EHS Constitution
Constitution as updated at the AGM 15 February 2024
1. Name
- The name of the Society shall be the Emsworth Horticultural Society.
2. Status
- The Emsworth Horticultural Society is an Unincorporated Association run by the members for the members. It is not a Charity and is not registered in any form for any purpose with HMRC or any other regulatory authority.
3. Aims and Objectives
- The aims of the Society shall be to assist and encourage interest in horticulture of all kinds.
- The objectives are:
a. To provide a sales service of horticultural products.
b. To hold an annual show where the focus is on horticulture.
c. To affiliate and, where necessary, appoint delegates to represent the Society on local and national bodies concerned with allotments, and leisure garden activities.
d. To hold meetings, talks and demonstrations.
e. To produce a regular bulletin.
f. To maintain a regularly updated website.
g. To arrange social activities for the benefit of the members.
4. Membership and Subscriptions
- Membership of the Society shall run from 1 January to 31 December annually. The membership information shall be owned by the Membership Secretary and the details stored on a computer according to the Society’s GDPR policy.
- Membership of the Society shall be open to all allotment holders, gardeners and others interested in horticulture.
- Membership fees shall be agreed at the Annual General Meeting and Membership may be either individual or household. Payment of the current membership fee will entitle all members of the same household to use the facilities of the Society but will only carry one proportional vote at Annual General Meetings and one share of the assets of the Society in the event of dissolution.
- The Management Committee has the power to nominate Members for Honorary Life membership in reward for services given to the Society. This nomination will be ratified at the Annual General Meeting.
- In the event of the dissolution of the Society, the assets of the Society, less all debts due, will be distributed to the current Members according to the number of years of continuous membership prior to the dissolution of the Society up to a maximum of 7 years. This rule also applies to Honorary Life Members.
- The Management Committee may terminate the membership of anyone who, in their opinion, is acting to the detriment of the interest of the Society.
5. Management Committee
- The Committee shall be made up of up to 12 members at any time. The honorary officers of the Society shall be: The President, Chair, Vice-Chair, Minutes Secretary, and Treasurer. The remaining members of the committee will take on specific roles as deemed appropriate and agreed by the committee from time to time. The roles identified include: Horticultural Marquee Manager, Membership Secretary, Hut Stock Manager, Events Co-Ordinator, Volunteers Co-Ordinator, Talks Organiser, Webmaster.
- The President will be nominated by the Management Committee for ratification at the AGM.
- All members of the Management Committee, other than the President, shall retire at the Annual General Meeting but shall be eligible for re-election. Officers of the Society may serve in one post for a maximum of three years. Any exception to this rule must be confirmed by members at the AGM.
- Members of the Management Committee are expected to attend the Annual General Meeting and at least 50% of Committee Meetings. The President is not expected to attend the regular Committee Meetings.
- The Management Committee shall have power to co-opt Members for specific purposes, such Members shall not have the power to vote.
- Delegates to represent the Society on outside bodies shall be appointed by the Management Committee.
- Management Committee meetings will be held monthly or as necessary at the discretion of the Chair and Vice-Chair.
- A quorum shall consist of a minimum of 5.
- The Chair, Vice-Chair and Treasurer shall be empowered to deal with any matter of urgency between Management Committee meetings. Any matters not specifically provided for in the Constitution shall be dealt with at the discretion of the Management Committee and reported to the next Annual General Meeting.
- The Minutes Secretary shall keep the minutes of all meetings, which will be published and archived accordingly.
6. Finance
- The Society will appoint a Treasurer to administer all financial matters of the Society.
- A bank account(s) in the name of the Society shall be maintained for the purpose of recording all associated income and expenditure. Cheques made on behalf of the Society shall be signed by two authorised signatories appointed by the committee and any single financial transaction on behalf of the Society exceeding GBP 250 shall require the committee’s prior approval.
- The Society’s annual accounts shall be finalised on the 31st December. After being inspected by a competent person they will be presented to the Society at the AGM for approval, noting that any accounting discrepancies arising are for the Society as a whole to meet in full.
7. Distribution Store (Hut)
- The distribution store shall be managed by the Distribution Sub Committee. The officers shall be: Chair of the Distribution Sub Committee, Trading Supplies Manager, Treasurer and Hut volunteer coordinator.
- The distribution store will open on Sunday mornings subject to the discretion of the Management Committee and availability of helpers
8. Annual General Meeting
- Alterations, amendments or additions to this Constitution shall only be made at the Annual General Meeting after prior notice or at a special General Meeting called for that purpose. A Special General meeting may be called by the Management Committee or at the written request of at least 20 other voting Members, clearly stating the purpose of the meeting. In each case, the Chair shall give at least 14 days’ notice to Members by means of sending an email and displaying a notice on the website and at the distribution store. At such Special General Meetings, only the stipulated business shall be dealt with.
9. Emsworth Show
- As stated in 3.2b, one of the objectives of the Emsworth Horticultural Society is to hold an annual show where the focus is on horticulture. This objective is achieved by the Emsworth Show.
- Except for the running of the Horticultural Marquee, the Emsworth Show Committee will have full responsibility for the planning and operation of the Emsworth Show and will meet separately to the Management Committee but will have on it one member of the Management Committee.
- The Emsworth Show is run as a non-profit making venture and will be budgeted on a ‘break even’ basis. In the event that excess funds are generated, these will either be reinvested for future shows or distributed to local horticultural related good causes.
- Any accumulated reserves will not exceed 2 years’ annual running costs.
- A bank account(s) in the name of the Emsworth Show shall be maintained for the purpose of recording all associated income and expenditure. This shall be managed by the Emsworth Show Treasurer.
- The Emsworth Show will maintain its own website.