CONSTITUTION

As amended at the General Meetings held on the following dates:

27th February 1956; 13th October 1956; 23rd March 1957; 21st March 1959;
12th March 1960; 19th March 1973; 6th March 1976; 15th March 1980;
10th March 1984; 9th March 1985; 10th October 1987; 8th March 1992;
7th March 1999; 13th March 2005
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1. The name of the Federation shall be THE NORTH & EAST MIDLANDS PHOTOGRAPHIC FEDERATION.

2. Membership of the Federation shall be confined to Photographic Societies and or/bodies with photographic sections in the counties of Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire, also the Societies situated on, or near, the boundaries of those counties by agreement with the Allied Federation covering the County in which the Society is situated.

3. The objective of the Federation shall be the advancement of photography by providing facilities for the mutual benefit of the Federated Societies in the before-mentioned area and in particular:-

a. To provide Judges, Lecturers, Print Portfolios and other services for the benefit of the Federated Societies, such services to be made available where possible to Societies in other Federations.

b. To organise, or join in organising, Photographic Competitions, Exhibitions and Conferences in the area.

c. To form a link between the Federated Societies and the Royal Photographic Society through membership of the Photographic Alliance.

4. Each Federated Society shall appoint from its members two delegates for a membership of up to and including 50, and three delegates for a membership of over 50, who shall represent the Society at General Meetings of the Federation. Changes in Delegates and Deputies must be notified in writing to the Federation Secretary prior to any such meetings.

5. The Federation shall be controlled, by a joint meeting of the Delegates and Members of the Executive Committee and such meetings shall be known as General Meetings. At such meetings, twelve shall form a quorum.

6. The business of the Federation shall be conducted by an Executive Committee, elected at the Annual General Meeting comprising the Officers and Ordinary Members representing, as far as possible, different areas in the Federation. Five shall form a quorum. At all General and Executive Meetings of the Federation the President shall have a second or casting vote.

7. The Officers shall consist of the President, two Vice-Presidents, Immediate Past President, Hon. General Secretary, Hon. Treasurer, Section Secretaries responsible for Alliance Exhibitions, Archives, Awards System, Conference, Directory, Exhibition, Lecturer & Judges Panel, Newsletter, Portfolio, Social, Webmaster and a Member of the Alliance Executive Committee. They must be members of Federated Societies and be elected annually. They shall be eligible for re-election except that no person shall hold the office of President for more than two consecutive years.

8. The year of the Federation shall be the Calendar year and the Annual General Meeting shall be held not later than March. At this meeting the Officers shall be elected, and the Auditor appointed and the reports received from the General Secretary and Treasurer.

9. The Executive Committee may make nominations for the Officers of President, Vice Presidents, Hon. General Secretary, Hon. Treasurer, Section Secretaries and Member of the Alliance Executive. The names of the persons so nominated shall be circulated to Societies not less than five weeks before the Annual General Meeting. Any Society may nominate candidates for all Officers and Ordinary Members of the Executive Committee; such nominations shall be sent in writing to the Secretary not less than three weeks before the Annual General Meeting. Nominations for the ten ordinary members of the Executive Committee shall be signed by at least two members of the Federated Societies. The nominee’s consent shall accompany all such nominations.

10. The Executive Committee may fill any vacancy among the Officers (other than President and Vice Presidents) subject to confirmation at the next General Meeting. It shall have the power to co-opt not more than two members of Societies as members and such co-opted members shall hold office and be subject to retirement in the same manners as other members.

11. The Executive Committee shall have power to appoint Sub-Committees to carry out the work of the Federation.

12. All General Meetings shall be convened by at least 14 days notice in writing addressed to each person entitled to vote at such meetings. Such meetings shall be held at a time and place within the Federation’s area as the Executive Committee may direct, or failing such direction, as the President and Secretary may decide.

13. A Special General Meeting shall be convened at any time on the requisition in writing signed by not less than four Delegates representing four Societies, stating the purpose for which the meeting is required. Such meetings shall be convened within 28 days of the receipt of the requisition.

14. All members of the Federated Societies shall have the right to attend any General Meetings of the Federation and organised outings. Only Delegates and Members of the Executive shall have power to vote at such meetings.

15. The rates of the Annual Subscription shall be determined at the Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting and such rates shall come into force at the beginning of the next financial year. The membership of the Federated Society shall be deemed to have lapsed should that Society’s subscription not be paid by the 31 st March of the year in respect of which such subscription was due.

a. For the protection of judges and lecturers when visiting societies, as well as your own members, all Federated Societies shall hold a current Third Party and Public Liability Insurance policy with a minimum cover of £500,000 in respect of any one incident, with unlimited liability in any one period of insurance. This policy may be taken out through the Federation or proof of its existence to be provided to the Treasurer with the payment of subscriptions.

16. Rules shall not be altered except at the Annual General Meeting or at, a Special General Meeting called for the purpose. Four weeks’ notice must be given to the Secretary in writing stating the proposed alteration.

17. The Executive Committee shall have power from time to time to nominate Life Vice Presidents for election at the Annual General Meeting. The persons to be elected as Life Vice-Presidents shall be subscribing or Honorary Members of the Federated Societies and their election shall be for Meritorious Service to the Federation. Any person elected as a Life Vice-President shall not be subject to re-election annually as Life Vice-President as provided in rules 6 and 7.

18. In each year the Executive Committee shall use its best endeavours to arrange and finance a lecture as a memorial to past members who have given outstanding service to the Federation.

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