| United Pagan Kingdom Constitution. |
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| CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED PAGAN KINGDOM,
A VOLUNTARY NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANISATION The United Pagan Kingdom is a voluntary, not-for-profit pagan organisation managed by the administrators. It consists of pagans throughout the United Kingdom, with mixed genders, ethnicity and a minimum age limit of 18. It is based in North Devon but is representing pagans countrywide through polls, representatives in other parts of the country, moots and meetings. The name of the association shall be: The United Pagan Kingdom. 1. Aims: a. To represent the interest of members, ensure that members are consulted and all persons eligible for membership are encouraged to join. b. To improve the quality of life of all members, help to provide communal facilities and activities to foster the interest of members. c. To foster a sense of community by promoting equal opportunities for all and opposing any form of discrimination. d. To unite the members of the pagan community to create a supportive community, encouraging a culture of respect and co-operation outside of the pagan community for our beliefs and culture and those of others. e. To educate those outside of paganism in the truth about paganism and dispel myths which are harmful to the pagan community and their interactions in their work, school and social lives. f. To approach the government to encourage them to recognize paganism as a genuine religion in the United Kingdom with all the rights and responsibilities that being so entails. 2. Objectives: a. The provision of educational, social and cultural activities. b. To provide practical projects which enhance the local environment and neighbourhood. c. To promote the efficient use of energy and good environmental practices, such as re- cycling and composting. d. To promote members� rights and the maintenance and improvement of social/legal conditions for example: - pagan marriage. e. To be pro-active in maintaining good relations between all members of the community. f. To strive to represent all the members of the organisation, avoiding any form of discrimination. g. To Encourage members to volunteer and take part in community events. h. To pursue any matter within the law of interest to its members. 3. Membership: a. Membership is open to anyone over the age of 18, regardless of cultural background, disability, family make-up, gender, marital status, mental health, political affiliation, race, religious belief, sexual preference, history of criminal conviction, who live in the area defined and accept the aims of the organisation. As far as possible, the membership should reflect the community it serves. b. It is a condition of membership that members at all times conduct themselves in a reasonable manner at meetings or in premises used by the organisation. A member may be suspended from the organisation for failure to observe this, or for any other conduct not in line with the aims of the organisation. Any member so suspended has the right of appeal to the following General Meeting, before expulsion from the organisation takes place. c. All members of the organisation on the adoption of this constitution will have to agree to sign up with the code of conduct for Equal Opportunities and the Diversity Policy of this organisation that appear in the appendices of this constitution. Racist or sexist behaviour will not be tolerated and will be grounds for suspension. d. People of other faiths who share the aims of the organisation can become co-opted members but they will not have a vote. e. Only Members of the organisation may stand for election to any post, subject to the election regulations contained in this constitution. f. Only Members of the organisation can vote at meetings of the organisation, and only one vote per member. h. Membership will be the responsibility of the Secretary. 4. Conduct of Business: a. The organisation shall carry out elections for its Executive Staff on a tri-yearly basis. The Committee members will elected on an annual basis. Their responsibilities will include carrying out the business side of the organisation. b. The business of the organisation will be conducted by a committee which shall consist of a Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer and Secretary as well as an equal number of elected committee members as executive staff, plus one. These will be elected from the membership and will have to be able to attend a minimum of four meetings a year (excluding the AGM.) As far as possible, the composition of the Committee shall represent the same racial balance as the community. c. Elected committee members can represent the United Pagan Kingdom to any outside body in business matters that is needed to fulfil the aims and objectives of the organisation. d. The election or removal of Executive Staff or Committee Members may only be carried out by an Annual General Meeting or an Emergency General Meeting of the organisation. The Executive Committee may temporarily fill any vacancy arising among the Executive Staff or Committee Members of the organisation from the United Pagan Kingdom membership until the next Annual General Meeting of the organisation. e. The Chair may remove any member from the elected members or committee after an EGM, if they feel the person has broken or gone outside the regulations of this constitution. The Chair has the last say on all matters. f. Any Executive Staff Member or Committee Member wishing to bring a vote of no-confidence, against any other Executive Member or Committee Member must have the support of 10 members of the organisation in writing. g. Officers (County Representatives, volunteers) shall carry out the duties given to them by General Meetings and will be answerable to the Chair and the Committee. h. All EGM�s shall be closed meetings with only the Executive Staff and Committee Members attending. This will be so that confidentiality can be kept; anyone wishing to attend the meeting must put it in writing to the Secretary or Executive Staff Member, at least 7 days before the meeting. i. Minutes will be taken at all meetings and shall be made available to all members of the organisation, 7 days after the meeting. 5. The Committee and Meeting Guidelines: a. The Committee shall meet as necessary, but not less than four times per year. Committee meetings shall be open to any member of the organisation wishing to attend, who may speak but not vote. Only Executive Staff or Committee Members can vote. b. Any United Pagan Kingdom Member wishing to have something added to the agenda must hand it into the Secretary or Executive Staff 7 days before the meeting. This can be handwritten or e-mailed. c. The organisation understands that people want to be involved with what is going on in the organisation. If more than 4 people wish to be on the Committee after nominations have been handed in, the Chair can call for an EGM to add them on. 5.1. This section describes the types of meetings that the United Pagan Kingdom will hold and sets down any guidelines that apply. Annual General Meeting: a. The United Pagan Kingdom shall call an Annual General Meeting of the organisation each year. Not less than 21 days notice shall be given of the AGM to all members and all those eligible for membership. b. The Annual General Meeting is the only time the Membership of the Association gets to vote on the contents of the Constitution or to elect new Committee/Executive members. c. The Committee shall present an annual report of the organisation, including progress made in implementing equal opportunities. Sub-Committees shall present reports of their activities. The Treasurer shall present the audited accounts of the Association for the past year if any monies have changed hands. Any proposals submitted to the Secretary in writing not less than seven days in advance of the meeting, shall be considered. d. All Sub-Committees shall keep proper accounts and a record of all meetings. These reports and accounts shall be made available as required to the Committee or General Meeting. e. The Committee or General Meeting may dissolve any Sub-Committees, whereupon all accounts, records and assets of the Sub-Committee pass to the Committee. 5.2. General Meeting: a. There will be a general meeting open to all members every 6 months. b. A Special General Meeting open to all members will be held if ten or more members submit a request for such a meeting to the secretary in writing. c. The secretary shall arrange for the meeting to take place within twenty-one days. d. The secretary will publicise all general meetings at least 14 days in advance. 5.3. Emergency General Meeting: a. Shall be convened when requested by the Chair, member of the Executive Staff or Committee Members under the rules of 4.f. Only the Chair can call an EGM without having to comply with this rule. b. The agenda for the EGM shall contain only one item of business apart from the minutes of the previous meeting and matters arising thereof. c. The Secretary or the Executive Committee shall give at least 7 days notice of the time and place at which the EGM is to be held. 6. Duties of the Officers: This section explains what an �Officer� is in the context of this constitution and what duties each type of officer is responsible for. a. An officer in the United Pagan Kingdom is considered to be any of the following: - 1. A temporary Representative � An individual who volunteers to hold the slot of Representative for a county until such time as an elected representative is appointed. 2. A County Representative � An individual who has been elected by the membership of their county to represent their interests within the United Pagan Kingdom and the wider pagan community. 3. Any volunteer who holds membership of the United Pagan Kingdom who has signed a confidentiality agreement and handles either meetings or data in their given county on behalf of an executive member, a committee member, or a representative. b. An officer will ensure the smooth running of meetings and hold meetings in their own counties to inform the membership of any decisions which have been made. c. All of the officers of the United Pagan Kingdom have a duty to further all the aims of the organisation, including the promotion of equal opportunities and opposing all forms of discrimination. d. The Executive committee shall comprise of the following places: the President (Chair), the Vice President (internal), the Secretary, and the Treasurer, plus any Committee Members which have been voted in. 6.1 The President: a. Will be the prime representative of the business matters of the United Pagan Kingdom. b. They will wherever practical lead delegations to meetings with external bodies. Where they cannot a suitable representative will be chosen or elected. c. They will encourage pagans to join the United Pagan Kingdom. d. Whenever possible, they will ensure that the United Pagan Kingdom works as a motivated team and will encourage the Executive Committee members to work to the best of their ability. e. In conjunction with the Treasurer, they will ensure that the United Pagan Kingdom�s annual expenditure is monitored and that all financial transactions are legitimate. f. In conjunction with the Treasurer, they will ensure that all necessary records and receipts are kept for all transactions. g. They will be a cheques signatory to the United Pagan Kingdom�s bank accounts when such exist. h. In consultation with the Treasurer, they will ensure that the United Pagan Kingdom�s accounts are audited annually when they become necessary. i. They will liaise with other pagan organisations in the country. j. They will attend any board meetings that they are required to. |
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