Constitution of the Linlithgow & Bo’ness Probus Club

New Constitution

A new constitution, as below, was adopted at the AGM on 18 March 2026.

You can download the Constitution as a PDF file.

1. Name: The Club is called the Linlithgow & Bo’ness Probus Club.

2. Aims and Purposes: The purpose of the club is to provide a regular meeting point for retired professional and business people who appreciate and value increased social contacts in their retirement and opportunities to meet others in similar circumstances.

3. Membership: Membership is open to professional or business people who are retired, semi-retired or approaching retirement, and others who have had some measure of responsibility in any field of worthy endeavour, who are of good character and respected in their communities.

Prospective members can attend a meeting as a guest. If they are still interested, they must complete an application form, which is then considered by the Committee. The Secretary must inform the applicant of the decision.

Members personal details are stored by the Secretary and are used in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulations (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

Membership may be terminated at any time by notifying the Secretary. No refund of subscription will be given.

A member who has not paid the annual subscription within six months of it becoming due ceases to be a member, without further notice. The membership of any member may be terminated by the Committee if it considers their words or actions are likely to bring the club into disrepute. The member must be advised in writing by the Secretary. An appeal and appearance before the Committee to justify their actions will be granted providing a letter of appeal is lodged with the Secretary within ten days of the member being notified of the Committee’s decision. If the appeal is not upheld no refund of subscription will be given.

4. Management: The business of the club will be managed by the Office Bearers, by committees or by the members, as may be determined at an AGM or at a regular meeting.

5. Office Bearers: The members will elect a President, Vice President, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer at an AGM, or at a special meeting convened for the purpose of electing them.

6. Meetings: Regular meetings will take place at such times and at such venues as are decided by the OAice Bearers. At least 1 weeks’ notice must be given to the members for each regular meeting.

Chair: All meetings will be chaired by the President, if present. Otherwise the Vice President will chair the meeting, if present, or those present will appoint a chair for the duration of the meeting.

7. An Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held in March of each year, at such time and place as determined at an AGM or at a regular meeting, with at least 2 weeks’ notice being given of such a meeting. Any member wishing an item to be included on the AGM Welcome agenda must submit full details in writing to the Secretary at least 3 weeks before the date of the AGM. The business of the AGM will include:

  1. Welcome
  2. Apologies for Absence
  3. Minutes of the previous AGM
  4. Matters arising from the Minutes
  5. President’s Annual Report
  6. Finance Report and Adoption of the Annual Accounts
  7. Election of Officers
  8. Appointment of Almoners
  9. Committee Appointments
  10. Appointment of an Examiner for next year’s Accounts
  11. Determination of the Annual Subscription
  12. Determination of any resolutions submitted in advance (see above)

8. Quorum: The Quorum for an AGM or a regular meeting is at least one Office Bearer and at least four other members.

9. Voting: Voting at meetings is by show of hands or by ballot, if so determined. In the event of an equal division of votes, the Chairman of the meeting has a second or casting vote.

Note: Postal votes and Proxy votes are not accepted.

10. Subscription: The annual subscription will be proposed by the Office Bearers and determined at the AGM.

11. Accounts: The Treasurer will administer the club’s funds in furtherance of its Aims and Purposes, ensuring that full financial records are maintained, and will operate a bank account in the club’s name.

An Income and Expenditure Account for the present year to the last day of February and a Balance Sheet at the last day of February will be prepared by the Treasurer for adoption at the AGM after examination and approval by a member who is not on the committee and who was appointed at an AGM or at a regular meeting.

12. Assets: Under no circumstances can any part of the club’s income or property be transferred or paid to the members, either in the course of the club’s existence or on dissolution – except where this is done in the interests of the club’s Aims and Purposes.

13. Changes to Constitution: Alterations of this Constitution must be approved by 75% of the members attending an AGM or a special meeting convened for the purpose, with at least two weeks’ notice of the meeting called to approve the proposed alteration having been given to members.

14. Winding Up: In the event of the club being wound up, any remaining funds, after the settlement of all valid debts, will be donated to one or more voluntary organisations in Linlithgow and/or Bo’ness as determined at a meeting of members convened for the sole purpose of winding up the club and for which at least two weeks’ notice has been given.