Constitution and Rules

1 The Society shall be called ‘The Wiltshire Ornithological Society’

2 The objects of the Society shall be:

  • to encourage, facilitate and pursue the study, recording and conservation of the birds of Wiltshire
  • to publish certain of its recorded findings
  • to co-operate with similar bodies, both local and national, in the foregoing objects

3 President and Officers of the Society

  • A President of the Society may be elected by the Annual General Meeting. The President will hold office for three years and may offer advice and guidance to the Executive Committee. The President shall not be entitled to vote at Executive Committee meetings
  • The officers of the Society shall consist of Chairman, Deputy Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer
  • They shall be members of the Society elected by the Annual General Meeting. The Chairman shall hold office for not more than three consecutive years.

4 The Executive Committee shall consist of the officers of the Society, together with not more than ten other members elected by the Annual General Meeting, but the Committee shall have the power to co-opt other members to serve for any period within the remainder of the year. The Executive Committee shall appoint a Recorder (who shall be an elected or ex-officio member of the Executive Committee), an Editor of Hobby and Editor of WOS News. The Executive Committee may also fill any vacancy occurring during a year and may appoint sub-committees. Only Committee members elected at a General Meeting shall have voting power in Committee

5 Notwithstanding the contents of paragraphs 3 and 4 above, Executive Committee members may continue in office during the period from the end of the Society’s financial year until the close of the next Annual General Meeting, when they shall all retire, but shall be eligible for re-election

6 In matters relating to the Society’s business, the first year shall end on 31 December 1975. Subsequent years shall end at each 31 December

7 The Executive Committee shall be empowered to determine the categories of membership and the terms and subscriptions applying to them. Members shall pay to the Treasurer each annual subscription which shall be due on 1st January each year.  Any new member paying their first subscription after 30th September is considered to have paid to 31st December of the following year. Persons whose subscriptions have not been paid by the end of June shall be deemed to have resigned their membership.

 Honorary Life Membership shall be awarded by the Executive Committee in recognition of outstanding work for the society.

8 Before 1 May each year an Annual General Meeting shall be held for the presentation of reports and accounts, the election of officers and Executive Committee members, the appointment of an auditor and to conduct the Society’s business. Members shall receive at least three weeks’ notice of the date of an Annual General Meeting

9 An Extraordinary General Meeting of members may be called at any time at the discretion of the Executive Committe; or at the written request of at least twenty-five paid-up members, subject in either case to a minimum of three weeks’ notice being given to the members of the date and business

10 Twenty-five paid-up members shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of a General Meeting

11 In the event of the dissolution of the Society, after settlement of all its known debts and liabilities, any remaining assets shall be disposed of by donation to a charitable organisation of the members’ choosing

12 This Constitution may only be changed by resolution of a two-thirds majority at a General Meeting. Members shall be given three weeks’ notice of any such proposal to change the Constitution

Updated March, 2010