Constitution
This document is as amended
by the AGM on 8th March 2008
1. Name
The Socialist Health Association hereinafter named the Association.
2. Objects
a) To work for a fully free and comprehensive national health service, both preventative
and curative, of the highest standard for the community which secures for the
people the highest standard of health.
b) To provide means by which those concerned about health may assist in formulating
Socialist health programmes and policies for the Labour Party
c) To make available to the public information on current health issues.
d) To demonstrate the relationship between environmental conditions poverty and
ill health and to work for improvements in housing, nutritional, industrial and
environmental conditions.
e) To disseminate the principles of Socialism
f) To assist in the election of Socialists to public bodies
g) To establish relations with Socialist members of health services in other countries.
h) To conduct propaganda in furtherance of the aims and objects of the Association.
i) To work for the extension of democracy into the health service.
3 Membership
Membership shall be open to any person or organisation who accepts the Objects
of the Association
4 Affiliated Organisations
The Association accepts as Affiliated Organisations national, regional, and local
Socialist, trade union, co-operative and community organisations. Affiliated organisations
may submit resolutions and a representative from each organisation present at
the Annual General Meeting will be entitled to one vote. Each Affiliated Organisation
shall have one vote in any postal ballot.
5 Termination of Membership
a) Any member wishing to resign from the Association shall give notice in writing
to the secretary.
b) Any member or affiliated organisation whose subscription is seven months in
arrears following reminders at three months and six months shall be deemed to
have lapsed.
c) Any member who fails to conform to the Constitution of the Association shall
cease to be a member of the Association.
d) The Council of the Association may terminate the membership or affiliation
of any person or body who by their conduct brings the Association into disrepute.
Any such decision shall require agreement of two thirds of the members of the
Council present at the meeting when it is decided.
6. Subscriptions
a) Membership of the Association shall commence upon acceptance by the Treasurer
of the appropriate subscription and completed application form.
b) Membership shall entitle the member to receive the Association's journal
and other benefits as the Central Council shall determine.
c) The minimum annual individual and joint subscription rates shall be determined
by the Annual Meeting. The Annual meeting may approve reduced subscriptions
for people with low income.
d) Affiliated organisations shall be liable to pay a subscription as decided
by the Annual Meeting.
e) Membership/association normally runs from the month of joining and is renewable
annually in that month.
f) A proportion of the subscription to be determined by the Central Council
may be paid to local branches in such a way and such extent as shall be determined
by the Central Council.
g) Central Council may grant Honorary Membership or Life Membership to persons
who have contributed substantially to the work of the Association.
7 Finance
The Honorary Treasurer shall collect all money due to the Association and
shall be the custodian thereof. All cheques on the Association's banking account
shall be signed by two authorised officers. The funds of the Association shall
be paid into the Co-operative Bank. The Association's financial year shall be
from 1 January to 31 December. No member or Branch shall incur expense on behalf
of the Association except with the written authority of the Treasurer.
8 Auditors
The accounts of the Association shall be audited each year. The Treasurer
shall produce for inspection by the Auditors all books and papers necessary
for the complete examination of the accounts. The Auditors shall be elected
at the AGM.
9 Governance
a) The Association shall be governed by an Annual Meeting of the members, which
shall determine the policy of the Association.
b) The execution of the decisions made at Annual and Special Meetings of the members,
and the administration of the affairs and property of the Association shall be
vested in the Central Council, which shall be elected by postal ballot of members
and associates, held prior to the AGM.
c) The Central Council shall conduct the general business of the Association,
appoint such paid officers and staff as it deems necessary, set up such sub-committees
and special interest groups as are considered desirable from time to time, receive
regular reports from those sub-committees and special interest groups, sanction
publications and appoint all delegates to represent the Association nationally.
d) The Central Council shall submit an Annual Report to the Annual Meeting for
ratification. At all times it shall act in accord with the objects of the Constitution
and with policy as laid down by Annual and Special meetings, but in between such
meetings it should decide the Association's policy on new and other matters coming
before it. Such decisions of policy will be subject to ratification at the Annual
Meeting through the Annual Report.
10 Central Council
a) The Central Council shall consist of the principal Honorary Officers (Chair,
Honorary Treasurer and Honorary Secretary), twenty directly elected members,
branch delegates (see below), and a representative from each nationally affiliated
organisation. The Council may elect up to 4 Vice Chairs from amongst its members
to support special areas of work.
b) SHA Scotland and SHA Wales shall each appoint a representative.
c) For each 30 members or part thereof each branch shall be entitled to elect
one of its own members to the Central Council.
d) The Central Council shall elect functional officers at the first meeting
after the AGM. The Central Council may co-opt a maximum of three members in
addition to elected members to fill functional positions.
e) The Central Council shall normally meet quarterly.
f) Between Central Council meetings, the elected Honorary Officers will be responsible
for the running of the Association.
g) The Central Council shall at its discretion make provision for expenses of
members attending Central Council meetings.
h) The quorum for the Central Council shall be eight, which shall include two
honorary officers.
i) Any member of the Association may attend meetings of the Central Council.
Such member may join in the discussion at the discretion of the Chair, but has
no vote.
j) All decisions of the Central Council shall be taken by majority vote of those
present.
k) Any member of the Council who without good reason or apology fails to attend
two successive meetings shall be deemed to have resigned.
11 Elections
a) Honorary Officers and members of Central Council shall be elected by postal
ballot prior to the AGM.
b) All individual and associated members who are fully paid up by 31 December
of the year prior to the AGM shall be entitled to make nominations for Officers
and members of the Central Council.
c) Nominations shall be invited with the formal notification of the AGM.
d) Ballot papers, if required shall be sent out with the Agenda together with
a brief statement by and biographical details of candidates and should be returned
by the AGM, and results of the elections will be announced at the AGM. Scrutineers
shall be appointed by the Central Council to open the ballot box, count the votes
and certify the results.
e) The AGM may accept nominations from the floor and conduct an election if insufficient
nominations are received before the AGM.
f) The new Central Council shall come into office immediately after the AGM.
g) The Central Council shall have the power to fill any casual vacancies that
may occur among the officers or members.
h) Central Council may appoint an honorary President and Vice Presidents as it
sees fit.
12 Sub-Committees
The Central Council may set up sub-committees for specific purposes as and when
required.
13 Branches
a) Any group of not less than twelve members or persons eligible and intending
to become members may be recognised by Central Council as a branch of the Association.
The Central Council shall have the power to define the area covered by any branch.
b) Branches are required to notify the Association of their AGM and of the names
and addresses of their officers and to supply an annual financial statement..
c) Preliminary notice of the date of the AGM, a request for resolutions and nominations
for officers, delegates to other bodies and delegates to the Central Council should
be circulated with the minutes of the previous AGM to every member of the branch
not less than 4 weeks before the AGM. Copies of any resolutions or nominations
shall be circulated to all Branch members and to the Association's office at least
one week before the AGM. A ballot shall be held at the AGM if any member requests
one.
d) If the business of a branch is not conducted in accordance with the constitution
the Officers of the Association may take over the conduct of a branches affairs
and its funds.
14 Scotland, Wales and English Regions
a) Branches may combine on an ad hoc basis to co-ordinate campaigns within
their area. The association may designate any suitable geographical area as
a Region if it sees fit. Where it is possible for branches within a Region to
meet together for the purpose of electing a delegate and submitting a resolution
to the Labour Party Regional Annual Meeting, they should be encouraged to do
so. The Association may call meetings or conduct ballots of all members in a
region as it sees fit.
b)Scotland and Wales are nation countries within the United Kingdom. They shall
have autonomy for policy and campaigning on those matters devolved to the Scottish
Parliament and the Welsh Assembly. Such policy and campaigning shall not conflict
with the objectives of the SHA set out in paragraph 2. They shall be known as
SHA Scotland and SHA Wales. Each shall hold an annual meeting at which members,
branches and affiliates may attend and submit motions on devolved matters and
elect a governing committee. SHA Scotland and SHA Wales shall affiliate to the
Scottish and Welsh Labour Parties respectively.
16 Annual General Meeting
a) The Annual General Meeting shall normally take place in March every year. Notice
of the date and a request for resolutions and nominations to the Central Council
shall be circulated to every member and associated organisations not less than
six weeks before the AGM.
b) It shall be open to any member, Branch, Group, Affiliated Organisation or Committee
or Council of the Association to move a resolution or make nominations (those
moved or made by members require seconding by another member), provided that these
be received by the Honorary Secretary not less than three weeks before the AGM.
c) An Agenda of business to be transacted at the AGM, the Annual Report of the
Central Council, ballot papers where required and an Audited Statement of the
financial position of the Association shall be forwarded to each member if they
indicate that they wish to receive these items not less than two weeks before
the date of the AGM.
d) Emergency resolutions may be accepted with the agreement of the AGM.
17 Special General Meeting
A Special General Meeting shall be called for the purpose of considering any particular
resolution (a) on the decision of the Central Council, or (b) at the request in
writing of not less than 30 members setting forth the terms of the resolution
for consideration. Not less than two weeks' notice of any Special General meeting
must be sent to all members.
18 Procedure at the Meetings of the Association
a) The Chair shall be taken by the Chair, or a Vice-Chair, or failing these, by
a member elected by the meeting. The Chairperson shall on any question have a
casting vote in addition to the vote to which s/he is otherwise entitled.
b) At Annual General Meetings or Special General meetings every member and one
delegate from an affiliated organisation personally present at the meeting shall
have a vote.
c) Voting shall be by show of hands unless a Postal Vote be approved in any particular
case. A Postal Vote shall only be allowed if (a) a resolution has not obtained
a three-quarters majority at a meeting, and (b) at least one quarter of those
present at the meeting agree to a Postal Vote.
19 Affiliations
The Association may affiliate to other bodies. All such affiliations shall be
approved each year by members at the Annual General Meeting.
20 Dissolution
In the event that the Association decides to dissolve itself the assets of the
Association shall be passed to any organisation whose objects are consistent with
the objects listed above.
21 Alteration to Rules
These rules or any of them can only be amended by a vote of two thirds of the
members at the Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting, after at least
three weeks notice has been given.
Socialist Medical Association of Great Britain Constitution
1936
16/03/08
