SUSSEX ASSOCIATION OF NAVAL OFFICERS

CONSTITUTION AND RULES
 (Amended March 2015)

1.    The name of the association shall be
“THE SUSSEX ASSOCIATION OF NAVAL OFFICERS”

2.    The objects of the Association shall be:
 2.1.            To provide a lively organisation for past and present naval officers and others, offering a   varied and interesting programme in a friendly environment.
 2.2.             To encourage and maintain the spirit of the Royal Navy and to preserve contact with the Royal Navy and naval affairs.
 2.3.             To develop and maintain links with similar organisations and to support naval charities.
 2.4.             To provide members with such material benefits as may be practicable.

3.    Membership shall be open as follows.
3.1.             Men and women who hold or have held a commission in The Royal Navy, The Royal   Marines, their reserves, associated formations or other services.
 3.2.             Officers from Commonwealth Navies, Allied Navies and the Merchant Marine.
 3.3.             Wives, husbands and partners of the above.
 3.4.             The association will consider applications for membership from any individual, with or without an armed forces background, who is sympathetic to the traditions and values of The Royal Navy.

Residence in or association with Sussex is not a condition of membership.

4.    The Honorary Officers of the Association shall be the Chairman, the Secretary, the Treasurer and such others as may be deemed necessary and approved at a General Meeting.

5.    The Association in General Meeting shall from time to time elect a member to be its President and may elect other members to be Vice-Presidents as a mark of esteem. The President and Vice-Presidents shall not be required to stand for annual re-election but shall be entitled to attend and vote at General Meetings and Committee meetings. If holding the appointment as Auditor a Vice President shall have no vote on monetary matters at any general meeting or committee meeting.                          

6.    Management of the Association shall be vested in a Committee comprising:
 6.1.             The Honorary Officers ex officio who shall be entitled to vote.
 6.2.             Up to seven other Full Members, who shall have roles as indicated at the time of nomination for election. Inter alia Vice Chairman, Social Secretary and Membership Secretary.

7.    The quorum for a Committee meeting shall be three.

8.    The Association’s financial and administrative year shall begin on 1st January.

9.    A General Meeting of the Association shall be held before 30 April each year and after 14 days notice has been given to members. The date, time, and place of the meeting shall be decided by the Committee.

10.  The meeting shall inter alia :
 10.1.         Receive reports from the Chairman and the Hon. Treasurer.
 10.2.         Consider the audited accounts for the previous year to 31st December.
 10.3.         Elect the Committee as defined in Rule 6.
 10.4.         Appoint an Auditor for the current year.

11.  Each member of the Committee shall be elected by a simple majority vote after being proposed and seconded and indicating a willingness to serve. Proposers and seconders need not be present when the vote is taken. In the event of a tie between two or more candidates for Committee membership the matter shall be decided by the drawing of lots. There shall be no provision for voting in absentia.

12.  The date, time and place of meetings of the Committee shall be decided by the Chairman and the Hon. Secretary.  At least two meetings shall be held in each year.

13.    The Committee shall have the power to fill any casual vacancy occurring during the year and to co-opt members as occasion may demand.

14.   Application for membership shall be made to the Membership Secretary in such form as the Committee shall from time to time prescribe. The Committee shall have the power to reject any application without being called upon to give a reason for the decision. When a candidate has been elected the Membership Secretary shall forthwith send a notification of election and a request for payment of the first subscription. Membership shall become effective upon receipt of that subscription.

15. The annual subscription shall be such sum as the Committee shall from time to time prescribe and shall become due on 1st January. A member elected after 1st September in any year shall be required to pay only half the full amount. There shall be no requirement to refund any part of the subscription in respect of a membership which ceases before 31st December.

16.  The Committee may elect to honorary membership any officer qualified under Rule 3.1 Such members shall enjoy all the privileges of full membership except that they shall have no voting rights.

17.   Any member whose subscription is in arrears for more than one year shall be deemed to have ceased to be a member of the Association.                                 

18.  The Committee may terminate the membership of any member deemed to have acted in a manner prejudicial to the reputation or standards of the Association. Such member may make a statement to the Committee before the matter is put to the vote but the decision of the Committee shall be final.                   

19. An Extraordinary General Meeting of the Association may be convened by the Committee or on the requisition in writing to the Hon. Secretary by twenty five percent of the full members. Fourteen days notice of such meetings shall be given.

20. Minutes of all General and Committee meetings shall be kept by the Hon. Secretary and shall be read at the next meeting of the same nature.  When signed by the Chairman of such meeting they shall be regarded as conclusive of the facts therein stated.

21. The Rules of the Association may be altered by a majority vote at any General Meeting after members have been given fourteen days notice of the proposed changes. The Committee shall be responsible for interpreting the Rules of the Association.

22. In the event of equal votes being cast for and against any motion before a General or Committee meeting the Presiding Chairman shall have a second and casting vote.

23. The Committee shall take all necessary steps to ensure that the Association’s property is properly maintained, including making such insurance arrangements as it deems appropriate.

24. If, at some future date, a naval reserve unit similar in character to the former HMS SUSSEX at Maxwell Wharf, Hove is established in the county of Sussex the Committee at that time shall be empowered to offer to the Wardroom Mess of that unit such items of the Associations trophies, silver and archive material as may be considered appropriate.

25.  Should the Association be unable to continue as a viable organisation the Committee at that time shall be empowered to dispose of the Association’s assets within, as far as is practicable, the following guidelines:
 25.1.         Items donated by individuals to the Association or to the former Wardroom Mess HMS SUSSEX, to be offered for return to surviving donors.
 25.2.         Items remaining to be sold on the open market through reputable dealers and the proceeds together with any other cash assets remaining after all liabilities have been met, distributed to such Service charities or charitable causes as may be selected by the Committee at the time.
 25.3.    Archive material to be handed to East Sussex County Council or their successors