1. The Club shall be called the “St. Neots and District Camera Club” and shall be affiliated to the Photographic Alliance of Great Britain through the East Anglian Federation of Photographic Societies.

2. The object of the Club shall be to associate its Members for mutual assistance in photographic matters by means of Lectures, Discussions, Demonstrations of Processes, Outdoor Excursions and other methods.

To promote the welfare of the Club and the advancement of photographic knowledge.

Officers and Committee

3. The affairs of the Club shall be managed by the Officers (President, General Secretary and Treasurer) and a General Committee of Six, with powers to co-opt in order to fill any vacancy in its numbers that may occur during the year.

The President shall have the casting vote.

The General Committee shall consist of the Programme Secretary, the Membership Secretary, the Publicity Secretary, the Competitions Secretary the Exhibition Secretary and the External Competitions Secretary who shall be the Convenor of the Selection Committee.

The General Committee may establish any Sub-Committee it deems fit; the Convener(s) of such Sub-Committee(s) will report to, but not have a seat on, the General Committee, unless s/he is already a member thereof.

4. A quorum shall consist of five members.

5. The President can hold office for no more than 3 consecutive years but that does not preclude a Past President from standing again at a future date providing a minimum of 12 months has passed.

Retiring Presidents become Past-Presidents of the Club.

Immediate Past Presidents may as a matter of courtesy attend committee meetings by arrangement with the current President.

6. The Officers and Committee shall be elected by ballot at the Annual General Meeting. After the election during the Annual General Meeting the Committee may, before the end of the AGM, co-opt any Member, regardless of recent tenure, to fill any vacant Officer post for an interim period not exceeding 12 months.

7. A Committee Meeting shall be held two weeks prior to the Annual General Meeting to arrange the business of the A.G.M.

8. There shall be four signatories (including the Treasurer) to the Club Bank Accounts – these being appointed at each A.G.M.

Two signatories to any document shall suffice for any Club transactions.

General Meetings

9. The Annual General Meeting shall be the last meeting of the year’s programme.

The Agenda for the A.G.M. will be published at least one week before the A.G.M.

10. A Special General Meeting may be convened at seven days notice by the Committee, or by the Secretary at the request of six Members specifying, in writing, the object of such a meeting.

Changes

11. No alterations to the Club Constitution shall be made except at the Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting duly convened for that purpose.

No part of the Constitution shall be altered without a two-thirds majority of the members present at that meeting.

12. Notice of any Proposed alteration(s) must be delivered to the Hon. Secretary, in writing, at least fourteen days prior to any Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting.

13. Dissolution – The Club is a non-profit making organisation.

If, on the winding-up or dissolution of the Club, there remains, after satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities, any property whatsoever, the same shall not be paid or distributed amongst the members but passed to The East Anglian Federation of Photographic Societies.

The Club Trophies shall be offered to those who donated them or to their descendents.

Membership

14. No form of bullying or abuse will be tolerated; any member found to be bullying or abusing another will have their membership terminated immediately by the Committee.

15. The Membership Year shall run from September through to the following 31st August.

16. The Annual Subscriptions shall be fixed at the Annual General Meeting.

17. Subscriptions shall be payable at the commencement of the Club year, in September, or on joining.

No person shall be eligible to enter any Club competition until his/her subscription has been paid.

18. Membership of the Club is open to all.

There shall be four categories of membership:

Ordinary, Senior, Junior and those aged 16 years to 18 years.

Senior Membership will be open to anyone of State Pension Age.

A Junior member is anyone below 18 at the start of the season. The membership fee shall be the same as a Senior member. If under 16 then a junior member must be accompanied by a parent/guardian. There is no charge for a single parent/guardian.
Additional parent/guardians must join the club with an appropriate membership.

A Life Membership may be bestowed on a Member by the Committee. There is no Membership fee for a Life Member.

Where two members live at the same address they will be allowed to have a Joint Membership discount from their respective Membership Categories, this discount to be fixed annually at the A.G.M.

19. Anyone joining the club after 1st January will pay a subscription of 50% of the appropriate annual rate; after 1st March it will be 25% of the annual rate.

20. Prospective members shall be allowed to attend on payment of the current Visitor’s fee, for up to three meetings, after which the annual subscription shall become due and be backdated, with a deduction for any Visitor’s Fees paid.

21. Visitors may attend club meetings on payment of the current Visitor’s Fee for each meeting.

The Visitor’s Fee will be fixed at the Annual General Meeting.

The committee may introduce additional charges for individual meetings as they feel appropriate. This will not apply to members of clubs visiting for competitions.

22. Any member wishing to resign should notify the Hon. Secretary, in writing.

23. Members are required to read and follow Club policies.

Accounts

24. The Club’s Financial Year runs from 1st August to 31st July

A copy of the checked accounts for the preceding Financial Year will be presented at the A.G.M.

25. The Financial Checker will be appointed annually at the A.G.M.

Constitution Originally Approved and Confirmed by the Annual General Meeting held on 8th May 2007.

Last Amendments : AGM 12-Apr-2022