1. The Society shall be called the Arran Farmers’ Society.
2. The object of the Society shall be the advancement of agriculture and improvement of farming stock – for example, the promotion of the Society’s Annual Show, which shall be held on the first Wednesday in August and shall be open to all members of the Society who are resident in Arran and to those members who are eligible for Council Tax or are rent payers on the Island or their appointed agents.
3. Membership of the Society shall be open to Arran Farmers, their dependants and employees and all other favourable to the objects of the Society.
4. New members shall be permitted on payment of the annual subscription.
5. The annual subscription shall be determined at the Annual General Meeting. No member whose subscription is in arrears shall be allowed to compete for premiums or to vote or act at any meeting. Honorary Vice Presidents and Life Members shall be exempt from the annual subscription.
6. Management of the Society shall be vested in the Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary/Treasurer and a Board of at least twenty Directors, who shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting. Directors shall hold office for a period of two years but on retiral shall be eligible for re-election. Half of the Directors shall retire from the Board annually.
7. In order to preserve the continuity on the Board of Directors, certain senior members of the Society may be appointed as Serving Directors.
8. The Board of Directors shall have powers to form such Sub-Committees as required.
9. Should an Office Bearer or Director retire during his/her term of office, the Boards shall have the power to fill the vacancy by co-option and any member coopted shall hold office for the remainder of the term of the member who has retired.
10. The Annual General Meeting shall be held before the end of March each year, the date to be fixed by the Chairman and Secretary. Notice of the Annual General Meeting shall be intimated at least twenty eight days prior to the date set by the Chairman and Secretary.
11. At the Annual General Meeting the Treasurer shall submit a statement of Income and Expenditure during the year and a statement of the affairs of the Society duly audited by one independent auditor who shall be appointed at the Annual General Meeting.
12. Fifteen members shall form a Quorum at a General Meeting and of the Society and five Directors shall form a Quorum of the Board.
13. The Chairman shall have a deliberate vote and, if necessary, a casting vote.
14. The Secretary shall record the Minutes of all meetings of the Society and of the Directors.
15. The Secretary shall conduct the correspondence and shall submit a report of the activities of the Society at the Annual General Meeting.
16. The Treasurer shall collect all monies due to the Society, pay all accounts due by the Society and keep regular accounts of all receipts and disbursements.
17. The Treasurer, together with Chairman/Vice Chairman, shall have the power to sign cheques.
18. Any funds, including interest, held in any Bank Account in the name of the Society to be used for the purpose of staging the Annual Show. Interest payable on such accounts shall be paid to the Society, and not to any individual member. In the event of the Society being dissolved any funds shall be donated to an appropriate charity, decided by the Members of the Society at such time.
19. A Special General Meeting may be called by the Chairman if he deems it necessary.
20. The Chairman shall convene a Special General Meeting on receipt of a written request signed by fifteen members of the Society.
21. Any proposed alteration to the Constitution or to the General Rules of Competition must be made in writing and be in the hands of the Secretary at least twenty eight days before the Annual General Meeting. The motion for alteration must be carried by a two thirds majority of all members present.
22. Proposals to alter the General Rules of Competition may also be made at a Special General Meeting convened for that purpose. Any such proposal must be in writing and in the hands of the Secretary at least twenty eight days prior to the date set by the Chairman and Secretary.
23. The Arran Farmers’ Society is an equal opportunities organisation. ( Feb 2013)