1. Name
1.1. The name shall be Wickham Chamber of Trade hereinafter referred to as ‘the Chamber’
1.2. The name may from time to time be abbreviated to WCT

2. Objectives
2.1. To promote and encourage the development of trade and commerce within Wickham and Knowle
2.2. To highlight Wickham, Knowle and the local area as a premier place for businesses
2.3. To showcase Wickham and Knowle suppliers, creators and businesses
2.4. To promote the highest standards of trading by all those engaged in business activities and also the promotion of mutual understanding and confidence between them and members of the public
2.5. Generally to protect the lawful interests and views of the members and represent to Parliament, Government Departments, county, district, local or other authorities whatsoever, the interest and views of members or any group of members or any individual member of the Chamber in relation to any matter
2.6. To organise and arrange or take part in any social or vocational events that are considered by the Committee to improve the goodwill between members themselves and between members and other bodies or individuals
2.7. To work with other local organisations as appropriate for the benefit of the community
2.8. To promote the village as appropriate in order to sustain the economic life of the community
2.9. To do all such lawful things as are incidental or conducive to the attainment of the above objectives

3. Membership
3.1. Membership shall be open to all those engaged in business within the area specified in clause 2.1 above. For the purpose of these rules Wickham and Knowle is understood to mean any business that operates from a Wickham or Knowle postal address (whether their premises are visited by the public or whether they operate from their residential address) as registered with the Post Office / Royal Mail. For the purpose of these rules ‘those engaged in business’ shall be deemed to include persons engaged in any kind of trade, industry or profession which the Committee may consider as being related to or associated with business
3.2. Membership shall be open to individuals who may have retired from business or any other profession above mentioned and to private individuals not engaged in or retired from either, subject to the approval of the Committee
3.3. For the purposes of these rules ‘those engaged in business’ shall include sole traders, partnerships and limited companies, whether public or private
3.4. An application for membership is generally made on behalf of the business and not by the individual
3.5. Application for membership shall be effected by the completion of the appropriate Membership Form submitted to the Committee and shall be supported by at least two members of the Chamber.
3.6. The Committee have the power to refuse membership to an applicant, where it is considered such membership would not meet the criteria set out in clause 3.1 and/or would be detrimental to the aims or activities of the group
3.7. The Committee may, without giving reason, refuse to renew the membership of a member in any year. In the event the Committee refuses membership, subscriptions paid in advance will be refunded pro rata.
3.8. Every member shall have one vote at General Meetings.
3.9. The Committee may, by resolution passed at a meeting thereof, terminate or suspend the membership of any member, if in its opinion his/her conduct is prejudicial to the interests and objects of the association, PROVIDED THAT the individual member or representative of the member organisation (as the case may be) shall have the right to be heard by the Committee before the final decision is made. There shall be a right of appeal to an independent arbitrator appointed by mutual agreement.

4. Committee and Officers
4.1. The Chamber shall be administered by a Committee of not less than three (3) people elected at the group’s Annual General Meeting.
4.2. Committee Members must be at least 18 years old.
4.3. The Officers of the Management Committee shall be:
The Chairperson
The Treasurer
The Secretary
and such other Officers the Chamber shall deem necessary at the meeting
4.4 The Committee shall have power:-
to co-opt additional members or representatives as they shall decide from time to time for the purpose of giving expert advice or guidance on specific matters or for the purpose of filling vacancies caused by the death or resignation of member/members of the Committee
4.5 The Chairperson shall normally be elected from members of the Chamber
4.6 Vacancies occurring among the Officers of the Chamber shall be filled by election at the next convenient General Meeting of the Chamber and, until such meeting, may be filled provisionally by nomination by the Committee
4.7 An Officer so elected or nominated shall hold office until the next Annual General Meeting
4.8 In the absence of the Chairperson at meetings the Chairperson will be the Secretary and in the absence of both a member present is to be elected as Chairperson. The Chairperson shall have a casting vote in the event of a tie
4.9 Members must declare a vested interest in items under discussion at meetings
4.10 Voting at Chamber meetings shall be by show of hands on a majority basis. If there is a tied vote then the Chairperson shall have a second vote

5. Subscriptions
5.1 The annual subscription for membership of the Chamber shall be such as is agreed by members present at any Annual General Meeting

6. Finance
6.1. All monies of the Chamber shall be banked in the name of the Chamber at a bank or building society appointed by the Committee. All cheques shall be signed by a person or persons appointed by the Committee
6.2. All expenditure shall be approved by authorised members of the Committee who shall have power to use the Chamber’s funds in such lawful manner as they deem necessary for carrying out the objects for which the Chamber is formed
• Expenditure up to £200 can be approved by any two Committee Members
• Expenditure over £200 must be taken to a Chamber meeting and agreed by way of a vote. In the event of a tie the Chairperson has a second vote
6.3. The Treasurer shall make up the accounts as at the end of the Chamber’s financial year and present the same to the Annual General Meeting
6.4. The Chamber shall not trade for profit. Any surplus monies shall be used as a general reserve for the continuation and development of the Chamber

7. Committee and General Meetings
7.1. The Committee shall aim to meet six (6) times each year
7.2. The quorum (minimum number of people required) for a meeting shall be three (3)
7.3. The Committee shall be accountable to the members at all times
7.4. General Meetings of the Chamber shall generally be held bimonthly
7.5. Where possible, meetings will be held in accessible venues
7.6. All meetings must be minuted and available to any interested party
7.7. All Committee members shall be given at least seven (7) days’ notice of a meeting unless it is deemed an emergency meeting
7.8. Officers and Committee members are required to attend a minimum of three (3) Committee Meetings in a year. If they fail to do so without just cause they will relinquish their position on the Committee but may apply for re-election
7.9. An Annual General Meeting shall be held in April of each year or as soon after as is practicable,14 days notice being sent to all members
7.10. The Officers and the Committee shall be elected in accordance with rule 4.1 and they shall hold office until the next Annual General Meeting
7.11. No resolution of an Annual General Meeting shall be rescinded except at another Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting called for the purpose in accordance with rule 7
7.12. Nominations for the election of Officers and the Committee shall be given at the Annual General Meeting
7.13. If under clause 7.10 above more than one fourth of the members present demand a poll, the Chairman shall arrange for such a poll to be taken and the result will be deemed to be the resolution of the meeting

8. Party Policitical Activities
8.1 The Chamber as such is not to participate in any party political activities of any kind.

9. Policy
9.1 Committee members must only speak on behalf of the Chamber within the framework of the agreed Chamber policy. Where no prior agreed policy exists, the enquiry is to be channelled via the Secretary, who must consult with the Committee member with expertise on that subject

10. Notices
10.1 Notices to members may be delivered by hand or by post to the members last recorded address and shall be deemed to have been received by the members in the normal course of postal delivery

11. Alteration of the Constitution
11.1. Proposals for amendments to this Constitution, or dissolution must be delivered to the Secretary in writing. The Secretary in conjunction with all other Officers shall then decide on the date of a Special General Meeting (or in the case of dissolution a Dissolution Meeting) to discuss such proposals, giving at least four weeks (28 days) clear notice
11.2. Any changes to this Constitution must be agreed by at least two thirds of those members present and voting at any General Meeting

12. Dissolution
12.1. The Chamber may be wound up at any time if agreed by two thirds of those members present and voting at any Annual General Meeting or a Dissolution Meeting as per clause 11.1.
12.2. Any assets shall be passed to another group with similar aims or to a charity or charitable cause as agreed by members at the Dissolution Meeting

Adoption of the Constitution

This Constitution was adopted by the Committee Members present at a meeting held on Friday 10th October 2025