Section 9
Meetings
9.1 The Meetings held by the Society shall be General Meetings or Thematic Meetings, or other meetings approved by Council. In addition Specialist or Regional Groups may hold Meetings.
General Meetings
9.2 The General Meetings shall be of three kinds: (1) Annual, (2) Special, (3) Ordinary. The order of business at General Meetings shall be determined by Regulations. Fellows shall be notified of the date and time of all Meetings at least two months in advance and shall receive the agenda and papers for Meetings at least three weeks in advance. If events or circumstances beyond the Society's control require the deferment of an Annual or Special General Meeting, not less than twenty one days' notice shall be given of the deferred meeting which shall normally be held within two months of the original date.
9.3 Fellows shall have the right to attend all General Meetings at which no charge for attendance shall be made. Eleven Fellows and one Secretary shall form a quorum at a Meeting where voting will take place.
9.4 The President takes the chair at all General Meetings; or, if absent, one of the Vice-Presidents; or, in their absence, one of the members of Council; or, in case of the absence of all the members of Council, a Fellow to be appointed for the occasion by the Meeting. Whosoever is in the chair shall be responsible for ensuring that the Meeting is conducted properly and in accord with the Charter and Bye-laws.
9.5 The ordinary method of voting shall be by show of hands but a ballot shall be taken in cases prescribed by the Charter or Bye-laws, or when demanded by any five Fellows present. No show of hands or ballot shall decide a question, unless eleven or more Fellows actually vote. The decision of the absolute majority of the Fellows voting at a Meeting shall be the decision of the Meeting.
9.6 Whosoever is in the chair shall not vote when the voting is by show of hands, but may vote when the voting is by ballot. If the votes cast, whether by ballot or show of hand, are equal, except in cases specially designated by the Charter or Bye-laws, whosoever is in the chair may give a casting vote. If there is uncertainty as to the side on which the majority lies then a ballot shall be held at the request of any one Fellow present.
9.7 The voting upon any question, except for adjournment, shall, on the demand of any five Fellows, be deferred to the next subsequent General Meeting, when the same may be discussed again and then shall be either voted upon or withdrawn.
9.8 If the case of adjournment has been put and carried, an adjournment may be made of any General Meeting; no business shall be transacted at an adjourned Meeting other than that deferred.
9.9 Minutes of the proceedings of every General Meeting shall be taken.
9.10 Persons not belonging to the Society, if introduced by Fellows, may be present at Ordinary or Annual General Meetings, but may not vote and shall be subject to such Regulations which may be made. Persons not belonging to the Society may not be present at Special General Meetings.
Annual General Meeting
9.11 The Annual General Meeting of the Fellows shall be held at the Society's Apartments on the third Friday of February, or as near to that date as is possible to ensure time for the preparation and posting of the Annual Report and Accounts [6.23].
9.12 The Meeting shall receive from Council
(i) its Annual Report on the general business of the Society;
(ii) the Annual Accounts; and shall
(iii) remove five or more members of Council;
(iv) elect the members of Council;
(v) elect the Officers for the next year;
(vi) appoint Auditors;
(vii) receive the President's Address;
(viii) confer the Awards for that year;
(ix) elect Honorary Fellows; and
(x) transact such other business as is provided by the Charter and Bye-laws.
9.13 Any Fellow present may question and comment on any matters contained in the Report and Accounts, and may comment on other matters relating to the government of the Society and its management.
9.14 After completion of the balloting for Council, the names of the Council elected for the next year shall be announced from the chair. After completion of the balloting for Officers from the elected Council, the names of the Officers elected for the next year shall be announced from the chair. Those elected shall assume their functions immediately.
Special General Meetings
9.15 Special General Meetings of the Fellows shall be held at the Apartments for the purpose of deciding matters relating to the business of the Society.
9.16 A Special General Meeting shall be convened following a request addressed to one of the Secretaries at the Apartments specifying the business for which the Meeting is to be convened, and signed on behalf of Council or by any five or more Fellows. The Meeting shall be held within a reasonable time after such a request has been received.
9.17 No business other than that of which notice has been given in the summons sent to Fellows convening the Meeting shall be entered upon or discussed at such Meeting.
9.18 The Fellows present at a Special General Meeting shall have power to vote to
(i) make and establish such Bye-laws and procedures which are useful for the government of the Society;
(ii) alter, suspend or repeal existing Bye-laws, and make new Bye-laws, as they shall think expedient, which are not in conflict with the Charter, or to the laws of the Realm;
(iii) propose supplements to, or the surrendering of, the Charter;
(iv) correct conflicts between the Bye-laws, the Charter and current legislation;
(v) over-rule decisions by Council, including the content of Regulations;
(vi) define the powers to be carried out by Council, the President, and the other Officers; which shall include
(a) ensuring the effective management of the estates, goods, lands, revenues, and business of the Society;
(b) regulating the manner of proposing, electing, admitting, and removing Fellows, Honorary Fellows and Candidate Fellows, and of electing or appointing, removing and restoring, the Officers and staff of the Society;
(c) determining the time and place of the Meetings of the Society; and
(d) proposing Annual Subscriptions and Fees; and
(vii) replace Officers who have died or resigned [7.1].
More than one item of business may be transacted at a Special General Meeting.
9.19 When it is intended to move the enactment, alteration, suspension, or repeal of any Bye-law, written notice of such motion, signed on behalf of Council or by five or more Fellows, must be delivered, addressed to one of the Secretaries at the Society's Apartments. Once that notice has been received the following procedure shall be followed:
(i) notice of the proposed changes shall be displayed within two days of either their signature on behalf of Council, or their receipt, and proposals shall then be read from the chair at two successive Meetings at the Apartments;
(ii) Fellows shall be notified of the proposed changes by post: written arguments for and against the changes shall be issued;
(iii) amendments by five or more Fellows must be delivered within five weeks to the Secretaries at the Apartments;
(iv) a postal ballot paper covering the original proposed changes and the proposed amendments, if any, shall be issued [6.26 (i)]; no change in the Bye-laws shall be enacted unless and until a positive vote in favour has been obtained by a postal ballot of Fellows;
(v) a Special General Meeting must then be summoned, within a reasonable time following the postal ballot, for the purpose of balloting on the proposed changes and amendments; Fellows shall be advised of the results of the postal ballot at the time that the Meeting is summoned; no amendment shall be taken at a Special General Meeting; and
(vi) the motion or motions when made at a Special General Meeting shall after due discussion be decided by method of ballot by an absolute majority of the Fellows present.
Ordinary General Meetings
9.20 Ordinary General Meetings shall be held by the Society on no less than four occasions each calendar year for the purpose of(i) electing and removing Fellows and Honorary Fellows;
(ii) scientific presentations and debate;
(iii) consideration of matters of national or global interest relevant to the object of the Society; and
(iv) discussion of matters relevant to the business of the Society.
9.21 Ordinary General Meetings shall be held at the Society's Apartments and elsewhere.
9.22 No vote may be taken at an Ordinary General Meeting which relates to the government or business of the Society, or its Bye-laws.
Thematic Meetings
9.23 The Council may organise Meetings at which a scientific theme appropriate to the objects of the Society can be presented and discussed. Council shall be responsible for determining the conduct of business at Thematic Meetings. Fellows may be charged for attendance at all or part of such Meetings for which accounts must be published.