• About the Society  |
• Our work  |
• Science news  |
• Events diary  |
• Support Us  |
• Science issues  |
• Publishing  |
• Students  |

The Council

18 The Council shall comprise:

a) the Officers;

b) a set of members such that one member is identified with each of the Sectional Committee areas in being at the time;

c) a set of members elected to ensure appropriate breadth and balance in the Council, their number being such as to bring the total membership of the Council to 21.

In accordance with the Charter ten members shall change each year.

19 Members of the Council shall be elected by postal ballot as set out in Standing Orders.

20 The President shall write annually to all Fellows to describe how the Council for the following year shall be chosen, and to seek proposals for candidates suitable for election to the Council, drawing attention to the need to choose the best persons, fully representative of the Fellowship.

21 Members of the Council are the Trustees of the Society as a registered charity and shall be responsible collectively for the policy and management of the Society in accordance with charity legislation. They shall be subject to restrictions imposed by charity legislation regarding payments to trustees.

22 The Council shall direct the policy of the Society in a manner consistent with the Charters and these Statutes. It shall have power:

a) to manage all matters concerning the business of the Society;

b) to delegate the management of such business to Officers, employees or external advisers as it thinks fit; provided always that it may not delegate final responsibility for any business so delegated; the Council may appoint as the investment managers for the Society a person, company or firm who it is satisfied is proper and competent to act in that capacity. It may delegate to investment managers so appointed powers at their discretion to buy and sell investments for the Society on behalf of the Council in accordance with the investment policy laid down by the Council.

c) to establish such committees as it shall from time to time determine. To delegate to such committees such functions of the Council as the Council shall from time to time determine, such functions being executed in the name and on behalf of the Council and in accordance with the Charter and these Statutes. Every such committee shall regularly report its proceedings to the Council.

d) to make, repeal or amend, from time to time, Standing Orders for the regulation of the Society's affairs.

23 At meetings of the Council not fewer than nine members, of whom the President or a Vice-President must be one, shall constitute a quorum; any matters put to the vote shall be resolved by a simple majority and, in the event of equality of votes, the Chairman shall have a second, casting vote.

24 Members of the Council shall cease to be members if they:

a) become disqualified from continuing as Trustees under the provisions of Sections 72 and 73 of the Charities Act 1993;

b) cease to be Fellows;

c) are removed from office by a resolution of the Society passed at a Business Meeting;

d) give notice to the President of their wish to resign and their resignation is accepted by the Council.