The Parrot Society UK

1. The name of the Society shall be The Parrot Society hereinafter called The Society.
2. The objects of the Society shall be to promote the study, conservation and welfare of all members of the parrot family (order Psittacidae). In the furtherance of these objects, the Society shall have the following powers:
   1. Publish information available to the public in all available formats;
   2. Hold public meetings, lectures and exhibitions;
   3. Provide advice and information to its membership and interested members of the public on aspects of keeping, breeding and general welfare;
   4. Raise funds and invite and receive contributions from any person or persons by way of subscription, donation or otherwise;
   5. Take and accept any gifts of property whether subject to special trusts or not;
   6. Borrow or raise money for the purpose of The Society on such security as The Council shall think fit but so that the liability of individual members of The Society shall not exceed the amount of their respective annual subscription;
   7. Do all such other things as are necessary for the attainment of the said objects;
   8. Sanction the setting up of area meetings by members; appoint area organisers who will be responsible for arranging and conducting meetings in each approved area.
3. Membership of The Society shall be open to all persons or bodies corporate except anyone convicted of bird theft, dishonest dealing or smuggling of any type of avian species. Any member who is convicted shall be required to resign. The remaining members of the family will then have to reapply for membership, subject to Parrot Society Council discretion.
4. The annual subscription to The Society shall be such sums and for such classes of membership as The Council shall determine from time to time.
5. The membership Year of The Society and of its Magazine shall be 1st January to 31st December each year. Renewal subscriptions are due 1st January of each year and members in arrears at the end of January shall receive no further Magazines until such arrears are fully cleared. Members in arrears at 30th June shall be deemed to have resigned but may be reinstated on payment of arrears.
6. The policy and general management of The Society shall be directed by a Council consisting of a Chairman, and not more than nine ordinary members.
   1. Nominees for Chairman must be from existing or past Council members and be seconded by two Society members. Nominees for Council must be seconded by two Society members. Nominees must have at least three years continuous membership of The Parrot Society. All nominations must be in writing. Officers and other officials of other specialist societies connected with or dedicated to foreign bird keeping may stand for election or be co-opted to the Council of the Society provided that they are considered acceptable by serving Council members. However, serving officials of other bird-keeping societies will not be permitted to stand for election to officer positions within the Parrot Society UK. Bird dealers or those with proven links with bird dealers shall not be eligible for election to Council under any circumstances.
   2. The election shall be by ballot of members. A ballot slip shall be incorporated in the Magazine, containing the agenda for the AGM, which shall be posted to each UK member at least fifteen days before the Annual General Meeting. If the number of nominations is equal to, or less than the number of vacancies then a postal vote will not be exercised. Members should return their completed ballot slip by post to the auditors' office, with address on ballot slip and date for last date of receipt. The results of the postal election will be announced at the AGM, which shall be held between 1st October and 31st December. Date and venue to be decided by Council, with date to be announced at the AGM for the following year. At the first meeting following the AGM the members of Council should select one of their number by vote to be Vice-Chairman if the elected Chairman is indisposed or otherwise unable to attend any Council meeting or meetings during the year. The Vice Chairman to have a full active part in the running of the Society.
   3. All elected officers and one third of the ordinary members shall retire annually and be eligible for immediate re-election;
   4. The Council may delegate certain functions of The Society to any fully paid up member approved by The Council or to the Secretary, the Editor and such salaried staff as have been appointed provided that all acts and proceedings of those to whom functions have been delegated are reported back to the Council as soon as possible.
   5. The Council may from time to time appoint a secretary, an editor and other such salaried staff as they think fit. No member of the Council may be appointed to a salaried post within the Society or its magazine nor receive any remuneration in respect of work done for or on behalf of the Society other than repayment of reasonable out of pocket expenses incurred by them in fulfilling their duties for the Society except with the prior written approval of the Commissioners.
   6. Individuals with particular expertise may from time to time be invited to assist Council discussions, but would have no voting rights at meetings.
7. The Council of The Society shall meet at least four times a year plus the AGM. The venue of the meetings to be various agreed locations to ensure that travel costs are kept to a minimum. A Council member who does not attend a minimum of three Council meetings in a calendar year shall be deemed to have resigned and shall be ineligible for re-election for a further three years unless a satisfactory explanation of non-attendance is given to and accepted by Council. A special Council meeting can be called for by five Council members.
8. Not less than Five Council members shall form a quorum, majority vote to decide. All Council members shall have full voting rights. In the event of an equality of votes being cast the person presiding shall have a second or casting vote. Salaried officers may attend Council meetings at the discretion of the Council but they shall not exercise a vote. No salaried officer may attend that part of any meeting of the Council at which their salary or terms of work are discussed.
9. In the event of resignation or death of any Council member the Council shall be empowered to Co-opt any other eligible member of The Society to fill the vacancy to the end of the previous members period.
10. A Special General Meeting to resolve matters of extreme urgency may be called by Council or 5% of ordinary members. Such Special General Meetings shall not take place before the fourteenth day of the month of publication of the Magazine in which is published the Agenda and Notice of the calling of such a Special General Meeting. Only the subject(s) for which the Special General Meeting has been called may be discussed at such a meeting.
11. Proposals concerning the conduct of The Society must be made in writing at least fourteen days before a Council Meeting. Nominations to fill Society positions and matters for discussion at The Annual General Meeting must be made in writing and received by the Secretary prior to the 31st August for publication in the Magazine prior to the Annual General Meeting. Should insufficient nominations be published, nominations for any remaining vacancies will be accepted from the meeting. The Secretary shall remind members by placement of a notice in the July magazine each year, that any nominations for Council, Treasurer, Chairman should be sent to the Secretary in writing before the 31st August deadline.
12. The Financial Year of The Society shall be September 1st to August 31st each year. It shall be unlawful for any officer of The Society to pledge the credit of The Society other than within such limits as The Council shall from time to time determine.
13. Bank accounts shall be maintained at the discretion of Council, with sufficient funds held to cover operating costs for six months, and any cheques or transfers drawn on the account shall require the signatures of two Officers of The Society.
14. All monies at any time belonging to The Society and not required for immediate application for its purposes may be invested by The Council in or upon such investments, securities or property as it may think fit, subject to such authority approval or consent by the Charity Commissioners as may for the time being be required by law or by the special trusts affecting any property in the hands of The Council.
15. The Society shall maintain a Conservation Fund with proceeds to support various worldwide parrot conservation projects as shall from time to time be agreed by Council. Payments into this fund shall be reviewed annually. This fund shall be restricted to conservation only, throughout the life of the Society.
16. The Society may acquire property, either freehold or leasehold, and shall have the authority to utilise external management of such properties, as decided by the Council. 
17. The Financial Accounts of The Society shall be properly kept by Officers of The Society, and shall be audited annually by a professional accountant not otherwise connected with The Society and that a duly audited income and expenditure account shall be presented to the Annual General Meeting, and published on-line or by whatever alternative method the Council shall determine from time to time.
18. The Editor shall have complete discretion concerning the contents of the Magazine and its advertising rates, subject to the overall control and guidance of The Council.
19. The decision of The Council shall be final in all matters concerning Society awards.
20. A Disciplinary Tribunal constituted by The Council of The Society shall be empowered to investigate complaints made in writing to the Secretary by any member or members of The Society. The Disciplinary Tribunal shall report to The Council of the Society who shall be empowered to expel from the Society any persons or bodies corporate deemed to have brought, or who are bringing the said Society into disrepute. Any member recommended for expulsion shall be informed of the decision by The Council by registered letter sent within 48 hours and shall have the right to appeal against the decision of The Council, in person. Notice of Appeal must be received by the Secretary within fourteen days from the date the advice of the recommendation was posted. If notice of appeal is not received within fourteen days or if an appeal fails, the decision of the Council shall be published in the next issue of the Magazine. Relatives and other individuals residing at the same address as an expelled member shall be ineligible for membership of The Parrot Society. Such expulsion may be reviewed by Council after three years.
21. This Constitution shall not in any way be altered or added to by amendments or additions the effect of which would cause the Society at any time to cease to be a charity in law. Other amendments or additions to the Constitution may only be made by majority vote of members at an Annual General Meeting or, in the case of extreme urgency at a Special General Meeting arranged in compliance with the terms of paragraph 10 of this Constitution. Proposals for alterations or additions to this Constitution must be made in writing to the Secretary prior to August 31st for publication in the Magazine prior to the Annual General Meeting or if for consideration by a Special General Meeting under the terms of paragraph 10, then the written proposals must be made in time to comply with the date set for such Special General Meeting as required in paragraph 10. Upon the winding-up or dissolution of the Society, the remaining assets after payment of all liabilities shall not be distributed among the members but shall be transferred or paid to some other charitable organisation or organisations having objects similar to those of The Society. The records of The Society shall be disposed of as decided by The Council.
22. At Annual General Meetings and Special General Meetings of the Society, 12 (twelve) ordinary members of the Society present in person shall constitute a quorum. No business shall be transacted at an Annual General Meeting unless a quorum is present. Annual General Meetings and Special General Meetings shall be chaired by the Chairman or in his or her absence, by a member of the Council as the Council shall decide.

June 2018