Society Rules
The Planning Officers Society is a Lmited Company ; Registered in England and Wales No: 6709078; Registered Office: 20-22 Bedford Row, London EC1R 4JS
The Society as a company is governed by its ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION; to read the ARTICLES in full
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The Society is also obliged to have a MEMORANDUM OF ASSOCIATION ; to read the document in full
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The Board of Directors comprises :
Phil Kirby , Chairman
David Hackforth
Mike Holmes
John Silvester
Stephen Tapper
Jeff Stack
The Society also has RULES which it has to abide by; as follows:
RULES OF THE SOCIETY
1. Name of the Society
1.1 Planning Officers Society
2. Statement of Objectives
2.1 To act as an advocate for all local government planning and related services; to provide, through research, exchanges of information and best practice, an efficient and effective service delivery.
2.2 To provide assistance and advice to the local Government Association and to Central Government on planning related matters.
2.3 To promote the planning services within Local Government
2.4 To provide appropriate services and support to the members of the Society and their authorities in furthering planning in Local Government and enhancing service delivery.
2.5 To act as a centre of excellence in Local Government planning matters, for example by the production of advice notes, codes of practice and a network of Committees and Regional Groups through which information and best practice is shared between Local Government planning practitioners.
2.6 To act as a focal point for liaison between other planning professionals and those practising in Local Government and to liaise with the Royal Town Planning Institute and other related professional bodies.
3. Financial Year
3.1 The financial year shall commence on 1 April
4. Subscriptions
4.1 An annual subscription shall be levied for each member of the Society. The rate of subscription to be levied will be determined by the Cabinet of the Society and shall be payable in advance by 1 April each year.
4.2 A single 'lifetime' subscription shall be levied for each Retired Member.
4.3 An annual subscription shall be levied for each Associate Member.
5. Membership
5.1 Persons in England and Wales shall be eligible for membership of the Society if they are:
i) The Chief Officer and/or Head of Planning Services of the Department within an Authority which undertakes the planning function; and/or
ii) The Designated Deputy and/or an officer who heads the spatial planning policy function and/or an officer who leads the development management function and/or an officer who heads the implementation function for the whole of the authority's area and who report directly to a person named in (i) above; or
iii) The officer who heads a Strategic Planning Unit, an Advisory or Support Team to a Regional Planning Body, a National Park or other organisation associated with planning in the public sector and of comparable standing to a person eligible for membership named in (i) or (ii) above; or
iv) The Chief Officer and/or Head of Service for a function closely related to Planning or involving the exercise of Planning skills; or
v) Any other person of similar standing deemed appropriate by the Cabinet of the Society.
vi) Persons satisfying any of the criteria above will deemed to be full Members of the Society.
vii) A Retired Member.
viii) An Associate Member.
5.2 Each Member must:
i) Be a Chartered Town Planner; or
ii) Hold such Planning Qualification as is recognised by the RTPI and/or confirmed by the Cabinet of the Society; or
iii) Hold such other qualification or position as may be deemed appropriate by the Cabinet of the Society; or
iv) Be the Chief Officer or Head of Service responsible for all or part of the Planning function within the public sector, whether or not they have a formal Planning qualification.
5.3 Applications for membership within rules 5.2 (i) and 5.2 (ii) shall be determined by the Client Officer for Services.
5.4 A Member of the Society shall forthwith cease to be such a Member.
i) If s/he is excluded by a resolution passed by three quarters of the Members present at any meeting of the Society, for any action which is in the opinion of Members, contrary to the interests of the Society;
ii) Should the subscription of a member remain unpaid for one full year? At the expiration of that period s/he shall forthwith cease to be a member; which fact shall be recorded in the minutes. S/he can only become a member again by formal application and the Society shall normally require payment of the arrears as a condition precedent to his/her re-election, including a reinstatement fee.
6. Retired Members and Associate Members
6.1 On retiring from active engagement in planning sector activity, Members may apply to become a Retired Member of the Society. On payment of a lifetime subscription, to be determined, by the Cabinet of the Society, Retired Members may participate in the affairs of the Society.
6.2 Retired Members shall cease to be eligible for this classification, if having 'retired' they recommence active engagement in planning sector activity.
6.3 Retired Members shall have no voting rights but may attend the annual general meeting an extraordinary meetings of the Society and other social events.
6.4 On ceasing to become eligible to become a full or retired Member of the Society, former Members may apply to become an Associate Member of the Society. On payment of an annual subscription, to be determined by the Cabinet of the Society, Associate Members may participate in the affairs of the Society.
6.5 Associate Members shall have no voting rights but may attend the annual general meeting and extraordinary meetings of the Society and other social events.
6.6 The three categories of membership may have different levels of access to services provided by the Society, as determined from time to time by the Cabinet of the Society.
7, Directors of the Society
7.1 The Directors of the Society shall be:
- The President,
- Senior Vice President,
- Junior Vice President,
- Publicity Officer and Spokesperson
- Client Officer for Services
- Immediate Past President or, if the Past President is unable to accept the office, one of the four nominated Vice Presidents Emeritus
7.2 The term of office for President, Senior Vice President, Junior Vice President and Immediate Past President shall be one year. The terms for the other Officers shall initially be for one year renewable at the Annual General Meeting of the Society.
7.3 The Directors will be appointed at the Annual General Meeting of the Society, with the exception of the Presidential team where the automatic right of succession will apply.
7.4 The Junior Vice President shall automatically succeed to the position of Senior Vice President after a period in office, and the Senior Vice President shall succeed to the position of President after a period in office. The President on having served a period in office, will become the Immediate Past President, until such time that the current President's period in office expires.
7.5 In the event of a vacancy arising during any member of the Presidential team's period in office, the right of automatic succession shall remain. The Board will have the right to fill any vacancy arising during a period in office, in the event that the vacancy occurs within 11 months of the Director taking up their office.
7.6 For the avoidance of doubt, the Presidential team shall comprise the President, Senior Vice President, Junior Vice President and Immediate Past President.
8. Board of Directors/Council
8.1 The Board which shall be know as the Council will consist of the Directors of the Society who will have the responsibilities placed upon them by company law. The Council will have the power to co-opt any other Members deemed appropriate. The quorum for any Council meeting shall be not less than two members in attendance, which must include at least one member of the Presidential team.
8.2 The Council will have the responsibility to carry out all company business.
8.3 The Council will meet at least once annually and from time to time as business dictates.
8.4 Decisions made by the Council will be determined by a majority of those Directors present voting. In the event of a tie, the Chairman shall have a second casting vote.
9. Cabinet
9.1 The Cabinet shall comprise the Directors of the Society, Vice-Presidents Emeritus, Committee Chairs or their nominated person, and Regional Representatives.
9.2 The Cabinet shall be responsible for advising the Council on Society business and for undertaking such business as shall be delegated to it by the Council.
9.3 The Cabinet may make recommendations to the Board on matters which fall to the Board to determine.
9.4 The Cabinet will have the power to co-opt any other Member deemed appropriate. The quorum for any Cabinet meeting shall be not less than three members in attendance, which must include at least one member of the Presidential team.
9.5 All communications sent to the Society and all other matters arising in relation to the affairs of the Society, shall be deemed to be referred to the Cabinet for consideration in the first instance. The Cabinet shall have power, save for matters that are rightfully the responsibility of the Board, to take such action as it deems fit on behalf of the Society between meetings of the Society, subject to any action being reported at the next ensuring meeting of the Society.
9.6 The Cabinet will usually meet at least 4 times per year, details of which will be listed in the Society's Calendar.
9.7 The President will normally chair meetings of the Cabinet. In his/her absence Cabinet will elect a Chairman for that meeting.
9.8 In the event that a vote is taken decisions made by the Cabinet will be determined by a majority of votes cast by those Cabinet members present.. In the event of a tie, the Chairman shall have a second casting vote.
9.9 In the interests of expediency The President shall have the right to call a meeting of the Cabinet without notice.
9.10 The Cabinet shall nominate Vice-Presidents Emeritus, to be elected annually by the Society at the Annual General meeting. The period of office will last until the next Annual General meeting.
9.11 The Cabinet shall have power to establish Committees, working groups or time and task limited panels, where it requires advice on particular topics of interest to the Society.
10. Committees
10.1 Each Committee will elect its own Chairperson, who shall be a Member of the Society, and its Secretary and/or Vice Chairman.
10.2 The Committee Chair or nominated person shall have the right to attend and participate in meetings of the Cabinet.
10.3 Committees shall have the power to set up Sub-Groups to carry out in-depth work on particular issues and to co-opt people who work in local government but are not members of the Society, where they can make a particular contribution. Members of a Committee will be able to nominate a person to attend meetings of the Committee and/or act in their place, either from the membership or from the staff of their own department. Committees will determine their own internal organisation and manner of working.
11. Regional Groups
11.1 The society shall have Regional Groups, whose main functions will be the interchange of information, expertise and good practice among the membership and advising Regional Local Authority organisations. The Regional Groups may also be consulted on current issues, and will serve as a means of sounding opinion within the Society. The geographical coverage of the Regional Groups will be at the initiative of the membership in the relevant part of the country, and shall be notified to the Client Officer for Services. Each Regional Group will elect its own Chairperson, who shall be a Member of the Society. The Regional Chairperson or nominated person shall have the right to attend and participate in meetings of the Cabinet.
11.2 The frequency and format of meetings and administrative arrangements will be at the discretion of the individual Regional Group.
12 POS Enterprises Ltd
2.1 POS Enterprises Ltd is a subsidiary company of the Society limited by shares, held by the Society.
12.2 For the avoidance of doubt nothing shall prevent a person being both a Director of the Society and a Director of POS Enterprises Ltd.
12.3 An annual report will be made to the Society at the Annual General Meeting, on the activities of POS Enterprises Ltd.
13. Society Meetings
13.1 The Annual General Meeting of the Society shall be held at a time to be agreed by Cabinet. The President may call an Extraordinary Meeting of the Society at any time by giving fourteen clear days' notice to all Members, and shall do so when required in writing by not less than nine Members.
13.2 Motions to be put to the Annual General Meeting shall be received by the Client Officer for Services or a nominated person, not less than 7 days before the date of the meeting.
13.3 The President shall be the Chairperson of each meeting of the Society and Cabinet. In his/her absence the Senior Vice President or Junior Vice President, shall occupy the Chair. In the absence of the latter the Chairperson shall be elected from those present.
13.4 Each Member shall have a vote at any meeting of the Society and in the event of an equality of votes the Chairperson shall have a second or casting vote. Motions shall, except where otherwise provided in the Constitution, be carried by a simple majority of members present and voting.
14 Quorum
14.1 The Quorum for the Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary Meeting of the Society shall be not less than 5 Members in attendance.
15 Finance
15.1 The Client Officer for Services or a nominated person shall present the balance sheet and accounts to the first available Society meeting following the Annual General Meeting, after they have been audited by the company's appointed auditors.
15.2 The funds of the Society shall be deposited in a bank or building society account in the name of the Society and all cheques be signed by the Client Officer for Services or a nominated person.
15.3 The Client Officer for Services or a nominated person shall have discretion to reimburse expenses for the Directors of the Society, up to a total sum per annum as may be set by the Cabinet from time to time, for all Directors, subject to him/her being satisfied that the money was/or is to be spent on activities related to the work of the Society. All claims should be made by 31 March each year.
15.4 The Society shall be able to make financial transactions with POS Enterprises Ltd as agreed and determined by the Cabinet.
16 Changes to the Rules of the Society
16.1 The rules of the society can only be amended by the Board, unless agreed otherwise by the membership of the Society at an Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary Meeting of the Society. Proposed changes to be considered at the Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary meeting of the Society shall be lodged with the Client Officer for Services or a nominated person and published at least 7 clear days before the date of the meeting. Changes agreed at an Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary Meeting will only come into effect if passed by a majority of three quarters of the members present and voting.
17 Rules
17.1 Rules to govern any procedure or business of the Society may, if not inconsistent with these rules, be made at any meeting of the Society to operate until revoked or modified at any subsequent meeting. Any question touching upon the interpretation of the Rules or of any Rules made there under shall be determined by the Cabinet in its absolute discretion.
