Constitution of the CCS
The byelaws or rules of the society

1. NAME The name of the organisation shall be the Captain Cook Society, hereinafter called the Society.

2. OBJECTIVES

	The objectives of the Society are:
(a)	To promote the study and appreciation of Captain James Cook (1728-1779), and those persons, places and events connected with his life.
(b)	To promote the preservation and interpretation of those sites and artefacts connected with the life and times of Captain James Cook.
(c)	To foster the collection and appreciation of all items relating to Captain James Cook and his life e.g. books, coins, philatelic items, etc.

3. POWERS

	In furtherance of the above objectives, the Society shall have power to:
(a)	Collect and disseminate information on all matters relating to its objectives, and to exchange such information with other bodies having similar objectives.
(b)	Write, print or publish, in appropriate media, information which shall further its objectives, and to issue or circulate the same, whether for payment or otherwise. This can include a Society website and an official Society journal, named "Cook's Log".
(c)	Arrange and provide for, either alone or with others, the holding of displays, exhibitions, meetings, lectures and conferences appropriate to the objectives of the Society
(d)	Raise funds and invite or receive donations and contributions, whether by subscription or otherwise to fund the furtherance of the said objectives.
(e)	Affiliate the Society to other associations and organisations having similar objectives or considered by the Executive Committee to be beneficial to members.
(f)	Do any other lawful things as shall further the objectives of the Society.

4. MEMBERSHIP

(a)	Membership shall be open to all individuals on payment of the annual subscription for that calendar year.
(b)	The membership year is the same as the calendar year. Any member not renewing their membership by 1st April shall be deemed to have resigned from the Society.
(c)	Members are entitled to a post-free copy of any printed journal/newsletter published by the Society unless they have opted for the e-mail version only. This excludes (1) CDs published for sale and (2) copies of any printed journal/newsletter published by a branch of the Society for the members of that branch, but this may be available for an extra payment.

5. SUBSCRIPTIONS

(a)	The Executive Committee shall determine the annual subscription.
(b)	Members may pay their subscriptions direct to the Treasurer or to a member, authorised by the Executive Committee as representative of the Society in their country of residence, who shall keep accounts and make due payment to the Treasurer on an annual basis.
(c)	Upon joining, or upon any subscription renewal, members may opt to pay full rate subscription to receive a paper copy of “Cook’s Log”, or opt to pay half rate subscription to receive an electronic version of "Cook's Log" but not the printed version.

6. OFFICERS

(a)	Members of the Society shall be eligible to serve as Officers.
(b)	The Officers of the Society are: President, Editor, Secretary, Treasurer
(c)	Officers shall hold office for a period of two calendar years, and shall be eligible for re-election should they so wish.
(d)	All Officers serve in an honorary capacity only.
(e)	The election of the four Officer posts will be advertised to members every two years. Nominations for the posts shall be submitted to the Secretary by the advertised deadline.
(f)	Where more than one nomination is received for any of the Officer positions a ballot shall be held to determine who is elected. The successful nominee shall be the one who polls the most votes.
(g)	If a vacancy occurs for any reason amongst the Officers of the Society, the Executive Committee shall have the power to fill that vacancy by a temporary appointment from the general membership.

7. THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

(a)	The policy and general management of the affairs of the Society shall be directed by an Executive Committee that is comprised of the Officers as detailed in Section 6.
(b)	The Executive Committee shall have the authority to exercise on behalf of the Society any or all of the powers detailed in Section 3.
(c)	The Executive Committee shall have the power to co-opt members, and to establish sub-committees as necessary.
(d)	The Executive Committee shall have the power to authorise members in a country other than the UK forming an authorised branch of the Society, which may elect its own Officers, determine any additional subscription and publish its own journal/newsletter.
(e)	The Executive Committee shall have to power to appoint a member in a country as the authorised representative of the Society, who may receive member's subscriptions in that country, keep accounts and submit the due funds to the Treasurer on an annual basis.
(f)	The Executive Committee shall have the power to confer upon a member the status of Honorary Life Membership of the Society in recognition of services to the Society. Any such decision must be by the unanimous agreement of the Officers. The award shall be recognised by the presentation of a certificate and an appropriate gift.
(g)	With the exception of clause (f) above, all decisions of the Executive Committee must be reached by a majority agreement within that Committee.
(h)	The Society shall be non-political and non-sectarian in its operation.

8. FINANCE

(a)	All monies raised by or on behalf of the Society shall be applied to further the objectives of the Society and for no other purpose, provided that nothing herein contained shall prevent the re-imbursement of reasonable expenses incurred on behalf of the Society by any Honorary Officer, co-optee or authorised member.
(b)	All monies held by the Treasurer on behalf of the Society shall be kept in accounts in the name of the Society. The number and location of the accounts shall be agreed by the Executive Committee, who shall authorise the signatories on behalf of the Society. All cheques must be signed by two authorised signatories.
(c)	The Financial Year of the Society shall be from 1st January to 31st December.
(d)	The state of the Society's accounts will be made available to members annually after an audit by a person duly authorised by the Executive Committee.

9. ALTERATION TO THE CONSTITUTION

(a)	Any proposal to amend this constitution must be submitted to the Secretary of the Society who will immediately inform the other Officers.
(b)	If the proposal obtains the support of a majority of members of the Executive Committee, they shall notify all members by a statement in "Cook's Log" which will also include a voting form.
(c)	The amendment will be adopted if the proposal receives the support of two-thirds of the members voting on it.

10. DISSOLUTION

(a)	If the Executive Committee by a simple majority decides at any time that on the grounds of expense or otherwise it is necessary or advisable to dissolve the Society, it shall put the proposal to the membership.
(b)	If the proposal is endorsed by a simple majority of those members voting, then the Executive Committee shall have the power to dispose of any assets held by or in the name of the Society.
(c)	Any assets remaining after the satisfaction of any proper debts and liabilities shall be applied towards such charitable purposes as the Executive Committee shall decide, such charitable purposes having objectives similar in nature and aim to those of the Society.

Originally published in Cook's Log, page 18, volume 30, number 2 (2007).
Adopted: 2007
Revised: 2020

About Captain Cook Society