1. NAME OF THE SOCIETY
The name of the Society shall be "The Midland Railway Society", hereinafter called "The Society".
2. OBJECTS OF THE SOCIETY
a) To study and research all aspects of the Midland Railway, including its predecessors, successors, joint lines, and working arrangements.
b) To publish and distribute amongst members a periodic Journal and other papers containing information relating to the Midland Railway.
c) To organise talks, visits, and other events with the aim of both disseminating and expanding the knowledge of members of the Society.
d) To participate in displays and exhibitions arranged by other organisations as considered appropriate for the development of the Society.
e) To promote co-operation and affiliation with other societies and organisations having like interests.
f) To act as custodians for archive material in accordance with a published Collections Policy.
3. MANAGEMENT OF THE SOCIETY
a) The management of the Society shall be placed in the hands of an Executive Committee, which shall consist of not less than six and not more than eight members, from whom the following officers, all honorary, shall be filled:-
Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Publications Co-ordinator, and Membership Secretary.
Subject to the provisions of Rule 3c, an individual may not be appointed to more than two of the above offices at any one time.
b) The Executive Committee shall be elected at each Annual General Meeting and the committee so elected shall hold office until the close of the succeeding Annual General Meeting.
c) Retiring members of the Executive Committee shall be eligible for re-election without nomination.
All other nominations for election to the Executive Committee shall be by notice in writing delivered to the Chairman not later than 15th February in each year. A nomination must be both proposed and seconded and must be accompanied by the nominee's written assent. The names of those nominated shall be circulated with the notice of the Annual General Meeting.
If more than one member is nominated for any office, a ballot shall be held and papers for the ballot shall be distributed with the notice of the Annual General Meeting. These papers shall be returnable to a designated office at or before the meeting.
In the event of there being no nominations for any office in accordance with the foregoing, these may be received at the Annual General Meeting. In the event of there being more than one nomination at that meeting for a particular office, election shall be by a vote count taken at the meeting.
d) The Executive Committee may fill interim vacancies by co-option. Those members co-opted to the Executive Committee shall remain in office until the Annual General Meeting following their co-option.
e) At meetings of the Executive Committee a quorum shall be one half of the committee, including at least one of the principal officers of Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary, proper notice of each meeting having been previously given by the Secretary. No business shall be conducted unless a quorum be present.
f) The Executive Committee may appoint members to other offices or sub-committees as and when the occasion arises to assist in the work of the Society. These persons shall not become members of the Executive Committee.
g) The decision of the Executive Committee in all matters connected with the Society is final.
4. GENERAL MEETINGS
a) A General Meeting of the Society shall be held annually before 30th April each year. This meeting shall be called the Annual General Meeting. The agenda shall be distributed prior to the meeting.
b) Other General Meetings may be held at times and places deemed convenient by the Executive Committee. Every member shall receive 21 day's notice of these meetings.
c) The Secretary will be required to convene an Extraordinary General Meeting within one month of representation in writing from ten or more paid up members.
d) A quorum of any general meeting of the Society shall consist of 15 members and no business may be conducted unless a quorum be present.
e) Any member wishing to express his / her views on any matter which may properly be brought up at a General Meeting, but who is unable to attend in person, may express his / her views in writing to the Secretary no less than four days before the date of the meeting and the Secretary shall present these views to the meeting. Any member unable to attend a meeting in person may advise the Secretary not less than four days before the date of the meeting as to his views on any matter which may be brought to the vote and the Secretary shall be required to cast votes for the member as though the member was personally present at the meeting.
f) The Society at its Annual General Meeting may elect a President, who shall remain in office for a term not exceeding the period from one Annual General Meeting to the following Annual General Meeting.
5. FINANCE
a) Each member shall pay an Annual Subscription in advance at a rate to be fixed by the Executive Committee. The Annual Subscription shall be the lowest rate commensurate with paying the Society's costs taking one year with another.
b) The approval of the Executive Committee is required for all financial expenditure. Financial commitments incurred by individuals or sub-committees can only be entertained if sanctioned by the Executive Committee.
c) The Treasurer shall keep an account of all monies received and expended by the Society and a financial statement, duly audited, shall be circulated to all members prior to the Annual General Meeting. The financial year for the Society shall be from 1st January to 31st December.
d) In the event of a decision to disband the Society, the members in General Meeting shall appoint a Receiver who shall realise the assets of the Society, pay any proven debts of the Society, and distribute any remaining balance amongst those members fully paid up at the time of appointment of the Receiver.
e) Auditors, not being officers of the Society, shall be appointed at each Annual General Meeting for the ensuing year.
6. MEMBERSHIP
a) Prospective members shall be over 15 years of age, but the Executive Committee may relax this rule at its discretion. The Executive Committee reserves the right to reject any application for membership without assigning any reason for doing so.
b) The Annual Subscription shall entitle the member to receive each issue of the Journal published during the year for which the subscription is paid. Members joining during the course of the year will receive back numbers of the Journal for the current year.
c) Each member shall communicate his / her address or that of his / her banker or agent from time to time to the Membership Secretary. All notices sent to such addresses shall be considered as duly received. Any permanent change of address shall be notified to the Membership Secretary immediately.
d) The Executive Committee may exempt a member from making payments to the Society.
e) Every member when accepted shall receive a copy of these Rules and shall be bound by them.
f) The Executive Committee may expel any member should his / her conduct be deemed to be detrimental to the interests of the Society. An expelled member may appeal against his / her expulsion at the next following General Meeting of the Society and shall be given due notice of the time and place of that meeting.
g) Any member who has not paid his / her subscription by 31st March shall be deemed to have resigned from the Society. An administration supplement equal to 25% of the annual subscription shall be levied on any member renewing his/her membership after 31st March.
7. MINUTES
a) Minute books shall be kept by the Secretary in which shall be recorded the proceedings of the Executive Committee and General Meetings of the Society.
8. CONDUCT AND RESPONSIBILITY
a) The expression "a member" shall, for the purpose of this section, include that member's guest, where he / she has introduced a guest at any Society function.
b) A member may not introduce a guest to any function of the Society who has been expelled from the Society or has been refused as a member.
c) Neither the Society nor any third party concerned shall be responsible for any injury or damage howsoever caused resulting to any member or his / her property whilst participating in any function arranged by the Society. Members shall be deemed to have been advised of this notice by publication of these rules.
The society cannot hold itself responsible for any loss or damage occasioned by a member at any time. Such damage however occasioned shall be the sole responsibility of the individual(s) concerned.
9. MISUSE OF THE SOCIETY NAME
a) No member or other person may purport to represent the Society or its officers in any way without the prior written consent of the Executive Committee. The use of any of the Society's publications in any similar way is prohibited. Any breach of this rule will render the member concerned liable to immediate expulsion.
b) Any financial or other commitments entered into in misrepresentation of the Society will be the personal responsibility of the person or persons concerned.
10. ALTERATIONS TO RULES
a) Any proposed alterations to the Rules should be supported by at least five members of the Society and submitted to the Secretary in writing by 1st January next before the Annual General Meeting. The proposed alteration(s) shall be advised to members with the notice of the Annual General Meeting.
b) These rules shall not be rescinded or altered except by the vote of the majority of members personally present at a General Meeting convened by notice of at least 21 days specifying the proposed alterations(s). For the purpose of this rule, any member who shall have indicated to the Secretary in the manner provided in Rule 4e his / her views regarding a proposed alteration shall be deemed to be personally present at the General Meeting and the Secretary shall cast the member's vote in any manner specified by the member.
[These Rules were approved at the Society's Annual General Meeting on 19th April 1997. Amendments made: Rule 6g at the AGM of 2003. Rule 2f at the AGM of 2011]