Lib Dem Draw

Constitution

  1. NAME
    The name of the Society shall be "Liberal Democrat Christmas Draw".
  2. PURPOSE
    The purpose of the Society shall be to raise funds for the Liberal Democrats and its Associated Organisations.
  3. TERMS
    In this Constitution
    1. "the Society" refers to the Liberal Democrat Christmas Draw;
    2. "Participants" refers to the associated organisations of the Liberal Democrats who participate in the Liberal Democrat Christmas Draw in accordance with this Constitution;
    3. "Associated Organisation" refers to any Local Party, Specified Associated Organisation or other Associated Organisation of the Liberal Democrats as defined by the Federal Constitution of the Liberal Democrats;
    4. "Administrators" refers to the elected Officers of the Society together with a representative of each Sponsor;
    5. "Sponsor" refers to any Associated Organisation invited from time to time by the Administrators to take an active and substantial role in the running of the Draw and to benefit accordingly.
  4. ORGANISATION
    1. The policy of the Draw shall be vested in a panel of Administrators, each member of which must be a member of the Liberal Democrats;
    2. For the purpose of decision making, any four voting Administrators, of whom one shall be an elected Officer and the remainder Sponsor Representatives shall form a quorum;
    3. In the event of a tie the Chairman shall have a second and casting vote;
    4. The Administrators shall have the power to appoint paid assistant(s) for specific tasks as the Administrators see fit;
    5. The Administrators may co-opt up to two members of the Liberal Democrats to carry out any specific task or duty as considered necessary;
    6. The Promoter may delegate any or all of his/her powers to the Panel of Administrators but shall retain responsibility for ensuring that the Draw is conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Gambling Commission as amended from time to time.
  5. SPONSORS
    1. No later than 1st March in each year the Administrators shall agree which Associated Organisations shall be invited to be Sponsors for the ensuing year;
    2. Each Sponsor shall appoint a Representative (together with one Substitute Representative who may only vote at meetings in the absence of the Representative) to the Panel of Administrators who shall serve the Society and act as its Representative; no individual may serve as both an Officer of the Society and a Representative;
    3. In the event that a Representative (or Substitute) is unable to participate in the work of the Draw at any time, the Sponsor shall provide a replacement;
    4. Each Sponsor shall be required to make an interest free loan to the Society no later than 8th March in the relevant year, the amount of which shall be from time to time determined by the Administrators and which shall be repaid by 7th March in the following year;
    5. All Sponsors shall receive reports of the meetings of the Society.
  6. OFFICERS
    1. The Officers of the Society shall be elected by the Administrators in February of each year and their year of office shall commence on 1st March following;
    2. The Officers shall be Promoter, Chair, Treasurer and Secretary; the Promoter shall fulfil the role of promoter as defined from time to time by the Gambling Commission.
  7. PARTY PRESIDENT
    The President of the Federal Party of the Liberal Democrats, or his/her nominated representative, is entitled to attend and vote at meetings of the Society.
  8. MEETINGS OF THE SOCIETY
    1. The Annual General Meeting of the Society shall be held in February of each year;
    2. All Officers and Sponsors' Representatives shall be entitled to attend and vote at meetings of the Society; at least seven days' notice of all meetings shall be given in writing by the Secretary; a minimum of four meetings shall be held in each year;
    3. No irreversible decision shall be made by any Officer or Administrator acting separately or in conjunction with such other unless deemed absolutely necessary; such decision shall be reported to the next meeting where it may be ratified or overturned;
    4. An Extraordinary General Meeting of the Society shall be held within 14 days following receipt of a written request to the Chair from no fewer than 50% of the Sponsors.
  9. APPEALS
    In the event of a disagreement, the decision of the Promoter shall be final. However, if the Promoter determines that the matter does not fall within the jurisdiction of the rules of the Gambling Commission, he/she shall refer the matter to the President of the Liberal Democrats (through the President’s Representative). In such case, if no satisfactory conclusion can be reached the matter shall be referred to the appeals procedure of the Federal Party of the Liberal Democrats.
  10. WINDING UP
    In the event that the Society is wound up, the residual funds or losses of the Society (after payment of all debts) shall be divided equally among the Sponsors.
  11. ACCOUNTS
    1. The Society shall maintain a Bank Account which shall require two signatures at least one of whom shall be the Promoter, the Chair or the Treasurer; one other Administrator may in addition be appointed for that purpose;<.ki>
    2. The Accounting Period of the Society shall be 1st March to the last day of February; an independent qualified person shall be appointed to certify the Annual Accounts of the Society; such Accounts shall be presented to the Society within nine months of the end of the accounting period;
    3. A summary of the Annual Accounts may be made available to any Participant requesting these in writing to the Administrators;
    4. The Society shall submit returns to the Gambling Commission as required by that body.
  12. PARTICIPATION
    1. An Associated Organisation shall be considered as a Participant in any year from the date of receipt of an order for books of tickets for the Draw for that year until the last day of the following January;
    2. The Administrators shall have the right to refuse any such Organisation's participation in any year;
    3. No later than 15th March in each year the Administrators shall determine the formula by which Participants shall benefit from the sale of Draw tickets in the ensuing year.
  13. DISTRIBUTION OF PROCEEDS
    1. Within one calendar month of the date of the Draw, each Participant shall be sent a payout from the proceeds of that year's Draw in accordance with the formula referred to in 12 iii above;
    2. Within three calendar months of the date of the Draw, the Administrators shall determine an amount to be paid to the By-Election Fund of the Liberal Democrats;
    3. Within three calendar months of the date of the Draw, each Sponsor shall be allocated an equal share of the net proceeds of that year's Draw after deducting payments for expenses including uninsured losses and any additional distribution agreed by the Administrators;
    4. A minimal reserve as determined from time to time by the Administrators may be retained each year for contingencies and administrative expenses.
  14. AVAILABILITY OF CONSTITUTION
    Copies of this Constitution may be made available to any Participant on receipt of a request in writing to the Administrators.
  15. AMENDMENTS TO CONSTITUTION
    This Constitution may be amended at any time by the Administrators. Any proposed amendment(s) shall be notified to all Administrators at least 14 days before the meeting at which it is to be considered, and shall be subject to a two-thirds majority of those present and voting. Any amendment shall be subject to ratification by the President of the Federal Party of the Liberal Democrats (or his/her Representative). Each Participant shall be notified within 14 days of such amendment(s) being made.

Adopted by AGM 17 March 2008