A. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
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Nominations for any
Office, proposed and seconded must be submitted to the Secretary at least
six weeks before the Annual General Meeting, the consent of the nominees
having been previously obtained. (1995)
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The Agenda for the
Annual General Meeting shall be prepared by the Executive Committee and
circulated at least one month beforehand.
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The Annual General
Meeting shall be advertised in the ringing press at least one month
beforehand.
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Only elected Vice
Presidents, Honorary Life Members and Members resident in the area of the
Guild shall have the right to vote at the Annual General Meeting.
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No ringing shall be
permitted during the Meeting.
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Short touches only may
be rung in the towers available on the occasion of the Annual General
Meeting.
B. EXPENSES
Reasonable travelling
expenses of members of the Committee in fulfilment of the business of the
Guild may, if requested, be refunded from the General Fund.
C. THE BELL
RESTORATION AND AUGMENTATION FUND
The purpose of this
Fund is to further the OBJECTS (constitution para. 2) by offering
financial help where needed and requested, subject to the available
resources of the fund.
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The Fund shall be
financed as follows :
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By transfer from the
Guild General Fund as provided for in rule G.2.
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By 50% of the peal
booking fees (see rule E.2).
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By donations, gifts
and bequests or any other means thought fit by the Guild, other than
permanent trading.
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Grants and/or
interest-free loans (Loans to be repayable in instalments over a fixed
period agreed between the Executive Committee and the recipient) shall be
made only from this Fund and considered for the following purposes:
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Installation of a
ring of bells in a Church previously without.
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Augmentation of a
ring of bells.
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Restoration of a
ring of bells, either in whole or in part.
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Improvements to a
ring of bells to give better sound and/or mechanical performance
including sound control.
Grants or loans will
not normally be considered for expendable items or for work generally
regarded as minor routine maintenance.
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Grants or loans shall be applied for by the PCC, or Responsible Authorities, to the Guild Committee by means of a pro forma application form available from the Guild Bell Restoration Fund Officer or the Guild Web Site. Providing all the required information is present, the Guild Committee will, subject to a two thirds vote in favour, approve the application and decide on the form and value of the assistance, taking into account the amount available in the Fund and the likely demands to be made on it in the future.
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Payment may be made
only after a firm order has been placed for the work and payment shall be
according to a schedule agreed between the Guild and the PCC or
Authorities concerned.
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The Committee shall
have the right to co-opt up to three qualified persons to give expert
advice and to inspect and report on the work done.
D. THE ANNUAL REPORT
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An Annual Report of
the activities and ringing performances of the Guild, together with a list
of members and statement of accounts, shall be prepared by the Executive
Committee and distributed to all members.
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Towers not in union
with the Guild which have a ring of bells hung for full circle ringing may
be listed and so marked in the Annual Report, along with the name and
address of a responsible person associated therewith.
E. RINGING
PERFORMANCES
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True and complete
peals rung by Guild members on behalf of the Guild, in accordance with the
Central Council Rules, shall be reported by the conductor to the ringing
press for publication.
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All Ringers taking part in such peals shall be members of the Guild as defined in the Constitution 4, providing that always at least half of the total number of Ringers taking part in such peals shall be Resident Members or former Resident Members.
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A peal booking fee
shall be levied from each member of the band by the conductor and
forwarded by him/her to the Guild's Peal Recorder quoting full details of
the peal involved within four weeks of the peal being rung and by January
14th in the case of peals being rung in December. The Peal Recorder will
forward the fees to the Honorary Treasurer who will credit 50% of the fee
to the Bell Restoration Fund while the remainder shall be set against the
cost of publishing the peal in the Annual Report. (1995)
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No member ringing a
peal for the first time shall be required to pay the peal booking fee.
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No peal shall be
recorded or published in the Annual Report if any member of the band has
failed to pay the Membership subscription and peal booking fee, except as
provided for in para.4 above.
F. THE CENTRAL
COUNCIL
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All Representatives as are required shall be elected by the Annual Meeting one
year prior to the start of the triennium, appointment to take effect on
1st January following.
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The elected Central
Council representatives shall hold office for three years to coincide with
the Central Council triennial period.
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If desired, the Guild
shall pay the expenses incurred by the representatives in attending the
Central Council Annual Meeting.
G. SUBSCRIPTIONS
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The Subscription for
Members shall be fixed at the Annual General Meeting for the ensuing year.
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Such subscriptions
shall be credited to the General Fund of the Guild and to the Bell
Restoration Fund in such proportions as the members present and voting at
the next Annual General Meeting shall by a majority vote decide.
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Branches will require
a further subscription to cover their own expenses and to promote the
objects of the Guild.
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Each Branch shall
submit a statement of accounts to the Guild Committee.
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Members may choose to become Honorary Life Members
without further subscriptions after they have paid their Guild
subscription for forty years. Branch Officials will ratify the claims of
members choosing to become Honorary Life Members and, if valid, notify the
Guild Secretary of the member's wish to transfer. The next Guild Annual
General Meeting will confirm the action and such members welcomed by the
Master as Honorary Life Members. Their welcoming will be recorded in the
Annual Report for the year in which they chose to transfer and in that
Annual Report and all subsequent ones be marked as '(Life)' in the
membership lists.
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Members who leave the
area of the Guild's operation, having paid at least five consecutive Guild
subscriptions shall, if they so desire, become Non-Resident Life Members
without further payment, provided that if they return to the area of the
Guild they shall automatically return to the status of Member.
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Guild Subscriptions
shall be forwarded to the Treasurer in the year they are due prior to the
Annual General Meeting.
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No member whose
subscription is overdue shall receive the Annual Report.
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A Member who has
failed to pay two consecutive subscriptions shall be deemed to have
forfeited his membership.
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Former members may be
reinstated at the discretion of the Branch Committee and Meeting.
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Members not resident
in the Diocese of Chester nor connected with any tower affiliated to the
Guild, may for a subscription retain their names on the books of the
Guild. They shall not be eligible for Election to Office, nor vote at
Meetings, nor receive notices of the Guild, nor to participate in any
privileges of membership other than attendance at Meetings.
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When members are
elected prior to a peal attempt, the conductor shall forward within four
weeks of the peal being rung, the subscription, the new member's name,
address and home tower, and the names of the proposer and seconder to the
Guild's Peal Recorder, who will notify the Branch Secretary as
appropriate. (1995)
H. ALTERATIONS TO
THE RULES
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The Rules may be
altered by a majority vote at the Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary
General Meeting called for the purpose.
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Due notice of proposed
change in the Rules must be on the agenda.
I. INTERPRETATION OF
THE RULES
The Executive
Committee shall have power to interpret the Constitution and Rules and
shall provide for any eventuality not envisaged in the Rules and its
decision shall be final.
J. BRANCHES
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Local Branches shall
be conducted according to the general Rules of the Guild in so far as they
are applicable and in accordance with the policy of the Guild.
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The Executive
Committee of the Guild shall have the power to intervene in the business
of a Branch and, if necessary to close it if in its opinion action has
been taken contrary to the principles, policy or well-being of the Guild.
Any such Branch shall have the right of appeal to the President whose
decision shall be final.
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Each Branch shall
elect annually a Secretary and other such officers as may be deemed
necessary for the proper working of the Branch.
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The Branch Secretary
shall supply the Officers of the Guild with such information as they shall
from time to time require.
K. VACANCIES
All vacancies
occurring during the year shall be filled by the Executive Committee.
L. REMOVAL FROM
OFFICE
If in the opinion of
the Executive Committee any officer shall fail to carry out his duties to
its satisfaction, it shall have the power to declare the Office vacant and
to appoint another Officer - saving that the Officer so removed shall have
the right of appeal to the President whose decision shall be final.
(N.B. Above Rules amended to include changes agreed at AGM of 13th September 2008)
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