Constitution

Last Updated on 24/06/23

Below is the new constitution of the Telecommunications Heritage Group. It was agreed during an EGM for members to attend. A group mixed with committee members and our membership came together to write the new constitution with help from others members when each draft was send via email to all our members.

Thank you to everyone who helped set out our new constitution.

Constitution of The Telecommunications Heritage Group

• 1. Name: The name of the group shall be The Telecommunications Heritage Group, hereinafter referred to as The THG.
• 1a. Neither the full designation nor any abbreviation shall be used by members to represent or warrant any form of status other than that of ordinary membership without the express consent of the committee. Any consent agreed to by the committee will be detailed in a register held by the General Secretary.

• 2. Aims and Objects: To promote the study, preservation and collection of the heritage of telecommunications or any other such related activity.

• 3. Affiliations: The THG may affiliate with or be affiliated to any other group or organisation that holds similar aims and values to The THG, as may be determined by and approved by the committee.

• 4. Officers and members of the committee: There shall be ten members of the committee, all ten positions are to be elected annually by the membership either by a show of hands at a face-to-face AGM, or by electronic ballot held in the week prior to the AGM. The five officer positions shall be elected from the ten members of the committee by the membership at the AGM. A committee member may hold more than one officers’ position.
• 4a. The officers shall be a Chair, Vice-Chair, Treasurer, Membership Secretary and General Secretary.
• 4b. The committee may request committee members to perform specific tasks e.g. Salvage, Swapmeet etc, the committee will appoint its members to such tasks at the first committee meeting after the AGM. 4c. No officer or member of the committee shall be remunerated but may claim for reasonable expenses, incurred on behalf of The THG, as agreed by the committee.

• 5. Management: The day-to-day management of The THG shall be vested in the committee.
• 5a. The committee shall have the power to co-opt additional committee members for a special purpose. members co-opted to the committee during the year will cease to hold the co-opted position at the commencement of the next AGM.
• 5b. The committee shall have the power to authorise the establishment of working groups for any function which it deems necessary.
• 5c. Co-optees and working groups have no voting rights on the committee.
• 5d. If at any meeting of the committee the voting is tied, then the Chair shall have the casting vote.

• 6. Membership: Any person having an interest in the aims and objectives of The THG shall be eligible for membership on payment of the required fee(s), the rate(s) of which shall be determined by the committee and agreed at the following AGM.
• 6a. The THG committee reserves the right to refuse membership for reasons including, but not limited to, behaviour incompatible with the aims, objectives, or reputation of The THG. A simple majority of the committee shall signify the acceptance, rejection, or expulsion of THG members. There shall be an appeal procedure (7b).
• 6b. Membership shall comprise of Ordinary or Life members.
• 6c. Life membership will only be given to those members who have shown exceptional service to The THG or fulfil the criteria in paragraph
• 6d. Life membership will be granted by a majority decision of the committee. 6d. Any officer who has served in that office for five years continuous or eight years of broken service shall be offered the position of an Emeritus Member of The THG and given life membership. All presidential titles granted to former officers before this clause was introduced will remain in place.
• 6e. An Emeritus Member or President may be requested by the committee to act as an adjudicator in the event of a dispute.
• 6f. The date for renewal of all subscriptions shall be the day after the expiration of 12 months of membership and the fees decided upon at the AGM or an Extra-ordinary General Meeting called for that purpose. Members are afforded a three month grace period in which they can renew their membership, after this period has expired, the member’s details will be deleted from The THG database in accordance with data protection regulations.

• 7. Suspension and Expulsion:
• 7a. A member shall have their membership suspended pending expulsion for behaviour which is considered by a majority of the committee to be detrimental to the aims, objectives or reputation of The THG. Such a member can appeal the decision of the committee only if they can provide substantive evidence as to why this decision could be flawed.
• 7b. Any appeal by a THG member shall be subject to arbitration. The General Secretary shall, at the request of the appellant, convene a tribunal which shall consist of 1) one ordinary member of The THG nominated by the appellant, 2) one member of The THG committee chosen by the committee and 3) a President or Emeritus Member who shall be any person invited by the agreement of 1) and 2). The decision of the tribunal will determine the continuation or lifting of the suspension or expulsion only and shall be final.
• 7c. Appeals shall only be accepted if received by the General Secretary within 28 days of the suspension or expulsion.

• 8. Communications and social media: The THG provides and manages an e-mail group, and groups/pages on various social media platforms all of which any member may join and to which they may post messages and photographs. Messages may be posted freely and should relate directly to the discussion of telecommunications heritage, its study, preservation and collection.
• 8a. Personal messages between individual members shall not be posted, nor shall abusive or defamatory remarks.
• 8b. The e-mail group or social media groups/pages may not be used for the resolution of members’ disputes.
• 8c. All groups/pages will have moderation, moderator(s) will be appointed by the committee on an annual basis, and numbers of moderator(s) will be determined by the committee.
• 8d. Any member who posts inappropriate, abusive or defamatory messages, or who attempts to use the e-mail group or social media groups/pages in order to resolve personal disputes will have their access to it temporarily suspended by the appointed moderators and the offending material will be removed. The moderator(s) will present evidence to The THG committee who will take whatever action is deemed necessary. Re-instatement will be allowed only when the committee has made a determination.
• 8e. If, following a temporary suspension, a member attempts to post similar, inappropriate messages, their access to the e-mail group or social media groups/pages will be permanently withdrawn by the moderator and their actions referred to the committee as per paragraph 8d.
• 8f. Any appeal against such a decision to permanently withdraw access to the e-mail group or social media groups/pages will be subject to the procedure laid down in paragraph 7b.

• 9. Meetings: The following meetings may be called for:-
• 9a. Extra-ordinary General Meeting:- May be called by the committee or at the written request of not less than twenty fully paid-up members. At least 21 days’ notice to be given to the General Secretary, in writing. Members shall be sent an agenda for such meetings not less than 14 days prior. The topic to be discussed shall be clearly laid out in the agenda.
• 9b. Annual General Meeting:- To be held annually, at least 28 clear days’ notice to be given to the members of the venue, time and date. The Annual General Meeting may, at the discretion of the committee, be held by remote video or audio conference, or in-person, or as a hybrid of the two, whether because of external factors or to tie-in with other THG events. The General Secretary shall prepare an agenda providing sufficient copies for the membership and committee. There shall not be more than 14 months between Annual General Meetings.
• 9c. The Annual General Meeting shall: Receive and adopt reports from the officers and/or committee members. Adopt the accounts for the financial year as certified by the Inspector(s). Discuss any reports, communications, or correspondence. Discuss and, if necessary, vote on any motion or resolution by a show of hands, or if necessary, by a ballot. Formal notice is not required. Require fourteen days notice in writing to the General Secretary of any motions or resolutions proposing amendments having the effect of changing the constitution. Such Proposer and Seconder to be fully paid-up members of The THG.
• 9d. Committee Meeting:- May be called from time-to-time by any two committee members one of whom shall be an officer of The THG. At least 14 days’ notice to be given to the General Secretary, in writing.
• 9e. A quorum of committee shall consist of a minimum of five committee members, with at least two of which being officers.
• 9f. Minutes shall be kept by the General Secretary, or other appointed member of all meetings.
• 9g. Any written minutes of meetings will be securely stored electronically allowing appropriate access.
• 9h. Meeting protocol will be dealt with by the Chair, who will, in the event of a dispute, decide upon what action to take by referring to “Citrines ABC of Chairmanship”.

• 10. Accounts: Shall be prepared by the Treasurer to 31st August of each year for submission to and acceptance by the members at the Annual General Meeting. 10a. An internal inspection of the accounts by an appropriately qualified and duly appointed member of The THG should take place before submission of annual accounts to the AGM. Such appointments shall be made by the committee and must not be a committee member.

• 11. Amendments to the constitution: Amendments shall be considered by the membership at a meeting specifically held for the purpose, notice of said meeting shall be sent to every fully paid up member at least 56 days before the meeting called to decide upon them. Amendments will have to be received, by the General Secretary, 28 days prior to the meeting and these amendments then duly sent to every fully paid up member at least 14 days before the aforesaid meeting.

• 12. Winding Up: The THG may be dissolved by an Extra-ordinary General Meeting after six months’ notice has been served to all its members. If, upon the winding-up, and the discharge of the Group’s debts and liabilities (including the return to members of their unused subscriptions which have been paid in advance) there remain any assets whatsoever, these shall be divided equally between all THG members whose subscriptions are fully up to date. Nothing shall be paid to holders of complimentary or other free memberships.

First ratified at the Annual General Meeting held on Saturday, 5th November 1988 at the Telecom Technology Showcase, 135 Queen Victoria Street, London. This 2nd ratified at the Annual General Meeting held on Saturday, 1st October 2011 at the Science Museum, London SW7. The most recent ratified the EGM on Zoom on 5th June 19:30 2023.