Pedigree Users Group - Constitution (old)

Amendment History

Adopted 1995.

November 2002 - section 4b amended from "1 April" to "1 September"

November 2003 - replaced by new constitution

The Constitution

TITLE

The name of the organisation shall be The Pedigree Users Group.
OBJECTS

The objects of The Pedigree Users Group PUG) shall be to provide a forum for mutual assistance amongst users of Pedigree and associated programs and to advance knowledge and use of:
1. the products of Pedigree Software.
2. Other computer programs and resources which may be used in conjunction with, or are complementary to, the products of Pedigree Software.
POWERS OF PUG

In the furtherance of the above objectives but not further or otherwise the PUG shall have power to:
1. encourage and facilitate the interchange of knowledge and experience about Pedigree and related software between its members
2. promote and encourage the provision and improvement of computer programs and resources for genealogical and related purposes by Pedigree Software and others
3. arrange, encourage, or sponsor meetings, conferences, publications, and other resources and activities to further the said objectives
4. co-operate with members of other societies and organisations and individuals when this would further the interests and objectives of PUG
5. do whatever may be deemed by the committee from time to time to be conducive to the foregoing objects.
MEMBERS
1. Membership shall be open to all those interested in furthering the objects of the Pedigree Users Group and who have provided such information as the committee shall require and have paid the required membership subscription. There shall be the following categories of members:
  1. ordinary members
  2. overseas ordinary members (including EEC outside UK)
  3. honorary members
  4. such other categories as the Committee may from time to time decide.
2. The membership year shall run from 1 September
3. All members shall be entitled to receive a free copy of any Pedigree Users Group publication designated 'free to members'.
4. Each fully paid up ordinary member shall have one vote.
5. The Committee, without being called upon to give reasons, may suspend from membership any member whose activities, in the opinion of the Committee, are likely to be detrimental to the Pedigree Users Group, provided that the member concerned shall have the right to be heard by the committee before a final decision is made.
COMMITTEE
1. The committee shall consist of five officers: an Hon. Chairman, an Hon. Treasurer, an Hon Secretary, an Hon Membership Secretary and an Hon Editor together with not less than two and not more than five other members, all of whom shall be elected at the AGM to serve for one year. If at the AGM there are more nominations than vacancies for the Committee, the chairman will arrange for a ballot to be held and for two scrutineers to count the votes, the results to be announced during the meeting.
2. The retiring Chairman and retiring ordinary members of the committee shall not be eligible for re-election to the same post if they have served four consecutive years. Such individuals shall be eligible for re-election after a lapse of at least one year.
3. If voting at an AGM or any other meeting of PUG results in a tie then the chairman of the meeting shall have a second, casting, vote.
4. The committee shall have power to co-opt members to serve until the following AGM in any vacancies that may arise.
5. The Committee shall administer the affairs of the Pedigree Users Group and shall meet at such intervals as it may deem necessary, but not less frequently than once per year. Meetings held by electronic means shall be acceptable. A quorum shall consist of three committee members which must include one officer. The committee shall have the right to invite any individual to attend a committee meeting if it considers that that would be of benefit to the PUG, but such invitees may not vote at such meetings whether or not they are members of the PUG. Minutes of the proceedings of the Committee shall be taken and entered in the Minute Book. They shall be confirmed at the next relevant meeting and signed by the chairman as correct.
6. The Committee may appoint sub-committees, which under the authority and with the approval of the Committee Shall be empowered to deal with particular questions. Sub-committee members may attend committee meetings by invitation, but may not vote at such meetings. All acts and proceedings of any such sub-committees shall be fully and promptly reported back to the Committee. The Committee may nominate such persons as they consider appropriate, including persons not members of the Committee
7. The Committee shall lay down the form and manner in which candidates shall apply for membership of the Pedigree Users Group.
8. The committee shall be empowered to propose any individual to the AGM for election as an Honorary Member of the PUG.
SUBSCRIPTIONS
1. The committee shall from time to time determine the annual subscriptions and charges for each category of membership, and the amount of any entrance fee if any.
2. Any member whose subscription remains unpaid more than 30 days after the due date Will be deemed to have resigned.
FINANCE
1. The Committee shall be responsible for the administration of the Pedigree Users Group's funds-The Committee shall have power to hold finds in any combination of Trustee Securities, and current and/or deposit accounts in UK Joint Stock Banks, or Building Societies which are members of the Building Societies Association. The Committee shall not raise loans or mortgages chargeable on the funds or properties of the Pedigree Users Group without the express approval of an Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting.
2. Three Pedigree Users Group members shall be appointed by the Committee as cheque signatories for each Pedigree Users Group account. All cheques for amounts greater than such sum as may from time to time be decided by the Committee must be signed by two cheque signatories. The Treasurer shall keep a regular account of all receipts and payments in a manner approved by the Committee.
3. The income and property of the Pedigree Users Group wheresoever derived shall be applied solely to the promotion of the objects of the Pedigree Users Group as set forth in section 2.
4. No payment shall be made fr6rri the Pedigree Users Group's funds other than payment for reasonable and proper services or reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses incurred on the Pedigree Users Group's business. Any other type of payment or remuneration must receive the prior approval of the Chairman plus two other members of the committee.
5. Subcommittees shall not have the power to incur any expense beyond any sum voted to them by the Committee.
6. The Pedigree Users Group's financial year shall end on 31 August. The audited accounts shall be submitted to the Committee at least 14 days before the Annual General Meeting.
7. The Honorary Auditors shall be appointed annually at the Annual General Meeting.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

An Annual General Meeting shall be held each year at such time and place as shall be decided by the Committee. Notification of the meeting shall be posted to all members at least 30 days beforehand. The business of the AGM shall be to:
1. receive a report on the activities of the past year from the Chairman
2. receive and if thought fit to approve audited accounts of the Pedigree Users Group
3. select the officers of the Committee
4. select the ordinary members of the Committee
5. appoint the honorary auditors
6. transact any other business of the Pedigree Users Group of which due notice has been given.
Nominations for officers and committee members may be made by any member provided the nominee has agreed to serve if elected. Every nomination must be seconded. No member shall be entitled to introduce any special business or motion unless he or she has given notice in writing to the Hon. Secretary or Chairman not less than 45 days before the date of the AGM of such special business or motion.
EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETINGS
1. The committee shall have power to call an Extraordinary General Meeting. Notification of the meeting and specification of its business must be posted to all members with the first available Newsletter and in any case not less than 30 days before the date of the proposed EGM.
2. The committee shall be bound to call an Extraordinary General Meeting following receipt of a request in writing signed by not less than 20 members of PUG specifying the business to be transacted. Notice of the proposed meeting and its business must be posted to all members with the next available Newsletter.
3. Such meetings shall be competent to deal only with the business for which they have been called.
AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION

The constitution may only be amended following presentation of a duly proposed and seconded resolution to an AGM or EGM, and if the resolution as submitted is approved by not less than a two thirds majority of the members who vote on the resolution. Postal votes for or against such resolutions will be accepted provided that they are received by the Chairman or Secretary before the start of the meeting at which the resolution is to be presented. If the motion as submitted is amended by the meeting, then it must be referred back to the whole membership by such means as the committee may decide.
DISSOLUTION

Any resolution for the dissolution of the Pedigree Users Group must be signed by not less than fifteen per cent of the membership, and must be submitted to the Committee not less than three months before the AGM. If such a motion shall have been approved by a two thirds majority of the members voting on the resolution, taking into account any valid postal votes received by the Hon Secretary or the Chairman before the start of the meeting, any assets remaining on dissolution of the Pedigree Users Group after satisfying any outstanding debts and liabilities shall not be distributed amongst the members of the Pedigree Users Group but shall be given to the Society of Genealogists or such other organisations with objectives related to genealogy as the members may direct.