TROSSACHS SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAM
SCOTTISH CHARITY NO. SC028266
1 NAME
The team shall be known as Trossachs Search and Rescue Team (referred to as the Team).
2 OBJECTS
The objects of the team shall be to:
a) relieve suffering and distress amongst persons and animals endangered by accidents or natural hazards and to provide adequate arrangements for the secure and efficient search and rescue of any such person or persons and animals so endangered. These functions will be conducted primarily within the areas known as the Trossachs, Strathard and Strathendrick but may also be conducted wherever our services are required by the professional emergency services; voluntary search and rescue services; animal rescue services; veterinary surgeon or other person.
b) educate the public about the use of and the dangers relating to the outdoor environment,
with the aim of reducing the number of accidents and incidents associated therewith.
As ancillary thereto, the Team shall endeavour:
i. to encourage its members to undertake training in search and rescue skills and remote area
survival skills;
ii. to improve its members’ knowledge of first-aid by operating a Heartstart Scheme initiative;
iii. to encourage its members to undertake training in search dog operations by operating Trossachs Search Dogs Unit;
iv. to encourage and develop outdoor skills training and first-aid training in the local community and with community groups generally through imparting the knowledge and skills our members possess in these fields.
3 POWERS
To further the above objects, the Team may:
a) engage and pay fees to professional and technical advisers/consultants to assist in the
work of the Team;
b) bring together in conference and work in liaison with representatives of voluntary
organisations, professional emergency services, government departments, local and
statutory authorities and individuals;
c) take out membership of such organisations as are considered to be in the interests of and compatible with the objects of the Team;
d) promote and carry out or assist in promoting and carrying out research, surveys
investigations and where considered appropriate publish or circulate the results;
e) collect and disseminate information on all matters affecting the objects and exchange such information where considered with other bodies having similar objects whether in this
country or overseas;
f) cause to be prepared and printed or otherwise reproduced and circulated, free of charge or
for payment, such papers, books, periodicals, pamphlets or other documents or films or
recorded tapes (whether audio or visual or both) as shall further the objects;
g) purchase, take on lease or exchange , hire or otherwise acquire any property and any rights
or privileges considered appropriate for the promotion of the objects and construct, maintain and alter any buildings considered appropriate for the work of the Team;
h) sell, let, grant securities over, dispose of or turn to account all or any of the property or
assets of the team;
i) borrow or raise money for the objects and accept gifts on such terms and on such security as shall be deemed to be appropriate;
j) raise funds and invite contributions from any person or persons by way of subscription or otherwise;
k) invest the funds of the Team not immediately required for the objects in or upon such investments, securities or property as may be thought fit, subject nevertheless to such
conditions (if any) as may at the time be imposed or required by law and
l) do all such other lawful things as are incidental or conducive to the attainment of the objects.
4 MEMBERSHIP
Full membership of the Team shall be open to people who are at least 16 years of age and:
a) have completed the appropriate training as an Associate member of the team; or
b) have completed appropriate training with another professional or voluntary search and
rescue organisation; or
c) have demonstrated an appropriate commitment to the team as decided by the Management Committee.
Associate membership of the Team shall be open to individuals who are interested in furthering the work of the team. Associate members shall not be entitled to vote.
The Management Committee at its discretion may appoint honorary members, but these members shall not be entitled to vote.
Full and Associate Membership of the team will be subject to subscription decided by the Management Committee. This subscription shall be paid on becoming a member of the team and annually thereafter by a date decided by and notified to the membership by the management Committee. Non payment of the membership fee by the due date will mean membership of that individual will lapse automatically at the end of that day.
5 TERMINATING MEMBERSHIP
The Management Committee shall have the right for good and sufficient reason to terminate the membership of any individual, provided that the individual member concerned shall have the right to be heard by them before a final decision is made.
6 OFFICE BEARERS
At the Annual General Meeting, the Team shall elect a minimum of three and a maximum of six Officers. These Officers will become the charity trustees and be responsible for the overall running of the team. This group shall meet not less than four times per year and shall consist of not less than three Full members at each meeting.
7 MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
The Officers may co-opt further Full Members to manage the operational affairs of the Team. The Officers and co-opted Full Members shall be known as the Management Committee. The co-opted Full Members shall serve on the Management Committee until the next Annual General Meeting. Co-opted Full Members shall be entitled to attend any meeting of the Officers and shall be entitled to vote at any meeting of the Management Committee. The Management Committee may co-opt non Full Members with particular knowledge or skills with reference to the objects of the Team. Having been co-opted, non Full Members shall serve on the Management Committee until the next Annual General Meeting. They shall not be entitled to vote at any meetings.
8 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The first Annual General Meeting of the Team was held on 8th September 1998. Once in each year thereafter an Annual General Meeting shall be held at such time (not being more than 15 months after the holding of the preceding Annual General Meeting) and at such place, as the Management Committee shall determine. The Secretary shall give at least 21 clear day’s notice of the meeting in writing to each Full member. At each Annual General Meeting the business shall include the consideration of the annual report on the work of the Team, the approval of the accounts, the election of officers, motions submitted by the Management Committee or members and the transaction of such other matters as may from time to time be appropriate.
Any casual vacancy on the Management Committee (including a vacancy in an honorary office) may be filled by the Committee until the conclusion of the next annual general meeting and shall be eligible for election at that meeting.
The Management Committee may appoint such special or standing committees or sub-committees as may be considered appropriate and shall determine their respective terms of reference, powers, duration and composition. All acts and proceedings of such special or standing committees or sub-committees shall be reported back to the Management Committee as soon as possible.
9 SPECIAL GENERAL MEETINGS
The Convenor of the Management Committee may at any time at their discretion call a Special General Meeting of the Team. The Secretary shall call a Special General Meeting within 21 days of receiving a written request to do so signed by not less than six Full members and giving reasons for the request.
10 NOMINATIONS
Only Full members of the team shall be eligible to serve as Officers. Nominations for Officers must be made by two Full members of the team in writing and must be in the hands of the Secretary at least 14 days before the Annual General Meeting. Members may not nominate themselves. Should nominations exceed vacancies, election shall be by secret ballot.
11 RULES OF PROCEDURE AT ALL MEETINGS
The quorum at a meeting of the Team or of the Management Committee or of any Committee appointed shall be one-half of the total actual Full membership of the Team for the time being, the Management Committee, or the Committee (as the case may be) or such other number as the Team may in General Meeting from time to time determine.
Unless otherwise specified in this constitution, all questions arising at any meeting shall be decided by a simple majority of the votes cast. Arrangements for proxy voting may from time to time be made by the Management Committee provided that no such arrangements shall be made with regard to any matter of the kind described in clauses 14 and 15. In the case of an equality of votes, the person taking the chair at the meeting shall have a second vote.
The Management Committee shall ensure that minutes are kept of all General Meetings and of all meetings of the Management Committee and Committees and Sub-Committees, containing in each case, a note of those present, those attending and the chair and a record of all proceedings, resolutions and decisions. Master copies of these minutes are to be kept in book form, signed by the chair of that meeting and available on request from the Secretary.
The Management Committee shall have the power to adopt Standing Orders for the Team and its Committees. Such Standing Orders, which will be consistent with and complimentary to the terms of this constitution, shall come into operation immediately but may be amended by the Team in General Meeting. The Team in General Meeting may issue policy decisions in relation to the content of Standing Orders for the Team and its Committees, and the Management Committee shall in that event be bound to follow such directions in formulating such Standing Orders.
12 FINANCE
All funds raised by or on behalf of the Team shall be applied to further the objects of the Team and for no other purpose. The preceding provision shall not, however, prevent the payment in good faith of fees to professional and technical advisors or of the repayment to members of the Management Committee or of any Committee or Sub-Committee appointed or member of reasonable out-of pocket expenses.
The Treasurer shall keep proper accounting records and shall prepare proper accounts annually and at such other intervals as the Management Committee may direct.
The annual accounts shall be audited when required and as required by law and when directed by the Management Committee, by and auditor nominated by the Management Committee as required.
A bank account shall be opened in the name of the Team with such banks and/or building societies, as the Management Committee shall from time to time decide. The Treasurer and one other unrelated officer must authorise all payments made on behalf of the Team.
13 PROPERTY
The title to all property, heritable and moveable, which may be acquired by or on behalf of the Team shall be vested in the names of the Convenor, the Secretary and the Treasurer for the time being ex-officio or in the name of trustees of a trust established for that purpose.
14 AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
A resolution to alter this Constitution shall not be valid unless:
a) two thirds of the votes cast in relation to the resolution at a General Meeting of the Team (whether Annual or Special) are in favour and
b) notice (setting out the terms of the proposed alteration) shall be given to the full members not less than 21 clear days before the meeting at which the alteration was proposed.
No alteration shall be made which would have the effect of causing the Team to cease to be recognised by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator as a charity.
15 DISSOLUTION
If the Management Committee by a simple majority decide at any time that on the ground of expense or otherwise it is necessary or advisable to dissolve the Team, it shall call a Special General Meeting of the Team, of which meeting not less than 21 clear days’ notice (stating the terms of the resolution to be proposed at the meeting) shall be given. If such decision is confirmed by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast in relation to the resolution at such meeting, the Management Committee shall sell such of the assets of the Team as they may consider appropriate for the best price reasonably obtainable and settle the debts and liabilities of the Team. Any assets remaining after the satisfaction of such debts and liabilities shall be given or transferred to such other charitable organisation or organisations having objects similar to the objects of the team as the Management Committee may determine.
This Constitution was adopted on 19th September 2020 at a meeting at
Trossachs Rescue Post, 5 Geisher Road, Callander FK17 8LX.