THE ROYAL SCOTS
(THE ROYAL REGIMENT) ASSOCIATION
CONSTITUTION AND RULES
(REVISED 21 October 2016)
All correspondence should be sent to:-
The Royal Scots Regimental Association
The Royal Scots Club
29-31 Abercromby Place
EDINBURGH
EH3 6QE
Tel: 0131 557 0405
Regimental Web Site: www.theroyalscots.co.uk
First Constitution issued 1893:
revised 1919, 1923, 1929, 1936, 1949, 1954, 1978, 1997, 2002, 2008, 2016
THE ROYAL SCOTS ASSOCIATION
CONSTITUTION AND RULES
(REVISED 21 October 2016)
Patron: HRH The Princess Royal KG KT GCVO
INTRODUCTION; On the 28th of March 2006 The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment) ceased to exist as an independent regiment within the British Army. On that date the authority and responsibility for overseeing all aspects of governance of the Regiment and its Four Pillars, including the Regimental Association, was placed in the hands of the Regimental Trustees.
I-NAME
1. The Association shall be called “The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment) Association”. (Referred to hereafter as “The Association”.)
II-OBJECTS
2. The objects of the Association are:
a. To provide a focal point for all past members of the wider Regimental Family of The Royal Scots and for those serving or who have served with its successor elements in The Royal Regiment of Scotland (SCOTS).
b. To commemorate the history and service to Sovereign and Nation of all elements of The Royal Scots and its successor elements within SCOTS.
c. To extend sympathy, guidance and where required, assistance to all in need who have served in The Royal Scots, including their dependents.
d. To encourage recruiting for both the Regular and Reserve elements of SCOTS.
III-MEMBERSHIP
3. The Association will consist of a number of Branches whose membership will be based on geographical location or service in former Battalions. Further Branches may be admitted as agreed by the General Committee. (Note: While it is the intention to move eventually to an entirely geographically-based Branch structure, existing Battalion “Sections” may continue as long as their membership wish.)
4. a. Officers and Soldiers of all ranks who have served with, or been attached to, the Regiment as Regulars, Territorials, Reservists or affiliated Cadets (ACF, CCF or UOTC) are eligible for full membership.
b. Serving members of The Royal Regiment of Scotland or those who have served in that Regiment are eligible for full membership.
5. a. Branches may elect “Associate Members” who do not qualify for membership under Rule 4 but who support the Objects of the Association. In no case may Associate Membership of an individual Branch exceed 49% of the total membership of the Branch. Associate Members shall pay normal subscriptions and shall have a vote other than on questions of changes to the Constitution.
b. Spouses, widows, widowers, partners, civil partners, and dependents over the age of eighteen of all those who qualify for membership under Rule 4 may be admitted as Family Members. They will pay normal subscriptions and shall have a vote other than on changes to the Constitution. In special circumstances subscriptions may be waived for widows and widowers at the discretion of Branch Committees.
c. Branches are to maintain a nominal roll of all paid up Members, Associate Members and Family Members, a copy of which is to be submitted annually with, and to support, Branch accounts. The master roll of Association membership is to be maintained in the Regimental office. Branches are also to keep a roll of former Members to enable them to maintain contact with a view to encouraging them to take up membership again.
6. The General Committee is empowered to affiliate to the Association, other Associations or organisations of a similar nature, which have close links with the Regiment or the Association; such affiliated Associations or organisations have full membership for all matters other than the right to vote on questions of changes to the Constitution.
7. Members should endeavor, whilst participating in Association activities or engaged on social media sites bearing the names, badge, colours or other Regimental insignia, always to uphold the standards and traditions of the Regiment and ensure that their conduct is such as to enhance the good reputation of The Royal Scots.
If the conduct of a Member, Associate Member, or Family Member of the Association is considered, in the opinion of his or her Branch Committee or of the General Committee, to be detrimental to the interests of the Regiment or the Association, that Committee may, in their absolute discretion, expel such Members from the Association. Branch Committees taking such action must report the name of the Member concerned to the General Committee. An expelled Member shall have the right of appeal to the General Committee, but he or she will remain suspended until the appeal is heard and ruled on at the next Association Annual General Meeting (AGM).
IV-SUBSCRIPTIONS
8. The rate of Members’ subscriptions will be as laid down at the Association AGM from time to time.
9. Subscriptions will be payable to the Branch to which the member belongs.
10. Payment of the first subscription shall constitute membership.
11. A member who is one year in arrears for his or her subscription shall cease to be a member of the Association, but Branch Committees may exercise their discretion in special circumstances.
V-MANAGEMENT
12. The Chairman of the Regimental Trustees shall be The President of the Association. With the Trustees he shall endeavour to further the objects of the Regimental Trust Fund, to involve the wider Regimental Family in the affairs of the Association, and ensure that the Regiment is not exposed to reputational risk through the activities of the Association or any of its’ Members.
13. The management of the Association, on behalf of the Regimental Trustees, shall be the responsibility of a General Committee which shall consist of a Chairman and the elected Chairman of each Branch. The Association Chairman is appointed by the Regimental Trustees and is not subject to re-election but may be removed by the Regimental Trustees should they see fit. Each Branch Chairman may appoint a proxy to attend and vote at meetings of the Committee in his absence.
14. The following shall be Officers of the Association and as such will attend all meetings of the General Committee with the right to vote, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer. These shall offer themselves for re-election annually at the Association AGM. The posts of Hon Secretary and Hon Treasurer may be combined.
15. In addition, the Chairman of the Regimental Trustees may, if the need requires it, appoint an Association Vice Chairman on an annual basis. He will attend all meetings of the Association General Committee with the right to vote.
16. All elected or appointed Officers shall be paid up Members of the Association.
17. The Association General Committee will meet annually at The Royal Scots Club, Edinburgh (normally in April) to receive and approve the General Fund and Branch accounts and the Branch reports. The Honorary Treasurer will present a report on the financial position of the Association, after which the Committee shall allocate grants as laid down in Rule 23. The Chairman will also convene a further four meetings of The General Committee each year (normally in February, May, August and November), also in The Royal Scots Club, to enact Association business. If, in the opinion of the Chairman, there are special circumstances requiring an early decision, he has the authority to convene a Special General Committee meeting (SGM) to resolve any such matter. At all meetings of the General Committee a resolution will be considered carried if a majority of those present and voting are in favour, the Chairman having a second and casting vote if required. Four shall form a quorum. All meetings will be conducted to a pre published agenda and all proceedings minuted.
18. The Association AGM, normally held in October, also in The Royal Scots Club, will be open to all paid up Members of the Association. Each AGM shall be held within fifteen months of the previous AGM. Twenty one clear days notice of each AGM shall be given by the General Committee, such notice stating the business to be transacted and accompanied by proxy voting papers and the relevant supporting papers. The AGM will confirm the election of Officers for the forthcoming year, receive and adopt the Association accounts for the previous year, receive the Chairman’s report and consider any other business affecting the Association of which due notice has been given. Voting on these Ordinary resolutions will be decided by a simple majority. Proposed changes to the Association Constitution shall be taken as a Special resolution requiring a two thirds majority. Voting may be either in person or by proxy. In the case of an equality of votes cast the Chairman shall have a second and casting vote. A quorum at an AGM shall be ten paid up members present in person or by proxy.
19 The management of each Branch shall be in the hands of an elected Committee consisting of the following Officers: Chairman, Vice Chairman (optional), Honorary Secretary, and Honorary Treasurer. Additionally, three to six Members, each of whom may be given specific responsibilities, shall be elected. All are entitled to vote at Branch Committee meetings. Each Branch shall hold an AGM, normally in March, at which each Officer and elected Member shall be subject to re-election for a further year. The Branch Members shall approve the Branch accounts at the AGM and enact such business as is required for the good management of the Branch. The Chairman is responsible for ensuring that twenty one days clear notice of the AGM is given. At the AGM all paid up Members of the Branch shall have one vote and motions will be carried by simple majority. In the event of an equality of votes cast the Chairman shall have a second and casting vote. In addition to the AGM the Chairman shall call such additional meetings during the year as may be required for the good management of the Branch.
20. The posts of Hon Secretary and Hon Treasurer of an individual Branch may only be combined under exceptional circumstances and only after authorisation by the General Committee. Any such authorisation must be renewed annually by application from the Branch Chairman to the General Committee.
21. A Branch Committee may appoint an Honorary President of that Branch subject to the approval of the President of the Association. An Honorary President should normally have been a former member of the Regiment and shall be an ex-officio Member of the Branch Committee.
22. The Chairman of each Branch is responsible for ensuring that his Officers maintain accurate books of account and shall lay a set of accounts before Branch Members at each AGM. He is also responsible for: ensuring the maintenance of minute books, with each minute being approved at the next meeting; and an up to date roll of Members, Associate Members and Family Members. The Branch Secretary shall liaise with the Association Secretary to ensure that all membership records are updated on a regular basis.
VI-FUNDS
23. The annual income of the Association consisting of: investment interest; grants from the Regimental Trust Fund; shop income and all other income (except Branch subscriptions) will be held in the Association Central Fund. Funds may be distributed by the General Committee as considered appropriate. In general, this will consist of:
a. Firstly, in meeting the expenses of the General Committee.
b. Secondly, in payment of an Honorarium to the Vice Chairman and the Honorary Secretary of the General Committee, as set out in Rule 25.
c. Thirdly, in meeting the expenses of the Branch representatives, as set out in Rule 26.
d. Fourthly, in payment of special grants on behalf of the Association as a whole.
The remaining balance, if any, may be distributed as considered appropriate to Branches. If the income of the Association is insufficient in any one year to meet any or all of the first four charges enumerated above, it will be for the General Committee to recommend how finances should be adjusted.
24. Special donations and bequests to the Association or Branches in excess of £100 are to be referred to the Hon Secretary of the General Committee for instructions from the General Committee on disposal.
25. The Hon Secretary and the Vice Chairman of the General Committee may be paid a small Honorarium from the Regimental Trust Fund. The Hon Secretaries of Branches may also be paid a small Honorarium. In the case of payments to the latter, the payments shall be from Branch Funds, the amounts and reasons for so doing will be reported to the General Committee in the Annual Branch Report.
26. The expenses of Branch representative members of the General Committee attending the Association AGM or Special meetings of the General Committee shall, if justified and funds permit, be paid from the Association General Fund.
27. The Hon Treasurer of the Association and the Hon Treasurers of the Branches shall keep accounts of all monies received and expended up to 31 December (inclusive) in each year. The Association General Fund and Branch Funds, will be run in accordance with the Association Financial Accounting Instructions as directed by the Regimental Trustees.
VII-DISSOLUTION
28. In the event that the Association is dissolved, all remaining assets shall be transferred to The Royal Scots Regimental Trust Fund.
VIII-ALTERATIONS OF CONSTITUTION
29. No new rule or alterations of any existing rules shall be valid until passed as a special resolution by a two thirds majority at the Association AGM.
IX-CORRESPONDENCE
30. All correspondence intended for the General Committee shall be addressed to: The Honorary Secretary, The Royal Scots Association, The Royal Scots Club, 29-31 Abercromby Place, Edinburgh, EH3 6QE.
31. Each Branch will inform the Hon Secretary of the General Committee and all their Members of the names and addresses of their Hon Secretaries and of any change which may occur from time to time. The Hon Secretary of the General Committee will also arrange to publicise details in the Thistle.
32. Any communication from the General Committee or Branch Committees, including notices of meetings, may be by electronic means. Such communications are deemed to have been received on the next day
