SURREY BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION Founded 1879
Croydon	Epsom	Farnham	Guildford	Horsham& C	Kingston	Reigate	Weybridge	Wimbledon

1. Name.
The Association shall he called the Surrey Beekeepers' Association (hereinafter referred to as "The Association").

2. Objects.
The objects of the Association shall be to promote and further the craft of beekeeping in the County of Surrey.

3. Organisation.
The Association shall comprise not more than three Patrons, a President, any number of Vice-Presidents, a Chairman, a General Secretary, a General Treasurer, and any number of Consulting Experts, Ordinary Members, Associate Members, Junior Member, Life Member, and Honorary Members.

The Patrons, President, Vice-Presidents, Chairman, General Secretary, General Treasurer and Association Experts may be elected at any General Meeting of members and shall each remain in office until successors have been elected. The office of General Treasurer may be combined with that of General Secretary but should a member elected to either of these offices already hold office as Divisional Secretary or Divisional Treasurer s/he shall resign the latter office. The period of office for the President shall he three years.

All offices shall be honorary but the Council may, by resolution, make exceptions in the cases of the General Secretary and of Consulting Experts.

4. Enrolment of Members.
Applications for enrolment in the Association shall be made to the Secretary of the Division to which the prospective member wishes to be attached. All applications shall be accompanied by the appropriate subscription. Divisional Committees may at their discretion accept applications and enrol applicants in any class of membership (except Honorary Membership) for which they are eligible. Divisional Committees shall act under the directions of the Council regarding enrolment of persons in the Honorary Membership class.

5. Termination of Membership.
Members wishing to withdraw from the Association shall give notice of resignation to the appropriate Divisional Secretary in writing. Such members' names shall be removed by the Divisional Secretary from the Register of Members at a time appropriate to each case.

6. Classes of Membership.
The classes of Membership and the description of persons eligible for membership there in shall be as follows: -
A. Ordinary Membership (carrying full benefits under Rule 26) for which any person is eligible.
B. Associate Membership (carrying limited benefits under Rule 26) for which a non-beekeeper is eligible.
C. Junior Membership (carrying full benefits under Rule 26) for which any person under 18 years of age is eligible.
D. Life Membership (carrying full benefits under Rule 26) for which any person is eligible. [But see Rule 9].
E. Honorary Membership (carrying full benefits under Rule 26) for which any person approved by the Council is eligible.

7. Subscriptions.
Each Member of the Association shall pay to the appropriate Divisional or District Treasurer a subscription of the amount fixedby his Division under Rule 9 for the appropriate class of membership. All subscriptions shall be paid in advance at the time of applying for enrolment and annually in advance on the 1st October in each following year. Receipts for all payments made by Members shall be issued by the Divisional or District Treasurer concerned.

8. Reduced Subscriptions.
Any person enrolled in the Classes of Ordinary, Associate or Junior Membership after the 1st April in any year shall be entitled to a reduction in first year equal to one third of the amounts normally payable under (A) and (C) of Rule 9.

9. Subscription Rates.
The Council will fix and the General Treasurer will notify to each Division not later than the 30th June in each year the amount of the subscription for the following year for each class of Membership other than Honorary Membership, which is to be placed at the disposal of the Council. No subscriptions will be required from Honorary Members. Subscriptions for other classes of Membership will be fixed by Divisions and in each class shall be the sum of (A), (B) and (C) below. There shall be no new Life Membership subscriptions.
(A) The amount of the subscription which is to he placed at the disposal of the Council.
(B) In the case of Ordinary and Junior Members the amount of the annual Capitation fee which is payable to B.D.I. Ltd.
(C) Such amount (if any) as each Division shall decide should he placed at the disposal of the Divisional Committee.

10. Arrears.
Members who are in arrears with their subscriptions after the 1st December in any year shall not thereafter he entitled to receive 'Bee Craft" or any other benefit of Membership in that year until arrears have been paid. Members who have not paid their arrears by the following 30th September shall be deemed to have resigned and the appropriate Divisional Secretary shall forthwith remove such Members' names from the Register of Members.

11. Junior Members.
Each Junior Member shall automatically become an Ordinary Member on the 1st October immediately following the date on which he - or she attains the age of eighteen.

12. Annual General Meetings.
The Association shall hold an Annual General Meeting of Members not later than the second week of March of each year at such place within the County of Surrey or London and upon such day as may be decided by the Council.

13. Extraordinary General Meetings.
The Association shall hold Extraordinary General Meetings of the Members upon request of the Chairman or General Secretary or upon receipt of a requisition in writing signed by at least ten Members of the Association, provided always that such requisition shall state the nature of the business to be transacted, and that no other business shall be transacted at the meeting.

14. Management.
The Management of the Association shall be vested in the Council, which shall administer the Central Fund in such manner, as the Council shall deem best to fulfil the objects of the Association. The Management of the Divisions shall be vested in the Divisional Committees.

15. The Council.
The Council shall consist of the President ex-officio, the Chairman, the General Secretary, the General Treasurer, all Divisional Secretaries and the Divisional Representatives from each Division. No member may hold the office of Chairman for more than two consecutive years except by votes of at least 4/5 of those present at an Annual General Meeting. All Divisional Representatives shall he elected annually at Divisional Annual General Meetings on the basis of one representative for every complete fifty members. Divisional Representatives shall remain members of the Council until the names of their successors have been notified to the General Secretary. The Council may, by resolution, co-opt not more than two additional members to the Council.

Any vacancy occurring among the Divisional Representatives shall be filled by resolution of the Committee of the Division concerned.

The Council shall meet at least three times every year at such places within the County of Surrey or London and upon such days as may be decided by the Council.

16. Divisions.
The Association shall be divided for administrative purposes into Divisions as the Council may from time to time decide. The Council shall decide the names of Divisions at the time of formation. Any two Divisions may be amalgamated and worked as one at the discretion of the Council, in which event the Council shall decide all matters relating to the disposal of funds and documents of the Divisions concerned.

17. Membership of the Divisions.
Each Member of the Association upon enrolment shall automatically become a member of the Division, which enrolled him. Any member may transfer from one Division to another by giving written notice to the Divisional Secretaries concerned. Such transfers shall take effect on the 1st October immediately following the date of notice.

18. Divisional Annual General Meeting.
Each Division shall hold an Annual General Meeting of its Members not later than the 2nd week of November of each year at such place within the County of Surrey or other place approved by the Council and upon such day as may be decided by the Divisional Committee concerned.

19. Divisional Extraordinary General Meeting.
Each Division shall hold Extraordinary General Meetings of its Members upon the request of its Chairman or Secretary, or upon receipt of a requisition in writing signed by at least six Divisional Members provided always that such requisition shall state the business proposed to be transacted. No other business shall he transacted at that meeting.

20. Divisional Officers.
The officers of each Division shall consist of a Chairman, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and any number of Visiting Advisers, all of whom shall he elected annually at each Divisional Annual General Meeting. Any of the offices may be combined with any other office. No Member may hold the office of Chairman for more than two consecutive years except by the votes of at least 4/5th of those present and voting.

21. Divisional Committees.
Any Division may appoint at any time a Divisional President and any number of Divisional Vice-Presidents.

Each Division shall elect annually a committee at each Divisional Annual General Meeting. Each Committee shall consist of the Chairman, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the Council Representatives and one Visiting Adviser. If thereby a total of 12 Members has not been reached then further Members may be elected to bring the total up to a maximum of 12.

Each Divisional Committee may, by resolution, fillany vacancy occurring and may similarly co-opt not more than two additional Members.

Each Divisional Committee shall meet at least twice every year at such places and upon such days as may he decided by the Committee concerned.

22. Districts.
Any Divisional Committee may at any time form Districts within its own Division and may appoint District Committees and District Secretaries, who shall each be subject to annual election by the appropriate Divisional Committee.

Each District Committee shall consist of not more than six members including the Secretary. One Member of each District Committee shall be ex-officio a Member of the Divisional Committee concerned and District Representatives on a Divisional Committee may be in addition to the twelve Members mentioned in Rule 21.

Each Divisional Committee may, by resolution, fillany vacancy occurring in any of its District Committees. Any District Committee ma by resolution, co-opt not more than two additional Members.

Subscriptions received by District Treasurers shall be transmitted to Divisional Treasurers within 30 days of receipt.

Each District Committee shall meet at least twice every year at such places, within its District and upon such days as may he decided by the District Committee concerned.

Any District Committee may appoint officers in addition to tile Secretary.

23. Finance.
The financial year of the Association and of all Divisions shall end on 30th September of each year. All amounts collected by Divisional Treasurers shall be dealt with as follows: -

(A) On receipt of written application from the General Treasurer, payments on account shall he made by the Divisions to the Council during the course of each financial year. A final and full settlement of all amounts due under paragraph (A) of Rule 9 together with the whole of any donations specially earmarked for the funds controlled by the Council shall he made in respect of each financial year not later than the 16th November immediately following.

(B) Divisions shall effect Bee Disease Insurance for their Members (except Associate and Honorary Members) by paying to B.D.I. Ltd. not later than on the 30th April in each year (or such other date as B.D.I. Ltd shall prescribe to be the final date for payment) the Capitation Fees prescribed by B.D.I. Ltd for that year together with all additional premiums paid by Members to secure additional cover.

(C) The remainder of each subscription after deducting the amounts specified in paragraphs (A) and (B) of this rule, together with the whole of any donations to the Division, shall be placed at the disposal of the respective Divisional Committee.

(D) Any Division may deposit any sum for safe keeping with the General Treasurer and each Division shall be entitled at any time to withdraw part or all of its deposit, subject only to seven days' notice in writing being given by the Divisional Treasurer to the General Treasurer.

(E) No charge against or grant from Divisional Deposits in the hands of the General Treasurer shall be made by the Council without prior written sanction of the appropriate Divisional Committee, except as provided by paragraph (F) of this rule.

(F) In the event of any Division failing to remit in cash the allocation of receipts due to the council or B.D.I. Ltd. under paragraphs (A) and (B) of this Rule, then the Council shall have the power to charge the amount of the deficit against any balance standing to the credit of such Division.

(G) Any Division unable to meet its financial obligations may apply to the Council for a loan or a grant from the Association's Central Fund. The Council shall have the right to impose special conditions upon any Divisions receiving a loan or grant.

(H) The cost of "Bee Craft" shall be met by the Council out of the Association's Central Fund.

(I) Any affiliation fees arising out of Rule 29 shall be met from the Association's Central Fund.

24. Divisional Accounts.
Each Divisional Committee shall render to the Council not later than the 16th November of each year, an audited Financial Statement in a form prescribed by the Council for the previous financial year together with any explanations of the same that may be required. Such accounts shall show the allocation of income in accordance with Rule 23.

Each Divisional Committee shall render to the Council at the same time, a written report upon the work of the Division during the preceding year, and a List of Members with their addresses.

Each Divisional Committee shall furnish interim reports on its financial position at any time upon request of the Council.

25. Central Fund Accounts.
The Council shall submit to the Annual General Meeting in respect of each financial year an Annual Report, a Balance Sheet and a Statement of Income and Expenditure of the Central Fund. The account shall be audited.

The Report and Accounts shall he circulated to all Members of the Association with the Agenda of the Annual General Meeting immediately following.

26. Benefits of Membership.
Ordinary Members and Junior Members, Life Members and Honorary Members shall (subject to Rule 10), he entitled to the following benefit (A) to (K) inclusive. Associate Members shall (subject to Rule 10), be entitled to the following benefits (1), (J) and (K) only.

(A) Two free visits in all from a Visiting Adviser to give advice upon application to the appropriate Divisional Secretary. Such advice shall be limited to examining and reporting upon stocks up to six in number and shall not include operations such as, spring-cleaning, doubling, requeening, transferring, uniting, taking honey, extracting etc. Members requiring services not included in a free visit or requiring additional visits may make arrangements direct with a Divisional Adviser and shall he responsible for the payment of the Adviser's fees and expenses.

(B) Free advice by post at any time on application to the appropiate Divisional Secretary provided a stamped addressed envelope is enclosed for reply.

(C) One free copy of "Bee Craft" every month.

(D) Free insurance against third party risks arising from bee stings.

(E) B.D. Insurance for a limited cover against the risk of bees and/or equipment having to be destroyed because of Foul Brood Disease provided a claim has been lodged with the Divisional Secretary and the apiary and been inspected by an authorised B.D.I. Inspector before destruction of bees or equipment has been effected.

(F) Free examination of bees suspected to be suffering from disease.

(G) The right to use the Association’s honey seal.

(H) The right to enter for the Association's classes at any Honey Show.

(I) The right to attend any garden meeting or lecture held by any Division of the Association.

(J) The right to attend and vote at any General Meeting of the Association and of the Member’s own Division.

(K) The right to hold, if appointed, any office in the Association and in the Member's own Division.

27. Voting at Meetings.
All Members entitled to be present at any General, Council, Divisional or District meeting shall be entitled to vote. Voting may be by a show of hands. If demanded by at least five Members present, a poll shall he taken, either at the same or subsequent meeting or through the post as may be decided by resolution at the meeting at which the poll is demanded.

The quorum for any General Meeting shall he 20, for a Council Meeting 10 and for a Divisional General Meeting 5. A quorum for a Divisional Committee Meeting shall be fixed at a General Meeting of a Division.

The Chairman shall be entitled to vote on any question in the first instance, and shall in the case of an equality of votes on any question have a second or casting vote.

28. Notices of Meetings.
Not less than 14 days' notice in writing of any Extraordinary, General or Council Meeting and not less than 7 days' notice of any Divisional or District Meeting shall be given to every member entitled to attend. The Agenda stating the business proposed to be transacted shall accompany the notice in every case.

For the purpose of this Rule it shall be sufficient if notices appear in "Bee Craft" or in any leaflet enclosed therewith, or in any circular issued by the Association or by any Division, provided always that copies be sent to every Member entitled to receive notice. Notices posted shall be deemed to have been received in normal course.

29. Affiliation.
The Council may arrange for the Association to become affiliated to any other Association, Society or Club having kindred interests and may also arrange for the affiliation of any other Association, Society or Club with or to this Association.

30. Alteration of Rules.
These Rules shall not be altered except by the votes of four-fifths of the Members present and voting at a General Meeting, due notice of the proposals being given in full detail to each Member in the Agenda of the meeting, provided that no alteration shall be made to Rule 2 (objects) or this Rule without the prior approval in writing of the Charity Commissioners or other authority having charitable jurisdiction; and no alteration shall have the effect of causing the Association to cease to be a charity in law.

31. Dissolution.
The Association may be dissolved by a resolution passed by a four fifths majority of those present and voting at a Special General Meeting convened for the purpose, of which 21 days' notice shall have been given to the members. Such resolution may give instructions for the disposal of any assets held in the name of the Association, provided that if any property remains after the satisfaction of debts and liabilities such property shall not be paid or distributed among the members of the Association but shall be given or transferred to such other charitable institution or institutions having objects similar to some or all of the objects of the Association as the Association may determine and if and in so far as effect cannot he given to this provision then to some other charitable purpose.