| 2. | The objects of the Society are to advance the education of the public by the study, culture and propagation of cacti and other succulent plants and to promote the conservation of such plants. In furtherance of these general objects but not further or otherwise the Society may |
| (a) | gather and disseminate particulars of cultivation and propagation, |
| (b) | hold meetings, shows, lectures, exhibitions, visits to collections; exchange plants, seeds and study materials; publish journals, books, manuals and other materials and such other activities as may promote the objects, |
| (c) | raise funds and invite and receive contributions from any person or persons whatever by way of subscriptions, publication of books, manuals and other materials and otherwise provided that the Society shall not undertake any permanent trading activities in raising funds for its primary charitable objects. |
| 4. | The Honorary Officials of the Society shall be: |
| (a) | The Chairman, who shall preside at all meetings of the Executive Committee, also, in the absence of the President, at General Meetings. |
| (b) | The Vice-Chairman, who shall act in the absence of the Chairman. In the absence of the Chairman and Vice-Chairman at any one meeting, the meeting may invite one of its members to act as Chairman for that meeting. |
| (c) | The Secretary, who shall conduct the correspondence and business of the Society and generally act in accordance with the decisions of the Executive Committee and its Committees. |
| (d) | The Membership Secretary, who shall enrol new members, maintain the register of members and deal with matters relating thereto and undertake such other duties as defined by the Finance and General Purposes Committee. |
| (e) | The Treasurer, who shall receive, expend and keep and submit proper accounts of all monies of the Society in accordance with the decisions of the Executive Committee and the Finance and General Purposes committee and shall at every Annual General Meeting present proper accounts duly audited by qualified accountants. |
| (f) | The Journal Editor and the Bradleya Editor who shall be responsible for the Society publications and they may appoint an Editorial Board to advise them. Members of this Board shall be eligible for expenses as set out in rule 9. |
| 5. | (a) | The Society shall be managed by an Executive Committee consisting of Life Members, Fellows, the Officials, Ancillary Officers, members of permanent Committees, Zonal Representatives and Branch delegates. Meetings shall be at such places, times and dates as it may decide. |
| (b) | The quorum necessary for the transaction of business of the Executive Committee shall be thirty. |
| 6. | The Executive Committee shall appoint such Committees as it deems necessary and in all respects they may be called to account to the Executive Committee. |
| 7 | (a) | (i) A Finance and General Purposes Committee shall act and decide in all matters where submission to the Executive Committee or the Annual General Meeting would cause unreasonable delay. |
| | (ii) The Finance and General Purposes Committee shall consist of the Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Secretary, Journal Editor, Bradleya Editor, Journal Advertising Officer, Marketing Officer, Publications Officer, Shows Committee Representative, and not more than four additional members elected by the Executive Committee. The additional members shall serve for one year but be eligible for re-election. |
| | (iii) All monies and property of the Society shall be under control of the members of the Finance and General Purposes Committee. |
| | (iv) The Finance and General Purposes Committee may appoint Trustees to manage any Trust Fund in the name of the Society. |
| (b) | (i) A Shows Committee, one third of the members of which shall be elected annually by the Executive Committee, shall be responsible for all matters pertaining to Society Shows. Expenditure incurred by this Committee shall be agreed by the Finance and General Purposes Committee. |
| | (ii) The Shows Committee shall nominate one representative to sit on the Finance and General Purposes Committee. |
| 8. | Honorary Ancillary Officers. |
| (a) | The Finance and General Purposes Committee shall appoint the Librarians, Journal Advertising Officer, Journal Newsletter Editor, Marketing Officer, Publications Officer, Associates Liaison Officer, Internet Liaison Officer, Public Liaison Officer, Robins Organiser, Seed Purchaser, Seed Distributor and the Miscellaneous Sales Officer annually. |
| (b) | The Minutes Secretary shall be appointed by the Executive Committee annually. |
| 9. | The second class travelling expenses or cost of fuel incurred for attendance at any meetings by any Officials listed in Rules 4, 5, 7 or 8 except Branch delegates shall be refunded by the Treasurer. |
| 10. | Proper minutes shall be kept of all Committee and General Meetings and entered into a minute book to be submitted to, approved and signed by the Chairman at the subsequent meeting. |
| 11. | The Branches of the Society shall be allocated to Zones, the number and distribution of which shall be decided by the Executive Committee. A Representative shall be elected for each Zone by the members of that Zone only. The Zonal Representatives shall maintain contact with the Branches in the Zone assisting them with advice, the organisation of visits by speakers, lectures, exhibitions and other matters when requested. The Zonal Representative shall serve for one year, and shall be eligible for re-election. |
| 15. | The Society shall hold an Annual General Meeting not later than 30th. April of each year when the following business shall be transacted: |
| (a) | To receive the Chairman's report. |
| (b) | To receive the Treasurer's annual report and audited accounts for the preceding year. |
| (c) | To elect a President and Vice-Presidents. |
| (d) | To receive the result of any postal ballot. |
| (e) | To deal with any other relevant business and reports. |
| 16. | Attendance at General Meetings shall be open only to members of the Society and notice of the date and place of the meeting shall be given at least twelve weeks prior to such meetings. |
| 17. | An Extraordinary General Meeting shall be called at the discretion of the Executive Committee or upon the requisition in writing giving reasons for the meeting to the Secretary supported by not less than three hundred and fifty members. The Secretary shall then give written notice of the meeting through the next appropriate journal of the Society. |
| 18. | Membership in the Society shall be open to persons interested in the objects of the Society. No member shall be responsible for debts incurred by the Society.
Members may belong to any Branch of their choice. |
| 19. | All applications for membership shall be in writing and accompanied by one year's subscription or such sum as may have been approved by the Executive Committee. |
| 20. | Members of the Society shall be either Ordinary Members, Junior Members Associate Members or Affiliated Members and these categories shall be defined as follows: |
| (a) | Ordinary Members are those members who pay a subscription each year of an amount fixed by the Executive Committee. An Ordinary Member shall be entitled to attend, take part in and vote at all General and Extraordinary General and Branch meetings, and to the journal and Newsletters of the Society. An Ordinary Member is eligible for election to membership of any of the Society's Committees. |
| (b) | Junior Members shall be admitted up to the age of 18 years at such sum as shall be fixed each year by the Executive Committee. A Junior Member shall have the same rights and privileges as an Ordinary Member. |
| (c) | Associate Members do not receive copies of the Society's publications but otherwise have the same rights as Ordinary Members. |
| (d) | Affiliated Members are Societies, associations, libraries and corporations and they shall pay a subscription each year of an amount fixed by the Finance and General Purposes Committee. |
| 21. | Those Ordinary Members who are 65 years of age at the date of making or renewing an application for membership shall be entitled to pay a reduced subscription of an amount fixed by the Executive Committee. |
| 22. | All subscriptions shall be for a calendar year or such period fixed by the Executive Committee. |
| 23. | If any subscription is not received by the Society Treasurer by the 28th. February the member shall be deemed to have resigned and will be ineligible to hold office at Society, Zone or Branch level. |
| 24. | In the event of any member resigning or being expelled from the Society during any year, any subscription paid by that member shall not be apportioned, and no portion of the said subscription shall be returnable. |
| 25. | The Executive Committee shall have power to expel any member for conduct detrimental to the best interests of the Society subject to such member having first had an opportunity of putting his or her case before the Committee. |
| 26. | Any group of members may recommend to the Society Secretary the formation of a branch.
If in the opinion of the Finance and General Purposes Committee the Branch would consist of sufficient members to be and remain a viable unit that Committee shall appoint a suitable person to inaugurate the Branch. A Branch must hold at least one meeting in any three calendar months. |
| 27. | The name of the Branch shall be determined by the Finance and General Purposes Committee having regard to the wishes of the organising members of the Branch. It shall, as far as possible, indicate the geographical centre of Branch activities. |
| 28. | Every member shall be entitled to attend the meetings of any or every Branch whether or not he or she is a Branch member. |
| 29. | A Branch may be dissolved only on request to the Executive Committee and cannot be dissolved by its own Branch Committee. |
| 30. | On the dissolution of a Branch all records, monies, stationery and other assets shall immediately be transferred to one of the Officials of the Society. |
| 31. | Each Branch shall be managed by a Branch Committee (all of whom must be members of the British Cactus & Succulent Society) and they shall be elected by the members of that Branch. |
| 32. | The election of Branch Officials and Committee members shall take place at the Branch Annual General Meeting. |
| 33. | No member shall be eligible for election as an Official or member of the committee of more than one Branch except with the mutual consent of the Branches concerned. |
| 34. | Each Branch may appoint one delegate to attend and vote on behalf of the Branch at any Executive Committee meeting. |
| 35. | No Branch shall incur any commitments exceeding its financial resources without the prior consent of the Finance and General Purposes Committee. |
| 36. | Proper accounts and records of receipts and expenditure are to be kept by the Branch or Zone Treasurer and the accounts shall be audited annually by professional auditor(s) or two members of the Branch or Zone who are not members of the Branch or Zone Committee. |
| 37. | The Treasurer of each Branch or Zone shall at any time on being requested to do so by the Society Treasurer furnish a statement of receipts and payments and the necessary vouchers in support thereof. |
