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The society shall be called “The Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Entomological Society”, which may be abbreviated to the acronym “DaNES”, or such other formations of this name as the executive committee shall decide.
The objectives of the society shall be to undertake and promote the study and conservation of all insects and other (land-based) arthropods in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and adjacent areas, amongst members of both the society and the wider public.
In support of this, the society may:
a) Encourage and support the recording and submission of records of all relevant orders in the area.
b) Maintain a computerised, or other easily retrievable, database of all records submitted and use this to facilitate research, conservation and inform the public and other interested parties about the status of land arthropods in our area. Also harvest data from written sources and incorporate these into the database.
c) Form and maintain a library of relevant printed and other media, making this accessible to members if practicable.
d) Maintain a representative selection of specimens of primarily local provenance, to be used for training, education or research.
e) Arrange field meetings, indoor meetings, exhibitions, lectures and training.
f) Produce journals, newsletters and other publications and disseminate these by physical media, digital media and other methods.
g) Make records available to national (and other) recording schemes.
h) Undertake such other activities that support the objectives of the society.
b) Family membership is for a household of two or more individuals sharing the same address, paying the applicable annual subscription rate, and entitled to the same benefit as individual members, except only one copy of each publication will be sent to their address. Any under-18s are not eligible to vote at an AGM.
c) Life members are as individual members, except their entitlement is for life following the payment of a single lifetime subscription.
d) Honorary members are as life members, but without the requirement to pay any subscription. Nominations and award of this category will be agreed by the executive committee at an AGM, and only in recognition of exemplary service to the society for many years, or some other significant factor.
e) Any person may join the society by completing a membership application form and returning this to the secretary, and paying the appropriate subscription. Benefits of membership will commence from the date the application and payment is received, and will be ratified at the next executive committee meeting following this date.
f) All members are responsible for ensuring any changes in their contact details are communicated to the secretary in a timely manner. The society will not be held responsible for the non-delivery of any publication or notice as a result of a member failing to comply with this request.
g) Institutions or other bodies are welcome to apply for individual membership. In such cases, they must nominate an individual representative whose contact details will be used for all communications.
h) The secretary is responsible for maintaining the list of current members and their contact details.
i) The executive committee shall have powers to expel any member, or refuse to ratify the membership of a new applicant, for conduct detrimental to the best interests of the society, subject to such a member having first had an opportunity of putting their case before the executive committee. In such instances, the member shall be entitled to a pro-rata refund of that year’s subscription, after deductions for any publications or other material already issued.
j) The executive committee may introduce new categories of membership if required, especially to reflect any additional costs to the society incurred by members with differing requirements.
a) All subscription rates shall be such amount as shall be fixed by the executive committee. Three months’ notice shall be given of any increased rate of subscription to existing members, but may be applied immediately in the case of new members joining the society.
b) The subscriptions are due upon joining and subsequently on the first day of January each year. Any member joining between 1st October and 31st December in any year will not be liable to pay further subscriptions until the second January after their joining date.
c) If the subscription is not paid within two months of the first day of January, the membership may be cancelled.
d) If a member resigns or dies in any year, no portion of the subscription paid by them shall be automatically repayable, though the executive committee shall have the power to review any such request for repayment on a case by case basis.
a) The executive committee shall comprise:
i) The president who shall preside at all meetings of the executive committee.
ii) The vice-president who shall act in the absence of the president. In the absence of the president and the vice-president at any one meeting, the executive committee may invite one of its members to act as chairman for that meeting.
iii) The secretary who shall conduct the correspondence of the society, arrange meetings of the executive committee and AGM and other duties outlined in this document or requested by the executive committee.
iv) The treasurer who shall receive, expend and keep and submit true accounts of all monies of the society in accordance with the decisions of the executive committee. The treasurer shall at every AGM present true accounts. The treasurer shall maintain a register of the physical and other assets of the society.
v) Such additional executive officers, for specific roles, as the executive committee may regard as required for the effective operation of the society, and whose duties shall be agreed by the executive committee.
vi) Such ordinary members of the executive committee, as the executive committee may regard as required for the effective operation of the society, who will provide input and assistance at meetings of the executive committee and with the running of the society in general.
b) All officers and ordinary members of the executive committee shall retire annually and shall be eligible for re-election at the AGM. Nominations for positions will be taken at the AGM, and if unopposed be duly declared elected. If more than one member is nominated for a position, voting shall be by show of hands. In the event of a tie, the current president shall have the casting vote. If the position in contention is that of president, then the recently retired president shall have the casting vote. Any society member may attend the AGM, stand for any position, and vote on any matter, providing their subscription payments are up to date.
c) All officers and ordinary members of the executive committee are unpaid, though may be reimbursed reasonable expenses incurred on society business, providing these have been agreed in advance with the treasurer.
d) If any official resigns or otherwise leaves the society, the executive committee shall appoint a temporary replacement, from within the ranks of the officers and ordinary members of the executive committee, until the next AGM.
e) All executive officers and ordinary executive committee members are trustees of the society during the period of their executive committee membership.
f) The executive committee may also co-opt society members onto the executive committee to assist with specific matters or projects. Such members will not be eligible to vote at executive committee meetings, nor are they trustees of the society.
a) The management of the society shall be vested in the executive committee, which shall act in accordance with the constitution and rules of the society, and shall have power to act in all matters relating to DaNES not otherwise provided for in these rules.
b) The executive committee shall meet at such places and times and on such dates as it may decide.
c) The quorum necessary for the transaction of the business of the executive committee shall be four.
d) Matters requiring a decision arising at all meetings shall be decided by a majority of votes of those present. Where a person is unable to attend the meeting, and they believe a vote will take place, they may nominate the secretary in writing to vote by proxy on their behalf. In the case of an equality of votes the chairman shall have the casting vote.
e) Minutes shall be taken at all meetings and a copy circulated to all members of the executive committee as soon as reasonably practicable after the meeting. The minutes shall be approved, including corrections if necessary, at the next following meeting.
f) An AGM shall be held each year, which all members of the society are entitled to attend, for the purposes of presenting and approving reports from the executive officers, approving the annual financial accounts, electing members of the executive committee and any other matters on the agenda. Except in an emergency, this shall be held not later than March, and at least two weeks’ notice of the meeting must be given.
g) A Special General Meeting (SGM), which all members of the society are entitled to attend, may be called by the executive committee if considered necessary. Except in an emergency, all members shall be given at least two weeks’ notice of a SGM
h) Any meeting may be held “virtually” by videoconferencing or other means if the majority of the executive committee believe it is appropriate. All transactions undertaken at such a meeting shall have equal validity to those undertaken at a physical meeting.
The assets of the society shall be vested in the executive committee, who will decide who should act as signatories on the society’s bank and investment accounts and who should authorise the purchase and sale of investments.
The use of the income and property of the society shall be as follows:-
a) For and towards the objectives of the society and for no other purpose. No monies or assets shall be transferred to any person, business or other body, unless as reimbursement of expenses incurred on behalf of the society, or where agreed at a meeting of the executive committee, and only then in furtherance of the objectives of the society.
b) On the winding up of the society any assets remaining after the satisfaction of its debts and liabilities shall not be paid to or distributed among the members of the society, but shall be given or transferred to some charitable institution or institutions chosen by the executive committee, having objectives similar to the objectives of the society, and if and insofar as effect cannot be given to this provision then to some other charitable purpose.
c) The executive committee shall in all cases try to avoid payment in advance for any goods or services, in order to minimise the risk of non-delivery of any purchase. No payment in advance of more than £1000 shall be made in any event, unless this has been agreed by all members of the executive committee, and then only following due diligence into the proposed supplier. This amount may be revised from time to time by the executive committee by unanimous agreement, to reflect the current purchasing power of this figure.
All information held by the society shall be appropriately duplicated (“backed up”) to safeguard it against loss. Furthermore, information critical to the functioning or operation of the society shall be held by no less than 3 members of the executive committee at all times. No personal information of members must be used for any other purpose than that necessary for the correct functioning of the society, not divulged outside of the executive committee (without the express permission of the member) and kept secure as far as reasonably practicable.
Amendment to this constitution shall receive the assent of two-thirds of the members present and voting at an AGM. A resolution for the amendment of the constitution must be received by the secretary of the society at least twenty-one days before the meeting at which the resolution is to be brought forward. At least fourteen days’ notice of such a meeting must be given by the secretary to the membership and must include notice of the proposed amendments.
The executive committee shall be the sole authority for the interpretation of this document and its decision shall be final.
This constitution and rules supersede all previous and undated versions.
March 2024