1. NAME:
The organisation shall be called “Imperial Pensioners’ Action Call” (IMPAC).
2. MEMBERSHIP:
(a) Only members of the Defined Benefit (DB) Section of the Imperial Tobacco Pension Fund (ITPF) shall be eligible, including employees, employees’ accepted spouse, pensioners and deferred pensioners and their nominated dependants.
(b) The National Council (see Section 4) may cancel or suspend the membership of any member whose conduct is considered prejudicial to the purpose of IMPAC (see Section 3).
3. PURPOSE:
The purpose of IMPAC shall be to defend and advance the interests of members of the Imperial Tobacco Pension Fund.
4. NATIONAL COUNCIL:
(a) IMPAC shall be administered by a National Council which shall be responsible for defining and implementing policies in accordance with its purpose (see Section 3).
(b) The Officers of the National Council shall be a Chairman, a Secretary and a Treasurer, who shall be elected at an Annual General Meeting (AGM), (see Section 7). Appointments to fill vacancies arising between AGMs may be made by the National Council, such appointments to be ratified at the next AGM.
(c) Additional Council Members may be co-opted and shall be entitled to attend National Council meetings and vote.
(d) Members elected as pensioner/deferred-nominated Trustees of the ITPF shall be ex-officio members of the National Council.
(e) Members of IMPAC will be given the opportunity to apply to become members of the National Council. Prospective Council members will be interviewed by a selection panel consisting of the Chairman and at least one other member of the Council. Appointment of a new member will be confirmed by National Council and ratified at the next AGM. Each Council member will be required to serve a 3 year term of Office. At the end of their respective term of office, Council members may seek to serve on the Council for a further 3 year term. However, if Council members wish to leave Council, they should endeavour to give 12 months’ notice in writing to the Chairman.
(f) The National Council may appoint a President and other honorary positions.
(g) The National Council shall normally meet three times in any calendar year. The quorum for such meetings shall be two-thirds of the members of the National Council at that time. At least two members of the quorum shall be National Officers (see Section 4b).
5. SUBSCRIPTIONS:
(a) The annual subscription payable by each member of IMPAC shall be determined by the National Council.
(b) Where a member’s subscription is more than six months in arrears, the membership shall be deemed to have lapsed.
6. REGIONS:
(a) Members of IMPAC shall be allocated to the Region in which their home address is situated, unless attachment to another specified Region has been requested. Overseas members shall not be allocated to a Region but shall form a separate section of the membership administered by the National Council.
(b) The geographical boundaries of the Regions may be revised by the National Council if this is deemed expedient.
(c) Each Region may organise meetings in accordance with the wishes of its members under the guidance of a member of the National Council and consistent with the aims and objectives of the constitution.
7. GENERAL MEETINGS:
(a) An Annual General Meeting (AGM) of IMPAC shall be held each year, normally in May.
(b) Other General Meetings may be held if required by the National Council or by notice in writing to the National Secretary, signed by at least fifty members and stating the Motion to be put to the meeting. General Meetings shall be convened by 28 days’ notice to all members of IMPAC, specifying the business of the meeting.
(c) Notice of an AGM to be accompanied by a report from the Chairman, a copy of the Independently Examined Accounts for the year ended the previous 31st December, and a Proxy Form (the details of which shall be determined by the National Council) enabling a member to appoint another person (who need not be a member of IMPAC) to attend the meeting and speak and vote on behalf of the member completing the form.
(d) Motions to be debated at an AGM shall be those determined by the National Council and those submitted by any member of IMPAC to the National Secretary by 1st March, signed by a proposer and a seconder, with the supporting signatures of at least eight other members.
(e) A Motion shall be deemed to be carried by a simple majority of the votes of members present in person or by proxy, other than on a resolution calling for the winding up of IMPAC, in which case a majority of 75% of those attending and voting on this resolution in person is required.
8. FINANCE:
(a) All national finance, including all subscription funds but excluding monies raised through independent regional and local activities (see Section 8d), shall be administered by the National Treasurer. He/she shall annually prepare a Receipts and Payments Account with Balance Sheet for approval at the AGM following the end of the financial year on 31st December.
(b) One or two Independent Examiners shall be elected annually at the AGM for the purpose of examining and approving IMPAC’s annual accounts. In the event of an Independent Examiner vacancy arising between AGMs due to resignation or otherwise, the National Council shall appoint a replacement.
(c) Funds shall be allocated to Regional Committees as agreed by the National Treasurer on behalf of the National Council.
(d) Regions and Local Centres shall be free to raise finance through self-initiated and local fund-raising activities.
(e) Any member may be reimbursed for out-of- pocket expenses incurred in carrying out approved duties for IMPAC. Members shall not profit from membership of IMPAC.
(f) In the event of the winding up of IMPAC, any monies shall be distributed to a charity or charities which shall be decided by the IMPAC National Council, or be divided equally between all the surviving paid-up members of IMPAC. The preferences of the membership at the time will be solicited either by ballot or by an extra-ordinary General Meeting or both. The final decision shall be determined by the then elected National Council
9. ALTERATIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION:
This Constitution shall only be altered by resolution at a General Meeting.
Last revision 3rd May 2017
