Proposed Amendments to the IMCoS Constitution
For Approval at AGM 2021

The 2020 AGM and all meetings of the Executive Committee since March 2020 have been conducted using video-conferencing facilities supplemented by normal use of e-mails and the IMCoS website in place of live face-to-face meetings.  These changes were made necessary by the restrictions on travel and assembly imposed by the UK and other national governments and were adopted to enable the Society to conduct its business.

While it is hoped that the majority of the restrictions will be lifted later in 2021, the EXCOM Committee believe it would be advantageous if the IMCoS Constitution were amended to specifically authorize the use of video conference facilities to conduct meetings when circumstances make face to face meetings impracticable.

Accordingly the following amendments to the Constitution are proposed (in red text):

Article 9 (The Executive Committee), paragraph vii shall be amended to read:

vii.         “The Executive Committee shall meet on at least four occasions per annum, one of which shall be the Society’s Annual General Meeting.  The quorum for meetings shall be three, of whom at least one shall be the Chairman, General Secretary, or Treasurer. Classic face-to-face meetings are preferable.  However, provided a video-capability is available, Executive Committee meetings may be held as virtual meetings. The Chairman of the Committee will determine that a virtual meeting shall be held.”

And Article 14 (Annual General Meeting and Election Procedures), paragraph ii shall be amended to read:

ii.         “At least four weeks in advance, all Members shall be notified by the General Secretary of the date of the Annual General Meeting and the full Agenda, including details of all elections and the nominees. Publication in the Society’s Journal and/or website shall be deemed appropriate notification.  Only those items in the Agenda shall be taken at Annual General Meetings.  Ordinary and Life Members and Junior Members who are not less than 18 years of age shall be eligible to vote at such meetings and elections.  Unopposed nominees shall be deemed elected at the Annual General Meeting without vote. A classic face-to-face meeting is preferable. However, in exceptional circumstances, such meeting may be replaced by a virtual meeting.  A majority of Executive Committee Members shall agree that exceptional circumstances apply.”