Central Council of Church Bell Ringers

The Rules of the Council

(from 31 May 2010)


Title

  1. The Council shall be known as ‘The Central Council of Church Bell Ringers’.

Object of the Council

  1. The Object of the Central Council is to promote and foster the ringing of bells for Christian prayer, worship and celebration and in furtherance thereof:-

    (i) To promote awareness of and educate the general public in the ringing of church bells and the art of change ringing;

    (ii) To make available advice, assistance and information to church authorities, ringers and ringing societies and to promote good practice on all matters concerned with bells and bell ringing;

    (iii) To encourage development of the art of ringing through innovation;

    (iv) To bring together ringers to discuss matters of common interest and to represent ringers both nationally and internationally;

    (v) To encourage high standards of performance in ringing;

    (vi) To recommend technical standards in change ringing and maintain such records as may be necessary to uphold these standards;

    (vii) To assist in the provision, restoration, maintenance and transfer of church bells.

Classification of Members

  1. The Council shall consist of:-

    (i) Representative Members elected by affiliated societies;

    (ii) Honorary Additional Members, not exceeding 24 18 in number, elected by the Council;

    (iii) Life Members;

    (iv) Ex-officio Members.

Affiliated Societies

  1. (i) The following Societies, Associations and Guilds of Church Bell Ringers (hereinafter referred to under the general term ‘Society’) shall be affiliated to the Council:-

    (ii) Applications from Societies for affiliation shall be reviewed by the Administrative Committee, which will make a recommendation to Council. Any such application will require the agreement of a majority of the members present and voting at the Council meeting at which it is considered, and shall be subject to the provision of a certificate signed by at least two of its officers that it

    (iii) A Society shall cease to be affiliated to the Council if

    (iv) For the purposes of Rules 4 (ii) and (iii) and 5 (i), a Society’s membership shall be defined as either the number of annually-subscribing and resident life members in the year preceding its application for affiliation or the election of representatives; or, for Societies whose members do not pay an annual subscription, the number of members who attended at least one event organised by the Society in the preceding year, or the number of members elected in the preceding twenty years; or, for university and college Societies, the number of members who attended at least one event organised by the Society in the preceding year. In this Rule ‘event’ shall include meetings, practices, peal attempts, dinners and other organised gatherings of members.

Representative Members

  1. (i) Affiliated Societies shall be entitled to elect Representative Members according to their membership as defined in Rule 4 (iv), on the following basis:-

    Each Society’s membership shall be certified by the Secretary of the Society to the Honorary Secretary at the start of each triennium.

    (ii) No Representative Member shall be eligible as an Honorary Additional Member.

    (iii) The election of Representative Members by affiliated Societies shall take place triennially, and the names and addresses of those elected shall be forwarded to the Honorary Secretary together with the Certificate required by Rule 5 (i) not later than four weeks before the commencement of each triennial session. In the event of a vacancy the new member shall be elected only for the unexpired period of the triennium, and his name and address shall be forwarded to the Honorary Secretary forthwith.

    (iv) A Society not situated within the British Isles may appoint a single Alternate Member to attend a meeting of the Council if one or more of its Representative Members is unable to attend that meeting; in such an event the name and address of the Alternate Member shall be forwarded forthwith to the Honorary Secretary. An Alternate Member may not be elected an Officer or independent examiner, nor be appointed to a committee of the Council; neither shall an Alternate be entitled to membership of The Ringing World Limited or The Ringing Foundation Limited, nor to give notice of motion in accordance with Rule 17 18.

Honorary Additional Members

  1. (i) Honorary Additional Members shall consist of those who possess knowledge or skills needed by the Council. They shall be elected for three years and, on retiring, shall be eligible for re-election (retirement and election taking effect as from the end of the annual meeting), provided that any Honorary Member who during his term of office may be. An Additional Member who is elected a Representative or Life Member, or becomes an Ex-officio Member, shall, ipso facto, vacate his honorary membership immediately cease to be an Additional Member. Election shall be by ballot at an annual meeting of the Council and require the vote of a majority of those present. The Council may fill a vacancy among the Honorary Members at any annual meeting of the Council. Notwithstanding the note above concerning when the election takes effect, a new Honorary Additional Member shall be eligible for election to a committee at that meeting.

    (ii) All nominations for Additional Membership shall be sent to the Honorary Secretary, signed by two Representative, Life or Ex-officio members of the Council, not less than two calendar months previous to a meeting of the Council. Such nominations shall appear on the agenda paper. Nominations shall be accompanied by a supporting statement of not more than 250 words which will be distributed to members of the Council. Supporting speeches will not be permitted at the meeting.

Life Members

  1. (i) Life Members shall consist of those who in the opinion of the Council by reason of their services to the Art of Ringing merit the conferment on them of the honour of Life Membership. Election shall be by ballot and shall require the agreement of four-fifths of those present. Life Membership shall cease only on death or resignation.

    (ii) All nominations for Life Membership shall be sent to the Honorary Secretary, signed by two members of the Council, not less than two calendar months previous to a meeting of the Council, unless notice of motion has been given at the previous meeting. Such nominations shall appear on the agenda paper.

The Ringing World Limited

  1. (i) All members of the Central Council as shall from time to time consent in writing shall be members of The Ringing World Limited.

    (ii) The Chairman of The Ringing World Limited shall be an Ex-officio member of the Council if not already a Life or Representative Member.

The Ringing Foundation Limited

  1. (i) All members of the Central Council as shall from time to time consent in writing shall be members of The Ringing Foundation Limited.

    (ii) The Chairman of The Ringing Foundation Limited shall be an Ex-officio member of the Council if not already a Life or Representative Member.

Annual Subscriptions

9 10. Each affiliated Society shall subscribe annually, on 1 January for the year commencing on that date, such sum as the Council may from time to time determine in relation to its membership as certified under Rule 5 (i) to meet the expenses of conducting the business of the Council. No Representative or Alternate Member shall be entitled to speak or vote at a meeting of the Council until the subscription of the Society he represents be paid.

Meetings of the Council

10 11. The Council shall normally meet once annually, the venue and date to be decided at a previous meeting, or (in the event of unforeseen circumstances rendering the Council’s decision impracticable) as the Administrative Committee of the Council shall decide. Any meeting of the Council may be extended to additional sittings on the motion for adjournment being put and carried. The President shall have power, in case of emergency, to call special meetings of the Council, and he shall at any time summon such a special meeting on receipt of a requisition signed by 25 members.

Election of Officers

11 12. (i) At the Annual Meeting next after each triennial election a President, Vice-President, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Assistant Secretary and Honorary Treasurer shall be elected to serve for three years. In the event of the President, Vice-President, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Assistant Secretary or Honorary Treasurer vacating office before the expiry of the three years, the remaining officers shall have the power to make a temporary appointment to fill the vacancy until the ensuing meeting, which meeting shall elect a member to fill the vacancy replacement for the remainder of the period. The retiring President, Vice-President, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Assistant Secretary and Honorary Treasurer shall be eligible for re-election at the expiration of their term of office. The retiring officers shall continue in office until the business of the meeting is concluded. All nominations for these offices shall be sent to the Honorary Secretary, signed by two members of the Council, not less than two calendar months previous to the meeting, and such nominations shall appear on the agenda paper.

Appointment of Stewards

12 13. (i) At the Annual Meeting next after each triennial election the Council shall appoint Stewards (their number as may from time to time be determined by the Council), to be separately responsible for the Carter Ringing Machine Collection, for the Rolls of Honour, for all material in the Council’s Library, and for the Dove database. The Steward responsible for the Library shall be an ex-officio member of the Library Committee. In the event of a Steward vacating office before the expiration of the three years, the ensuing meeting shall appoint a member replacement for the remainder of the period. The Stewards shall be eligible for re-appointment at the expiration of their term of office, but in the event of replacement shall continue in office until a successor has accepted full responsibility for the relevant material. Nominations for these offices shall be sent to the Honorary Secretary, signed by two members of the Council, not less than two calendar months previous to the meeting, and such nominations shall appear on the agenda paper.

Election of independent examiners

13 14. The Council shall triennially elect from amongst the members of the Council two independent examiners who shall examine and report upon the Annual Accounts of the Council. The independent examiners shall have power to employ the services of a professional accountant at the expense of the Council. In the event of the independent examiners vacating office before a triennial election, the Administrative Committee shall fill the vacancy.

Appointment of Committees

14 15. (i) The Council shall at each Annual Meeting appoint members to fill vacancies in an Administrative Committee and the permanent committees enumerated in paragraph (ii) of this Rule and shall appoint such other committees as are necessary to carry out the work of the Council. At each Annual Meeting at least one-third of the elected members of the Administrative Committee and of each of the permanent committees enumerated in paragraph (ii) of this Rule shall retire. Retiring members who are still members of the Council shall be those who have been longest in office since their last appointment and are eligible for reappointment. If any members were appointed on the same day, those to retire shall be determined by lot unless they otherwise agree among themselves. Notwithstanding the note in Rule 22 23 concerning when an alteration to the Rules takes effect, a new permanent committee shall be appointed at the meeting at which the committee is added to those enumerated in paragraph (ii) of this Rule. The Council may at any time dissolve a committee or alter its membership. Reasonable expenses may be paid.

Terms of Reference of Committees, etc.

15 16. The terms of reference of the committees shall be as follows:-

Vesting of Property

16 17. The property, funds and assets of the Council shall be vested in the President, Vice-President, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Assistant Secretary and Honorary Treasurer for the time being. They shall have power to invest money and adopt such measures as seem to them necessary in the interest of the Council.

Notices of Motion

17 18. All notices of motion shall be sent in writing, signed by two members of the Council, received by the Honorary Secretary not less than six weeks previous to the meeting, and be placed by him on the agenda, together with the names of the proposer and seconder of the motion. But it shall be competent, on a vote of the majority of the meeting, for the Council to discuss a subject not upon the agenda paper, provided such subject does not affect the Rules or Constitution of the Council.

Procedure at Meetings

18 19. (i) At the meetings of the Council, the President, or Vice-President, shall take the chair and in the event of their absence the members present shall elect a Chairman for that meeting.

Voting

19 20. (i) Each member present, whether Representative, Honorary Additional, Life, Alternate, or Ex-officio, shall have one vote. The Chairman for the time being shall have a casting vote.

Notice of Meetings

20 21. Provisional notice of the date of and items for discussion at the Annual Meeting shall be given approximately nine weeks previous to such meeting. Full notice of the date, arrangements and agenda for each meeting shall be given not less than four weeks previous to such meeting. Such notices shall be given in ‘The Ringing World’ and it shall not be incumbent on the Honorary Secretary to send notice to each member. The names of the members present and the business transacted at each meeting shall be entered in the minute book and reported to ‘The Ringing World’. Copies of the resolutions passed by the Council and of the Decisions of the Council shall be forwarded to affiliated Societies as soon as is convenient after the meeting.

Submission of Accounts

21 22. At each Annual Meeting the Honorary Treasurer shall submit the statement of all accounts of the Council for the year ended 31 December previous, together with the report of the independent examiners thereon.

Alteration of Rules

22 23. Alterations in the Rules of the Council shall be made only at the Annual Meeting, and every notice of a proposed alteration shall be sent to the Honorary Secretary as laid down in Rule 17 18. All alterations in the Rules of the Council shall require the agreement of two-thirds of those present. Alterations to the Rules of the Council shall come into effect at the close of the meeting at which they are agreed.


Rescue Fund for Redundant Bells

Rules

(as at 26 May 2008)


  1. The fund shall be known as The Central Council of Church Bell Ringers Rescue Fund for Redundant Bells.

  2. The object of the Fund shall be to advance the Christian religion by the rescue of redundant bells for the purpose of their being rehoused elsewhere for ringing in churches.

  3. The Fund may take any reasonable action for the furtherance of its objects, including the acquisition, removal and storage, of bells, fittings and frames.

  4. Members for the time being of the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers shall be members of the Fund.

  5. The Fund shall be administered by a Committee consisting of the members for the time being of the Central Council Committee for Redundant Bells who shall be the Trustees of the Fund.

  6. (i) Such bank accounts as may be required shall be opened in the name of the Fund. All cheques drawn on the Fund must be signed by two of the Trustees.

    (ii) Any monies not required for the immediate purposes of the Fund shall be invested in any manner the Trustees and the Committee acting together may think fit. Any investments must be made in the names of all the Trustees.

    (iii) The Committee shall have the power to raise funds by any means it sees fit, so long as permanent trading is not engaged in.

    (iv) Subject to the consent of the Trustees the Committee shall have the power to dispose of bells, fittings, or frames if attempts at rehousing have proved unsuccessful.

    (v) The Trustees shall effect such insurance as they from time to time shall deem appropriate.

  7. There shall be an annual meeting of the members of the Fund which shall be held at the annual meeting of the Central Council and the President for the time being of the Central Council shall be invited to chair the meeting.

  8. The Committee shall elect from their number a Chairman, an Honorary Treasurer, and an Honorary Secretary. The Honorary Treasurer shall prepare a balance sheet as at December 31st in each year, and an income and expenditure account for the year ending on that date. The accounts shall be examined by the independent examiners of the Central Council, and presented to the members of the Fund at the next annual meeting of the Central Council.

  9. In the event of the dissolution of the Fund, its assets shall be distributed by the Central Council for the purposes of church bell restoration.

  10. (i) No alteration of, or addition to, or deletion from, these rules shall be made so as to cause the Fund at any time to cease to be a charity in law.

    (ii) No alteration of, or addition to, or deletion from, these rules shall be made except at the Annual Meeting of the Central Council, following notice given to the Honorary Secretary of the Central Council at least six weeks prior to the date of the meeting. All alterations to these rules shall require the agreement of two-thirds of those present.


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