Rules of Perkins Long Service Club, changed (paragraph 3.1) in 2021 at the AGM

Name

1. The name of the Organisation shall be: Perkins Long Service Club

Purpose

2. The purpose of the Long Service Club is to form an association of the Longest Serving Members of the Company who have worked in Peterborough during their employment, to maintain bonds of fellowship through the activities of the Club and to advance the interests of the Company wherever and whenever possible.

Membership

3.1 General

There shall be one class of membership for all. Under exceptional circumstances the Executive Committee may grant Honorary Life Membership.

Membership of the Club shall be open to any current or former employee of Perkins, or of Caterpillar who has been based at Peterborough for a part of his or her employment, and who has a total of 15 years of service with the Company. The service does not have to be continuous.

An invitation shall be extended to all employees on completion of 15 years of service with the Company to become members of the Club. The duration of service to be determined by Company Records.

Membership shall entitle the member to participate in all activities of the Club, and to accept nomination to serve on the Executive Committee or as a Club Official.

3.2 Cessation

Membership shall cease if a member fails to pay their subscription by the due date or by tendering their resignation to the Club General Secretary in writing.

3.3 Expulsion

Conduct prejudicial to the aims of the Club shall be deemed to be a good reason for expulsion from the Club subject to the decision of the Executive Committee.

Officers

4. The Officers of the Club shall consist of:

President

Vice President

Past President

General Secretary

Treasurer

Membership Secretary

Activities Group Secretary

Webmaster

Conservation Coordinator

Executive Committee

5. The Executive Committee shall consist of the immediate past President, the Officers of the Club and five members, one of whom shall serve as sick visitor.

Term of Office

6. The President shall hold office for up to two full terms, beginning at the Annual General Meeting. At the end of this period the President shall be succeeded by the Vice-President. The Vice President, General Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Secretary, Activities Group Secretary, Webmaster, Conservation Coordinator and members of the Executive Committee shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting. Retiring members are eligible for re-election.

Year Ending

7. For the business of the Club the year end shall be December 31st.

Duties of Officers

8. see below:

President

The President shall preside at all meetings of the Club and of the Executive Committee.

Vice-President

The Vice President or the past President shall, if the President is absent, preside at the Meetings of the Club or the Executive Committee.

General Secretary

It shall be the duty of the General Secretary:

a) To give notice of regular and special meetings of the Executive Committee and of the General Meetings which may be called from time to time.

b) To record the Minutes of all meetings.

c) To keep complete and efficient records of all business and transactions of the Club.

Treasurer

It shall be the duty of the Treasurer:

a) To receive and suitably record all monies paid into the Club.

b) To make all disbursements as passed by the Executive Committee.

c) To furnish general financial statements as required by the Executive Committee, one of which statements shall be the annual statement.

Membership Secretary

The Membership Secretary shall be responsible for maintaining accurate records of the Club Membership, including identification of New Member eligibility.

Activities Group Secretary

The Activities Group Secretary shall be responsible for organising the yearly social activities of the Club.

Webmaster

The Webmaster shall be responsible for maintaining the Club's website, for posting reports of various events and interesting Club news, keeping the website up todate.

Conservation Coordinator

The Conservation Cordinator shall be responsible for organising the Club's Conservation activities.

Duties of the Executive Committee

9. The Executive Committee's duty shall be to manage the affairs of the Club in order to ensure fulfilment of the Club's purposes and to this end shall meet at least four times annually.The Executive Committee shall have the power to co-opt additional Committee members and the power to appoint Officers in order to fill any vacancies.

The Executive Committee shall be the sole authority for the interpretation of these rules. Discretion may be exercised as appropriate. The decision of the Executive Committee upon any matter affecting the Club shall be final and binding on the members.

General Meeting

10.1 An Annual General Meeting shall be held before April 30th each year at such time and place as the Executive Committee shall decide for the following purposes:

a) To approve the annual statement of accounts.

b) To elect a Vice President, General Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Secretary, Activities Group Secretary, Webmaster, Conservation Coordinator, five members, one of whom shall serve as sick visitor.

c) To appoint Auditors.

d) To deal with any other business which may properly be dealt with at the Annual General Meeting.

10.2 All General Meetings other than the Annual General Meeting shall be called Extraordinary General Meetings and shall be convened on a resolution of the Executive Committee or within 28 days of receipt by the Secretary of a resolution specifying the purpose of the meeting signed by at least 20 members.

Quorums

11. Quorums for meetings shall consist of:

a) General Meeting : 20 members

b) Executive Committee Meetings - six members (to include President, Vice President or immediate past President).

Voting

12. A majority vote at all meetings should be sufficient; in the event of an equal vote, the Chairperson shall have a second or casting vote.

Subscriptions

13.a) The subscriptions for membership shall be decided by the Annual General Meeting. It shall be payable for the current year within one month following the Annual General meeting. New members joining the Club during the current year will pay their subscriptions when returning the completed application form except when the entry falls after 1st October. In which case no subscriptions will be levied. A letter from the Membership Secretary would be sent to any member still in default after one month drawing his/her attention to Rule 3.2 (Cessation of Membership) and allowing an extension of time, the length of which shall be at the discretion of the Executive Committee.

b) Any former member who wishes to re-join the club shall pay all subscriptions which would have been due if their membership had been continuous, up to a maximum of £20.

President's Badge

14.a) A special membership badge having an insert ruby, may be presented by the Company to each new President on the occasion of the Company Annual Long Service Awards Dinner (note: not the Club's Annual Dinner).

b) President's Chain of Office

The chain of office, a collarette consisting of jewel with Perkins symbol in the centre suspended on a blue ribbon with bars, shall be presented by the outgoing President to each new President on the occassion of the Annual General Meeting.

Club Funds

15. All payments on behalf of the Club shall be entirely at the discretion of the Executive Committee.

The funds are to be used mainly for the purchase of floral tributes, fruit, etc for sick members and any club function approved by the Executive Committee.

All monies received shall be paid into a Building Society or a Bank Account paying interest, and will be in the name of Perkins Long Service Club. The amount of the General Fund in a Building Society shall be determined by the Executive Committee.

Cheques for the withdrawal of funds shall be signed by two of the following Club Officials: The President, The General Secretary, The Treasurer or other Committee member approved by the Executive Committee.

Amendment to Rules

16. Amendment to the Rules may be passed from time to time by members at a General Meeting. All proposed amendments shall be submitted to the Secretary in writing at least 28 days before such a meeting.