Guild Rules

A.  ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

  1. Nominations for any Office, proposed and seconded must be submitted to the Secretary at least six weeks before the Annual General Meeting, the consent of the nominees having been previously obtained. (1995)

  2. The Agenda for the Annual General Meeting shall be prepared by the Executive Committee and circulated at least one month beforehand.

  3. The Annual General Meeting shall be advertised in the ringing press at least one month beforehand.

  4. Only elected Vice Presidents, Honorary Life Members and Members resident in the area of the Guild shall have the right to vote at the Annual General Meeting.

  5. No ringing shall be permitted during the Meeting.

  6. Short touches only may be rung in the towers available on the occasion of the Annual General Meeting.

B.  EXPENSES

Reasonable travelling expenses of members of the Committee in fulfilment of the business of the Guild may, if requested, be refunded from the General Fund.

C.  THE BELL RESTORATION AND AUGMENTATION FUND

The purpose of this Fund is to further the OBJECTS (constitution para. 2) by offering financial help where needed and requested, subject to the available resources of the fund.

  1. The Fund shall be financed as follows :

    1. By transfer from the Guild General Fund as provided for in rule G.2.

    2. By 50% of the peal booking fees (see rule E.2).

    3. By donations, gifts and bequests or any other means thought fit by the Guild, other than permanent trading.

  2. Grants and/or interest-free loans (Loans to be repayable in instalments over a fixed period agreed between the Executive Committee and the recipient) shall be made only from this Fund and considered for the following purposes:

    1. Installation of a ring of bells in a Church previously without.

    2. Augmentation of a ring of bells.

    3. Restoration of a ring of bells, either in whole or in part.

    4. Improvements to a ring of bells to give better sound and/or mechanical performance including sound control.

Grants or loans will not normally be considered for expendable items or for work generally regarded as minor routine maintenance.

  1. Grants or loans shall be applied for by the PCC, or Responsible Authorities, to the Guild Committee by means of a pro forma application form available from the Guild Bell Restoration Fund Officer or the Guild Web Site. Providing all the required information is present, the Guild Committee will, subject to a two thirds vote in favour, approve the application and decide on the form and value of the assistance, taking into account the amount available in the Fund and the likely demands to be made on it in the future.

  2. Payment may be made only after a firm order has been placed for the work and payment shall be according to a schedule agreed between the Guild and the PCC or Authorities concerned.

  3. The Committee shall have the right to co-opt up to three qualified persons to give expert advice and to inspect and report on the work done.

D.  THE ANNUAL REPORT

  1. An Annual Report of the activities and ringing performances of the Guild, together with a list of members and statement of accounts, shall be prepared by the Executive Committee and distributed to all members.

  2. Towers not in union with the Guild which have a ring of bells hung for full circle ringing may be listed and so marked in the Annual Report, along with the name and address of a responsible person associated therewith.

E.  RINGING PERFORMANCES

  1. True and complete peals rung by Guild members on behalf of the Guild, in accordance with the Central Council Rules, shall be reported by the conductor to the ringing press for publication.

  2. All Ringers taking part in such peals shall be members of the Guild as defined in the Constitution 4, providing that always at least half of the total number of Ringers taking part in such peals shall be Resident Members or former Resident Members.

  3. A peal booking fee shall be levied from each member of the band by the conductor and forwarded by him/her to the Guild's Peal Recorder quoting full details of the peal involved within four weeks of the peal being rung and by January 14th in the case of peals being rung in December. The Peal Recorder will forward the fees to the Honorary Treasurer who will credit 50% of the fee to the Bell Restoration Fund while the remainder shall be set against the cost of publishing the peal in the Annual Report. (1995)

  4. No member ringing a peal for the first time shall be required to pay the peal booking fee.

  5. No peal shall be recorded or published in the Annual Report if any member of the band has failed to pay the Membership subscription and peal booking fee, except as provided for in para.4 above.

F.  THE CENTRAL COUNCIL

  1. All Representatives as are required shall be elected by the Annual Meeting one year prior to the start of the triennium, appointment to take effect on 1st January following.

  2. The elected Central Council representatives shall hold office for three years to coincide with the Central Council triennial period.

  3. If desired, the Guild shall pay the expenses incurred by the representatives in attending the Central Council Annual Meeting.

G.  SUBSCRIPTIONS

  1. The Subscription for Members shall be fixed at the Annual General Meeting for the ensuing year.

  2. Such subscriptions shall be credited to the General Fund of the Guild and to the Bell Restoration Fund in such proportions as the members present and voting at the next Annual General Meeting shall by a majority vote decide.

  3. Branches will require a further subscription to cover their own expenses and to promote the objects of the Guild.

  4. Each Branch shall submit a statement of accounts to the Guild Committee.

  5. Members may choose to become Honorary Life Members without further subscriptions after they have paid their Guild subscription for forty years.  Branch Officials will ratify the claims of members choosing to become Honorary Life Members and, if valid, notify the Guild Secretary of the member's wish to transfer.  The next Guild Annual General Meeting will confirm the action and such members welcomed by the Master as Honorary Life Members.  Their welcoming will be recorded in the Annual Report for the year in which they chose to transfer and in that Annual Report and all subsequent ones be marked as '(Life)' in the membership lists.

  6. Members who leave the area of the Guild's operation, having paid at least five consecutive Guild subscriptions shall, if they so desire, become Non-Resident Life Members without further payment, provided that if they return to the area of the Guild they shall automatically return to the status of Member.

  7. Guild Subscriptions shall be forwarded to the Treasurer in the year they are due prior to the Annual General Meeting.

  8. No member whose subscription is overdue shall receive the Annual Report.

  9. A Member who has failed to pay two consecutive subscriptions shall be deemed to have forfeited his membership.

  10. Former members may be reinstated at the discretion of the Branch Committee and Meeting.

  11. Members not resident in the Diocese of Chester nor connected with any tower affiliated to the Guild, may for a subscription retain their names on the books of the Guild. They shall not be eligible for Election to Office, nor vote at Meetings, nor receive notices of the Guild, nor to participate in any privileges of membership other than attendance at Meetings.

  12. When members are elected prior to a peal attempt, the conductor shall forward within four weeks of the peal being rung, the subscription, the new member's name, address and home tower, and the names of the proposer and seconder to the Guild's Peal Recorder, who will notify the Branch Secretary as appropriate. (1995)

H.  ALTERATIONS TO THE RULES

  1. The Rules may be altered by a majority vote at the Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting called for the purpose.

  2. Due notice of proposed change in the Rules must be on the agenda.

I.  INTERPRETATION OF THE RULES

The Executive Committee shall have power to interpret the Constitution and Rules and shall provide for any eventuality not envisaged in the Rules and its decision shall be final.

J.  BRANCHES

  1. Local Branches shall be conducted according to the general Rules of the Guild in so far as they are applicable and in accordance with the policy of the Guild.

  2. The Executive Committee of the Guild shall have the power to intervene in the business of a Branch and, if necessary to close it if in its opinion action has been taken contrary to the principles, policy or well-being of the Guild. Any such Branch shall have the right of appeal to the President whose decision shall be final.

  3. Each Branch shall elect annually a Secretary and other such officers as may be deemed necessary for the proper working of the Branch.

  4. The Branch Secretary shall supply the Officers of the Guild with such information as they shall from time to time require.

K.  VACANCIES

All vacancies occurring during the year shall be filled by the Executive Committee.

L.  REMOVAL FROM OFFICE

If in the opinion of the Executive Committee any officer shall fail to carry out his duties to its satisfaction, it shall have the power to declare the Office vacant and to appoint another Officer - saving that the Officer so removed shall have the right of appeal to the President whose decision shall be final.

  (N.B. Above Rules amended to include changes agreed at AGM of 13th September 2008)