Bude and Greater Area Chamber of Commerce Constitution

14th June 2022.

1. Name

The name of the Association is the Bude and Greater Area Chamber of Commerce (herein referred to as "the Chamber").

2. Mission

The Chamber's mission is to represent the businesses in the Bude and Greater Area, and membership shall consist of:

  • Businesses, trades and professional practices of every type and size
  • Owners, managers and directors of such businesses, trades and professional practices
  • Voluntary and charitable organisations operating in the area
  • As Affiliate members, representatives of elected authorities and educational establishments who carry out their business, work or profession in, or in connection with the area

3. Objectives

The objectives for which the Chamber has been adopted are:

  1. To give local businesses an official voice, so their concerns and priorities are heard at all levels of Government from Town, District, County to national levels, plus with any other government agencies and NGOs.
  2. To bring together local businesses to build new collaborative relationships, share best practice and provide practical support to each other.
  3. To promote, encourage and support a vibrant and sustainable local economy.
  4. To encourage new businesses to locate in our area.
  5. To foster a spirit of goodwill, friendship and unity amongst its members.
  6. To play a non-political positive and responsive role in the life of the business community.

4. Membership

  1. Membership of the Chamber shall be open to all individuals, firms and companies that are interested or actively engaged in business and in furthering the work of the Chamber and its objectives.
  2. Membership of the Chamber shall primarily be limited to those based in the local area of Bude and Greater Area.
  3. The Committee shall have the power to refuse an application without assigning a reason.
  4. Applications for membership should be made to the Membership Secretary on an appropriate membership form.
  5. Membership confers one vote for the individual, firm or company at general meetings of the Chamber.
  6. Affiliate Membership will be available to those organisations and individuals that also have an interest in furthering the work of the Chamber and its objectives but are not businesses themselves (for example education or charitable organisations). Affiliate members will have no voting rights.
  7. Any Member who acts in a manner that injures or discredits the Chamber, violates its regulations or continually shows disrespect for another Member may be suspended or expelled by a resolution of a two thirds majority of Committee members. Such member shall be entitled to make written and oral representations to the Committee before the Committee makes its decision and may appeal against such decision to a special meeting of the Chamber members by giving to the Chair notice of appeal within 10 days after receipt of the Committee's decision.
  8. All members shall agree to their business particulars being held on a computer database for the purposes of Chamber membership and consent to their email address being used for the purposes of forwarding Chamber information.

5. Subscriptions

  1. The annual subscription for membership shall be set by the Committee each year.
  2. All subscriptions shall become due on the first day of January and no member shall be entitled to vote at any meetings unless their subscription shall have been previously paid.
  3. Any member whose annual subscription has not been paid by 28 February in the relevant year shall forthwith cease automatically to be a member of the Chamber. Only fully paid-up members are eligible to stand for election to the Committee and to remain on the Committee.
  4. Any member who wishes to cancel their membership of the Chamber should give one month's notice in writing to the Chair or Membership Secretary and will not be eligible for any repayment of any subscription paid.

6. Executive Committee

  1. The Officers of the Chamber shall be Chair and Treasurer plus a committee of at least five other elected members, up to a maximum of 15. Other roles may be created by the Committee but the members holding those roles shall not be regarded as Officers for the purpose of this Constitution.
  2. The entire management of the Chamber, except as otherwise provided by these rules, shall be deputed to the aforesaid Officers and Committee who shall meet as often as the Chair deems necessary.
  3. The Chair shall, on the written request of any three members of the Committee, call a meeting of such Officers and Committee within seven days of the receipt of such written notice.
  4. A minimum of four Committee members shall form a quorum for the purposes of decision making.
  5. The Committee shall have the power to appoint Sub-Committees, which shall include at least one member of the Committee and may include one person who is not a member of the Chamber but is considered to have particular knowledge or experience in the Sub-Committee's remit.
  6. The Committee shall have the power to appoint or remove an Officer.
  7. An Officer may resign from their Office by giving the other Officer and the Committee formal notice in writing and the resignation takes effect upon acceptance by the other members of the Committee.
  8. In the event of a vacancy occurring in the Officers during the year it shall, if necessary, be filled by the Committee.
  9. The Committee shall at its discretion co-opt members to serve upon it. Such members may also be Affiliate Members, but they will have no vote.
  10. If any Officers or Committee members miss more than four consecutive meetings, attention will be drawn to the fact, and failing satisfactory explanation the Committee may declare the position vacant.
  11. In the absence of the Chair from any Committee meeting the members present shall elect a Chair to preside at that meeting.
  12. Every paid-up member of the Chamber has the right to submit a notice of motion in writing to the Chair, which shall be placed on the agenda for discussion at the next possible Committee meeting.
  13. The Committee may establish and update from time to time as it sees fit regulations, standards, norms of behaviour and protocols for the conduct of its own business and meetings of members as it may consider appropriate.
  14. The Committee shall keep a record of the proceedings of the Chamber in a file of minutes to be kept for that purpose. The records of the Chamber but not those of the Committee shall be open on due notice for inspection by members at reasonable hours. Committee records will be held for no more than three years.
  15. The Committee will maintain a roll of paid-up members of the Chamber.
  16. The Officers and the Committee shall retire at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) but shall be eligible for re-election. Any two Chamber members may propose any candidate or candidates for Officers or Committee by notice in writing before or at the AGM, the consent of the nominee being obtained first. In the event there are more nominations than vacancies, the candidates who receive the most votes by ballot at the AGM shall be elected; in the event of a tie the Chair shall have a second or casting vote.
  17. The AGM shall be held within three months of the end of the previous financial year. At such meetings the Chair or Treasurer shall present a report with reference to all matters which they have dealt with during the previous year. Sub-committee reports shall be made at the discretion of the Chair.
  18. At least one other General Meeting of members shall be held annually and fourteen days' notice of all General Meetings shall be given to members. The Committee may convene General Meetings of members to consider particular matters and upon a requisition in writing of five or more members, shall convene a meeting to be held within fourteen days of the receipt of such requisition.
  19. Every member of the Chamber shall have one vote which may be exercised by a show of hands, but it shall be competent for members before such a vote be taken to require that it shall be taken by a ballot. When a ballot is to be taken two persons shall be appointed by the meeting as scrutineers who shall count the number of votes and report the result in writing to the Chair who shall declare the result of the ballot to the meeting. In cases of equality of votes the Chair shall have a casting vote.
  20. Members may vote by proxy at the AGM and must deliver to the Chair a proxy appointment form at least five days prior to the AGM if that is their intention.
  21. Ratification of changes to this Constitution is required by the members at an AGM or Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM).

7. Press Releases

  1. Reports to the press or other media attributable to the Chamber must only come from the Chair or by press release approved by the Committee.

8. Funds

  1. The funds of the Chamber shall be under the control of the Committee, who shall have the power to use the same in such a way as it may deem necessary for carrying out the aims and objectives for which the Chamber is formed.
  2. Neither the Chamber, its Officers or its Committee members shall have the power to pledge, borrow or loan any funds belonging to the Chamber other than to subscribe and support such community-based projects and local charitable institutions and objectives as may be deemed by the Committee to be worthy.
  3. The Committee may appoint an accountant to prepare and/or audit annual accounts and may agree what remuneration (if any) to pay in that regard. It shall be for the Chamber in general meeting to re-appoint the accountant annually if required.
  4. The Treasurer shall keep an account of all monies received and paid and shall pay all accounts approved by the Committee for and on behalf of the Chamber. They shall present to the Chamber at its AGM a statement of account showing all financial transactions of the Chamber made up to the last day of December in the previous year.
  5. Wherever possible suppliers should be sourced locally and quotes should be obtained from more than one supplier.
  6. Any purchases over £100 by the members of the Committee or any Sub-Committee will need to be approved by at least two members of the Committee in advance (this can be done by email).
  7. Access to online banking must be held by at least two Committee members.

9. Dissolution

  1. In the event of the membership of the Chamber not being able to form an effective Committee, a General Meeting must be called to request the members to pass a resolution to disband or dissolve the Chamber. A simple majority of those attending and voting will be sufficient for this purpose.
  2. On dissolution, the assets and funds of the Chamber shall be transferred to some other institution (such as the Cornwall Chamber of Commerce) whose aims include the protection and promotion of the businesses of Bude and the Greater Area.

10. General

  1. No alteration shall be made to these rules except by resolution duly passed by two-thirds of the members present and voting at a General Meeting of the Chamber and the Chair shall give to Members not less than 14 days' notice of any such alteration(s) by way of a notice in such manner and form as the Chair in his or her discretion may direct.
  2. The Chamber may opt to be affiliated to the Cornwall Chamber of Commerce and/or the British Chambers of Commerce and may opt to become a component unit of any Area Council or Division of such organisation.
  3. The Chamber shall organise regular meetings (a minimum of 8 per year), seminars, forums and other events designed to bring benefits to the Chamber, its membership and with a view to furthering its aims.