Rules of the Association
THE OBJECTS OF THE ASSOCIATION
1. The primary objects of the Association are to provide its Members with an opportunity to meet each other and to increase their knowledge and experience of viticulture and winemaking and to promote the production and sale of wines grown in the South and West of England and in Wales. The secondary object of the Association is to provide support to Wine GB.
MEMBERSHIP
2. a) Any person, or the representative of any vineyard, or partnership, or limited company, may apply for admission to membership. Such application shall be in writing, shall be signed by the applicant, who shall undertake to pay the Association Subscription together with the appropriate share of the UKVA Affiliation Fee. The Association shall have full and unrestricted power to grant or refuse membership as it sees fit and in the case of refusal shall not be bound to assign any reason.
b) The Membership Year commences on 1 August.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
3. Annual General Meeting (AGM) each year in addition to any other meetings in the year. Not more than fifteen months shall elapse between the date of the AGM and that of the next. At each AGM the Accounts and Balance Sheet for the previous financial year, together with the Auditor's report thereon, shall be considered, and if thought fit, adopted. All Members will be notified in writing of the date of the AGM not less than four months before the AGM.
4 a) Any Member intending to propose a Resolution at the AGM shall give the Secretary sixty days notice of such proposed Resolution and such Resolutions shall be circulated to all members with the Notice of the Agenda of the AGM not less than twenty-one days before the AGM
b) Any Member may propose a Resolution at the AGM which, if duly accepted by the Chairman and agreed to by a majority of the Members present, taking into account the proxy votes properly received, shall be binding upon the Association for one year only until either confirmed as future policy or rejected in accordance with the Rules of the Association.
5 a) Members shall have one vote at the Annual General Meeting, and at all other general meetings. The vote may be given in person, by proxy, by post, by FAX or by e-mail. Members shall also be entitled to vote at the AGM and other meetings of the UKVA in accordance with the UKV A rules provided either (a) that they shall have paid the hectarage levy, or (b) that they are members of the Large Growers and Producers Group, or (c) that on the 31 March 1996 they were Associate Members of the EVA or Members of an Affiliated Regional Association.
b) A quorum of Members shall be nine Members present when the AGM proceeds to business.
THE COMMITTEE
6 a) All the business and operations of the Association shall be conducted and managed by a Committee of not less than five nor more than fifteen Members. The Committee shall be elected each year at the AGM.
b) Any Committee member wishing to continue to serve the Committee shall notify the Secretary not less than sixty days before the AGM. Any other Member wishing to stand for the Committee must notify the Secretary and be proposed and seconded by two Members of the Association not less than sixty days before the AGM.
c) The names of those willing to serve on the Committee for the coming year shall be circulated to Members not less than twenty-one days before the AGM. Those Committee members wishing to continue to serve on the Committee, together with the other Members duly proposed and seconded as above, shall comprise the Committee for the coming year provided only that where there is a total of more than fifteen Members prepared to serve on the Committee those to be appointed shall be decided by a ballot of Members or their proxies at the AGM.
7 a) The Committee shall, as soon as possible after the AGM, appoint from among its members a Chairman, and Secretary, for the coming year, together with such other office holders as the Committee shall decide.
b) The Committee shall in addition appoint the Association's Representative Council member to serve on the Council of the UKVA, together with one named alternate for such Council member.
c) the Chairman may co-opt up to a further three Members to serve on the Committee.
d) A quorum of the Committee shall be five members present when the Committee proceeds to business.
EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING
8 a) The Chairman, on behalf of the Committee, may call an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) at any time in the interests of Members. Not less than twenty-one days notice shall be given in writing to all Members.
b) A quorum of Members shall be fifteen Members present when the EGM proceeds to business.
ACCOUNTS
9 a) The Committee shall cause proper books of account to kept by the Association with respect to all sums of money received and expended by the Association and for an audit by a suitably qualified member of the Association to be carried out each year.
b) In the event of the winding-up of the Association the net assets of the Association shall be apportioned among all who are Members at the date of such winding-up.
SUBSCRIPTIONS
11 a) All Members shall pay an annual subscription to be decided at each AGM. The Committee shall each year make its recommendations for the coming year's rate of subscription to be circulated with the Notice of Agenda of the AGM.
b) Members will be asked to re-new their membership by paying the annual subscription shortly after the AGM. The UKVA
affiliation fees are payable at the same time. New Members subscriptions and affiliation fees are payable upon joining.
c) Membership will lapse if due fees are not paid by 1 September.
MINUTES OF MEETINGS
12. The Committee shall cause proper minutes to be kept with respect to the proceedings at all General meetings and meetings of the Committee, and shall produce these to Members upon reasonable demand.
MEETINGS OF THE ASSOCIATION
The Forum shall be the means whereby a programme of vineyard visits, meetings both technical and social, events or courses shall be arranged to interest all levels of SWVA membership. The Committee shall from time to time appoint two of its members to administer the Forum, one for the smaller grower and the other for larger commercial growers. Essential details of the programme shall be published in the Vine Post and full details of meetings shall be circulated to all paid-up members of the SWVA not less than 21 days prior to each meeting in order to ascertain expected attendance numbers.
Meetings are expected to run without financial support, though a charge may sometime be necessary, for example to pay an honorarium to an invited speaker or to cover refreshment costs for large events. Details of the Forum’s events shall be circulated to all SWVA members unless an “opt out” has been received by the Secretary. Notices of meetings shall be sent to members by e-mail unless a posted copy has been specifically requested.
In the event that attendance numbers are limited, for example by the size of the venue, this will be indicated when the full details are circulated and places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.
[Taken from the ‘Rules of the South West Vineyards Association’ - Dated July 2011. Updated to reflect name changes on 29.04.21]