Title

The Group shall be known as the Domestic Buildings Research Group (Surrey).

Objects

The objects of the Group shall be: to further the study of traditional domestic architecture, primarily in and around Surrey, for the benefit of the public, by the recording and comparison of suitable buildings of historical interest, and by such other studies as may contribute to the public knowledge of such buildings and to their relationship to the social and economic history of their times.

Management

The affairs of the Group shall be controlled by a Committee elected by and responsible to the general direction of members at the Annual General Meeting. There shall be a President, who shall be appointed at Annual General Meeting. Past Presidents may be invited to become Vice-Presidents, and shall be appointed at an Annual General Meeting.

Officers and Committee

The Committee shall consist of the Officers and up to four further members. The Officers shall consist of the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Secretary, Recording Secretary and Programme Secretary. The Committee shall have power to co-opt other members, who shall serve for the year in which they were co-opted. There shall be a quorum when at least one third of the Committee for the time being, or at least three members of the Committee, whichever is the greater, are present at a Meeting.

All the members of the Committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting. The Chairman shall be elected initially for two years, and the rest of the Committee for one year. All shall be eligible for re-election without any need for individual proposing and seconding. Other nominations for Officers or members of the Committee may be made in writing by any two members of the Group, and must be received by the Secretary at least 7 days before the A.G.M. If necessary, there shall be a ballot of members present at the A. G. M. and, if two or more candidates receive an equal number of votes, the casting vote of the Chairman of the Group shall decide except that, in the case of a tied vote for Chairman, the President's casting vote shall decide.

Membership

Membership may be extended to any person interested in furthering the objects of the Group upon application by that person and subject to the approval of the Committee. The Committee may appoint Honorary Members.
The Committee shall have the power to terminate the membership of any person who fails to follow the Guidelines for Members when Visiting Properties or any other conditions of membership agreed by the Committee from time to time, or whose conduct is considered to be prejudicial to the character or interests of the Group. Such a member may, after one calendar year, apply to rejoin; the decision of the Committee upon such an application shall be final.

Subscription

The amount of the annual membership fee shall be fixed at a General Meeting and shall subsequently be due for payment on following 1st January. The General Meeting may set a reduced rate of membership for two members living at the same address. Members elected in the last quarter of the Group's year shall not be required to pay a subscription for the following year. Members who have not paid their subscription by May 1st will be considered as having resigned.

Accounts and Audit

The accounts of the Group shall be made up to the 31st December in each year. They shall be audited by an Independent Examiner in accordance with the current rules laid down by the Charity Commissioners.

General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting of the Group shall be held during the month of April each year, or as soon thereafter as is practicable. Its Agenda shall include a report by the Chairman on behalf of the Committee, covering the period since the previous AGM, the approval of the audited accounts, and the election of the Committee and Independent Auditor until the next AGM. A special General Meeting may be called by the direction of the Committee or at the request of not less than ten members, in writing, providing an agenda for discussion. There shall be a quorum when at least one tenth of the members, or at least ten members, whichever is the greater, are present at a General Meeting. At least fourteen days notice in writing, and including an Agenda of items to be discussed, shall be given of any General Meeting.

Amendments

Amendments of these rules shall be subject to the approval of a majority of the members voting at a General Meeting. At least fourteen days notice in writing of any proposal to amend the rules shall be given to all members before a vote is taken on a proposed amendment. No alteration shall be made which would have the effect of causing the Group to cease to be a charity in law. No amendment shall be made to the Objects clause or to the Amendments clause without the previous permission of the Charity Commissioners.

Dissolution

The dissolution of the Group may be effected by a resolution passed by a three-fourths majority of the members of the Group present in person or by proxy at a special General Meeting. If a motion to dissolve the Group is passed, any surplus funds, property and assets shall not be distributed amongst the members but shall be passed to such charitable institutions or purposes having similar objects to the Group, as the Committee shall decide or, if this is not possible, then to some other charitable institution.

This constitution was passed by a General Meeting of the Group on November 29th 2003