1  Objects To promote the objects of the United Nations Association of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in the London and South East Region.

2  Geographical Area: The London and South East Region shall comprise a geographical area defined in accordance with the objects and rules of the National Association.

3  Membership: The London and South East Region shall consist of:

• All branches and youth groups in the geographical area as defined under rule 2 above,
• Such other branches or youth groups in neighbouring regions as may be attached to the London and South East Region by the National Executive Committee of the United Nations Association,
• All corporate members and other affiliated bodies, not being members of a Branch who are attached to the London and South East Region,
• All individual members who are attached to the London and South East Region. Each Branch shall notify the Regional Development Officer of the date of its Annual General Meeting and submit two copies of the Branch’s Annual Report and accounts in accordance with the objects and rules of the Association.

4  Officers:  Honorary Officers The Honorary Officers of the Region shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting and, with the exception of the President, shall be eligible for re-election. They shall comprise:

• President and Vice-Presidents
• Executive Officers: The Executive Officers of the Region shall comprise: i) Chairperson ii) Vice-Chairperson iii) Treasurer iv) Secretary.
• The Executive Officers shall be responsible for the day to day management of the Region subject to the decisions of the Executive Committee.
• Executive Officers are eligible for re-election but may serve for no more than four consecutive years in the same post, with the exception of the Treasurer.

5  Regional Development Officer:  The appointment of the Regional Development Officer shall be made jointly by the National Board of the United Nations Association and the Executive Committee of the Regional Council and shall be terminated only by their mutual consent.

6  The London & South East Regional Council:  The Council shall be responsible for forming Branches in the London & South East Region, for ensuring that all Branches in the Region work in accordance with the rules and policy of the Association and for assisting them in every possible way to carry out the work of the Association in accordance with the decisions of the Annual Conference and the National Board of the United Nations Association. 

7  Membership: The Regional Council shall consist of: 

• The Honorary Officers of the Region.
• The members of the Executive Committee.
• Each branch formally represented according to the following schedule: Branches with a paid-up membership not exceeding 100 to be entitled to five votes, Branches with a paid-up membership of over 100 to be entitled to ten votes, Any other member may attend and speak at Regional Council and will be allocated one vote.
• One representative of each youth group in the London & South East Region,
• Corporate members and other affiliated bodies, not being members of a Branch who are attached to the London and South East Region, who will be allocated one vote.  Representatives appointed under paragraphs (c) and (d) of this rule shall be nominated not later than 31st August each year to serve one year. They shall be eligible for re-appointment. A branch or youth group may send a substitute for the representative(s).

8  Meetings of the Regional Council:

• The Council shall meet at such times and places as the Executive Committee shall determine, provided that the number of such meetings be not less than three each year.
• A Special Meeting shall be called upon a written request sent to the Secretary signed by 2 of the elected officers (other than the President or Vice-Presidents) or by ten members of the Regional Council stating the business to be considered.
• The Annual Meeting of the Regional Council shall be held before the end of November.
• The notice convening a meeting of the Council shall be issued at least 14 days before the date of the meeting. Notice of motions and other matters for the agenda must be in the hands of the Secretary at least 21 days before the meeting. Officers, the Executive Committee, branches, youth groups, corporate members and any 6 members acting together have the right to send in resolutions and other matters for the agenda.
• At all meetings of the Regional Council, twenty shall form a quorum.
• When a motion is submitted in writing referring to a matter which has arisen too late for formal notice to be given in accordance with paragraph (c) of this rule and it cannot readily be moved as an amendment to a motion already on the agenda, the Chairperson shall declare whether it qualifies for inclusion and it may then be admitted to the agenda on a two-thirds majority vote of the members of the Council present.
• In the event of a tie on any motion, the Chairperson of the meeting shall have a second, casting vote.

9  The Executive Committee shall consist of:

• The Officers of the Region, other than the Vice-Presidents, elected by a postal vote of all members.
• Ten members of the Region to be elected by a postal vote of all members,
• The representatives of the London & South East Region on the National Executive Board.
• Two representatives of youth groups in the Region (elected by the youth groups).
• Not more than four additional members co-opted by the Executive Committee, The Regional Development Officer shall be invited to attend.

10  Nominations for Officers and Executive Committee: All candidates for election as Honorary Officers (under rule 4a), Executive Officers (under rule 4b) or to the Executive Committee (under rule 9b) must be nominated by: a) any two members of the retiring Executive Committee or b) a Branch Committee or c) any 6 members acting together.

• Any member of the Executive Committee who, during the year shall not have attended at least two meetings, shall not be eligible for re-election to the Executive Committee for the ensuing year except where failure to attend has been caused by sickness or other unavoidable reason. For the purpose of this rule, the members’ signatures in the Committee’s attendance book shall constitute the record of attendance. Nominations for the Honorary Officers.
• Executive Officers and the Executive Committee must be in the hand of the Regional Development Officer not later than 28 days before the Annual Meeting.
• Branches, the Region’s Officers and Executive Committee Members and any six individual members acting together may each make up to three nominations.
• Biographical details of candidates shall be circulated to branches and members with the ballot papers.
• Officers and Executive Committee Members shall be elected by all members of the Region in a postal ballot using the ‘First past the Post’ system.

11  The Executive Committee shall have the power to:

• Act on behalf of the Region in all matters, including finance, arising between meetings of the Regional Council.
• Appoint such salaried officers of the Region, apart from the Regional Development Officer, as it may deem to be necessary.
• Appoint sub-committees with such duties and authority as it may deem expedient.
• Appoint representatives to the National Board at the first meeting following the Association’s Annual Conference.
• Ensure the appointment of representatives to Annual Conference.
• Fill casual vacancies occurring in its members or among the Officers between Annual Meetings.

12  Meetings of the Executive Committee:

• The Committee shall meet at least 3 times a year and at such other times as may be necessary.
• A Special Meeting of the Committee shall be called by the i) Chairperson of the Region or, ii) on receipt of a request signed by 5 members of the Committee stating the business to be considered, and no other business shall be considered at that meeting.
• Notice of a meeting of the Committee shall be sent to members at least seven days before the date of the meeting.
• The quorum for meetings of the Executive Committee shall be seven, and for sub-committees shall be three.
• At all meetings of the Executive Committee, each member shall have one vote whether in a ballot or on a show of hands. In the event of a tie on any motion, the Chairperson of the meeting shall have a second, casting vote.

13  Finance:

• The Regional Council shall be financially responsible for the management of its own affairs, in accordance with the rules of the Association.
• The Financial Year shall end on 30th June.
• At each Annual Meeting, the accounts for the previous financial year, examined by an independent accountant elected at the previous Annual Meeting, shall be presented.
• The Council shall have the right to receive subscriptions from members of the Association resident in the areas covered by the Council who, for geographical or other reasons, are not attached to any branch. These subscriptions shall be dealt with in accordance with the relevant rules of the Association. For this purpose, the Council shall be regarded as acting as a branch.

14  Alterations of rules:  

• The rules of the Region shall be altered only by the vote of at least two-thirds of the members present and voting at the Annual Meeting of the Council or at a meeting of the Council specially convened for that purpose with due notice given as set out by Rule 8(c). [Passed at special meetings of the Regional Council held in 1993, 1995 and further amended in 2000 and 2001 and agreed by the executive Committee, 3 September 2003]