Rules

United Kingdom Independence Party Runnymede & Weybridge Constituency Association Committee Structure & Rules - 1st September 2004 1. Purpose The principal purpose of the Committee is to organise the membership of the branch in order to contest UK Parliamentary elections and local government elections, to assist in the Party's other election campaigns, and otherwise to do all in its power to promote the interests and message of the Party within the association area. 2. Activities 2.1 In pursuit of its purpose the Committee may undertake or arrange all campaigning, fundraising, social or other activities necessary in so far as these comply with the Party Constitution, Rule Book and the law. 2.2 In particular the Committee is responsible for administering the association's financial and other affairs, including the election of its officers and the selection of candidates for UK parliamentary and local government elections. 3. Committee Structure The Committee shall be composed of nine elected members. This will include an Association Chairman, an Association Treasurer, an Association Secretary and six other Ordinary Elected Members. 4. Elections to Committee 4.1 Elections to the Committee shall take place each year at the Association Annual General Meeting (AGM). 4.2 All Party members in good standing residing within the Association are eligible to stand for election to Committee posts. 4.3 Individuals who have been members of the Party before the previous AGM may stand for election by completing the appropriate application form and submitting this by the specified deadline. 4.4 Individuals who have joined the Party since the previous AGM must be proposed and seconded by association members both of whom have been members since before the previous AGM. 4.5 Applications or nominations must be either for the specific posts of Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary or for a post of Ordinary Elected Member. 4.6 An association member may propose or second only one candidate for each position of Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary and a maximum of two for Ordinary Elected Member. 4.7 Invitations to stand for election will be dispatched to association Party members at least six weeks before the date of the AGM. The association Secretary must receive applications and nominations for Committee posts at least two weeks before the AGM is to be held. Applications or nominations received after this date will not be accepted. Details of those standing for election will be dispatched to all association members in the two weeks before the AGM. 4.8 Serving members of the Committee may stand for re-election. 4.9 Where the position of Chairman, Treasurer or Secretary is contested, the candidate with the largest number of votes shall be elected. 4.10 Where more than six applications or nominations for Ordinary Elected Member are received, then the six highest scoring candidates will be elected. 4.11 Voting will be conducted using ballot papers with each Party member attending the AGM able to vote. 5. Term of Office The term of office for each Committee member shall run from the end of the AGM of the election until the end of the next constituency association AGM. 6. Co-Option onto Committee 6.1 Where the Committee, for any reason, falls below full strength then an association member in good standing may be co-opted onto the Committee to fill the vacancy. 6.2 A majority of the Committee including the association Chairman must vote in favour of the co-option for it to take place. 6.3 If any of the positions of Chairman, Treasurer or Secretary becomes vacant then the Committee will appoint a replacement from its own number to serve for the remainder of the term. 6.4 In all cases members co-opted to fill or replace elected members of the Committee will have full voting rights and will serve the remainder of the relevant term of office.  6.5 The Committee may invite Party members onto the Committee for other defined purposes but such members shall have no voting rights. A majority of the Committee including the association Chairman must vote in favour of the invitation for it to take place. Members invited in this fashion will be invited to serve for a specific purpose and a defined period of time. 7. Resignation & Expulsion 7.1 A resignation from the Committee shall be evidenced in writing by the member resigning or, if given verbally, shall be minuted after verification. 7.2 A Committee member who fails to attend three consecutive Committee meetings may be relieved of his position on the Committee subject to a majority vote in favour, which must include the Chairman. 7.3 The Party's Discipline Committee will deal with all other disciplinary matters. 8. Quoracy & Frequency of Committee meetings 8.1 A Committee will be quorate when it has been properly convened by the branch Secretary and five members are present. The five members must include at least two of the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer. 8.2 The Committee shall meet at least six times a year. 8.3 Only the association Secretary or Chairman may cancel a properly convened Committee meeting. 8.4 A meeting shall be properly convened when notice of the meeting, including its time and location together with an agenda, has been dispatched by first class post three days in advance or two days if sent by e-mail, fax or if given verbally of the proposed meeting date. 8.5 Emergency Committee meetings may be convened by the association Secretary or Chairman at shorter notice. At least five members of the Committee must be able to attend the meeting including at least two of the Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary. The meeting will deal only with the specific items of business for which it was convened. 9. The Chairman The branch Chairman shall chair all Committee meetings at which he is in attendance, the AGM and any other Emergency or General meetings of the association which may be held. He has principal responsibility for the direction of the association and shall have day to day control of its organisation. 10. The Secretary 10.1 The association Secretary shall be responsible for the day to day conduct of the administration of the Committee and for ensuring that the administrative and other arrangements of the association comply with all legal requirements, the Party Constitution and the Party Rule Book; for maintaining an up to date record of Party members resident in the association; for the administration of association elections, and for the organisation of the AGM. 10.2 The Secretary shall notify the Party Secretary of any changes to constituency registration details within the timescales stipulated by the Party Secretary 10.3 The Secretary shall maintain the list of approved candidates for local government elections. 10.4 The Secretary shall maintain the Constituency Association Standing Orders. 10.5 The Secretary shall ensure that there is a Deputy Nominating Officer in place for the constituency. 11. The Treasurer The branch Treasurer shall be responsible for the managing the association's finances, for preparing annual accounts and for presenting them to the AGM. In addition, he will be responsible for ensuring that the legal provisions relating to the reporting of donations and campaign expenditure are complied with and in particular the quarterly reports required under the Political Parties Elections and Referendums Act (2000). The Treasurer shall send a copy of the constituency accounts approved by the committee and received by the AGM to the Party Treasurer within two weeks of the constituency association AGM. 12. Separation of Office The offices of association Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer may be held only singly. 13. Ordinary Elected Members 13.1 Ordinary Elected Members are not elected to a specific function, but may be assigned particular responsibilities by the Committee according to the requirements of the time. Examples of such duties include fund-raising, organising social activities, election co-ordination activities, publicity, and media relations. In addition, other Committee members may undertake certain responsibilities of the Chairman, Secretary or Treasurer although the responsibility will remain with the respective association Officer. 13.2 In fulfilling their responsibilities all Committee members may seek the assistance of association members, although the responsibility will remain with the relevant Committee member. 14. Sub-Committees The Committee may appoint sub-Committees for the performance of particular functions. Recommendations of sub-Committees will be presented to the association Committee for approval. 15. Selection of Candidates 15.1 The Committee will select a shortlist of potential parliamentary candidates by interview. Potential candidates selected will be from the Party's approved potential candidates list. Where a selected potential candidate is not on the list, the Chairman of the Committee will make the necessary arrangements to ensure his inclusion. 15.2 An association Selection Meeting will then be held. This will be chaired by the association Chairman or by another member of the association Committee. All members of the association will be invited to attend. Ten days notice of the meeting will be given (if possible). Constituency association members may vote for one potential candidate at the meeting. The successful candidate will be the one who achieves the highest number of votes. 15.3 Local government candidates will be chosen by the association Committee from those who put their names forward to stand in such elections. 16. Appointment of Deputy Nominating Officer The committee shall nominate a member of the Party to the Party's National Registered Nominating Officer (usually the Party Secretary) to act as the constituency's Deputy Nominating Officer. The Deputy Nominating Officer shall be authorised to use the party's name in elections and shall act in accordance with the instructions of the association committee. 17. Appointment of Parliamentary Election Agent An election agent will be appointed by the candidate. 18. Change of Rules 18.1 These rules may be changed either to accord with changes in the Party Constitution, Rulebook or for other reasons. In each case the revised rules will be submitted to the constituency AGM for approval. 18.2 All changes, except those pertaining to the organisation, powers and management of the association AGM, may be implemented immediately by the Committee if five member of the Committee, including the Chairman, vote in favour. Rules implemented in this way will be subject to approval at the next AGM. 18.3 Rule changes relating to the organisation, powers and management of the AGM shall be subject to approval by simple majority of the AGM before they are implemented. 19. Major Problems In the event of a major problem preventing the association Committee from functioning effectively, the administration of the association will pass to the Party Chairman or his appointed representative(s) until the difficulty has been resolved. 20. Annual General Meeting 20.1 The association will hold a General Meeting each year. The meeting will be open to all association members in good standing and to Party members from other constituencies who may attend as guests. Only association members may vote at the General Meeting. 20.2 Initial notice of the AGM will be dispatched at least six weeks in advance of the meeting to all association members. Items for inclusion on the agenda may be submitted to the association Secretary up to two weeks before the AGM. A final notice and agenda will be distributed to members in the two weeks leading up to the AGM. 20.3 Decisions on items to be included as agenda items will be made by the association Committee. 21. Extraordinary General Meetings 21.1 The association Secretary will convene an Extraordinary General Meeting as soon as practicable following a resolution of the association Committee or when a request signed by 25% of the association membership is received. 21.2 An EGM will be will restricted to dealing with the business for which it was called. 21.3 The notice period and other arrangements for an EGM shall be the same as those for the AGM. 22. Emergency Meetings 22.1 Emergency meetings of the constituency association may be called by the association committee in order to deal with matters of business that arise requiring urgent attention, such as Candidate selection meetings - in which case they will be termed Selection meetings 22.2 Notice of an Emergency meeting may be made in writing, in person or by such other means as may be available so that reasonable attempts are made to contact all constituency association members. Definitions of terms and phrases used in this document 'In good standing' a fully paid up Party member who is not suspended.