powers for the Guild's banking and savings accounts, and to arrange for all payment requisitions and cheques to be signed by any two of these three appointed members.

Table for approval by Guild members at the Annual General Meeting, at least the following items:
A Chairman's report covering Guild activities for the year under review;
The independently audited accounts of the Guild;
A separate report on the Guild's finances including a budget giving the committee's view on the financial needs of the Guild over the following three years;
Recommendations on the level of subscription dues and entrance fee for all categories of membership;
A report on the outcome of the compulsory annual review of the validity of membership;
Recommendations on the appointment of auditors;
Other AGM agenda items for which due notice has been given.
   
  Back to top contact us for more information