1

The Society is a Specially Authorised Society established pursuant to the Friendly Societies Act 1974. It shall be called the Association for Clinical Cytogenetics, and is hereinafter referred to as "The Association".

The Registered Office of the Association shall be situated at the offices of the British Society for Human Genetics, Clinical Genetics Unit, Birmingham Women’s Hospital, Birmingham B15 2TG.

The registered office shall not be changed, except by resolution of a special general meeting.

In the event of any change in the situation of the registered office, notice of such change shall sent to the Registrar in the form prescribed by Treasury Regulations.

The Association is established for the purpose of promoting science pursuant to the special authority of 10 June 1976 given under section 7(1)(f) of the Friendly Societies Act 1974, and in particular promoting the advancement of clinical cytogenetics, including its molecular aspects and applications, in Great Britain and to collaborate with other organisations which are established for similar objects in other countries; promoting the development of cytogenetics in the interests of public health, including monitoring the genetic risks of environmental hazards; promoting meetings for the discussion of subjects of importance in clinical cytogenetics; developing and maintaining professional standards by organising training courses and by co-operating with examining bodies in medicine or the biological sciences in the promotion of suitable qualifying examinations for members of the profession of clinical cytogenetics; advising appropriate government departments on all matters affecting cytogenetic services in the Health and allied services, including the development of a recognised career structure for cytogeneticists, the organisation of the service, the evaluation of appropriate scientific equipment, the design of laboratories and matters affecting the careers and training of Clinical Cytogeneticists; collaborating with editorial boards of any periodicals or publications in the fields of medicine and biology; collaborating with other societies or organisations which have a common interest with the Association in the promotion of meetings or other joint enterprises; and doing all such other things as may in the opinion of Council spread or increase the knowledge and standing of Clinical Cytogeneticists.

All monies received on account of entrance fees, levies, fines, donations, sales of rules, or otherwise, and interest on investments shall be applied in carrying out the objects of the Association in accordance with the rules.

Any officer misapplying the funds shall repay the amount misapplied and be excluded without prejudice to his liability to prosecution for such misapplication.

So much of the funds as may not be wanted for immediate use, or to meet the usual accruing liabilities, shall with the consent of the Council, or of a majority of the members present and entitled to vote in general meeting, be invested by the Trustees in any of the following ways, namely; in the National Savings Bank, or in the public funds, or in the purchase of land, or in the erection or alteration of offices or other buildings thereon, or in any investment in which Trustees are for the time being by law authorised to invest trust funds.

The Trustees, with the consent of a special general meeting may hold, purchase, or take on lease any land and may sell, exchange, mortgage or lease any such land and erect, alter or pull down buildings on it; and a purchaser, assignee, mortgagee, or tenant shall not be bound to inquire as to the authority for any sale, exchange, mortgage or lease by the Trustees, and the receipt of the Trustees shall be a discharge for all monies arising from or in connection with such sale, exchange, mortgage or lease.

Mortgages or other assurances for securing money to the Association may be vacated by a receipt endorsed or annexed, signed by the Trustees and countersigned by the General Secretary, in the form contained in the Fourth Schedule to the Friendly Societies Act, 1974.

Members

Ordinary Members

Persons admitted as Ordinary Members shall be occupied primarily in the practice of clinical cytogenetics, including its molecular aspects and applications, but may continue their membership after retirement from active professional life.

They must be graduates in science or medicine of an approved University, or hold such qualifications as the Council may from time to time accept as equivalent to a University degree; and they must be employed in a scientific or clinical capacity acceptable to Council.

Others involved in teaching, research or other activities allied to clinical cytogenetics, and whose qualifications conform to the requirements of (6.1a.2), may be admitted at the discretion of Council.

Overseas Members
As for (6.1a) Ordinary Members, but resident outside the United Kingdom.

Corporate Members
Companies or corporate bodies who supply goods and/or services to clinical cytogenetics laboratories may, at the discretion of Council, be admitted to Corporate Membership of the Association. The names of Corporate Members must be published in the bulletin currently used as the official medium of communication between members of this Association. Each corporate body amounts to only one member, although additional nominated employees of Corporate Members may attend meetings of the Association as onlookers. A Council representative on the organising committee of the meeting shall be notified in advance of the names of such employees as will attend and shall have discretion to admit, or refuse admission to such employees. Corporate Members shall receive information of the Association's activities on the same terms as Ordinary Members, or multiples of such copies as the Council may decide. Corporate Members may, at the discretion of Council, participate in exhibitions (but not for the sale of produce) at Association meetings.

Scientific Associates
Persons not qualified for admission as Ordinary Members may be admitted as Scientific Associates, provided that they are occupied primarily in the practice of clinical cytogenetics or allied disciplines in a professional capacity acceptable to Council. Scientific Associates may take full part in all scientific activities of the Association (but shall have no voting power and shall not be eligible for membership of the Council).

Fellows

Honorary Fellows
Persons of distinction may, at the recommendation of Council and a majority vote of two thirds of a General Meeting be elected Honorary Fellows of the Association. They may take full part in all scientific activities of the Association but shall pay no subscription, shall have no voting power and shall not be eligible for membership of the Council.

Emeritus Fellows
Persons of distinction who have been Ordinary Members or Scientific Associates of the Association for not less than 10 years and who have retired from full-time employment may, at the recommendation of the Council and the majority vote of two thirds of a General Meeting, be elected Emeritus Fellows of the Association. They may take full part in all scientific activities of the Association but shall pay no subscription, shall have no voting power and shall not be eligible for membership of the Council. Honorary Fellows shall be awarded the status of Emeritus Fellows upon retirement from full-time employment.

Applications for Membership and Scientific Associateship shall be submitted to Council by the Membership Secretary or the General Secretary. Applications shall be considered by Council which may approve those candidates who are eligible for election.

Council shall not change the conditions under which Members, Associates and Fellows shall be admitted without reference to a General Meeting of members.

Every member of the Association (other than Honorary and Emeritus Fellows) shall pay a subscription, which will include membership of the British Society for Human Genetics.

Ordinary Members shall pay a full yearly subscription not exceeding £30.

Overseas Members shall pay a yearly subscription not exceeding £30.

Scientific Associates shall pay a yearly subscription not exceeding £30.

Corporate Members shall pay a yearly subscription exceeding £200.

The rates of subscription shall be determined from time to time by the Council, subject to approval at a General Meeting of members as in Rule 6.5.

Any member whose subscription shall be unpaid at the expiration of six calendar months from the 2nd January in any year, having received notification of arrears from an Officer of the Association or their agent at least one month previously, shall cease to be a member of the Association save in exceptional circumstances acceptable to the Council. Any lapsed member who applies to rejoin and who has not paid a subscription for more than one year shall pay the equivalent of the subscription for one year at the current rate in addition to the subscription due on joining.

The Annual General Meeting shall be held on a date and time to be arranged, between the months of March and September.

Eight weeks notice of the Annual General Meeting shall be given to all members.

All motions and items for discussion should be returned in writing to the secretary to arrive no less than six weeks prior to the Annual General Meeting.

The secretary can, with the approval of the proposers and seconders, modify or amalgamate the received motions.

Fourteen days notice of the Annual General Meeting stating the business to be transacted at the meeting shall be given to every member in writing, left at or posted to his last known address.

A special general meeting shall be held whenever the Council thinks expedient, and whenever 10 members so request in writing delivered to the General Secretary.

Seven days notice of any special general meeting, stating the business to be transacted at such meeting, shall be given to every member in writing, left at or posted to his last known address.

All general meetings shall be held at the registered office unless the Council (either generally or in a particular case) otherwise decide.

At all general meetings, the Chairman of the Council, or Deputy Chairman, or if neither be present then a deputy elected for the occasion at the meeting, shall take the chair. Fifteen members shall form a quorum, except for the amendment of rules or removal of an officer, in which case forty members of the Association shall form a quorum.

Every member present (and not disqualified by arrears or otherwise as mentioned in these rules) shall have one vote, and when the votes are equal the then the presiding officer shall have an additional or casting vote.

Accidental omission to give notice of a meeting to, or the non-receipt of such notice by, any person entitled to receive notice thereof shall not invalidate any resolution passed, or proceeding had, at any meeting.

If, within half an hour from the time appointed for the holding of a General Meeting, a quorum is not present, the meeting, if convened on the requisition of the members, shall be dissolved. In any other case it shall stand adjourned to the same day in the next week, at the same time and place, or at such other place as the Council may determine, and if at such adjourned meeting a quorum is not present within half an hour from the time appointed for holding the meeting, the members present shall be a quorum.

The Chairman may, with the consent of any meeting at which a quorum is present (and shall if so directed by the meeting) adjourn the meeting from time to time, and from place to place, but no other business shall be transacted at any adjourned meeting other than business which might have been transacted at the meeting from which the adjournment took place. Whenever a meeting is adjourned for thirty days or more, notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given in the same manner as of an original meeting. Save as aforesaid, the members shall not be entitled to any notice of an adjournment, or of the business to be transacted at an adjourned meeting.

At any General Meeting a resolution put to the vote of the meeting shall be decided on a show of hands, unless a poll is, before or upon the declaration of the result of the show of hands, demanded by the Chairman (or by at least three members present in person or by proxy, or by a member or members present in person or by proxy and representing one tenth of the total voting rights of all the members having the right to vote at the meeting) and unless a poll be so demanded a declaration by the Chairman of the meeting that a resolution has been carried, or carried unanimously or by a particular majority, or lost, or not carried by a particular majority, and an entry to that effect in the minute book of the Association shall be conclusive evidence of the fact without proof of the number or proportion of the votes recorded in favour of or against that resolution. The demand for a poll may be withdrawn.

Subject to the provisions of Rule 9.16, if a poll be demanded in manner aforesaid, it shall be taken at such time and place and in such manner (including a postal ballot of all voting members), as the Chairman of the meeting shall direct, and the result of the poll shall be deemed to be the resolution of the meeting, at which the poll was demanded.

No poll shall be demanded on the election of a Chairman of a meeting, or on any question of adjournment.

In the case of an equality of votes, whether on a show of hands or on a poll, the Chairman of the meeting shall be entitled to a second or casting vote.

The demand of a poll shall not prevent the continuance of a meeting for the transaction of any business other than the question on which a poll has been demanded.

Subject as hereinafter provided, every member shall have one vote. A Corporate Member shall have one vote which shall be cast by a nominated representative of the corporate body concerned. Honorary Fellows and Emeritus Fellows shall have no vote.

Save as herein expressly provided, only a member who shall have paid every subscription and other sum (if any) which shall be due and payable to the Association in respect of his membership, shall be entitled to vote on any question either personally, or by proxy, at any General Meeting.

Votes may be given on a poll either personally or by proxy. On a show of hands a member present only by proxy shall have no vote.

The instrument appointing a proxy (who need not be a member of the Association) shall be in writing under the hand of the appointer or of his agent duly authorised in writing.

The instrument appointing a proxy and the power of attorney or other authority (if any) under which it is signed or a notarially certified copy thereof shall be deposited at the registered office of the Association, or such other place within the United Kingdom as is specified for that purpose in the notice convening the meeting not less than forty eight hours before the time appointed for holding the meeting or adjourned meeting at which the person named in the instrument proposes to vote, and in default the instrument appointing a proxy shall be valid after the expiration of twelve months from the date of its execution.

A vote given in accordance with the terms of an instrument of proxy shall be valid notwithstanding the previous death or mental disorder of the principal or revocation of the proxy or of the authority under which the proxy was executed, providing that no intimation in writing of such death, mental disorder or revocation shall have been received by the Association at the registered office before the commencement of the meeting or adjourned meeting at which the proxy is used.

The Association shall have a President who shall be elected for three years and shall not be eligible for immediate re-election to that office. Nomination for President shall be made through, and with the approval of, the Council. The President shall preside at all scientific and social functions of the Association but shall have power to nominate a substitute acceptable to Council, for a particular occasion. The President, past-Presidents and Presidents-elect who are not serving members of Council may be invited to attend meetings of the Council but shall have no vote.

Every candidate for General Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer, Ordinary Membership, Junior Membership and Technologist Membership of Council shall be nominated in writing by two members qualified to vote in such an election.

Nominations and statements of the Candidate's willingness to accept office must reach the General Secretary at least fourteen days before the Annual General Meeting. The General Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer, Ordinary Members, Junior Members and Technologist members of the Council shall be elected by all voting members of the Association. All members of the Council shall serve in an honorary capacity.

The General Secretary, Assistant Secretary, and Treasurer may be elected at the Annual General Meeting held one year before the Annual General Meeting after which their period of service will begin, by a secret postal ballot attested by the Auditors, and held in the intervening period. Any such officers elected in advance of taking office shall be designated Officer-Elect and may attend meetings of the Council at the invitation of the Chairman.

The General Secretary and Assistant Secretary shall be elected every three years and shall be eligible for re-election.

The Treasurer shall be elected for three years and shall be eligible for re-election.

Ordinary Members of Council shall be elected for three years and shall be eligible for re-election. A serving or retiring Ordinary Member may be nominated for the office of Chairman, Deputy Chairman, General Secretary, Assistant Secretary or Treasurer.

Junior Members of Council shall be elected for three years and must be employed as a Clinical Scientist at band 7, or a pre-Registration Clinical Scientist Trainee, or equivalent on University, MRC or Private Sector scales. They shall be eligible for re-election. They shall resign their Membership of Council at the Annual General Meeting following their promotion above band 7 for Clinical Scientists in the NHS or its equivalent in University, MRC or Private Sector employment.

Technologist members of Council shall be elected for three years and shall be eligible for re-election.

The Chairman.
The Council shall elect as Chairman of Council any member of the Association who is a serving or retiring member of Council with voting rights. The Chairman shall hold office for three years notwithstanding that during this time his term of office as a member of Council shall have expired. A Chairman whose term of office as a member of Council has expired shall retain full voting membership of Council for the remainder of his chairmanship by virtue of his election as Chairman. The Chairman shall be eligible for re-election providing that at the time of his re-election he is a serving or retiring member of Council. The Chairman shall preside at Council and General Meetings; in his absence the Deputy Chairman, or if neither be present then a deputy elected for the occasion at the meeting, shall take the chair.

Deputy Chairman.
Each year the Council shall elect as Deputy Chairman one of the serving or retiring members of Council. The Deputy Chairman shall hold office for one year and shall be eligible for re-election.  One year prior to the end of the Chairman of Council’s term of office, Council shall undertake an election to either:

Re-elect the existing Chairman for a further period of office (see Rule 10.3.7) or

Elect a Deputy Chairman who shall become the next Chairman of Council.

Membership Secretary.
Each year the Council may elect as Membership Secretary one of the members of Council. The Membership Secretary shall hold office for one year and shall be eligible for re-election. At its discretion the Council may elect an ordinary member of the Association who is not a member of Council to the post of Membership Secretary. Any such person shall become an ex-officio member of Council, shall hold office for one year, shall be eligible for re-election and shall have no voting power. The Membership Secretary shall receive all applications for membership of the Association and shall submit such applications to the Council for approval. The Membership Secretary shall keep such records as are necessary for the execution of the office.

Other Representatives.
The Council shall have the power to co-opt additional members to represent the Association to other bodies with whom the Association may have common interests or for the discussion of special issues. Such co-opted members shall be ex-officio members of Council, shall serve at the discretion of the Council and shall have no voting power.

Any officer may be removed by resolution of a special general meeting which may proceed to fill the vacancy.

No person who is a minor shall be elected to office.

A member shall not be nominated for office who is three months in arrears with his subscriptions.

The same person shall not be General Secretary or Treasurer and a Trustee of the Association.

In case any officer (other than a Trustee) shall die, resign, be removed, or become unfit or incapable to act, the Council may at any time appoint a person to fill the vacancy until the next Annual General Meeting, unless the vacancy is previously filled at a special general meeting.

In the event of any Trustee dying, resigning, or being removed from office, another shall be appointed by a resolution of a majority of the members present and entitled to vote at the Annual General Meeting or at a special general meeting. A Trustee shall be elected to office for a period of five years, to be renewable at the pleasure of the Association. Every resolution appointing a Trustee shall be entered in the minutes of the meeting at which he is appointed.

A copy of such resolution, signed by such Trustees, shall be forwarded by the General Secretary, to the Registrar in the form prescribed by the Treasury Regulations.

Every officer or servant having the receipt or charge of money shall before taking upon himself the execution of this office or service, give security to the Trustees through a Guarantee Society or by a bond in pursuance of the Act, in such sum as the Council may direct, being not less than a sum sufficient to cover the maximum amount of cash which the officer of servant is likely at any time to hold.

11.1

All deeds, documents of title and securities for money shall be held by the Trustees, who shall take such measures for the safe custody and preservation thereof at the expense of the Association as they may think fit, and they shall by responsible for the safe custody of all such deeds, documents and securities as are placed in their hands or under their control, and shall produce them for inspection by the auditors when required by them, and whenever else required by a resolution of a general meeting or of the Council.
A designated Trustee shall be responsible for the safe custody of the archives of the Association.

11.2

If any Trustee, being removed from his office, refuse or neglect to assign or transfer any property of the Association as a general meeting may direct, such Trustee shall (if he be a member) be expelled, and cease to have any claim on the Association without prejudice to any liability to prosecution.

11.3

The Trustees shall be the persons to sue and be sued on behalf of the Association.

12

The Treasurer shall take charge of the funds of the Association which are not invested and pay all demands when required to do so by the Association, or by the Council or by the Chairman of Council or the General Secretary or a Trustee. He shall not pay any monies without the authority of a Trustee, or other Officer in the case of unavailability of a Trustee. He shall produce all books, documents, property and money of the Association in his possession, and shall prepare all returns and other documents required by the Act or the Treasury Regulation and duly forward them to the Registrar.

13

The General Secretary shall attend all meetings of the Association and of the Council; he shall record correctly the names of the officers there present, and the minutes of the proceedings, which he shall transcribe into a book to be authenticated by the signature of the Chairman as the proceedings of the meeting; he shall forthwith hand over all monies received by him to the Treasurer. He shall produce all books, documents, property and money of the Association in his possession, and render a full and clear account at each audit and whenever required by resolution of the Association or of the Council or by the Trustees. He shall also pay over all monies, and give up all books, documents and property belonging to the Association when ordered to do so by a resolution thereof or of the Council or by the Trustees. He shall summon and give due notice of all meetings of the Association and of the Council and keep the accounts, documents and papers of the Association in such manner and for such purpose as the Council may appoint. The General Secretary shall on all occasions, in the execution of his office, act under the superintendence, control, and direction of the Council. For his services he shall receive such sum as the Council may determine. The Assistant Secretary shall assist the General Secretary in carrying out his duties and act for him in his absence.

14.1

The Council shall meet on such days and hours as may be agreed from time to time. The Chairman, or if he be not present, the Deputy Chairman, or if neither be present then a deputy agreed by the Council for the occasion, shall preside. Fifty per cent of the members of the Council shall form a quorum. The Council shall have full power to superintend and conduct the business of the Association according to the rules thereof, and shall in all things act for and in the name of the Association. Every question shall be decided by a majority of votes, and if the votes are equal the Chairman or in his absence his deputy shall have a casting vote in addition to his vote as a member. Any three of the Council may call a special meeting thereof, by giving seven clear days' notice in writing to the General Secretary but at such special meeting no other business than that specified in the notice shall be taken into consideration.

14.2

The following Officers of Council shall form an Executive that is authorised to agree and take decisions about matters that require actions prior to the next meeting of Council: Chairman, Deputy Chairman, General Secretary and Treasurer.

14.3

Council shall approve the Chairman of the following Committees of Council and shall replace the Chairman if necessary: Education and Training Committee, Professional Standards and Best Practice Committee, Scientific Committee, and Strategic Development Committee (the former two Committees are Standing Committees of Council; the latter two Committees are formed and disbanded as required). The following Committee of Council shall approve their own Chairman: Membership Liaison Committee. The membership of all Committees of Council, and all changes in membership shall be notified to Council at least annually

15.1

The Council shall cause proper accounts of the Association to be kept by the Treasurer in accordance with the requirements of Section 29 of the Friendly Societies Act 1974.

15.2

It shall be the duty of the Council to keep a copy of the last annual balance sheet and of the report of the auditor on the balance sheet always hung up in a conspicuous place at the registered office of the Association.

16

The Council shall cause the books to be available for the inspection of any member or person having an interest in the funds of the Association at all reasonable hours, at the registered office or at any place where the books are kept, and it shall be the duty of the Treasurer to produce them accordingly.

17.1

The Association shall in each year of account appoint a qualified auditor or, subject to paragraph 17.2 of this rule, two or more persons who are not qualified auditors to audit its accounts and balance sheet for that year. For the purpose of this rule "qualified auditor" means a person who is a qualified auditor under Section 36 of the Friendly Societies Act 1974.

17.2

Subject to paragraph 17.5 of this rule and to any direction given by the Registrar, the Association may appoint as auditors two or more persons who are not qualified auditors to audit its accounts for any year of account if:

17.2.1

the receipts and payments of the Association in respect of the previous year of account did not in the aggregate exceed £5,000;

17.2.2

the number of its members at the end of that year did not exceed 500 and

17.2.3

the value of its assets at the end of that year did not in the aggregate exceed £5,000.
(Or, in each case, such other sum or number as may be prescribed by regulations then in force.)

17.3

Save as provided in paragraph 17.4 of this rule every appointment of an auditor shall be made by the resolution of a general meeting of the Association.

17.4

The Council may appoint an auditor to fill any casual vacancy occurring between general meetings of the Association. Any auditor appointed by the Council who is not a qualified auditor shall hold the appointment until the conclusions of the next Annual General Meeting.

17.5

A qualified auditor appointed to audit the accounts and balance sheet of the Association for the preceding year of account (whether by a general meeting or by the Council) shall be re-appointed as auditor of the Association for the current year of account (whether or not any resolution expressly re-appointing him has been passed) unless

17.5.1

a resolution has been passed at a general meeting of the Association appointing somebody instead of him or providing expressly that he shall not be re-appointed or

17.5.2

he has given to the Association notice in writing of his unwillingness to be re-appointed or

17.5.3

he is ineligible for appointment as auditor of the Association for the current year of account or

17.5.4

he has ceased to act as auditor of the Association by reason of incapacity.
Provided that a retiring auditor shall not be automatically re-appointed by virtue of this rule if notice of an intended resolution to appoint another person in his place has been given in accordance with paragraph 17.6 of this rule and the resolution cannot be proceeded with because of the death, incapacity or ineligibility of that other person.

17.6

A resolution at a general meeting of the Association (17.5.1) appointing another person as auditor in place of a retiring qualified auditor or (17.5.2) providing expressly that a retiring auditor shall not be re-appointed shall not be effective unless notice of the intention to move it has been given to the Association not less than twenty eight days before the meeting at which it is moved. On receipt by the Association of notice of the intention to move any such resolution the Association shall give notice of the resolution to the members in accordance with Section 34 of the Friendly Societies Act 1974. The Association shall also give such notice to the retiring auditor in accordance with Section 35 of the Friendly Societies Act 1974 and shall give notice to the members in accordance with that Section of any representations made or intended to be made by the retiring auditor.

17.7

None of the following persons shall be appointed as auditor of the Association.

17.7.1

an officer or servant of the Association.

17.7.2

a person who is a partner of or in the employment of or who employs an officer or servant of the Association, or

17.7.3

a body corporate.

17.8

The auditor shall in accordance with Section 38 of the Friendly Societies Act 1974 make a report to the Association on the accounts examined by him and on the revenue account or accounts and the balance sheet of the Association for the year of account in respect of which he is appointed.

18.1

Every year the Treasurer of the Association shall, within the time allowed by legislation, submit to the Chief Registrar an annual return relating to its affairs for the period required to be included in the return. The return must be made in the form prescribed by the Chief Registrar and contain such particulars as may from time to time be require by the form. A copy of the report of the auditor on the accounts and balance sheet contained in the return must be sent with the annual return.

18.2

The General Secretary shall supply gratuitously to every member or person interested in the funds of the Association on his application either a copy of the last annual return or a balance sheet or other document duly audited containing the same particulars relating to the affairs of the Association as are contained in the annual return together with a copy of the report of the auditor on the annual return or his report on the balance sheet or other document supplied in lieu of the annual return.

19.1

If any dispute shall arise between a member (or person claiming through a member or under the rules, or any person aggrieve who has ceased to be a member, or any person claiming through such person aggrieved) and the Association, or any officer of the Association, it shall be decided by reference to arbitration.

19.2

Five arbitrators shall be elected at a general meeting, none of them being directly or indirectly interested in the Funds of the Association, and any vacancy or vacancies shall be filled at a general meeting. The complaining party to a dispute or someone appointed by him, shall draw three names out of the five by lot in the usual way and the three arbitrators whose names are first drawn shall decide the dispute.

19.3

In this rule the expression dispute includes any dispute arising on the question whether a member or person aggrieved is entitled to be or continue to be a member or to be reinstated as a member but, save as aforesaid, in the case of person who has ceased to be a member, does not include any dispute other than a dispute on the question between him and the Association or an officer thereof, which arose whilst he was a member or arises out of his previous relation as a member of the Association.

20

One fifth of the total number of members, or if the number of members is 1,000 or more, then such a number of members as is prescribed by the Act, by an application in writing to the Chief Registrar, signed by them in the Forms respectively provided by the Treasury Regulations in that behalf, may apply -

20.1

For the appointment of one or more inspectors to examine into and report on the affairs of the Association.

20.2

For the calling of a special meeting of the Association.

20.3

For the investigation into the affairs of the Association with a view to the dissolution thereof where the funds are insufficient to meet the existing claims thereon, or the rates of subscription fixed in the rules are insufficient to cover the benefits assured.

21

The Association may at any time be dissolved by the consent of three-fourths of the members, testified by their signatures to an instrument of dissolution in the form prescribed by the Treasury Regulations. If upon the winding up or dissolution of the Association there remains, after the satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities, any property whatsoever, the same shall not be paid to or distributed among members of the Association, but shall be given or transferred to some other institution or institutions having objects similar to the objects of the Association, and which shall prohibit the distribution of its or their income and property among its or their members, such other institution or institutions to be determined by the members of the Association at or before the time of dissolution, and if and so far as effect cannot be given to such provision, then to some charitable object.

22

All summonses and notices shall be deemed to have been duly served if addressed to the member or person for whom they are intended, at his last known address, and delivered at or sent by post to that address.

23

The Secretary shall deliver to every person on demand a copy of the rules on payment of a reasonable fee (plus packaging and postage).

24.1

No new rules shall be made, nor shall any of the rules herein contained or hereafter to be made, be amended or rescinded unless with the consent of a majority of those members present in person, or by proxy if a poll be demanded subject to rule 9.14, at a general meeting of which notice has been given specifying the intention to propose such new rule or amendment. For the purpose of this rule, a quorum for the meeting shall be forty voting members of the Association as written in Rule 9.9.

24.2

No new rule or amendment of rule is valid until registered.

25

In these rules, unless the contrary intention appears

25.1

Words denoting the masculine gender shall be deemed to include the feminine.

25.2

Words in the singular shall include the plural and words in the plural shall include the singular.

25.3

"The Act" means the Friendly Societies Act 1974 and any Act amending or substituted for it and for the time being in force.