Objectives and Rules of the Circle
THE ASSOCIATION SHALL BE CITED AS ‘THE BELFAST SPEAKERS’ CIRCLE’ AND IS HEREAFTER REFERRED TO AS ‘THE CIRCLE’
OBJECTIVES
The objectives of ‘The Circle’ are to:
(a) Encourage, promote and foster a high standard of public speaking.
(b) Give advice and assistance on the preparation and delivery of speeches and toasts.
(c) Provide members with a sympathetic, but critical circle of listeners.
(d) Establish a panel of voluntary speakers upon which other bodies may draw, if they so desire.
(e) Arrange cultural and social gatherings.
RULES
These rules shall be cited as ‘The Belfast Speakers’ Circle Rules’ and shall be read as one with any amendment thereof for the time being in force.
The masculine gender shall be taken to include the feminine gender throughout these Rules.
MEMBERSHIP
(a) The Committee may admit any person to membership and may suspend or remove any person from membership.
(b) The members of The Circle may submit recommendations for Honorary Life Membership to the Committee. The Committee will decide whether or not the nomination should be put to the AGM. These recommendations must be submitted to the committee, in writing by a Proposer and a Seconder, at least two weeks prior to the AGM. The distinction will be reserved for meritorious service to The Circle. The Committee’s decision regarding the submission of name(s) to the AGM will be final.
(c) Any person elected to membership of The Circle shall be supplied with a copy of these rules and shall be deemed to have agreed to be bound by them.
(d) An Associate Membership category is available to allow these members who attend The Circle but who do not wish to speak at the meetings. They will pay a reduced subscription (set by the Committee) and will have the same voting rights as Full Members.
SUBSCRIPTION
(a) The Committee shall fix the annual subscription payable by members.
(b) Members’ subscription shall be payable annually. Any member whose subscription has not been paid before 30th November of each year shall automatically cease to be a member.
If a former member, who ceases to be a member by reason of his failure to pay his annual subscription before 30th November, and makes application for renewal of membership during the year he shall pay the full annual subscription.
(b) Any new member who joins The Circle in October, November or December shall pay the full annual subscription and any new member who joins in January, February or March shall pay one half of the annual subscription.
BUSINESS
The business of ‘The Circle’ shall be transacted by a Committee, which shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting.
THE COMMITTEE
(a) The Committee shall comprise of a total of nine members and include the following:
The President
The immediate outgoing President (Past)
The Honorary Secretary (who shall be elected from the floor)
The Honorary Treasurer (who shall be elected from the floor)
And four additional members.
(b) Any fully paid up member of the Belfast Speakers’ Circle is eligible for election to the Committee.
(c) The Committee may fill any vacancies remaining after an election by co-opting members at its discretion or when a vacancy occurs during the life of the Committee.
(d) The Committee shall remain in office until the next AGM following their election.
(e) Members wishing to stand for election to the Committee shall either be present at the AGM or provide written consent of their willingness to serve on the Committee in advance of the AGM.
(f) Eligibility to vote at the AGM shall be limited to only paid up and associated members.
(g) The out-going Past President shall be responsible for the appointment of tellers at the AGM.
PRESIDENT, HONORARY TREASURER & HONORARY SECRETARY
(a) The criteria for the election of President. He will have served on the Committee for a period of 3 years, and not served as President in the previous 5 years. If this criteria cannot be met then the members elect a President as the circumstances allow.
(b) In exceptional circumstances should any vacancy occur in the above offices the Committee would elect a successor who shall hold the office for the remainder of The Circle’s year.
(c) At all meetings of the Circle or of the Committee, the President shall normally chair the meeting. In the exceptional absence of the President a Past President shall preside.
MEETINGS
(a) The AGM of the Circle shall be held not later than 30th April each year.
(b) The date of the AGM shall be given in the Programme for the second session each year and this shall be deemed to be the official notice of the meeting.
(c) The Circle shall meet on each Monday evening between the last Monday in September and the 30th April as the Committee shall decide. This period shall be divided into two sessions, the first being between the last Monday in September and the 31st December and the second being between the succeeding 1st January and 30th April.
(d) The Committee shall meet from time to time as business requires or on the request of the President. Not less than five members of the Committee shall be present for any Committee Meeting.
(e) Extraordinary Special General Meetings of the Circle may be held when required by the President. These meetings may also be required in writing by a minimum of 10 ordinary members of The Circle. Not less than fifteen days notice shall be given to the Committee in the case of any general Meeting that shall be requested by ordinary members.
(f) At all General Meetings and Committee Meetings decisions shall be taken by the majority vote of those present. Voting shall be by a show of hands or by secret ballot at the discretion of the President. In the event of a tied vote the President shall have the casting vote.
POWER AND DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE
(a) The Committee shall ensure that the income and property of The Circle shall be directed solely towards the objectives of The Circle.
(b) The Committee shall cause full and true accounts to be kept of the income and expenditure of The Circle.
(c) The Committee shall cause at the end of each financial year a Balance sheet and accounts of The Circle to be examined and reported upon by an Honorary Auditor who shall be appointed at the annual General Meeting.
(d) The Committee shall cause at the conclusion of each year an Annual report to be presented to members at the Annual General Meeting.
(e) The Committee shall have the power to rent any building hall or room used as a place of meeting or for advancing any of the objectives of The Circle.
(f) The Committee may set up a Sub-Committee as appropriate for any specific purpose under the Rules. They must report back to the full Committee upon completion of the task.
QUORUM
(a) The quorum for a General Meeting of The Circle shall be the presence of TEN members.
(b) The quorum for any Committee meeting shall be the presence of FIVE Committee members.
INDEMNITY OF MEMBERS AND OFFICERS
No member of The Circle shall by reason of such membership incur any liability other than the payment of the annual subscription. AMENDMENT OF RULES
These rules may be amended at the Annual General Meeting or at any Special General Meeting of The Circle as appropriate provided they are carried by the majority membership of The Circle under the rules then in force. Any amendments shall be made in writing by a Proposer and a Seconder 15 days before the AGM or any Special General Meeting. The rules should be reviewed every five years or when necessary.
OBJECTIVES
The objectives of ‘The Circle’ are to:
(a) Encourage, promote and foster a high standard of public speaking.
(b) Give advice and assistance on the preparation and delivery of speeches and toasts.
(c) Provide members with a sympathetic, but critical circle of listeners.
(d) Establish a panel of voluntary speakers upon which other bodies may draw, if they so desire.
(e) Arrange cultural and social gatherings.
RULES
These rules shall be cited as ‘The Belfast Speakers’ Circle Rules’ and shall be read as one with any amendment thereof for the time being in force.
The masculine gender shall be taken to include the feminine gender throughout these Rules.
MEMBERSHIP
(a) The Committee may admit any person to membership and may suspend or remove any person from membership.
(b) The members of The Circle may submit recommendations for Honorary Life Membership to the Committee. The Committee will decide whether or not the nomination should be put to the AGM. These recommendations must be submitted to the committee, in writing by a Proposer and a Seconder, at least two weeks prior to the AGM. The distinction will be reserved for meritorious service to The Circle. The Committee’s decision regarding the submission of name(s) to the AGM will be final.
(c) Any person elected to membership of The Circle shall be supplied with a copy of these rules and shall be deemed to have agreed to be bound by them.
(d) An Associate Membership category is available to allow these members who attend The Circle but who do not wish to speak at the meetings. They will pay a reduced subscription (set by the Committee) and will have the same voting rights as Full Members.
SUBSCRIPTION
(a) The Committee shall fix the annual subscription payable by members.
(b) Members’ subscription shall be payable annually. Any member whose subscription has not been paid before 30th November of each year shall automatically cease to be a member.
If a former member, who ceases to be a member by reason of his failure to pay his annual subscription before 30th November, and makes application for renewal of membership during the year he shall pay the full annual subscription.
(b) Any new member who joins The Circle in October, November or December shall pay the full annual subscription and any new member who joins in January, February or March shall pay one half of the annual subscription.
BUSINESS
The business of ‘The Circle’ shall be transacted by a Committee, which shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting.
THE COMMITTEE
(a) The Committee shall comprise of a total of nine members and include the following:
The President
The immediate outgoing President (Past)
The Honorary Secretary (who shall be elected from the floor)
The Honorary Treasurer (who shall be elected from the floor)
And four additional members.
(b) Any fully paid up member of the Belfast Speakers’ Circle is eligible for election to the Committee.
(c) The Committee may fill any vacancies remaining after an election by co-opting members at its discretion or when a vacancy occurs during the life of the Committee.
(d) The Committee shall remain in office until the next AGM following their election.
(e) Members wishing to stand for election to the Committee shall either be present at the AGM or provide written consent of their willingness to serve on the Committee in advance of the AGM.
(f) Eligibility to vote at the AGM shall be limited to only paid up and associated members.
(g) The out-going Past President shall be responsible for the appointment of tellers at the AGM.
PRESIDENT, HONORARY TREASURER & HONORARY SECRETARY
(a) The criteria for the election of President. He will have served on the Committee for a period of 3 years, and not served as President in the previous 5 years. If this criteria cannot be met then the members elect a President as the circumstances allow.
(b) In exceptional circumstances should any vacancy occur in the above offices the Committee would elect a successor who shall hold the office for the remainder of The Circle’s year.
(c) At all meetings of the Circle or of the Committee, the President shall normally chair the meeting. In the exceptional absence of the President a Past President shall preside.
MEETINGS
(a) The AGM of the Circle shall be held not later than 30th April each year.
(b) The date of the AGM shall be given in the Programme for the second session each year and this shall be deemed to be the official notice of the meeting.
(c) The Circle shall meet on each Monday evening between the last Monday in September and the 30th April as the Committee shall decide. This period shall be divided into two sessions, the first being between the last Monday in September and the 31st December and the second being between the succeeding 1st January and 30th April.
(d) The Committee shall meet from time to time as business requires or on the request of the President. Not less than five members of the Committee shall be present for any Committee Meeting.
(e) Extraordinary Special General Meetings of the Circle may be held when required by the President. These meetings may also be required in writing by a minimum of 10 ordinary members of The Circle. Not less than fifteen days notice shall be given to the Committee in the case of any general Meeting that shall be requested by ordinary members.
(f) At all General Meetings and Committee Meetings decisions shall be taken by the majority vote of those present. Voting shall be by a show of hands or by secret ballot at the discretion of the President. In the event of a tied vote the President shall have the casting vote.
POWER AND DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE
(a) The Committee shall ensure that the income and property of The Circle shall be directed solely towards the objectives of The Circle.
(b) The Committee shall cause full and true accounts to be kept of the income and expenditure of The Circle.
(c) The Committee shall cause at the end of each financial year a Balance sheet and accounts of The Circle to be examined and reported upon by an Honorary Auditor who shall be appointed at the annual General Meeting.
(d) The Committee shall cause at the conclusion of each year an Annual report to be presented to members at the Annual General Meeting.
(e) The Committee shall have the power to rent any building hall or room used as a place of meeting or for advancing any of the objectives of The Circle.
(f) The Committee may set up a Sub-Committee as appropriate for any specific purpose under the Rules. They must report back to the full Committee upon completion of the task.
QUORUM
(a) The quorum for a General Meeting of The Circle shall be the presence of TEN members.
(b) The quorum for any Committee meeting shall be the presence of FIVE Committee members.
INDEMNITY OF MEMBERS AND OFFICERS
No member of The Circle shall by reason of such membership incur any liability other than the payment of the annual subscription. AMENDMENT OF RULES
These rules may be amended at the Annual General Meeting or at any Special General Meeting of The Circle as appropriate provided they are carried by the majority membership of The Circle under the rules then in force. Any amendments shall be made in writing by a Proposer and a Seconder 15 days before the AGM or any Special General Meeting. The rules should be reviewed every five years or when necessary.