(as amended on Monday 28 February 2022)
1. Name and objects
1.1 The Society shall be known as the South London Photographic Society, hereinafter referred to as ‘the Society’ and shall have as its object the association of members for mutual assistance in photographic matters by the means of demonstrations, lectures, exhibitions, competitions and excursions.
2. Membership
2.1 Membership shall be open to all who are interested in photography.
2.2 Applications for membership shall be made to the Secretary (secretary.southlondonps@gmail.com) and accepted by the Committee of the Society, on a majority vote of not less than two thirds of the full Committee. The Committee’s decision in this matter is final.
2.3 The applicant, on being elected to membership, shall become a member on payment of the appropriate subscription to the Treasurer.
2.4 The Committee may terminate the membership of a member whom they deem unsuitable, on the majority vote of not less than two thirds of the full Committee. The Committee’s decision in this matter is final.
3. Subscriptions
3.1 The annual subscription for membersip becomes due on 1st March.
3.2 The subscription rates are published in Focus South and on the Society Website.
3.3 There shall be the following categories of membership:
– full membership;
– student membership, for those aged 18 and over, in full time education;
– junior membership, for those under 18 years of age;
– honorary membership (see appendix)
– distance membership (see appendix)
3.4 Any person under 16 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all events.
3.5 New members will have their first year fees reduced on a pro-rata basis depending on their joining month.
4. Management of the Society
4.1 The management of the Society shall be vested in a Committee of not less than five (and not more than ten) members, including a President, one or more Vice Presidents, a Secretary and a Treasurer.
4.2 Except for membership matters, when two-thirds are required, four shall constitute a quorum, of whom two shall be Officers.
4.3 The President shall hold office for not more than three consecutive years and shall, after a lapse of one year, become eligible for re-election. A retiring President shall be an ex-officio member of the Committee for the year immediately following his retirement.
4.4 Officers and members of the Committee shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting.
4.5 Written nominations for the election, indicating the member’s willingness to serve, shall be in the hands of the Secretary (secretary.southlondonps@gmail.com) not less than seven days before the Annual General Meeting.
4.6 If there are no nominations, the incumbent shall continue in office, if willing, subject to the approval of the Annual General Meeting.
5. Special powers
5.1 The Committee shall have the power to co-opt any additional members, and shall have the power to determine any question not provided for in these Rules.
6. Alterations to rules
6.1 Alterations to these Rules may be made only at an Annual General Meeting of the Society, or at a Special General Meeting called for that purpose.
6.2 Alterarions to the competition rules can be made by the committee. The changes, and the date of their implementation, shall be brought to the attention of the members at the earliest opportunity.
7. Annual General Meeting
7.1 The Annual General Meeting of the Society shall be held in February of each year, a minimum of two weeks’ notice having been given.
7.2 A full Agenda detailing all matters to be dealt with shall accompany notice of the Annual General Meeting.
8. Special General Meeting
8.1 A Special General Meeting shall be called by the Secretary on the written request of not fewer than six members, or on the instruction of the Committee.
8.2 This meeting shall be held within two months of the date of such a request.
8.3 The request shall state the business for which the meeting is called, and only that business shall be discussed at the meeting, the membership having been given two weeks’ notice of the exact details of the business to be discussed.
9. Closure of the Society
9.1 Any decision that the Society should close, and its activities cease, must be decided by a vote of at least 50% of the members. Such a vote should take place at either an Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting called specifically for this purpose. Full details, including the reasons for such a motion, must be circulated at least two weeks before the meeting.
9.2 If the motion is approved the committee will notify all associations and other organisations that the society is affiliated to of the decision to close the society.
9.3 The committee will arrange for the Society’s funds, other assets and liabilities to be assessed. If more than six months of the Society’s year remains, members will be refunded the remaining proportion of their annual membership fee. After the discharge of all outstanding liabilities, the remaining society funds shall be passed to a chosen, suitable charitable organisation operating within the borough of Lewisham. All decisions on these matters will be taken by the committee and will be final.
Appendix
A1 Honorary membership
A1.1 The purpose of Honorary membership is to acknowledge those who have contributed at an extraordinary level to the goals of the Society for at least 10 years through significant involvement in its affairs.
A1.2 Honorary members receive complimentary lifetime membership to the Society.
A1.3 In all other respects, the Honorary member continue to have the same rights as any other member and are encouraged to continue their full involvement in the Society.
A1.4 Candidates for Honorary membership will be members who are nominated by another member.
A1.5 The nomination should be sent to the Secretary (secretary.southlondonps@gmail.com) and be considered by the Committee
A1.6 The committee will elect the member as an Honorary member on a majority vote of not less than two thirds of the full Committee. The Committee’s decision in this matter is final.
A2 Distance membership (also known as Digital membership)
A2.1 The purpose of Distance membership is to afford former members, who have to be absent for extended periods of time from the Society, access to the information the Society shares with its members.
A2.2 Distance members have access to the Society’s Flickr and Facebook sites and receive email and Focus South updates.
A2.3 Distance members are not eligible to stand for the committee or as an Officer of the Society.
A2.4 Distance members may enter non-Print based club competitions but cannot receive a trophy in the event of them winning one of these competition. The trophy will be held for them in absentia for the year.
A2.5 Members may apply for Distance membership by submitting an application to the Secretary (secretary.southlondonps@gmail.com). The application will be considered by the committee.
A2.6 Committee will approve the application on a majority vote of not less than two thirds of the full Committee. The Committee’s decision in this matter is final.