Thanks to Anne & Guy Trehane for allowing us to sell plants for another year at Manor Farm NGS Open Days.
L-R: Debbie Steel, Guy, Anne, Phil & Judith from Lupus, Dave Steel, Jane Norris, Diana Guy, Sue Collins and Helen McIllmurray

Our Constitution (Feb 2021 version)

National 1. Status and Relationship
A group of members of the Hardy Plant Society (registered Charity No: 208080, hereinafter the HPS) and registered with the HPS. The Group is a body independent of the HPS, save for registration with the Society. As such, it has no power or authority to bind the HPS or to enter into any contract on behalf of the Society except as may be expressly authorised by the HPS Trustees from time to time. For the avoidance of doubt, it should be noted that the Group is not a registered charity.
 
2. Name
The name of the Group shall be The Hardy Plant Society Dorset Group and this title shall be dependent upon continuing registration with the HPS.  If registration is withdrawn, the Group shall delete the name ‘The Hardy Plant Society’ (HPS) from its title immediately.
 
3. Registration to The Hardy Plant Society
The Group shall, at all times, comply with the registration requirements as notified from time to time by the HPS.
 
4. Objectives
To further the objectives of the HPS on a local basis.
 
5. Members
Only fully paid-up members of the national HPS may become members of the Group. 
Each member shall be entitled to one vote at any General Meeting. 
Each member shall receive a copy of the Group Constitution.

6. Subscriptions
a) All members shall pay an annual sum as recommended by the Committee and  approved at a general meeting of  members.            
b) Annual subscriptions shall become due on 1st January.
c) New paid-up members of The Group who join after September 30th in any year shall be entitled to all privileges of  membership,  without further payment, until December 31st of the following year.
 
7. Finance
a) All funds belonging to The Group shall be in a banking account held in the name of The Group.
b) All payments drawn on the account shall be signed by two signatories from the Treasurer and Officers and other committee members.
c) The financial year of the Group shall end on 31st December, effective from December 2015. (This change requires an initial 15 month year 1/10/14-31/12/15)
d) Annual accounts shall be prepared; examined by an independent person and submitted for approval of members at the Annual General Meeting.
 
8. Officers and Committee
a) The following officers of The Group shall be elected at the AGM, Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer. In addition, there will be a maximum of 9 other elected Committee members.
b) The persons so elected shall form the Management Committee of The Group
c) All Officers and other members of the Committee shall seek re-election annually:
   The Chairman and the general members of the Committee shall be eligible for re-election each year, subject to serving a maximum of three years (extendable, if necessary, to a maximum of five consecutive years), unless  there are no other candidates nominated and the existing Chairman and general Committee member is willing to continue in the post.
d) No individual may hold, at the same time, the posts of Chairman, Secretary or Treasurer.            
e) Nominations for Officers and members of the Committee must be received by the Secretary in writing, together with confirmation of the Nominees’ consent, not less than 14 days before the appointed date for the Annual General Meeting.
f) Five (5) members, of whom one (1) must be an officer of the Committee, shall form a quorum for Committee meetings.
g) The Committee has the power to co-opt new members to serve until the following AGM when they may stand for election.
 
9. General Meetings
a) At least 21 days notice of any General Meeting shall be given to all members specifying the business of the meeting.
b) At General Meetings, decisions shall be by simple majority with the Chairman having a casting vote. 
c) A quorum at General Meetings shall be twenty (20) of the current paid-up membership.
d) An Annual General Meeting of all paid-up members of the Group shall be held once in each calendar year, within three months of the end of the financial year to transact the following business:
    i) To receive and adopt the Minutes of the last AGM.
    ii) To receive the annual reports from Officers of the Group.
    iii) To receive and adopt the Annual Accounts of the preceding financial year.
    iv) To transact any other business of which at least 21 days’ notice has been given.
    v) To deal with any special matter which the Committee may wish to bring before the members and to receive suggestions from the members for consideration by the Committee.
    vi) To elect the Officers and other Committee members.
    vii) To elect an auditor/examiner.
e) An Extraordinary General Meeting of the Group may be called at any time and shall be called within 40 days of receipt by the Secretary of a requisition, in writing, signed by not less than 10 members stating the purpose for which the meeting is requested and setting out the resolutions which are to be proposed thereat. No other business shall be transacted at the meeting.
 
Alterations to the Group Constitution
a) The Constitution may be altered only at a General Meeting of the Group of which due notice has been given and which specifies the proposed alterations and of which a copy has been supplied to the HPS Group Coordinator.
b) A motion to amend the Constitution shall require a majority of two-thirds of the votes cast.
 
Data Protection Act
Members’ names, addresses and telephone numbers will be kept on a non-networked computer, for the sole purpose of distribution of newsletters and other information.
This information will not be disclosed to any other party. Members who do not wish this must notify the Secretary in writing annually.
 
Dissolution
a) A motion to dissolve the Group shall require an Extraordinary General Meeting of which not less than 21 days’ notice shall have been given to all members.  Such motion shall incorporate specific proposals for the distribution of the surplus assets of the Group after settlement of all liabilities. Such distribution shall be to an appropriate group as approved by the Group members.
b) A motion to dissolve the Group shall require a majority of two-thirds of the votes cast.