1 The Association shall be known as the:

"RUTLAND AND LEICESTERSHIRE MASTER THATCHERS ASSOCIATION"

2 PURPOSE

(a) To establish and maintain a high standard of thatching and to advance and maintain the public reputation of the thatching craft.
(b) To improve the quality and availability of thatching materials.
(c) To organize, as may seem expedient in the interest of members, the bulk purchase of materials on behalf of members.
(d) To safe guard and advance the interests of members by the negotiation of special insurance and other trading arrangements.
(e) To assist the entry of persons into the craft and their subsequent correct training.
(f) To do all such things as may seem incidental or conducive to the attainment of the above purposes or of any of them, including, without derogating from the generality of the foregoing, to promote support and/or join any other National or Regional Association, the objects and Constitution of which may be considered by the Association to be consistent with the advancement of the purposes of the Association.

3 MEMBERSHIP

(a) ELIGIBILITY

A person working in the occupation of thatching of buildings within the county of Rutland or Leicestershire (whether whole or part time) and who has satisfied the requirements of paragraph b of this article shall be eligible for membership of the Association.

(b) COMPETENCE

(i) No person shall be accepted for election by the Committee who has not been found to be a competent thatcher by no less than two members of the Association nominated by the Committee and who shall have inspected three roofs nominated by him/her for inspection by the said members. Two of the nominated roofs shall be complete re-thatches and one shall be in course of being re-thatched. The work to be inspected to be solely the work of the applicant.
(ii) If a candidate for election shall object in writing to any one or more members of the Association nominated to inspect his/her work the Committee may in its absolute and unfettered discretion nominate an alternative member or members to inspect his/her work. The candidate will be responsible for ensuring that members nominated to inspect his/her work shall have access thereto.

ELECTION

(i) On receipt of an application the Committee shall in confidence make such inquiries as it sees fit as to the candidates suitability for membership and shall determine in its unfettered discretion to accept or reject the application and notify the candidate accordingly.
(ii) Refusal for entry into the Association must be notified in writing to the applicant and the reasons given.
(iii) A candidate who has had his/her work accepted in compliance with section (b) shall accept the offer of membership of the Association, in writing once the Constitution and all relevant papers of the Association have been made available to him/her.

(d) ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP

Any person who supports the purposes of the Association shall be eligible for associate membership and may apply to the Committee in writing who shall then decide on the application in accordance with paragraph c-(i) of this article. Associate members shall be entitled to attend all general or special meetings and social functions of the Association and shall at any such meetings have the right to speak, but not vote on any resolution on Constitutional changes.

(e) APPRENTICE MEMBERS

Apprentices employed by members on terms of apprenticeship approved by the Committee may apply for membership in writing to the Committee who shall decide on the application in accordance with paragraph c-(i) of this article. All such applications shall be accompanied by an undertaking by the employer member to be responsible for the apprentice's subscriptions. If the apprentice so wishes he may be responsible for his/her own subscription. At the successful completion of their apprenticeship, apprentice members may apply for membership in accordance with paragraphs (a)-(b)-(c) of this article. Apprentice/Trainee members will have a right to speak, but not to vote on any matter.

(f) LIFE AND HONORARY MEMBERSHIP.

May be granted at the discretion of the Association with no voting rights.

4 SUBSCRIPTIONS

Membership subscriptions shall be payable annually on the 5 of November in advance and shall be such sums as the Association shall from time to time determine in general meetings. The Association shall have power to fix different rates of subscription for application or joining fees for each category of membership. If the subscription of a member of any category shall not be paid on or before the due date the Treasurer shall notify the Secretary who shall send to the address last notified by the member to the Association one final warning and if the subscription thereafter remains unpaid for 28 clear days the relevant membership shall cease. In the case of apprentice members the final warning shall be sent to the address last notified both of the employing member and of the apprentice and if the subscription shall remain unpaid after 28 clear days the apprentice membership shall cease.

5 CESSATION OF MEMBERSHIP

(a) CESSATION
A member of any category whose membership has ceased pursuant to Article 4 or any provisions of this Article shall cease to have any of the rights of membership.
(b) EXPULSION
The Committee may inquire into any allegation that any member of the Association has been guilty of any conduct likely to bring the craft of thatching into disrepute and if satisfied that member has a case to answer in the matter shall give him/her written details of the complaint. If upon hearing the member the Committee are of the opinion that the allegation has been proved, they may expel the member or issue a written warning. In any subsequent inquiry by the Committee into allegations of misconduct as aforesaid the Committee may, if the allegation is proved to their satisfaction take into account any previous warning in determining whether to expel or warn the member.
(c) RESTORATION
The Committee may determine to restore any member who has ceased to be a member under any provision of these articles to full membership upon such terms (being not more favourable than those applicable to other members of the same category as they may decide)


6 OFFICERS and COMMITTEE

The officers of the Association who Shall form the Committee and who shall in all cases be honorary, shall be elected at the annual general meeting of the Association to hold office for the forthcoming year but shall be eligible for re-election. Expenses and honorariums to be paid at the discretion of the Association. The officers shall be as follows:
(a) CHAIRPERSON: he/she Shall preside at general meetings of the Association and of the Committee
(b) VICE-CHAIRPERSON: he/she shall officiate in the absence of the Chairperson.
(c) SECRETARY: he/she shall prepare minutes of meetings, keep minutes of meetings and conduct correspondence as authorized by the Committee. In matters of emergency authorization may be given by the Chairperson which shall be reported to the next Committee meeting.
(d) PRESIDENT: To be a person of standing as determined by the Committee.
(e) TREASURER: he/she Shall keep a true and accurate record of all the Associations monetary transacting. Joint signatures of Treasurer and Secretary required on cheques.
(f) Any other officers may be appointed at the discretion of the Association.
(g) AUDITORS: Any two members other than Treasurer or Secretary to be appointed

7 AUDIT

The books and accounts of the Association shall be audited annually by two members appointed at the A.G.M. who shall make a written report thereon.

8 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS

(a) There shall be an annual general meeting of the Association. At such a meeting a report of the proceedings of the Association including an annual statement of accounts duly audited shall be presented by the Secretary. The Secretary of the Association shall give to each member of the Association not less than fourteen clear days of the date time and place of the annual general meeting and shall send with such notice a copy of the annual report and annual statement of accounts duly audited for the preceding financial year.
(i) There shall be meetings as needed each year. At least one must be held which shall be the A.G.M.
(b) Proceedings at annual or special meetings: At every annual or special meeting the chair shall be taken by the President, or in his/her absence, by the Vice Chairperson. The number to make up a quorum to be .50 per cent of the membership qualified to vote. Postal votes to be accepted except on Constitutional changes
(c) Functions of the Committee:
Subject to any directions given from time to time by the Association the Committee shall provide for the conduct, administration, management and control of the affairs of the Association.
(d) Special meetings: Special meetings of the Association may be convened at any time by the Committee or by the Secretary on receipt of a requisition in writing signed by not less than the number in that Association which makes up a quorum. Not less than seven clear days notice of the date time and place of any such special meeting shall be given to each member of the Association and the notice shall state the object of the meeting. No business shall be transacted at any special meeting other than that specified in the notice.

9 VOTING

(a) At meetings of the Association every question shall be determined by a show of hands or by ballot if a ballot be chosen.
(b) At meetings of the Committee every question shall be determined by a show of hands.
(c) The person presiding at a meeting of the Association or of the Committee shall, in addition to his/her being entitled to vote in the first instance, have a second casting vote in the case of an equality of votes.

10 MINUTES

A minute book shall be kept, and proper entries made therein of all business transacted at every meeting of the Association or of the Committee.

11 FINANCIAL YEAR

The financial year of the Association shall be from November 5th to November 4th, the A.G.M. to be held between this date and the first Thursday of December in compliance with section 8 (i)

12 REPRESENTATION AT CONFERENCES, etc.

The Committee may from time to time nominate members to represent the Association at Conferences, meetings or Exhibitions. Travelling and out of pocket expenses of any such representative may be paid by the Association.
12 (a) In the event of a member of the Association sustaining any accident or general long term ill health so as to prevent the completion of a contract, The Association will nominate a member to complete that contract, the cost of the completion work shall be born by the Owner.

13 AFFILIATION

The Committee may, on behalf of the Association, negotiate with any national organization with which it may consider it expedient so as to do pursuant to this article with a view to the affiliation of the Association to such an organization. No such affiliation shall be made until approved by a general meeting of the Association.

14 ALTERATION OF CONSTITUTION

No alteration or amendment of, or addition to this Constitution shall be made except in pursuance of a resolution supported by at least two thirds of those present and voting at an annual meeting of the Association. Notice of any Motion for any such alteration or amendment or addition other than a notice given pursuant to a resolution of the Committee shall be given in writing to the Secretary of the Association not less than one calendar month before the meeting, and a copy of every such notice, including a notice given pursuant to a resolution of the Committee shall be sent by the Secretary to every member of the Association at least seven clear days before the meeting at which the action is to be considered.

(Last amended 15 11 1995)