Constitution 2019

GENERAL

The name of the society shall be “The Caledonian Society of Riyadh”.

In these rules, unless the context requires otherwise:

“Society” means the Caledonian Society of Riyadh
“Riyadh” means the city of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
“Rules” means these general rules
“Committee” means the general committee of the Society
“AGM” means Annual General Meeting
“GM” means General Meeting
Words importing the masculine gender shall include the feminine gender.

OBJECTIVES

The aims and objectives of the society are:

To promote and encourage Scottish cultural interests and maintain fellowship and welfare among members.
To preserve the Scottish national character and institutions and celebrate Scottish anniversaries.
To adopt such means to make known the aims and objectives and purposes of the Society as may seem expedient.
To raise funds for charitable organisations, the recipients of such funds to be decided by the committee under normal voting rules.

MEMBERSHIP

Membership of the Society shall be open to:

Single Membership: Any person of not less than 18 years of age, who was born in Scotland, is a descendent of Scottish parents /grandparents or has an interest in Scottish culture.

Family Membership: Legally married Couple who are of Scottish descent or have an interest in Scottish culture.

Honorary Membership: The General Committee may invite and elect any person who has rendered service to the Society to be an honorary member. Honorary members will not be required to pay an annual membership fee.

Non-Scottish descendents and honorary members shall be entitled to vote at any meeting of the Society but shall not be eligible to hold the office of Chieftain in the Society.

Any member on the date on which the rules are changed shall continue as a member even if not qualifying under the new rules.

ADMISSION OF MEMBERS
1. Every candidate for admission for single or family membership shall be nominated / proposed by one society member and seconded by two Committee members. The nominee/proposer shall vouch from their personal knowledge, for the fitness of the candidate. Proposals must be on the application form and will be verified by the Committee. The two secondaries shall be committee members and cannot be the spouse or partner of the proposer. The candidate shall bide by the terms and conditions of the Society; once they have submitted the application on the website.
2. The omissions from or inaccuracies in the particulars relating to, or the description of, any candidate shall render his election voidable at the discretion of the committee.
3. The Committee, at every meeting thereof appointed for the election of members, shall consider the applications of all candidates and shall decide if elected, refused or deferred to a later date.
4. Every candidate for membership who has been duly elected by the Committee shall be informed by the Membership Secretary of the society; or other appointed Committee member that he has been elected. The new member will be made aware, and will be required to acknowledge their acceptance, of the Society rules. New members will also be required to provide payment of the annual subscription and other documents such as their passport and Igama copies as applicable.
5. Upon payment of the subscription and receipt of the passport and Igama copies and any other required documents, he shall become a member of the Society and be entitled to all the benefits and privileges of membership and be bound by these rules.
6. If such subscription fee and passport photographs and other required documents are not received within 60 days from the date of such request aforesaid, the election shall be void unless he shall satisfy the Committee that the delay was due to absence from Riyadh or any sufficient cause.
7. The subscription fee shall be determined by the Committee and from time to time and shall be approved by the Annual General Meeting.
8. Any member failing to pay the annual subscription by the due date shall not be entitled to vote at the succeeding Annual or special General Meeting and shall not be eligible for election to any office.
9. The first subscription shall be due immediately after election and there after the annual subscription shall become due and payable at the AGM or by the 30th November on each year.
10. Subscriptions for new membership joining the Society in the last quarter of any year shall be deemed to cover that quarter and the whole of the succeeding year.
11. No member of the Society shall receive payment directly or indirectly whether in money or in kind
12. A member who has been authorised to incur expenditure on behalf of the Society shall be reimbursed on production of a proper receipt, therefore.
13. No member of the Society is empowered to enter into any Contract for goods or services without the express authority of the Committee except those delegated to them such powers and directions as are deemed necessary for them to carry out their functions in the interests of the Society.
Admission to single, family and honorary membership shall be by election by the Committee. No person shall be admitted to membership of the society until so elected.
TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP
1. Membership will cease on death, resignation or forfeiture
2. Any member may resign his membership by giving the Secretary or other appointed Committee member, notice in writing to that effect.
3. It shall be the duty of the Committee, if at any time they are of the opinion that a member has behaved in such a manner that his continued membership is not in the best interests of the Society; to advise the Chieftain/ secretary to email the member and invite him to offer an explanation of his conduct by a return email.
4. The Committee shall at such times have authority to expel the member if it is deemed that their membership is no longer in the best interests of the Society. If this matter has to be determined, not less than five members of the Committee shall vote for his expulsion, and he shall cease to be a member of the Society immediately.
5. Any person shall, upon being banned or expelled from the society will have their names submitted to a Black list for future functions. This expulsion will also result in their name being submitted to other societies and other official venues of such a notification.
6. Any person shall, upon ceasing to be a member of the Society, forfeit all right to claim upon the society and its property and funds.
7. Any member failing to pay his annual subscription by the 30th November will cease to become a member and subsequently if he wishes to rejoin the society he must apply in accordance with section (4).
TICKETING AND EVENTS
1. Invitations to events are made to members only. Members may bring guests to the events:
  1. Single members = maximum 2 guest
  2. Family members = maximum 4 guests
2. Additional tickets for member’s guests may be available subject to confirmation from Committee members

No emails received regarding events or activities of the committee should be circulated to any non-members
Tickets for events are NON-TRANSFERABLE and NON-REFUNDABLE under any circumstances once sold for security reasons.
Tickets MUST be requested through the secretary, (secretarycalsoc@gmail.com) or through any other means deemed appropriate by the Committee
Tickets will only be issued on receipt of payment in full by the stipulated deadline for pick up.
Pickup points for tickets will be announced through the Ticketmaster or committee designee
Ticketholders found to have transferred tickets will have their membership cancelled and will be blacklisted for any further events held by the society.
Additional rules and regulations regarding events will be found on the ticket and must be adhered to.
Members bringing guests to any of the society functions are solely responsible for your guest behavior and should make sure their guests abide by the society’s rules and regulations as well.
Failure to abide by the rules and regulations on the ticket will result in non-admittance or expulsion from the event.
Members requesting tickets for events, once confirmed by email are accepted as true to be attending the Society event. Failure to pick-up booked tickets by the cutoff date will render the member to be excluded from the next society event. The member must email the Secretary regarding the cancellation circumstances at least 48hrs before the cutoff date to allow the tickets to be available to those on the waiting list.

MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION
1. The officers of the Society shall consist of the Chieftain, Secretary and Treasurer.
2. In the event of any casual vacancy in the office of Chieftain, Secretary or Treasurer, the Committee may appoint one of themselves or some other member of the Society to fill such vacancy until the next General Meeting.
3. The management and control of the affairs of the Society shall be vested in the Committee which shall consist of a maximum of 9 members, including the following posts:
  1. The Chieftain
  2. The Secretary
  3. The Treasurer
  4. Membership secretary
  5. Webmaster
  6. Merchandise Sales Coordinator
  7. Events Photographer
4. The Committee shall be elected at each Annual General Meeting and shall hold office until the next Annual General Meeting with the exception of the Chieftain, whose run of term is two years. The Committee shall retire but shall be eligible for re-election unless they wish to stand down and voice an opinion not to be re-elected.
5. Where the number of candidates for committee members exceeds the number required, a ballot shall be conducted amongst the members present at the AGM.
6. The Committee shall have the power to co-opt any other member either to fill any casual vacancy or by way of addition to the Committee provided that the prescribed maximum is not thereby exceeded. Any member so appointed shall have all the rights of a member elected at the Annual General Meeting and shall retain his office only until next Annual General Meeting.
7. The Committee shall meet on a monthly basis and as and when the business and interests of the Society shall demand. Five members of the Committee shall form a quorum. Minutes shall be taken of all the proceedings of the Committee and shall be open to inspection by any member of the Society applying to the Secretary.
8. Questions arising at any meeting shall be decided by a majority of votes by a show of hands and in the case of an equality of votes, the Chieftain shall have the casting vote. Voting by proxy shall not be permitted.
9. The Committee may from time to time appoint from among their number such sub-committees as they deem necessary or expedient and may depute to them such powers and duties of the Committee as the Committee may determine. Such sub- committees shall periodically report their proceedings to the Committee and shall conduct their business in accordance with the direction of the Committee. Sub-committee members who are not on the Committee shall not have the rights of elected members of the Committee.
10. The Chieftain, the Treasurer and one other member of the Committee elected by the Committee shall constitute a finance sub-committee to advise the General Committee on the finances and expenditures of the Society. Two members of this subcommittee shall form a quorum.
11. The Committee shall from time to time make, repeal and amend all rules and regulations not inconsistent with the aims and objectives of the constitution. All rules and regulations made or set aside by the Committee are ratified by a General Meeting of the Society.
12. Committee members should solely be a member of the Caledonian Society Committee and not on any other board or Committee. Confidentiality must always be adhered to with regards to committee business unless otherwise stipulated.
13. Any member of the Committee is expected to carry out the relevant duty nominated by the committee and agreed per committee member at meetings and carry out the duties accordingly for events when they occur.
14. Any member of the Committee is expected if attending events to help with set up of the venue and clear up afterwards as required, (unless they specify, they cannot stay for the whole event and request to be exempt from this duty.)
15. Any member of the committee who is absent from three (3) consecutive committee meetings without reasonable cause will automatically forfeit their position on the committee.
THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
1. The Annual General Meeting of the Society shall be held on a date no later than 30th October each year for the following purposes:
  1. To receive from the Treasurer an annual report and audited financial statement and the preceding year.
  2. To elect officers and a Committee for the ensuing year.
  3. To decide on any resolution, this may be duly submitted prior to the AGM in accordance with rule 8.4.
  4. To decide the list of charitable causes
  5. To transact such other business as it falls to the Society in its AGM to dispose of
2. All members who have completed at least one anniversary as a members will have the right to attend the AGM
3. No member shall be entitled to raise a resolution or vote at a General Meeting unless their annual subscription has been paid for that year.
4. A member wishing to move any resolution at the Annual General Meeting shall give notice thereof in writing to the Secretary not less than four weeks prior to the Annual General Meeting.
5. The Committee may at any time for any special purpose, call a special General Meeting and they shall do so upon the request, in writing, of any fifteen members stating the purpose for which the meeting is required. The meeting shall be called within 28 days of such a request.
  1. Not less than 42 days before the Annual General Meeting, notice of such meeting shall be posted on the Society website.
  2. Not less than 14 days before the Annual General Meeting, notice of the business to be transacted shall be posted on the Society website. e.g. agenda
6. At all General Meetings the chair shall be taken by the Chieftain or in his absence by a member selected by the Chieftain. Every question shall be decided by a majority of votes. Every eligible member present shall be entitled to one vote upon every motion and in the case of equality of votes; the Chieftain shall have the deciding vote.
7. At any General Meeting, unless a ballot is demanded by five members present, all questions shall be decided by a show of hands and a declaration by the Chieftain that a resolution has been carried, or carried by a particular majority, or lost, or not carried by a particular majority and shall be conclusive.
8. If a ballot vote is demanded by any five members, it shall be taken in such a manner and at such time and place as the Chieftain (or chair of the meeting) directs. The result of the ballot, as declared by the Chieftain shall be deemed to be the resolution of the meeting at which the ballot was demanded.
9. The quorum at all General meetings shall be 18 members. If within half an hour from the time appointed for holding of a General meeting a quorum is not present, the meeting shall be adjourned for a period of not less than seven days. If at such an 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.
ACCOUNTS
1. The financial year starts on 1st September and ends on 31st August in each year to which day the accounts of the Society shall be balanced.
2. All monies received on behalf of the Society shall be recorded in the name of the Society. All sums received and paid on behalf of the Society shall be recorded by the Treasurer.
3. The Society’s accounts shall be made up at the last day of August and the Treasurer shall prepare, audit and print every year an annual account and an audited financial statement up to the same date. The accounts shall be laid before the Society at the next Annual General Meeting and a copy if the same shall be made available to all members attending the meeting.
APPLICATION OF THE RULES AND NOTICES
1. The Committee shall be the sole authority for the interpretation of these rules and regulations made hereunder and the decision of the Committee upon any question of interpretation or upon any matter affecting the Society and not provided by these rules and regulations shall be final and binding on the members. The Committee will be empowered to settle all matters not provided for in these rules.
2. These rules may be added to, repealed or amended by resolution at any Annual or special General Meeting, provided the resolution is passed by a majority of at least three-quarters of the attending members voting.
3. It is the responsibility of every member of the Society to communicate to the secretary or any other appointed Committee member any changes in contact details. Otherwise all contact details received on the initial submission of the web-application shall be considered as correct.
4. Any notice required to be served by the Society to members and not provided for in these rules shall be inserted at least once in a general email to last known addresses, and posted on the Society website.
DISSOLUTION
1. A special resolution may be proposed to a General Meeting to wind up the affairs of the Society. Any such resolution shall be submitted to the Secretary in writing at least one month before the meeting at which it is proposed and shall not be passed unless carried by at least three quarters of the members present. In the event of such resolution being passed, all the assets of the society shall be realized, and all liabilities of the society discharged. Any balances remaining shall be donated to charitable causes as decided by the members.

APPROVAL OF THE RULES:

THESE RULES WERE AMENDED ON 10TH SEPTEMBER 2019 AND TO BE APPROVED AT THE AGM ON THE 15TH OCTOBER 2019