AMITIÉ FRANÇAISE - CONSTITUTION AND RULES

1    The Association shall be called “AMITIE FRANCAISE”.

2    The AIM of the Association shall be to promote greater understanding of France by the regular organising of activities concerned with France, the French language and the French way of life.

3    Membership shall be open to all – up to a maximum of 90 members.

4    There shall be a Committee to organise and plan events and other activities compatible with the aims of the Association.

5    Officers and Committee members shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting.

6    Officers of the Committee shall consist of:

     Chairman

     Vice Chairman

     Hon Secretary

     Hon Treasurer

     Six Committee Members

     Such other officers as may be considered necessary.

7.1  The Committee shall have powers of co-option.

7.2  The Committee shall have powers to exclude any member deemed to be acting inappropriately, and subsequently revoke their membership.

8    ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS

8.1  Nominations of officers and members of the Committee may be made to the Secretary before the Annual General Meeting. If the number of nominations exceeds the number of vacancies in any category, a ballot of the members present shall be taken at the Annual General Meeting.

8.1  Two of 4 officers and 3 committee members shall retire each year and they shall be those who have been in office longest.

8.3  All retiring officers and committee members shall be eligible for re-election.

9    HONORARY APPOINTMENTS

9.1  The club may submit invitations to fill, as appropriate, the vacancies for Honorary President or Honorary Vice President

9.2. The Club Committee may, on behalf of the membership, invite former members to become Honorary Members.

10       ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

10.1 Nominations for officers and members of the Committee must be proposed and seconded by members of at least 6 months standing and must have the agreement of the nominee that he/she is willing to stand.

10.2 Nominations will be accepted at the Annual General Meeting.

10.3 The Annual General Meeting will be held in May or as soon thereafter as possible.

10.4 Formal notice of the meeting shall be given at least 3 weeks before the meeting and shall be published widely for the information of all members.

10.5 The Annual General Meeting shall receive a report from the Chairman on the activities of the Association for the previous year and from the Treasurer a copy and report of the audited accounts for the same period.

10.6 The meeting shall then conduct the elections specified in Rule 8 and appoint an Auditor for the coming year. The term of office of the retiring officers and Committee members expires at the end of the Annual General Meeting and the newly elected officers and Committee members appointed under Rule 8 shall then take office.

11   In the event of the absence of the Chairman, the Vice-Chairman shall assume all powers vested in the Chairman.

12   QUORUM

     The quorum for an AGM shall consist of 20% of the membership.  The quorum for a Committee shall be 5 members.

13   POWERS OF THE COMMITTEE

    The Committee shall have the power to act as laid down in Rule 4.

14   SUBSCRIPTION

    A membership subscription shall be levied.  The Committee shall fix the amount which must  be ratified at the Annual General Meeting and paid before the end of the December following the AGM.

15 ALTERATION OF CONSTITUTION OR RULES

    A proposed alteration to the Constitution or Rules may be made at the Annual General Meeting.  Notice of a proposed alteration must have been given at least 4 weeks before the Meeting and must be published in full as in 10.4.  No alteration to the Constitution or Rules may be made without the support of at least two‑thirds of members present.

16   SPECIAL MEETINGS

A Special Meeting may be called by the Chairman at his/her discretion.  A Special meeting shall be called by the Secretary on receipt of a request for such a Meeting signed by at least 20% of the membership.  The request shall state the business to be discussed and no other business shall be considered at the Meeting.

17   DISSOLUTION OF THE ASSOCIATION

Surplus assets shall be distributed between current paid‑up members if in excess of £100.00, otherwise it shall be sent to a charity nominated by the Committee.