| 1. | The North of England Veterinary Association was inaugurated in July 1864 as the North of England Veterinary Medical Association. It is affiliated to the British Veterinary Association, of which it constitutes the North of England division. |
| Objects | |
| 2. | The objects of the Association are the promotion and advancement of veterinary science and the support and protection of the character, status and interests of the veterinary profession. |
| Income and Property | |
| 3. | The income and property of the Association are to be applied solely towards the promotion of the objects of the Association, and shall not be handed over by way of dividend, bonus or otherwise by way of profit to members. Remuneration may, however, be paid to any person, including officers, in return for services actually rendered to the Association or in remuneration of expenses incurred in the rendering of such services. |
| 4. | Every member undertakes to contribute a sum not exceeding one year's subscription to the assets of the Association, in the event of it being wound up during his membership, for payment of debts and liabilities contracted before the time when he ceased to be a member. Any surplus funds remaining after the discharge of the Association's liabilities shall be donated to the Veterinary Benevolent Fund. |
| Membership | |
| 5. | Fellows and members of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, only, shall be eligible for membership. Candidates for admission must be proposed and seconded at a General Meeting by members of the Association. Their election may then be approved by the meeting. |
| 6. | Every member who has paid his subscription for the current year shall be entitled to vote at general meetings and to have the assistance of the records and information of the Association at the discretion of the Council. |
| 7. | Every member shall be entitled to submit any grievance or point in dispute between himself and any other member of the Association for the consideration of Council. |
| 8. | Resignation of membership shall be signified in writing to the honorary secretary and the member so resigning shall be liable for the payment of the annual subscription for the current year and any arrears up to the date of tendering resignation. |
| 9. | Subject to confirmation by a general meeting, the Council shall be empowered to remove from the list of members the name of any person who shall be more than one year in arrears in payment of subscription, or be guilty of conduct which in the general opinion of the Council could bring discredit on the Association. Any two members of Council can require in writing that NEVA refer such proposed removal to the BVA for arbitration. |
| Honorary Members | |
| 10. | Persons who may have rendered service to the Association or to the profession may be elected honorary members at the Annual General Meeting on the recommendation of the Council. Honorary members shall be exempt from the liability of ordinary members but shall be entitled to attend general meetings but not to vote. |
| Subscriptions | |
| 11. | The annual subscription shall be an amount determined from time to time at a general meeting, being due on election and subsequently on each 1st day of January. In the case of members elected after the 1st of November, the initial subscription may be waived at the discretion of the honorary treasurer. |
| General Meetings | |
| 12. | A minimum of four general meetings shall be held in each year, one of these to be the Annual General Meeting at which the officers shall present their reports of the year's activities. |
| 13. | A quorum for a general meeting shall be 10% of the membership or 12 members, whichever is the greater. |
| 14. | An extraordinary general meeting may be convened at any time by the Council, or upon a written request specifying the objects of the meeting, addressed to the honorary secretary by not less than five members. Only the specified business may be transacted at an extraordinary general meeting. |
| 15. | All general meetings shall be convened by circular sent by post, giving not less than seven clear days notice to members. |
| Officers | |
| 16. | The officers of the Association shall consist of a president, two vice-presidents (senior and junior), an honorary secretary, an honorary treasurer, a BVA Council representative and any other posts as shall be found necessary from time to time. The senior vice-president shall be the immediate past president and the junior vice-president shall be the president elect. The president shall take the chair at all meetings of the Association. In his/her absence the chair shall be taken by the senior vice-president and in his/her absence by the junior vice-president. All Officers named above must be members of the BVA. |
| 17. | The honorary secretary shall conduct all correspondence on behalf of the Association, keep the minutes, and be responsible for the safe custody of the Association books. |
| 18. | The honorary treasurer shall receive and pay all monies on behalf of the Association, shall keep the accounts, and shall submit the accounts together with such vouchers as may be required, to the honorary auditor not later than the 31st day of January in each year, and shall subsequently present the audited accounts to the Annual General Meeting. |
| 19. | The offices of honorary secretary and honorary treasurer may be combined. |
| 20. | An honorary auditor shall be appointed who shall examine the accounts, together with such vouchers as he may deem necessary, and shall certify the same not later than the next Annual General Meeting. |
| 21. | The officers shall retire annually and shall be eligible for re-election. |
| Council | |
| 22. | The Council shall consist of all appointed officers together with any member of the Association who is for the time being a serving member of the Council of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons or of the Council of the British Veterinary Association, together with six members elected by the Association. The two senior members shall retire annually and shall be eligible for re-election. |
| 23. | The Council shall hold such meetings as may be necessary, and subject to confirmation by a general meeting shall be empowered to enter into and conduct all negotiations, to manage the affairs and business of the Association, and to do all such acts, deeds and things in the name of the Association as it may consider expedient for the purposes of the Association. |
| 24. | The quorum for a Council meeting shall be not less than eight members. |
| 25. | These rules came into operation on the 29th May 2003, after having been confirmed by two general meetings held during the year 2003, and they shall not be varied except by notice in writing given at least fourteen days prior to a general meeting. Such proposed alterations shall be approved by the general meeting, and confirmed by the next succeeding general meeting and shall then have effect as if forming part of these rules. |