Standing Orders

Table of Standing Orders

The following Standing Orders shall form an addendum to the Constitution of the Service.

In the following Orders, words importing the masculine shall be deemed to include the feminine and words importing the singular shall be deemed to include the plural and vice versa. “Members” are defined as members in only those categories of membership entitled to vote in terms of Clause 15 of the Constitution of the service.

The content of the Orders may vary from time to time as may be recommended by the Executive Committee and notified in writing to the Membership.

A General Meeting of the Service for the specific purpose of discussing any proposed alterations to the Orders may be called by the Executive Committee, either of its own accord or at the request of any Member of the service. Any such request shall be made in writing and shall be addressed to the Chairman of the Service. At least seven days’ notice in writing of the holding of such a meeting shall be given to the membership together with intimation of the proposed alteration.

Any recommended Order shall be adopted unless objections in writing are made to the Committee by at least three Members of the Service within a period of seven days, in which case the Committee shall arrange for a vote to be taken on the issue. This vote may be conducted in the form of a Postal Ballot or a General meeting of the membership convened to discuss the proposal.

Having put a motion to the vote, whether at a General Meeting of the Service, or by a Postal Ballot, the Chairman shall take note of the numbers of votes cast both in favour of and against the motion and shall declare the motion carried, or not, as the case may be, in accordance with the majority of votes cast. Where this procedure produces a tied result the Chairman shall exercise a single casting vote as he shall think fit and shall then declare the motion carried, or not, as the case may be, in accordance with the majority then resulting. Any result so declared shall be held to form the decision of the General Meeting or Postal Ballot.

The decision of the General Meeting or Postal Ballot may not thereafter be challenged by any Member of the Service excepting that a fault be discovered in the procedure followed at the time of the vote.

Any Member of the Service may, at any time, request that a proposed change to the Orders be discussed by the Executive Committee with a view to making a recommendation to the Membership. Any such request shall be made in writing and shall be addressed to the Chairman of the service. The proposal shall be discussed by the Committee at its next following Meeting.

General Meetings of the Service

General Meetings of the Membership shall be called from time to time in accordance with the terms of the Constitution.

In addition, a General Meeting for the specific purpose of discussing any proposed alterations to the Standing Orders may be called provided at least seven days’ notice in writing has been given to the Membership together with intimation of the proposed alteration.

The Chairman of the Service, whom failing any other Member of the Executive

Committee appointed by him for the purpose, shall preside at any General Meeting of the Service. (The Chairman of the Service, or his appointed representative, is hereinafter referred to as "the Chairman".)

The Members present at any General Meeting will decide upon any issue before

them by means of a vote.

Where any Member wishes to have any issue before a Meeting put to a vote he shall inform the Chairman of his wish at or prior to the Meeting in question and the Chairman shall thereafter put an appropriate motion to the Meeting. Where the Meeting is an Annual General Meeting a vote may not be taken upon any motion which proposes to deal with any business not previously notified to the Executive Committee in terms of the Constitution.

The Chairman may, of his own accord, put any issue before the Meeting to a vote.

Where any issue, other than the election of Candidates to the Executive Committee, is to be voted upon at a General Meeting, voting shall be by means of a show of hands. Each Member of the Service who is present and who is entitled to vote, other than the Chairman, shall have one vote in respect of each motion put to a vote. The Chairman shall not exercise any vote other than the casting vote later referred to.

Having put a motion to the vote, the Chairman shall take note of the numbers of votes cast both in favour of and against the motion and shall declare the motion carried, or not, as the case may be, in accordance with the majority of votes cast. Where this procedure produces a tied result the Chairman shall exercise a single casting vote as he shall think fit and shall then declare the motion carried, or not, as the case may be, in accordance with the majority then resulting. Any result so declared shall be held to form the decision of the Meeting.

Any decision of the Meeting, whether reached after a vote or not, may not thereafter be challenged by any Member of the Service except by requesting that an appropriate motion be put to the vote at a subsequent General Meeting or that the matter be referred to the Executive Committee for discussion and reporting to the Membership.

Meetings of the Executive Committee

The members of the Executive Committee shall meet from time to time as they may think fit, but at intervals of not more than three months. At least three members of the committee having voting rights shall be present at every such meeting.

The Chairman of the Service, whom failing any other Member of the Executive Committee appointed by him for the purpose, shall preside at meetings of the executive Committee. (The Chairman of the Service, or his appointed representative, is hereinafter referred to as the Chairman.)

Where a consensus decision cannot be reached, the Committee will decide upon any issue before them by means of a vote.

Where any Member of the Committee wishes to have any issue before the meeting put to a vote he shall inform the Chairman of his wish at or prior to the meeting in question and the Chairman shall thereafter put an appropriate motion to the meeting.

The Chairman may, of his own accord, put any issue before the meeting to a vote.

Where any issue is to be voted upon at a meeting of the Committee, voting shall be by means of a show of hands. Each Member of the Committee who is present and who is entitled to vote, other than the Chairman, shall have one vote in respect of each motion put to a vote. The Chairman shall not exercise any vote other than the casting vote later referred to.

Having put a motion to the vote, the Chairman shall take note of the numbers of votes cast both in favour of and against the motion and shall declare the motion carried, or not, as the case may be, in accordance with the majority of votes cast. Where this procedure produces a tied result the Chairman shall exercise a single casting vote as he shall think fit and shall then declare the motion carried, or not, as the case may be, in accordance with the majority then resulting. Any result so declared shall be held to form the decision of the Committee.

Any decision of the Committee, whether reached after a vote or not, may not thereafter be challenged by any Member of the Committee except by requesting that an appropriate motion be put to the vote at a subsequent meeting of the Committee.

Conduct of Elections for Executive Committee Posts

In respect of each Executive Committee Post for which an election is to be held, names of Candidates for election shall be submitted to the Executive Committee in accordance with Clause 27 of the Constitution.

Each candidate will have the opportunity to make a presentation to the meeting lasting no longer than five minutes. This presentation shall give the candidate the opportunity to state the strengths and abilities which he can bring to the Executive Committee.

1. Posts of Chairman, Treasurer, Technical Director and Programme Director

Members of the Executive Committee who are to serve for a period of three years shall be elected by the Membership at a General Meeting of the Service.

The Chairman of the Service shall preside over the conduct of elections for such posts, except where the post of Chairman is open for election the Chairman shall vacate the Chair while that election is held and his place shall be taken in the meantime by the Treasurer of the Service. (The Chairman of the Service, or the Treasurer acting in this capacity is hereinafter referred to as "the Chairman".) The Chairman initially presiding shall continue to preside over the remaining business of the Meeting, even when he has not stood, or has been unsuccessful in the election which has taken place.

Where only one member has been nominated as a Candidate for any such post, his name and the names of his proposing and seconding nominators shall be put to the meeting and in the absence of objections to his being elected to that post being stated by at least three Members then present and entitled to vote, he shall be deemed to have been duly elected to that post. Where three or more such objections are stated, the Chairman shall put the nomination to a secret ballot.

Where two or more candidates have been nominated for any such post, the Executive Committee shall previously have prepared a form of Ballot Paper for use at the General Meeting at which elections for that post is to be held. The Ballot paper shall specify the title of that post, the names of the candidates and the names of their respective nominators. One such paper shall be prepared for each Member of the Service and shall be distributed at the Meeting prior to the election taking place. Voting in respect of that post shall then be conducted by means of a secret ballot. Each Member who is present and who is entitled to vote, other than the Chairman, shall have one vote in respect of each post for which a Secret Ballot is held. The Chairman shall not exercise any vote other than the casting vote later referred to. The names of the Candidates and of their respective nominators shall be put to the meeting and each Member shall cast his vote by recording on the Ballot Paper a cross against the name of his preferred Candidate for that post. The Ballot Papers in respect of that post shall then be collected and examined by a scrutineer appointed by the meeting and the Chairman who shall then declare the Candidate attracting the highest number of votes cast in that election to have been duly elected to that post. Where in respect of any post this procedure produces a tied result, the Chairman shall exercise a single casting vote as he shall think fit and shall then declare as the successful Candidate the Member in whose favour a majority of votes then results.

The declared result of any election, whether achieved after a vote or not shall be held to form the decision of the Meeting and shall be regarded as final until such time as a further election for that post is required to be held for any reason.

The actions of Members of the Executive Committee shall remain valid even if any defect may after the election be discovered in the procedure followed at the time of appointment. A Special General Meeting shall be called for the purpose of re-electing the affected post(s) in the event that an electoral defect be discovered.

2. Other Executive Committee Posts : Elected Members

Members of the Executive Committee who are to serve for a period of one year, other than Members co-opted in terms of the Constitution, shall be elected by the Membership at a General Meeting of the Service.

In addition to the details required in terms of the Constitution, each Candidate for such a post shall present to the meeting an indication of the areas for which he wishes to take responsibility and an indication of the strengths which he would bring to the post.

The final distribution of tasks shall remain the responsibility of the incoming Executive Committee, such tasks will be allocated to best meet the operational needs of the Service. These responsibilities may be changed during the life of the Executive Committee in accordance with changing needs within the Service.

The Executive Committee shall ensure that responsibility for all key operational areas is allocated to either elected committee members, or those co-opted.

The Chairman of the Service shall preside over the conduct of elections for such posts.

Where the number of candidates is equal to or less than the number of vacancies, the Chairman shall in the absence of objections to any candidate by at least three members then present, deem the candidates to have been duly elected.

In the event of objections being raised to the appointment of one or more candidates by at least three Members then present and entitled to vote, the Chairman shall instigate a secret ballot for each of the candidates subject to objection in the manner first described under section (1).

Where the number of candidates exceeds the number of vacancies, the Executive Committee shall previously have prepared a form of ballot paper for use at the General Meeting at which the election for the vacancies is to be held.

The ballot paper shall specify the names of the candidates and the names of their respective nominators.

Each member is entitled to cast up to the number of votes equal to the number of vacancies with only one vote per candidate.

The Ballot Papers in respect of the posts shall then be collected and examined by a scrutineer appointed by the meeting and the Chairman who shall then declare the Candidates attracting the highest number of votes cast in that election to have been duly elected to the posts. Where in respect of any post this procedure produces a tied result, the Chairman shall exercise casting votes to complete the complement of the committee.

The declared result of any election, whether achieved after a vote or not, shall be held to form the decision of the Meeting and shall be reported as final until such time as a further election for the post in question is required to be held for any reason.

The actions of Members of the Executive Committee shall remain valid even if some defect may after any election be discovered in the procedure followed at the time of appointment.

Should any defect in the electoral process be discovered, the Executive Committee is empowered to co-opt or initiate a re-election process.