updated version of draft new constitution
John Haynes
mj.ba...@gmail.com
Hi Everyone
Thanks for this, john.
I apologise that, on a second reading of the draft constitution, I have found quite a number of things I missed first time round. I am probably Being a bit pedantic: most are grammatical errors or missing words. The last is something more practical.
3.1.2 taken literally makes it sound as though each weekend has to be held in more than one location!
My suggested wording would be:
3.1.2 organise an annual convention over the period of a weekend or longer, staying in suitable accommodation, varying the location from year to year and visiting places of interest within the vicinity (or local area).
You can’t have a vicinity that is not local!
4.1 implies that both criteria in 4.1.1 and 4.1.2 must be met. This can be clarified by amending 4.1 as follows:
4.1 Membership of The Association shall be open to anyone aged 18 or over who is resident in the United Kingdom or Ireland and meets either or both of the following criteria:
4.1.1 and 4.1.2 can be left unchanged.
I don’t know whether or not it matters, but section 5 doesn’t actually state that day-to-day management of the accounts shall be in the hands of the treasurer. Do we need to state the obvious?
8.4 If the Executive Committee agree the petition should proceed, an Extraordinary General Meeting must be held within three calendar months…
At this point, should we add, “of the receipt of an eligibble pettition”?
Between 8.5.1 and 8.5.2 the word “or” is missing. They are two options and only one needs to be met.
10.1 In the event there are more nominees for a given post than positions
The word “that” is missing after “event”.
10.4 Candidates may stand for only one post in each election, and may be invited to submit a brief election address for distribution to the membership.
The word “may” is not constitutional language, as a constitution states what must happen, not what may. I would suggest the following wording.
10.4 Each candidate may stand for only one post in each election, and shall be invited to submit a brief election address for distribution to the membership.
10.6 Each member of the Executive Committee shall serve until the next Annual General Meeting
As anyone is entitled to resign during the course of a year, I suggest the insertion of: be entitled to…, so that it reads:
10.6 Each member of the Executive Committee shall be entitled to serve until the next Annual General Meeting
Or
The term of office for each committee member shall be one year.
12.1 The Association shall only be dissolved at:
As more than one option follows, I suggest the following wording:
12.1 The Association shall be dissolved only in one of the following ways:
(or something similar.
12.2.1 The retiring Executive Committee shall stay in office until the dissolution of The Association, which shall be no later than 1 January of the calendar year immediately following the General Meeting at which The Association's dissolution was agreed.
I’ve only just thought of a practical problem I completely missed before. The draft procedure is fine if the decision is taken at the AGM, which is always in the first half of the year, but not if it is at an EGM held late in the year, in which case 1 January will be too soon to wind everything up. A possible solution would be to set a definite time period (e.g. 6 months) after the meeting at which the decision is taken.
Sorry to land all this back in your lap, john and lisa, but we need to get it right before voting on it.
Cheers
Mike
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Colin Howard
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david.g...@gmail.com
I have got one simple amendment to make,
5.2.1the words when possible should be removed.
I basically agree with Mike’s amendments, however, there should be a deadline, so that the constitution should be amended, so that it can be read by human voice, on the special interlink to be sent out before the AGM.
Dave Stephenson.
From: 'John Haynes' via AVIP <avip...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: 24 February 2026 16:07
To: AVIP GROUP <avip...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [avip] updated version of draft new constitution
Hi guys
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mj.ba...@gmail.com
Hi Dave
I take the point that you consider that we definitely need to have an independent examiner.
I presume you’re happy with the second part of 5.2.1, which reads, “if possible, a signed copy (of the accounts) shall be available for presentation at the Annual General Meeting”..
Mike
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david.g...@gmail.com
Mike,
Quite happy with the second part, the only reason I think someone else should look at the accounts is a precautionary clause to make sure nothing has been missed and everything balances.
I think at the last AGM Chris Goode did say that he would be happy to look at the accounts however John can choose whoever he likes as long as they are looked at.
Dave Stephenson.
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mj.ba...@gmail.com
Yes, Dave. That makes perfect sense.
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