Britain-Burma Society Constitution

  1. NAME

The name of the Society shall be the Britain-Burma Society.

  1. OBJECTS.

The Society shall be non-political and have as its object the fostering of friendship and understanding between British people interested in Burma (Myanmar) and Burmese people, especially by the encouragement of cultural and social relations between the two countries.

  1. CONSTITUTION

(a) The Society shall consist of: –

(i) Ordinary Members.

(ii)  Corporate Members.

(iii) Honorary Members.

(b)  Every Member shall abide by and be bound by these rules of the Society and by any alteration regularly made thereto; and the acceptance of Society membership shall be deemed to be an undertaking to be bound by all such rules and alterations.

  1. MEMBERSHIP

(i)  No member of any kind shall be less than 16 years of age.

(ii) (a) Ordinary Members.

Ordinary members are individuals, irrespective of nationality or place of residence, who are interested in the objects of the Society.

(b) Corporate Members.

Such business and other bodies as the Council may determine shall be eligible as Corporate Members.

(c)  Honorary Members.

The Council shall have power to elect as Honorary Members of the Society persons who have rendered distinguished service to British-Burmese relations.

  1. NEW MEMBERS

The names of all new members shall be made available to members of the Council and a full membership list made available to all members from time to time.

  1. SUBSCRIPTIONS AND OTHER PAYMENTS

Ordinary and Corporate members shall pay annual subscriptions, at rates to be periodically determined by the Council, always excepting that any Ordinary member may purchase life membership by payment of a lump sum equivalent to ten years’ Ordinary subscription.

A couple living at the same address can apply for joint membership as Ordinary members and need pay only a single annual subscription between them.

A charge may be made for admission to meetings, at a rate to be fixed periodically by the Council.  Discounts may also be made for students, children, special guests etc, at the discretion of the Council.

Any member who fails to pay his or her subscription within one year of the due date for payment shall cease to be a member.

  1. PRIVILEGES OF MEMBERS

(a)  Ordinary Members.

The Privileges of Ordinary Members shall be as follows: –

(i)      To take part in, and to bring guests to any functions of the Society

(ii)     To receive all literature of the Society.

(iii)    To have the right of access to the members’ area of the Society web site.

(iv)    To vote at all meetings.

(v)     To propose candidates for the Society’s Officers and the Council.

(b)  Corporate Members.

Corporate Members shall be entitled to all privileges of Ordinary members.  They shall, however, nominate one representative only to vote at the Society’s meetings.

(c)  Honorary Members.

Honorary Members shall be entitled to all privileges of membership except that they shall not be entitled to vote as members of the Society.

  1. COUNCIL

The management of the Society shall be vested in the Council, which shall consist of not less than 9 members, excluding the Officers, who for this purpose shall be the Chairman, Deputy Chairman, Hon Treasurer, Hon Membership Secretary and Hon Meetings Secretary.

At a Council meeting, no fixed number of members is needed to form a quorum.  However, decisions on any substantive business require majority approval by Council members.

  1. CHAIRMAN AND DEPUTY CHAIRMAN

The Chairman of the Council and Deputy Chairman shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting.

  1. HON TREASURER, HON MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY AND HON MEETINGS SECRETARY

An Honorary Treasurer, an Honorary Membership Secretary and an Hon Meetings Secretary shall be appointed by the Council subject to the approval of the Annual General Meeting.

  1. HON AUDITOR

An Honorary Auditor shall be appointed by the Council subject to the approval of the Annual General Meeting.

  1. PATRON AND PRESIDENT

The Council shall invite distinguished persons to become Patron and President.

  1. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

An Annual General Meeting of the Society shall be held in London at a date in October.  A report of the activities of the Society and an audited financial statement of the Society, having been circulated to members beforehand shall be presented to the Annual General Meeting.

Any voting members of the Society shall be entitled to bring forward resolutions at this meeting provided at least twenty-one days notice in writing setting out the terms of the resolution be given to the Hon Meetings Secretary.

At such meetings, twenty members shall form a quorum.

  1. ELECTION OF COUNCIL.

Before every Annual General Meeting, every voting member of the Society shall be entitled to nominate members of the Society as candidates for election to the Council, provided that such nomination, together with the name of the seconder, be submitted by notice in writing or by e-mail to the Hon Meetings Secretary by the 1st September prior to the Annual General Meeting in October. The written consent of the nominee must accompany such notice.

Election will be by a show of hands.  The Council may co-opt members in the event of a vacancy occurring during the year, pending confirmation by the Annual General Meeting.

  1. PROCEDURE AT GENERAL MEETINGS

At an Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting, the Chairman of the Council shall take the chair, or in the latter’s absence, the Deputy Chairman.  In the absence of both of the foregoing the members present shall appoint a Chairman of the meeting.

Every member present and entitled to vote shall be empowered to cast one vote upon every motion and in case of equality of votes the Chairman of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote.

  1. QUORUM

If within a quarter of an hour from the time appointed for a General Meeting of the Society a quorum of twenty members is not present, the meeting shall be adjourned to a date and time and place to be fixed by the Chairman of the meeting, and if at the adjourned meeting a quorum is not present within a quarter of an hour from the time appointed for the meeting, the members present shall be a quorum.

  1. EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING

An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called whenever considered desirable by the President or the Council.  An Extraordinary General Meeting shall also be called by the President or the Council on receipt of a written request signed by not less than twenty-five members and setting out the reasons for calling such a meeting.  A meeting so convened shall be held not later than twenty-eight days after the receipt of a request.  Thirty-five members shall form a quorum for an Extraordinary General Meeting.

Every member present and entitled to vote shall be empowered to cast one vote upon every motion and in case of equality of votes the Chairman of the Meeting shall have a second or casting vote.

  1. NOTICES, AGENDA, ETC.

Notice of every General meeting, whether Annual or Extraordinary, shall be sent to every member at least fourteen days before the date of the Meeting.

The Hon Meetings Secretary shall circulate the agenda for Annual or Extraordinary General meetings not less than three days before the Meeting concerned.

  1. ALTERATION OF RULES

The Council shall have power from time to time to repeal, amend or add to any of these Rules, subject to confirmation at an Extraordinary General Meeting or at the next Annual General Meeting by a resolution passed by a majority of the members present, and entitled to vote at such a meeting.