The Constitution
Founded January 1990, constitution amended November 2004 and May 2007 Ratified by a vote of the Network on 9th November 2004 and 5th June 2007
A) MEMBERSHIP
The organisation shall be known as ‘The Manchester Pub and Club Network’ (herein after called “The Network”.
Membership of the Network is restricted to Premises Licences (as defined by the Licensing Act 2003) within the Greater Manchester Police (G.M.P.) city centre “North Manchester” Division and the licensee or his/her nominee representing the premises. These persons shall be referred to as “Members”.
Membership shall be dependant also on the payment of an annual subscription fee of £45. This fee is payable in one instalment and the period of membership shall run from April to March, with subscriptions being collected from April for that year.
Venues who do not pay the membership fee may be denied attendance at meetings or from receiving minutes or other privileges of paid-up members. The Network is non-profit making and all fees are to be used for the administration and reasonable running costs of the Network (including photocopying, postage and the like).
In addition to the above, a position identified as “The Inspector in charge of the licensing unit of Greater Manchester Police” (The Inspector) will be retained as an active member of the Network (with no voting rights).
A press officer whose election is made at the same time as that of the Principal Officers will be retained as an active member of the Network, also with no voting rights.
One or more legal representatives duly appointed by the network may also attend meetings and address and advise the network at any point during these meetings. This representative will have no voting rights, but his/her opinion may be sought on any matter prior to voting.
A secretary will be appointed as an active member but will have no voting rights.
Members may use on their own business stationary the logo of the Network if they so wish.
Members will be given a username and password to allow them to access the Network website. This address is www.pub-club.org copies of past minutes and other information will be available on this site.
B) GUESTS
The Network may, at its own discretion, invite representatives from the statutory authorities and other licensing related businesses or professions to attend at meetings (these guests having no voting rights).
Any invited guests may be asked to leave the room when voting takes place or when confidential issues are being discussed. Due to the sensitive nature of issues under discussion and issues of confidentiality, registered door staff and/or representatives from security firms are hereby specifically excluded from any meeting.
C. MEETINGS
1 Dates and times.
A meeting of the Network shall take place on the first Tuesday of every calendar month at 3pm at a venue agreeable to the Network. These times shall either remain the same or be changed by a vote of the Network.
2 Composition of meetings.
a) The meetings may be attended by all members of the Network and/or their nominees, Police representatives (normally “The Inspector” and officers from the City Centre Safe Unit and Crime Reduction Unit) and any invited guests.
b) Other persons attending the meetings shall be classed as observers (non-voting). These persons may only address the meeting as guest speakers or under A.O.B.
c) Guest speakers will be invited to address the Network at the discretion of the Principal Officers.
3. Annual General Meeting (“AGM”).
The AGM shall be the first meeting of the calendar year, this date to be agreed at the last meeting of the previous year.
4. Extraordinary General Meetings (“E.G.M”).
a) An E.G.M. shall be convened when any two or more Principal Officers so deem an E.G.M. necessary.
b) Persons attending an E.G.M. shall be the same as are entitled to attend any meeting.
c) Members of the Network shall be notified (to the best ability of the Secretary) of an E.G.M. at least seven days prior to this meeting.
d) The reason for an E.G.M. being called shall be stated in the notice.
D. MINUTES OF THE MEETING AND CORRESPONDENCE.
i All meetings shall be minuted.
1. The Secretary of the Network shall be responsible for the taking of minutes and for their distribution.
2. Minutes of a meeting and an agenda shall be distributed in advance of the following meeting.
3. Minutes shall be discussed and approved at the following meeting.
4. The Secretary shall be responsible for keeping a copy of all minutes and correspondence of the Network and on request shall make such records available to any member of the Network.
5. The Secretary shall be responsible for the confidentiality of all the records of the Network.
6. It is the responsibility of members of the Network to ensure that the Secretary holds current e-mail addresses for them to receive minutes. In the absence of an e-mail address members should provide a current name and address for postal correspondence.
7. Members must log their attendance and contact details at meetings by signing the attendance sheet.
8. Minutes shall be distributed to all members of the Network who have paid their membership fee for that year. Minutes may also be made available to members of GMP, The City Council and agreed other parties.
E. ACCOUNTS AND THEIR ADMINISTRATION.
1. The Treasurer is responsible for the administration of the Network accounts.
2. An account shall be opened which is identifiable to all members of the Network.
3. A Treasurer’s report to include the balance of all Network accounts shall be submitted at each meeting.
4. Two principal officers (including the Treasurer) shall be nominated as account signatories with both needed to sign the accounts.
5. Any spending of monies shall be considered and approved at a Network meeting.
6. Audited accounts shall be made available at the AGM for inspection by members.
7. Any agreement of expenditure must be approved by a vote of the members
8. Expenditure on postage for an E.G.M. can be at the discretion of two principal officers.
F. PRINCIPAL OFFICERS: THEIR ELECTION AND TERMS OF OFFICE.
1. Officers of the Network shall be elected on an annual basis at the A.G.M.
2. A Principal Officer must be a member of the Network either by right (a licensee or his nominee as described in section A) or by a vote of the Network.
3. The Principal Officers shall be;
a) Chair
b) Vice-chair
c) Secretary (or suitable alternative)
d) Treasurer
e) Press Officer/Spokesperson
f) Auditors (appointed at the AGM)
4. Nominations for Principal Officers shall be submitted no later than the last meeting of the calendar year, this nominee to be agreeable to the Network to stand in that capacity. Nominees should be proposed and seconded.
5. Once a Principal Officer has been elected, that individual shall remain in office notwithstanding that he or she is no longer employed in the licensed trade or when he/she gives written notice of resignation from their position within the Network.
6. The Officer may remain in office should the Network mutually agree by a vote that they should do so.
7. The legal representative of the Network will also be elected at the A.G.M. This position holds no voting rights and is also not deemed to be a Principal Officer.
G. VOTING AND VOTING RIGHTS.
1. The Chairman shall not have a vote unless it is a casting vote.
2. The police do not have a vote. However, their opinion may be sought before any voting takes place.
3. Votes shall be limited to one per licensed premises and it shall be for the Chair to decide who is entitled to vote at each meeting.
4. Proxy votes can only be cast by the members’ elected deputy.
H. QUORUM.
A quorum of any meeting convened shall consist of no less than seven members (or their deputies). No meetings shall be held or votes cast where less than seven members are in attendance.
I. CENSURE, SUSPENSION AND EXPULSION OF PRINCIPAL OFFICERS AND MEMBERS
OF THE NETWORK FOR GROSS MISCONDUCT.
i. Such matters shall be discussed at a monthly meeting or an E.G.M..
ii. Any member facing a disciplinary hearing shall be invited to attend that meeting and may bring a representative.
iii. A majority vote is required for a censure, suspension and expulsion.
J. AMENDMENTS TO THE RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE NETWORK.
An A.G.M. or an E.G.M. convenes for that purpose and can discuss such amendments to the rules and regulations of the Network, however, a minimum of ten members must agree to such amendments and for these ten members to be in a majority in any vote.
K. SPECIAL NOTES.
i. The Network shall be run under the auspices of the Data Protection Act.
ii. Any information discussed at meetings may not be divulged to any third party without agreement from the Network. Information shared by members at meetings is strictly confidential, and discussing issues raised with non-members will result in instant dismissal from the Network (subject to Paragraph I above).