Terms of Use

Membership Terms

1. Membership qualifications

A person is qualified to be a member of the association if, but only if:

(1) the person is a natural person:

(a) who has applied for membership of the association as provided by rule 2; and

(b) who has been approved for membership of the association by the committee of the association.

2. Classes of membership

(1) Members shall be divided into the following classes:

(a) Fee paying members who include:

(i) ordinary members;

(ii) student members;

(iii) retired members

(iv) corporate members; and

(b) Honorary members who are to be elected by the committee, which may elect any person.

(c) Non-fee- Fee paying student associate members.

(2) Any candidate for election shall declare that he/she are prepared to abide by these Rules.

3. Application for membership

(1) An application for membership of the association:

(a) must be made in writing in the form set out as determined by the Committee of Management; and

(b) must be accompanied by the annual subscription fee; and

(c) must be lodged by the procedure determined by and approved by the Committee of Management.

(2) Attendees at the annual general meeting who are not already members, will become members on payment of the subscription fee without the need for an application form.

(3) The membership secretary must, on payment by the applicant of the annual subscription fee, enter the applicant's name in the register of members and, on the name being so entered, the applicant becomes a member of the association.

4. Cessation of membership

A person ceases to be a member of the association if the person:

(1) dies; or

(2) resigns membership; or

(3) is expelled from the association

5. Suspension of membership

The committee may by resolution suspend the membership of any member for such period as the committee thinks fit or may expel any member for any conduct which in the opinion of the committee is contrary to the interest of the association PROVIDED ALWAYS that no resolution for suspension of or expulsion shall be passed unless the committee has given the member concerned an opportunity of showing cause against his proposed suspension or expulsion.

6. Membership entitlements not transferable

A right, privilege or obligation which a person has by reason of being a member of the association:

(1) is not capable of being transferred or transmitted to another person; and

(2) terminates on cessation of the person's membership.

7. Resignation of membership

(1) A member of the association who has paid all amounts payable by the member to the association in respect of the member's membership may resign from membership of the association by first giving to the membership secretary written notice of at least one month (or such other period as the committee may determine) of the member's intention to resign and, on the expiration of the period of notice, the member ceases to be a member.

(2) If a member of the association ceases to be a member under clause (1), and in every other case where a member ceases to hold membership, the membership secretary must make an appropriate entry in the register of members recording the date on which the member ceased to be a member.

8. Register of members

(1) The public officer of the association must establish and maintain a register of members of the association specifying the name and address of each person who is a member of the association together with the date on which the person became a member.

(2) The register of members must be kept at the principal place of administration of the association and must be open for inspection, free of charge, by any member of the association at any reasonable hour.

9. Fees and subscriptions

(1) A member of the association must, on admission to membership, pay to the association an amount (if any) as determined by the committee.

(2) In addition to any amount payable by the member under clause (1), a member of the association must pay to the association an annual membership fee of an amount determined by the committee on the advice of the annual general meeting.

is not paid by six months after the time it is due, membership may at any time therefrom be terminated by resolution of the Committee.

(4) Contributions or donations may be accepted from members to supplement their annual subscription which are to be regarded as minima.

10. Members' liabilities

The liability of a member, including the directors, of the association to contribute towards the payment of the debts and liabilities of the association or the costs, charges and expenses of the winding up of the association is limited to the amount, if any, unpaid by the member in respect of membership of the association as required by rule 9.

11. Resolution of internal disputes

Disputes between members (in their capacity as members) of the association, and disputes between members and the association, are to be referred to a community justice centre for mediation in accordance with the Community Justice Centres Act 1983.

12. Disciplining of members

(1) A complaint may be made by any member of the association that some other member of the association:

(a) has refused or neglected to comply with a provision or provisions of these rules; or

(b) has wilfully acted in a manner prejudicial to the interests of the association.

(2) On receiving such a complaint, the committee:

(a) may refuse to deal with a complaint if it considers the complaint to be trivial or vexatious in nature.

(b) must cause notice of the complaint to be served on the member concerned; and

(c) must give the member at least 14 days from the time the notice is served within which to make submissions to the committee in connection with the complaint; and

(d) must take into consideration any submissions made by the member in connection with the complaint.

(3) The committee may, by resolution, expel the member from the association or suspend the member from membership of the association if, after considering the complaint and any submissions made in connection with the complaint, it is satisfied that the facts alleged in the complaint have been proved.

(4) If the committee expels or suspends a member, the secretary must, within 7 days after the action is taken, cause written notice to be given to the member of the action taken, of the reasons given by the committee for having taken that action and of the member's right of appeal under rule 13.

(5) The expulsion or suspension does not take effect:

(a) until the expiration of the period within which the member is entitled to appeal against the resolution concerned; or

(b) if within that period the member exercises the right of appeal, unless and until the association confirms the resolution under rule 13(4),

whichever is the later.

13. Right of appeal of disciplined member

(1) A member may appeal to the association in general meeting against a resolution of the committee under rule 13, within 7 days after notice of the resolution is served on the member, by lodging with the secretary a notice to that effect.

(2) The notice may, but need not, be accompanied by a statement of the grounds on which the member intends to rely for the purposes of the appeal.

(3) On receipt of a notice from a member under clause (1), the secretary must notify the committee, which is to convene a general meeting of the association to be held within 28 days after the date on which the secretary received the notice.

(4) At a general meeting of the association convened under clause (3):

(a) no business other than the question of the appeal is to be transacted; and

(b) the committee and the member must be given the opportunity to state their respective cases orally or in writing, or both; and

(c) the members present are to vote by secret ballot on the question of whether the resolution should be confirmed or revoked.

(5) If at the general meeting the association passes a special resolution in favour of the confirmation of the resolution, the resolution is confirmed.