Calendar

5. Powers of the Committee:
a. Only Annual paid up members shall be eligible for election to the Committee. All Committee decisions are to be carried by a simple majority of those present. In the event of a tied vote the Chairman, or his appointed deputy, shall have a casting vote at any Committee meeting, general, AGM or EGM, in addition to his deliberative vote. A quorum shall be a minimum of half the appointed Committee members.
b. The Committee shall be subject to re-election at every Annual General Meeting. If there is more than one candidate for any Office, election shall be by a show of hands by an absolute majority, each member present having one vote. In the event of no candidate securing an absolute majority, the candidate at the bottom of the poll shall be eliminated and a second vote held. This procedure shall be repeated until a candidate achieves an absolute majority.
c. Retiring Officers and members of the Committee shall be eligible for re-election. No one may be a member of the Committee for more than 5 consecutive years, notwithstanding that a retiring Chairman or Vice-Chairman shall be eligible for re-election to the Committee in any other capacity.
d. The Committee shall have power to fill vacancies arising between Annual General Meetings, and shall have power to co-opt additional members as required, up to the maximum number permitted.

6. Membership rules:
a. Membership shall be open to anyone over the age of 16 who has an interest in astronomy.
b. Membership of persons below this age is at the discretion of Society Officers.
c. Membership shall be conditional on the prompt payment of subscriptions and adherence to the Society’s rules and constitution.
d. Any member failing to pay the annual subscription shall after a period of 6 months from the date it was due be deemed to have left the Society.
e. Application for membership may be made to the Membership Secretary. Applicants will become members upon acceptance of their application by the Membership Secretary and upon payment of the appropriate subscription.
f. Only those who pay a full Annual membership shall be entitled to vote in the matters of the Society.
g. If an application for membership should be refused for any reason then the applicant may be informed of the reason either verbally or in writing by the Membership Secretary.
h. The Committee shall have power to terminate the membership of any person who in their view has acted against the Society's interests. Such person shall have the right of appeal against the expulsion.
i. Members taking part in Society activities do so at their own risk and neither the Society, nor its members, nor its Officers, can be held responsible for any injury or damage whatsoever as may arise from any Society activity.
j. Members who leave the Society, other than by way of dismissal, may at the discretion of the Society Treasurer receive a refund equal to that fraction of the financial year’s subscription remaining.

7. The Subscription of the Society:
a. The Annual Subscription of the Society shall be fixed by a Committee Meeting.
b. The rate of Subscription must be approved by simple majority of all members at an AGM. This subscription shall be due on the 1st January each year and shall cover the full calendar year.

8. Cases of Dispute:
a. Any member may at any time request further investigation into any matter of Society business. If any serious dispute arises, the matter shall be referred to the Committee for arbitration. If the Committee think it necessary, the matter shall be settled by a vote at any Meeting of the Society, at least four weeks notice of the intended vote having been given.

9. The accounting year:
a. The financial year of the Society shall run from January 1st to December 31st. The accounts shall be made up and published by the end of February each year.