The Constitution of the British Roleplaying Society =================================================== 1. The British Roleplaying Society shall be an unincorporated members society open to all persons interested in role-playing games and related matters. Its principal objective shall be to hold roleplaying games conventions, at whatever times and places are selected by the membership of the society. This consists of everyone who has purchased attending or supporting membership of the previous or next convention. The conventions shall be residential, based around games players and fans, rather than commercial. The society’s committee shall consist of a chairman, secretary, a membership officer, and representatives of past conventions. The chairman, secretary, and membership officer are elected as part of a convention election. One representative is nominated by the organisation of each past convention, who serves until four conventions have taken place since their election. Ambiguities and disputes arising from these regulations shall be settled by the steering committee in the light of common sense and with a view to the continuation of the society and its conventions. 2. Groups of people wishing to hold a convention shall submit themselves for election at a general meeting. If elected they shall nominate three of their number to serve as chairman, secretary, and membership officer of the society. If no convention is elected at a General Meeting, the society’s committee are mandated to take action to organise a convention, or to hold another general meeting to elect a convention. 3. The General Meeting. A general meeting shall be held at each convention, and shall be open to all members of the convention, with a quorum of twelve. The meeting has the following powers: (i) To elect groups to hold conventions or to elect no convention. (ii) To change this constitution, with a two-thirds majority. (iii) To override decisions of the society’s committee, with a two-thirds majority. (iv) To close down the society. If the society’s committee decide that members may have difficulty in attending the convention, it may arrange for postal voting for any or all motions. 4. Duties of Convention Committees The group organising each convention shall undertake, as a condition of their election, to: (i) Abide by this constitution. (ii) Cover any debts arising from their own convention. (iii) To cover any debts occurring in connection with any previous Conventions, providing such debts do not exceed the value of the funds passed to them by the previous BRS convention or by the society’s committee. (iv) Provide copies of their constitution to any interested party. (v) To maintain financial records for their convention and to provide a full set to interested parties, within three months of the end of their convention. 5. Surplus Funds It is not the objective of conventions to make profits, but any surplus which does arise shall be disposed of as follows: (a) Where the sum does not exceed £800 the surplus shall be passed to the following convention. (b) Where the sum exceeds £800, 50% or £800 (whichever is the greater) shall be passed to the following convention and the remainder shall be retained by the convention committee to be disposed of as they see fit. (c) If no following convention has been elected the funds shall be passed to the society’s committee for use in organising a convention. 6. Each convention shall be insured: (a) Against loss of, or damage to, its property and that for which it is legally responsible, including building, machinery, plant, fixtures and fittings provided to it by the property owners or management of the venue for the purpose of the convention. (b) Against loss resulting from cancellation, curtailment, postponement or abandonment in whole or in part of the convention, the non-appearance of a principal speaker or failure of the convention to vacate the premises at the end of its tenancy. (c) So as to be indemnified for all sums which the committee shall be legally liable for arising from bodily injury and property damage to employees and general public arising out of an occurrence in connection with the convention.