The Constitution of the Somerset Moth Group

Name

The group shall be known as the Somerset Moth Group ("the Group").

Objectives

The objectives of the Group shall be:

(a) The conservation of all the resident and immigrant moths of Vice-Counties 5 and 6 ("the Moths of Somerset").
(b) The making, preservation and dissemination of records of the distribution of the moths of Somerset.
(c) The education of the members of the Group and the promotion of public interest in the conservation of the moths of Somerset by means of talks, field meetings, publications and other such means as may from time to time recommend themselves to the Group.

Policy

The policy of the group shall be:

(a) To liaise and co-operate with any like body and with all relevant statutory and non-statutory bodies in pursuit of the Group's objectives.
(b) To adopt and sustain the policy  of the British Entomological and Natural History Society in relation to the collection and preservation of specimens.
(c) To maintain confidentiality where the dissemination of information would or might imperil a species or species habitat.

Administration

(a) The Group shall be managed by an Executive Committee comprising honorary members (Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and Recorder) together with one or more ordinary members as shall be elected by the Group in General Meeting.  In addition to the above, the Group shall appoint a President, whose position shall be honorary and non-executive.
(b) The President and Committee shall be elected annually by the Group in General Meeting.  There shall be no bar to any one person holding two Offices.
(c) No Committee business shall be transacted by one Officer or ordinary member acting alone.
(d) Voting on any matter arising at any General Meeting shall be restricted to those paid up members attending the meeting.  A simple majority shall prevail save that alterations to the Constitution or dissolution of the Group or merger with any other body or distribution of accumulated funds shall be effected only with the agreement of two thirds of the members present after not less than two weeks notice of such proposal has been given.  In the event of a tied or inconclusive vote the Chairman shall have the casting vote.

Membership

Membership shall be open to all those wishing to participate in the activities of the Group and willing to subscribe to any code of conduct approved by the Group in General Meeting.  Membership shall lapse if a subscription shall be more than six months in arrears.

Meetings

The Group shall meet with such frequency as the Group in General Meeting shall determine but not less than once a year which meeting shall be the Annual General Meeting.

An Extraordinary General Meeting may be requested by not less than five members in writing to the Secretary, who shall make arrangements for the Meeting within one month of the receipt of such request and shall notify all members of the Group accordingly with not less than two weeks prior notice.

Funds

The group shall acquire funds for the furtherance of its objectives whether by subscriptions or otherwise.  The amount of any subscription shall be determined by the Group in General Meeting.  The Treasurer shall account for the funds at the Annual General Meeting.

Data

Subject to Policy (c) above, any data supplied to the Group by any member shall be at the disposal of the Group acting through the Committee but without the member losing the right to make such other use of the data as he/she might choose.

Accepted at the Annual General Meeting on 2nd November 2006.