1 The Society shall be named the Somerset Budgerigar Society and shall be affiliated to The Budgerigar Society and Western Counties Budgerigar and Foreign Bird Society.

2 The object of the Society is to encourage the breeding and exhibiting of budgerigars; to support the exhibition of such birds by granting patronages to encourage show-promoting societies to provide comprehensive classification; to help new members and to exchange ideas.

3 Membership of the Society is open. The annual subscription shall fall due on 1st January each year. Any member can apply for life-membership, the life-membership fee being twenty times the adult annual fee. Anyone having not paid his or her subscription in the current year shall not have voting power at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). No member in arrears may participate in any of the privileges of the Society or be allowed to compete for prizes or trophies of the Society.

4 The funds of the Society shall be used, as far as practicable, to provide facilities to further the interest of members in bird breeding and exhibiting.

5 A member will be deemed a member only when the subscription for the year is paid and the official receipt issued.

6 The general management of the Society will be deputed to the committee which shall consist of the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and eight members who shall be elected annually. The Chairman's committee shall consist of the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer.

7 All expenditure of the Society's petty cash must be approved by the committee.

8 If a matter is brought to the attention of the Secretary who considers it to be of an urgent nature, the Secretary shall refer the matter to the committee where an Extraordinary General Meeting may be applicable.

9 A vacancy on the committee shall be filled by the next name on the voting list if any. The committee should meet frequently but not less than fourteen days prior to the AGM.

10 Members should be allowed to nominate or second one nomination only. All names on the nomination paper must be those of a fully paid-up member.

11 The AGM is to be held not later than the last day of November for the following purposes:

• to receive reports from the Secretary, Treasurer and Auditor.
• to confirm the appointment, to elect and confirm the election of officers also executive members
• to elect auditors to the Society
• to discuss any pertinent business of the Society within the rules.

12 At every AGM the subscriptions shall be confirmed. In the event of a proposal to alter the subscription, any alteration shall become effective for the calendar year following the AGM unless the committee considers the need to increase the rate of subscription prior to the following year extremely urgent when it can be increased with effect from the close of the meeting.

13 Any proposal or amendment to rules must be made in writing duly proposed and seconded by fully paid-up members to the Secretary by 31 October. The Secretary shall number any proposals received and send an acknowledgement within seven days to the proposer. No motion shall be deemed to have been carried unless those voting are in favour by a majority.

14 Non-members are welcome at the AGM but cannot speak on any subject and on no account can they vote at any meeting.

15 The notice convening the AGM will be sent to all members or published in the Fancy's press.

16 A copy of the balance sheet shall be made available to any member at the AGM, or any member may request a copy within seven days of the AGM.

17 Any member corresponding with the Secretary and requiring a reply must enclose a stamped-addressed envelope.

18 No member is eligible to stand for any office or as a committee member unless he or she is a full paid-up member not under suspension by the WC,B&FBS or The Budgerigar Society.

19 Any members of the committee absenting himself or herself from two successive committee meetings without offering apologies shall be automatically removed from the committee.

20 At the AGM if more than eight members are nominated for the committee there shall be a ballot form. The eight nominees receiving the highest number of votes shall be deemed to be elected. The counting of votes shall take place in the hall by appointed officials.

21 Should the Society be dissolved for any reason any assets shall be valued and the proceeds distributed amongst the fully paid up members of the Society on 28th February of that year. Trophies and the like shall be returned to the donors.

22 Cheques of the Society must be signed by the Treasurer and countersigned by either the Chairman or Secretary.