British Safe and Vault Trade Association Constitution – Amended AGM 2019

BRITISH SAFE AND VAULT TRADE ASSOCIATION CONSTITUTION

1.  Name

The name of the association is British Safe and Vault Trade Association and is affiliated to the international body, Eurosafe

2.  Membership

Membership is open to safe manufacturers and distributors of safes and security containers agreeing to conform to the association’s Code of Practice and will include:

Full member companies

Associate member companies and organisations

Retired members

Applications for membership (full, associate and retired) will be submitted to the Membership Committee for approval and will be subject to scrutiny in accordance with the association’s criteria for membership.

Associate and retired memberships will be honorary and granted at the discretion of the committee.

Associate and retired members will not have voting rights.

3.  Membership fees

Membership fees will be set annually and agreed at the Annual General Meeting.

4.  Officers of BSVTA

Officers of the association will include:

Chair

Deputy Chair

Secretary

Treasurer

UK Producers’ Representative

Committee Member

Committee Member

Committee Member

Officers will be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting. All officers will retire each year but will be eligible for re-appointment.

5.  Committee

The association will be managed through a Management Committee consisting of the above officers.

The Management Committee will be convened by the association’s Secretary and held no less than twice a year, normally immediately prior to a membership meeting.

The quorum required for business to be agreed at Management Committee meetings is 4.

The Management Committee will be responsible for adopting new policy, amendments to the Code of Practice and matters likely to affect the administration of the association.

The Management Committee will have powers to appoint subcommittees as necessary and appoint advisors to the Management Committee as necessary.

The Management Committee will be responsible for disciplinary hearings of members who infringe the associations Code of Practice and Constitution and will be responsible for taking any action to suspend or discipline member companies.

6.  Finance

All the association’s monies will be banked in an account in the name of the association and the Treasurer will be responsible for all financial matters.

The financial year of the association with end on 31st December

The audited statement of annual accounts will be presented by the Treasurer at the Annual General Meeting.

7.  Annual General Meetings

Notice of an Annual General Meeting (AGM) or Extraordinary Meeting (EGM) will be issued by the Secretary. Not less than 28 days clear notice will be given to all members.

The AGM will receive a report from officers of the Management Committee and a statement of the audited accounts.

Nominations for officers of the association will be sent to the Secretary at least 14 days prior to the AGM.

Elections of officers will take place at the AGM

All member companies will have the right to vote at the AGM (one vote per member company) by show of hands. By decision of the Chair or at the request of one or more full member(s) voting will be by secret ballot, by means of closed, unsigned, ballot papers. Associate and other classes of members will not have voting rights.

The quorum for the AGM will be 25% of the member companies.

The Management Committee has the right to call an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) outside the AGM.

8.  Discipline and appeals

All complaints regarding the behaviour of members should be presented and submitted in writing to the Secretary

The Management Committee will meet to hear complaints within 40 days of a complaint being lodged. The Committee has the power to take appropriate disciplinary action including termination of membership.

The outcome of a disciplinary hearing should be notified in writing to the person lodging the complaint and the member company against whom the complaint is made within 14 days of the hearing.

There will be a right to appeal to the Management Committee following disciplinary action being announced. The committee will consider the appeal within 21 days of the Secretary receiving the appeal

9.  Dissolution

A resolution to dissolve the association can only be passed at an AGM or EGM through a majority vote of the membership. The usual quorum does not apply and an absolute majority is required.

In the event of dissolution, any remaining assets of the association will be equally divided by the current members.

10. Amendments to the constitution

The constitution will only be changed through agreement by majority vote at an AGM or EGM.