FABKA Constitution

FABKA is affiliated with the Federation of Irish Beekeepers’ Associations.

ARTICLE 1: Name

This Association shall be known as the Fastnet Area Bee-Keepers Association abbreviated to (FABKA) herein after

ARTICLE 2: Objectives

The objectives and purpose of this not for profit association shall be:

  • To promote and foster the craft of bee-keeping and to educate members in the importance of honeybees, honey and other by-products, and pollination in our FABKA Area.
  • To provide a forum for the exchange of information, ideas, and views of mutual interest to our member bee-keepers.
  • To provide education on the practical aspects of bee-keeping and to encourage the use of better and more productive methods.
  • To conserve the future of the honeybee in our area of County Cork.
  • To foster cooperation between members of the Association.

ARTICLE 3: Affiliation

The association shall be affiliated to the Federation of Irish Bee-keepers’ Associations.

ARTICLE 4: Membership

  • Membership of the Association will be open to any person regardless of their age, race, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, membership of travelling community, faith or political or other personal beliefs. Membership of the Association shall be obtained by providing the relevant details with the payment of the annual subscription to the Treasurer or her/his delegate.
  • Should any member conduct themselves in such a manner as to bring FABKA into disrepute or held to be in breach of any of the association rules, the committee after calling for an explanation from such Member may:
    • a) Caution such member or
    • b) Do either one or both of the things set out under
      • i) Suspend such member from membership of the Association for the current year or
      • ii) Declare such member to be ineligible for applying for membership renewal of the Association.
  • Any member suspended or declared to be ineligible to apply for membership shall not be entitled to a refund of any monies paid to the Association.
  • Fully paid up members of other bee-keepers’ associations are welcome to join this Association as associate members. They are not entitled to vote at association meetings.
  • Only a member in good standing shall be eligible to participate in Association functions.
  • All fully paid-up members shall have the power to vote on any matters discussed at General Meetings. The AGM shall be empowered to elect a member as an Honorary Life Member only on the recommendation of the Management Committee. Honorary Life membership shall be conferred only in recognition of outstanding service to the Association and shall entitle the Honorary Life Member to all rights and privileges of full membership including the right to be elected to office. This is the highest honour which may be bestowed on a member. The AGM shall be empowered to revoke such honorary life membership.

ARTICLE 5: Management Committee

  • The Management Committee shall:
    • Have general supervision of the affairs of the Association
    • Fix the date, hour, and place of the meetings and formulate the policies of the Association
    • Approve all expenditures
    • Arrange lectures and study programmes of the Association
    • Agree Delegates to attend FIBKA meetings and/or to represent the Association.
    • Ensure the running of the Association Apiary
  • The officers of this association shall consist of a Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer. The Management Committee of the Association will consist of the Officers and up to 8 elected members.
  • Any member in good standing shall be eligible to hold office. The officers and elected members shall be elected annually at the AGM.
  • In case of the vacancy in the position of Chairman, Secretary, or Treasurer, the Committee shall appoint a successor to fill the remaining term until the next AGM.
  • The officers shall be elected by majority vote when a quorum of members is present at the AGM meeting and shall serve in that capacity for the next twelve (12) months.
  • The Quorum of the Management Committee shall be five members.
  • After the coming into force of the provisions of this Constitution, the Chairman, Secretary and Treasure shall hold office for the maximum period of 3 years and shall be ineligible to hold the same office for the further period of 1 year.
  • The Committee shall have the power to co-opt up to three persons having special knowledge or qualifications to assist the work of the Committee.
  • The Committee may also invite any persons to attend specific meetings to advise on particular matters under consideration.
  • Invitations and co-opting will be agreed by Committee in advance. Co-opted
  • Members have no voting rights.
  • The Committee may appoint at any time, sub-committees to deal with special subjects, each sub-committee shall include at least two members of the Committee, and it may appoint its own Chairperson.
  • Every question at the meeting of the Committee shall be determined by the majority of votes of the members present and voting, every member having one vote.
  • In the case of equality of votes the Chairperson of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote.
  • Special meetings of the Management Committee may be called by the Chairperson or when any three members of the Committee give six days’ notice in writing of such a desired meeting. The notice calling the Special Management Committee meeting shall state the objects of the Meeting and no other business shall be transacted there at.
  • The Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held within 3 months of the end of the financial year.
  • Fourteen days’ notice in writing shall be given to each Member. The financial year is from 1st November until 31st October. (except 2020)
  • The Quorum necessary for an extraordinary or Annual General Meeting shall be 25 members or 20% of membership whichever is the lesser.
  • Special General Meetings shall be called by the Secretary at the request of the Committee or at the written request of not less than ten members of the Association, indicating the purpose for which the meeting is called.
  • The business will be stated on the notice calling the meeting and no other business shall be transacted there at.
  • Three weeks’ notice shall be given of Special Meetings.

ARTICLE 6: Duties of Officers

  • The Chairman shall preside at all meetings of the Association; if unable to do so shall delegate to the Secretary. The Chairman has responsibility for the smooth management of the Committee meetings and kept within a time limit and will ensure appropriate and fair consideration of all topics.
  • In the event of a tied vote at any meeting the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote.
  • The Secretary has the responsibility to record the minutes and proceedings of the Association at each meeting and event.
  • A minute secretary may be appointed but it is the responsibility of the Secretary to ensure minutes are accurately recorded and circulated.
  • The Secretary will file and preserve and make available all its documents; attend to all correspondence of the Association in a timely manner; notify the members of regular meetings and other activities; and attend to other duties that naturally pertain to the office.
  • The Treasurer shall receive and disburse all monies of the Association in a timely manner and shall keep a complete and accurate record showing the receipts and disbursements.
  • Disbursements other than routine in nature must be approved by the Management Committee.
  • The Treasurer shall keep a record of current membership. The position of President is an honorary title while also conferring the status of an ordinary member of the Management Committee.
  • Where a President is elected by association members She/He holds office for 5 years.
  • The President has a representative role for the Association.
  • Financial operations The Association shall maintain a bank account and the authorised cheque signatories shall be the Treasurer and two other elected officers.
  • Cheques shall be signed by any two of the three signatories.

ARTICLE 7: Membership Dues

  • The annual dues shall be set by the Management Committee of the Association and submitted to the members for approval at the AGM meeting.
  • Changes will become effective in the new financial year. The annual dues shall be payable in advance to the Treasurer of the Association and shall be due no later than Feb Association Meeting
  • All memberships expire on December 31st of each year. A person who has been dropped from the roll of membership for non-payment of dues may be restored to active membership in good standing by paying the current year’s dues.

ARTICLE 8: Meetings

  • There shall be a minimum of one Management Committee meeting of the Association
  • each year preferably November.
  • The Chairman may change the month of a meeting during a given year if circumstances require it. Meetings may be combined with special events, such as workshops, educational courses etc.
  • Members of the Management Committee of the Association shall be notified by e-mail, Members area of FABKA website, or by other means, as appropriate, of the time and place of each meeting at least seven (7) days prior to such meeting. Ordinary members can apply to the Secretary to request items to be included in to the agenda.

Order of Business

The order of business at regular and special meetings of the Management Committee will normally be as follows:

  • Approval of Minutes of the previous meeting.
  • Matters Arising
  • Reports of officers
  • Apiary Update
  • Agenda issues
  • Unfinished busines
  • Communications to members
  • AOB

Annual General Meeting

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM) of FABKA shall be held within three months of the end of the financial year (on or from 31st October). Fourteen (14) days’ notice shall be given to each Member. The Secretary’s Report will be available to members at the meeting. This is a summary report of the issues.

At this meeting the following business will be transacted:

  • Opening by Chair
  • Apologies for absence
  • Adoption of the minutes of the previous AGM and of any Special General Meetings held since
  • Presentation of the Secretary’s report
  • Presentation of the Treasurer’s report
  • Association’s Apiary Report
  • Planned activities for following year
  • Business of any proposed motion or discussion items received by the Secretary in writing at least fourteen days before the AGM.
  • Election of members to the offices of Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, President
  • Election of Management Committee Members
  • Fixing the annual subscription
  • Presentation of Examination Certificates
  • Any other matters arising.

Article 9: Changes to the Constitution

Changes to this Constitution shall normally be initiated by the Management Committee to be approved by the membership. Motions to amend the Constitution may be made to the Management Committee by any member. This Constitution has been accepted by the officers:

Chairman, Secretary & Treasurer