1. Name
1.1 The official name of the Society shall be - Isle of Man Photographic Society. Hereafter referred to as the Society.
1.2 The title – Isle of Man Photography Club – can be commonly used
2. Membership
2.1 Membership of the Society shall be open to all.
2.2 Members will be required to pay a membership fee for the year that will be advised by the committee and accepted by a majority of members' votes at the AGM annually.
2.3 Membership fees will be divided as below;
Adult full membership.
Adult off Island Membership.
Under 16 years of age or in full time education.
Honorary life members.
Senior Membership
Joint Membership
(i) Under 16’s or in full time education will not need to pay a membership fee.
(ii) Members who have been members of the Society for a continuous period of 25 years, or who have been deemed to have served the Society in an exceptional manner will be offered Honorary Life Membership and will Not need to pay a fee.
(iii) Senior Members (over the age of 70) will pay a reduced fee.
(iv) Joint membership will apply to cohabiting or married couples will pay a reduced membership fee.
2.4 Members and visitors under 16 years of age must be accompanied at all meetings and events by a parent or guardian, or an adult with the specific agreement of the parent or guardian, who will be responsible for their safety at all times. A non-participating accompanying parent or guardian will not be expected to pay an entrance fee.
3. Aims and objectives
3.1 To promote the development of photographic art and technique by providing opportunities for individual and group tuition and discussion, and the exchange of ideas and information.
3.2 To provide opportunities to share the experiences and skills of other people by the means of visits by speakers to the Society
3.3 To facilitate specialised training evenings and practical demonstrations of techniques.
3.4 To provide a friendly environment in Society where all members can acquire, develop and practice new skills and meet new friends.
3.5 To organise field trips of photographic interest and social events.
3.6 To hold internal Society competitions open to all Society members to encourage the development of production and presentational skills. External judges (where possible) will be invited to appraise all the images.
3.7 To promote the Society and the photography of its members by entering Battles and Competitions with other clubs on and off the Island.
3.8 To inform and promote the acquisition of photographic honours by individual members
4. Committee
4.1 The Society shall have a committee, all to be elected annually at the AGM, consisting of at least the following Officers:
a) President - Primary Co-ordinator
b) Secretary - Responsible for correspondence and note taking
c) Treasurer - Responsible for financial control.
The following positions should also be filled wherever possible :
d) Vice President
e) Competition Secretary
f) 3 Committee members
4.2 The role of the committee is to manage all aspects of the Society’s administration. The committee shall not work autonomously. Planning activities, buying equipment and administering other Society matters must satisfy a majority of committee members.
4.3 The committee may invite persons to attend any of its meetings as a participant without voting powers.
4.4 Any vacancy for ordinary committee members shall be filled from the ordinary membership and agreed by the committee.
4.5 Any vacancy within the Officers of the committee, arising during a season, shall be filled temporarily from the ordinary membership and agreed by the committee, until members are able to vote on the matter at an AGM or Special or Extraordinary Meeting, called for the purpose.
4.6 No member of the committee, sub committee or any of the ordinary membership shall receive remuneration from the committee in money or monies worth with the exception of out of pocket expenses.
4.7 The committee shall meet at least 5 times a year.
4.8 The President shall have the power to call Special meetings open to all members and can be held for the purposes of altering the constitution and for considering any matter that should be referred to the members in general. The President shall call a Special meeting at the request of not less than two committee members or not less than four ordinary members.
5. Sub-Committee
5.1 The committee may appoint sub-committees for special purposes
5.2 When setting up sub-committees the committee shall determine its terms of reference, compositions and powers
5.3 Sub-committees shall have a coordinator and a recorder
5.4 Sub-committees shall have the power to co-opt additional persons as and when required
6. Annual General Meetings (AGM)
6.1 The committee shall convene an AGM s as soon as practicable near to the end of the season.
6.2 The AGM shall be publicised at least 21 days in advance by either the Society's Programme and by email
6.3 At the AGM the members shall elect a committee including a President, Secretary, Treasurer and other honorary officers.
6.4 The pre-existing officers, honorary officers and members of the committee shall hold office until the end of the last meeting of the season. (Usually the Annual Dinner and presentation)
6.5 Any votes that are required at an AGM, when it is known that a vote will be needed beforehand, will be made available to all current members - and if they cannot be present, a proxy vote, or a poll originating from the secretary is allowable to fulfil this purpose.
7. Rules of procedure
7.1 QUORUM: A minimum of 50% of thecommittee members including either President or Vice President shall form a quorum at committee meetings, and a minimum of President, Secretary , Treasurer and five ordinary members shall form a quorum at AGMs.
7.2 VOTING: Every matter, except where this constitution provides otherwise, shall be determined by a majority vote. In the case of equal votes the President shall have the casting vote.
7.3 MINUTES: A minute of all meetings including sub-committees shall be kept and formally adopted.
8. Finance
8.1 The financial year shall run from 1st April to 31st March in the following year.
8.2 The Treasurer shall keep proper accounts of the finances of the committee. All
incoming funds shall be lodged to the committees bank/building society account. All monies raised by or on behalf of committee shall be applied to further the object of the society and for no other purpose. All deeds, cheques, bills of exchange, etc, relating to the committee's bank/building society account shall be signed by any two of the following committee members: President, Secretary or Treasurer.
8.3 An independent financial examiner elected by the committee shall annually audit the accounts of the committee.
9. Alteration to the constitution
9.1 Any alterations to this constitution shall receive the assent of no less than the majority of the members present and voting at an AGM or Special meeting. Provided that the Secretary has received such notice of any alteration in writing no less than 21 days before the meeting at which the alteration is proposed.
9.2 if required and under extenuation circumstances determined by the committee, the committee can allow a temporary suspension of the constitution at an AGM.
10. Dissolution
10.1 The Society may be dissolved by a resolution passed by a majority of members present and voting at a special meeting convened for the purpose.
10.2 Any assets remaining after the settling of any debts and liabilities shall be applied towards charitable bodies within the local area, which have similar aims to those of the Society. Such charitable bodies to be decided and approved by the aforesaid majority.