1

Title and Definition:

The title shall be: "The Locomotive & Carriage Institution".

Definition: Hereinafter, any reference to "the Institution" shall mean "The Locomotive & Carriage Institution".

2

 Objectives:

The objectives of the Institution are to:

a)

Promote knowledge and understanding of the railway industry;

b)

Enable members to meet and to facilitate the exchange of ideas and information; to discuss technical developments and literature;

c)

Organise visits and tours for members and guests to places of educational and social interest;

d)

Arrange lectures upon subjects of common interest;

e)

Maintain a principle centre and to encourage the formation of other centres of the Institution

3

Membership:

There shall be various types of membership:

a)

Full - open to employees, active and retired, of rail transportation administrations and associated industries;

b)

Associate - open to other persons aged 18 and over with a genuine interest in the furtherance of the objectives of the Institution. Applicants must be proposed and seconded by full members;

c)

Life - open to active and retired members and limited to 10% of the membership;

d)

Honorary - granted at the discretion of the Council;

e)

All applications for membership shall be subject to acceptance by the Council;

f)

On acceptance, members will be provided with a membership card  and, on request, a copy of the rules;

g)

All members shall agree to be bound by the current or amended  rules of the Institution in force at the time;

h)

If membership is terminated by resignation/expulsion, no refund of existing fee will be paid.

4)

Subscriptions:

a)

All subscriptions shall be determined annually  at the Annual General Meeting (A.G.M.);

b)

On retirement, members shall pay a reduced subscription;

c)

Those retiring during the year to pay the retired rate, pro rata, from 'the date of retirement';

d)

Payment shall be by pay bill deduction where this facility is available otherwise by annual subscription. Subscriptions are due ,on the 1st April each year and must be paid not later than 30th June the same year;

e)

Life membership subscriptions, at 15 times the Annual Rate, may be paid at any time, subject to Council acceptance;

f)

Subscriptions from International members will be determined based on the value of the GBP (£) at the time of joining the Institution and annually at the A.G.M.

5)

Officers:

The Officers, who must be members of the Institution, shall consist of: Institution President, Vice President(s), Chairman, Vice Chairmen, Membership Secretary, Institution Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Website Manager, Treasurer, Newsletter Editor and The Independent Financial Examiner (2).

6)

 Institution President:

The Institution President shall:

a)

Maintain and enhance the reputation and standing of the Institution;

b)

Represent the Institution Officially;

c)

Maintain and expand industry liaison;

d)

Assist and guide the Council in the resolution of issues, which may arise.

7)

Council:

The Council shall consist of the Officers (one of which can be an Associate Member) and up to six other members, which also must not include more than one Associate Member.

a)

A minimum of five members are required to form a quorum;

b)

In the absence of the Chairman and Vice Chairman at a Council meeting, a member of the Council shall be nominated by the members present to chair the meeting;

c)

All matters shall be settled by a show of hands. The meeting Chairman shall have the casting vote;

d)

The Council shall be empowered to co-opt to fill any vacancy that may occur during the year;

e)

Council members to assist Officer's of the Council as necessary;

f)

A member of the Council can raise a resolution that another member of Council can be removed from the Council if they believe that the member’s position on Council is detrimental to the interests of the Institution, or brings the Institution into disrepute.  If the resolution is agreed by a majority of Council members, the member concerned shall be removed from Council and shall not stand for re-election to the Council for a period of no less than three years.

g

A minimum of four Council meetings per year shall be called by the Chairman, Institution Secretary, or other member of the Council through the Chairman or Institution Secretary

8)

Chairman:

a)

Chair Institution meetings;

b)

Liaise with the Vice Chairman on occasions when they are unable to attend a Institution meeting to ensure that the Chairman’s duties are covered;

c)

On any occasion when neither the Chairman nor Vice Chairman is available, the Chairman shall liaise with the Council to ensure that a meeting Chairman is nominated;

d)

Be paid an annual honorarium.

9)

Vice Chairman:

The Vice Chairman shall:

a)

Cover the Chairman's duties as necessary;

b)

Be paid an annual honorarium.

10)

 Institution Secretary:

The Institution Secretary shall:

a)

Deal with the general business of the Institution;

b)

Maintain a close working relationship with other Council members;

c)

Co-op other Council Members to assist as necessary;

d)

Be paid an annual honorarium.

11)

Assistant Secretary:

The Assistant Secretary, in association with the Institution Secretary, shall:

a)

Assist the Institution Secretary as necessary;

b)

Be paid an annual honorarium.

12)

 Membership Secretary:

The Membership Secretary shall:

a)

Be responsible for all membership matters;

b)

Be paid an annual honorarium.

13)

Treasurer:

The Treasurer shall:

a)

Draw cheques as authorised by the Council;

b)

Maintain records of income and expenditure;

c)

Give a financial statement at each Council meeting;

d)

Prepare a statement of account and report to the AGM;

e)

Have the authority to transfer the institution's funds between Institutions accounts;

f)

Be paid an annual honorarium.

14)

Newsletter Editor:

The Newsletter Editor shall:

a)

Produce the institution's publications for distribution.;

b)

Be paid an annual honorarium.

15)

Web Manager:

The Web Manager shall:

a)

Prepare and maintain the Institution's web site;

b)

Be paid an annual honorarium.

16)

Independent Financial Examiners:

The Independent Financial Examiners shall:

a)

Examine in detail and certify the annual statement of accounts;

b)

Be paid an annual honorarium.

17)

Member for Sales and Publicity

The member responsible for  Sales and Publicity shall:

a)

Deal with matters relating to the sale of Institution merchandise;

b)

Promote the Institution through agreed channels;

c)

Attend Council meetings by invitation.

18)

Funds

The funds of the Institution shall be deposited with financial institutions as regulated by the The Financial Conduct Authority, in the name of the Institution, subject to approval by the Council.

19)

Meetings

a)

Council Meetings and presentations shall be at venues or online in accordance  with restrictions (e.g. Covid 19);

b)

When due to restrictions (e.g. Covid 19) meetings cannot take place in the usual venues and the Chairman and Secretary are authorised to set up, via the Web Manager, online meetings/presentations as and when required;

20)

Annual General Meeting:

The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Institution shall be held between the 1st February and the 30th  June each year, at which all members are entitled to attend and vote.

a)

The annual statement of accounts, signed by the Treasurer and certified by the Independent Financial Examiners, shall be presented by the Treasurer;

b)

Nominations for Officers and Council Members shall be considered;

c)

The Officers and Council members shall retire annually but shall be eligible for re-election;

d)

A Special General Meeting may be called on the request of not less than 10% of the membership who shall give notice to the Chairman and Institution Secretary of the justification for the Special General Meeting. The Institution Secretary shall advise all members of the request within twenty-eight days of receipt of that request, with the Special General Meeting being held no sooner than one month after notice is given but no later than two months. No other business shall be transacted at the Special General Meeting other than that for which the meeting is called;

e)

Honorariums may be considered at Council meetings and proposed at the AGM;

f)

All elections and resolutions shall be decided by a show of hands. The Chairman shall have the casting vote;

g)

Any rule changes to be approved at an AGM by no less than two-thirds of those in attendance;

h)

Any notice of motion must be received by the Institution Secretary at least 8 weeks prior to date of the Annual General Meeting.

i)

The actual meeting shall not exceed 60 (sixty) minutes in duration and the Chairman (or acting Chairman) has the power to use the guillotine to curtail any topics/items as required.

21)

Educational Free Pass:

Only those events shown as "free pass" on the events calendar page of the Institution website and/or are clearly shown as being eligible for a free pass in other official Institution printed publications, such as the newsletter, are eligible for use of this facility.

21)

Conduct:

a)

Members are advised that information given at meetings and visits may be confidential and such information must not be divulged to the media, public or outside bodies;

b)

If the conduct of any member is considered to be detrimental to the interests of the Institution, the Council shall be empowered to recommend to that member in writing that the member should resign. The member shall have the right to appear in person before the Council to state their case. If the member concerned does not comply with the recommendation within fourteen days, the case shall be brought before the next Council meeting, whose decision shall be final;

c)

The Council, by a simple majority of Council members present at a Council meeting, shall have the power to expel a member from the Institution .  Expulsion from the Institution may be imposed for gross misconduct.  Gross misconduct shall be applicable to, but not limited, a members whose conduct is derogatory to the Institution, detrimental to the interests of the Institution, or brings the Institution into disrepute.

d)

Any request to use the Institutions name shall be submitted to the Council before use. Any agreed use of the Institutions name by Council shall be notified in writing.

22)

Other Centres:

Other centres may be established following submission to the Institution Secretary. Council shall consider this request and if approved, shall determine the basis of operation

23)

Data Protection:

Details of members are held in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 2018.  Members have the right to have their details removed from the membership list and be held separately. Excision of details from the membership list to be progressed through the Membership Secretary.

©  The Locomotive & Carriage Institution 2021