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The Essex Association of Change Ringers   President: The Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of Chelmsford


Association Standing Orders

These Standing Orders were last amended at the 2011 AGM

  1. AGENDA – Items on the Agenda shall take precedence over other business, except matters of urgency, which may be moved only by permission of the meeting. Any member may introduce business, not requiring notice, for consideration after the items on the Agenda have been completed, time permitting.
  2. MINUTES – The Minutes of the previous meeting shall be read and confirmed and signed by the Chairman (it shall not be necessary to read Minutes of any meeting which have been circulated to members). No discussion thereon shall be allowed except with regard to their accuracy before confirmation, after which relevant questions may be asked regarding matters arising therefrom. Debates on the policy outlined shall take place only by permission of the Chairman.
  3. SPEAKERS – Speakers shall address the Chair, speak clearly and audibly, and announce their names and localities. When necessary the Chairman shall decide on the precedence to be given to the speakers. Time limits shall be: Movers of resolutions and amendments, five minutes; seconders and other speakers, three minutes; unless otherwise agreed. Movers shall be entitled to three minutes at the end of discussion. Members shall speak more than once, on a given proposition, only by permission of the Chairman.
  4. CHAIRMAN'S RULING – The Chairman's Rulings on any question shall be final, unless challenged by not less than four members, and a majority of those present to the contrary.
  5. MOTIONS AND AMENDMENTS – The first proposition on a matter shall be known as the 'Original Motion' and succeeding propositions known as 'Amendments'. Every motion or amendment must be properly seconded before discussion. It is permissible to address the meeting and conclude with a motion. When an amendment is moved no further amendment may be discussed until the first is disposed of satisfactorily. If an amendment is carried it disposes of the Original Motion, and becomes the Substantive Motion, whereupon a further amendment relevant to the Substantive Motion may be moved. After a vote on each succeeding amendment the surviving proposition shall be put, and if carried, shall then become a resolution of the meeting. No direct negative to any motion shall be taken.
  6. CLOSURES – If he considers a matter sufficiently debated, the Chairman may move 'That the question now be put'. Closure may also be moved by a member who has not taken part in the debate. If the closure is carried, the mover of the Original Motion or Substantive Motion shall have the right to reply. Should the closure be defeated ten minutes must elapse before it can again be moved.
  7. VOTING – Voting shall be by show of hands, unless otherwise decided by the meeting. In the event of voting being equal, the Chairman shall have a casting vote in addition to his own, otherwise the motion shall be deemed to be lost. The Chairman shall declare a motion carried 'unanimously' when all present vote in favour; carried 'nem con' (none contradicting) where some abstain and none vote against; carried 'by majority' where a count has been necessary. No resolution shall be rescinded at the same meeting at which it is carried.

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