Branch Constitution
The East Kent Morris Minor Owners Club (hereafter referred to as ‘the Branch’ shall be a local branch of the Morris Minor Owners Club (hereafter referred to as the MMOC) and NOT an independent club.
The object is to encourage and promote social and sporting events, the exchange of information, technical or otherwise, together with matters of general interest to Morris Minor Owners and enthusiasts.
Distribution of this constitution
The Constitution will be displayed on the Club Website and all members will be notified of this. A hard copy can be supplied to those who cannot access it on the internet. Signed copies will be held by Committee members, but any internet copy will simply be marked ‘signed’ with date to respect GDP regulations.
General Rules
The general rules of the MMOC shall apply to the Branch except where specifically excluded by this document. ALL members of the branch committee MUST be members of the MMOC.
The MMOC holds Public Liability Insurance covering Branch members and Officials when they pursue normal branch activities. (Full details of the MMOC Public Liability Insurance cover are available on request from the MMOC office in Derby.)
To attain and/or retain branch status, the branch shall consist of not less than 5 members.
Should membership fall below this figure the branch status should be referred to the MMOC National Committee.
Meetings
The Branch shall hold
a) Regular meetings on a day and at a time and place to be agreed by the majority of members.
b) An Annual General Meeting for the election of officers, committee members and the approval of the annual accounts. This meeting should be no longer than 15 months following the previous annual meeting.
Annual General Meeting
The date, place and time of the AGM must be notified to members at least 21 days in advance of the meeting. The announcement can be made verbally, and/or communicated by letter, email, or in a Branch newsletter, or on a Branch social media platform such as Branch websites or Facebook pages.
Duties and Obligations
At the AGM the Branch will
a) Receive the Officers & reports on the year’s events.
b) Receive and approve the statements of account and financial affairs of the Branch
c) Elect a Chair, Secretary and Treasurer and not less than two, nor more than six committee members. The Chair, Secretary and Treasurer who are the Officers of the Branch and ALL members of the Committee must be fully paid up members of the MMOC and should have been a member for at least two years previous.
d) Consider and agree an annual branch membership fee and/or a fee per meeting attended
All fully paid up members of the branch aged 16 or over shall be entitled to have one vote.
All votes shall be by show of hands on a simple majority. In the case of a tie the Chair shall have a deciding vote only.
Branch Officers
The size of the Branch Committee shall be dependent on the size of the Branch and the AGM should decide how many committee members shall be elected. The committee shall consist of not less than 5, including Branch Officers.
The Secretary shall keep confidential records of all members; take minutes of the AGM and committee meetings and make a record of any decisions made at a branch meeting which may affect the branch and give notice to members.
The Treasurer shall keep books of accounts and present a report to the AGM. They should also be prepared to verify the financial position of the branch upon request and to have the books available for inspection.
The Branch may also appoint two members to represent its interests at Area and National Liaison meetings.
Committee Meetings
The Officers and Committee of the branch should meet at least once in every quarter each year. The Chair shall preside over Branch and Committee meetings. In the absence of the Chair, The Vice Chairman or another member of the committee should preside.
There must be present at each committee meeting not less than two thirds of the committee members or in the case of a committee of five not less than three members. If this quorum is not present the committee cannot make any decisions which affect the Branch. All decisions of the Committee shall also be by majority vote and to be valid there must not be less than two thirds of the Officers and Committee members in attendance.
Notice of Committee meetings shall be sent by the secretary to each Committee Member not less than 14 days prior to a meeting unless all members of the committee waive this provision.
The Chair of a branch shall preside over all meetings. In the absence of the Chair, The Vice Chairman shall preside, or in the absence of both the meeting shall elect a suitable member to chair the meeting
Membership Criteria
Membership is open to all persons who shall be encouraged to be members of the MMOC and shall continue providing the branch membership fee is paid, or to whom honorary membership has been bestowed.
The approved membership will cover one individual member, a member and their spouse, or a member, their spouse and children under the age of 16. (NB Children under 16 are not entitled to vote)
A member who holds membership of more than one branch must elect, for the purpose of the membership numbers, and the branch rebate scheme, which is his/her primary branch.
An honorary membership may be granted to a retiring Committee member with up to and beyond 40 years service at the Committee’s discretion.
Branch Rebate Scheme
The Branch Rebate Scheme is available for all branches but in order to obtain the percentage determined and payable from the MMOC (the parent club), Branch Treasurers must submit an appropriate form within two months of the period for which rebate is payable.
Rebate will only be paid for primary branch members who are fully paid up members of the MMOC. Rebate forms should be returned to Susan Akrill by the 15 th January each year. Payments can be made by BACS or cheque. New rules on presenting cheques within the specified six month period are operative from 8 th May 2022. Cheques will not be reissued if they are not presented within the specified time period determined by the bank or building society.
Contact Details
Each member must ensure that an up to date Royal Mail or E-mail address is given to the Secretary. All official notices shall be sent to that address only.
Closure of a Branch.
In the event of a branch facing closure the officers serving on the committee should in the first instance notify the National committee of the possibility of such action and seek advice, guidance and support on the best way to proceed and determine if there is any remedial action which can be taken. Initial contact should be via the Branch Liaison Officer.
In the event of the branch ceasing to operate the branch members shall determine by majority vote either
1. That all monies shall be transferred to the MMOC who will hold such monies in trust for the benefit of other members forming a subsequent branch in the same general area.
2. That all monies shall be given to a specific Registered charity or charities.
In default of any election option 1 shall be followed.
Exclusion of Members
The branch committee have the right to bar or terminate the membership of any person acting in any way likely to bring the branch, the MMOC or any of its members into disrepute.
A recommended procedure for the exclusion of any member from the branch is included below.
Advice to Branch Officials Regarding Expulsion of Branch Members and Terminating Branch Membership
The National Committee offers the following additional guidance to ensure consistency and a fair and even-handed approach to what can be a difficult situation.
1. In the event of an individual member’s behaviour or actions causing concern, a verbal warning should be issued on behalf of the Branch Committee by a designated branch official in the first instance. An opportunity should be provided for improvement to be made and progress towards this end should be monitored.
2. If no significant improvement is noted then a written warning from the Branch Committee should be issued stating the cause for concern, the fact that a verbal warning has already been issued and that if the problem persists then a further written letter terminating the individual’s membership of the branch will be issued without any further prior notification.
3. In the event of a final letter being issued, the Branch Committee can, at their discretion, offer the individual an opportunity to have a personal hearing at a date, time and venue to be agreed when they can present their case and request the Branch Committee overturn their decision.
In the event of such a hearing being convened it is recommended in the interests of fairness and impartiality that the Branch Committee invites a MMOC official from another branch or area to join the panel and / or chair the meeting. (An Area Liaison Officer might be deemed a suitable candidate providing of course that their branch is not the one terminating membership.) In such a case an Area Liaison Officer from a neighbouring area might be invited. Alternatively a branch official from a neighbouring branch could be called for the meeting.
4. In the event that the Committee determine that in the interest of the branch and the rest of the membership that the individual’s membership should be terminated after this personal hearing then no further appeal will be permissible. It will be at the discretion of the Branch Committee whether part, or all, of any subscription will be refunded.
Branch officials are advised to exercise caution in printing the outcome of such deliberations in Branch documents other than the official minutes of committee meetings or specially convened personal hearings. Branch officials should exercise their own judgement in determining whether to issue copies of such minutes to the individual Branch member concerned.
MMOC Branch Constitution
The East Kent Morris Minor Owner’s Club
accepts the constitution and undertakes to apply in a reasonably practical way the terms outlined to all dealings of the branch
Chair John Westbrook
Vice Chairman Martin Vincent
Secretary Karen Inge
Treasurer Trevor Groves
Committee Member Kevin Inge
Primary Branch Contact David Long (Non Committee Member)
Approved Date 13/07/2026 This copy to be displayed on Club Website
Please also detail the expected day, time and location for your meetings. Also list any deviation from normal.
Location
The Dog and Duck Public House, Plucks Gutter, Canterbury, Kent CT3 1JB
Day
2nd Monday of each month
Time
7.00-7.30pm Start
Exceptions
Some club runs out, or events held at other locations
Branch Financial Matters
MMOC Branches should aim to be self-financing. Branches may decide their own method of funding by means of annual subscription or payment on a meeting by meeting basis. Revenues from staging events have proved to be a useful source of additional income. However the National Committee will grant an initial sum of £100 to help with the establishment of a branch and help to cover set up costs such as room hire, local advertising and initial publicity.
Branches are encouraged to set up a Bank or Building Society account. They should also follow the usual protocol of having more than one signature on cheques drawn on the branch account. It is usual to have at least two out of three signatures on cheques i.e.: Chair, Secretary and Treasurer. (It is NOT advisable for more than one member of the same family to be a signatory on the bank account).
Additional Financial Support Branch Rebate Scheme
Each affiliated branch of the MMOC is entitled to claim from the Branch Rebate Scheme which was set up to provide ongoing financial support for active branches. The system is based on remuneration for attendance by club members. Upon completion of an approved attendance sheet a branch may claim the sum of £5.00 per annum for each branch member who is a fully paid member of the MMOC and has attended at least 4 branch meetings during the year. Full members should give their name and membership number and should sign/initial the attendance sheet in the appropriate column each time they attend a branch meeting. Payment is not made for associate (A/B) members although they may sign the attendance sheet in the absence of the full member.
Branch rebates can be paid to the branches by cheque or by BACS. Treasurers should notify the Derby office of the branch bank account details in order for BACS payment to be made.
Where cheques are provided / used for payment they must be presented within the statutory time period specified by the bank. From 8 th May 2022 cheques will NOT be reissued in the event that they have not been presented within the time period.
Club Raffle
The Club Raffle to be drawn at three monthly intervals and administered by the Treasurer, who will provide details of income from this in the financial statement at the A.G..M. This is to be run as a Private Society Lottery according the Gambling Commission’s advice. No licence is required, the raffle must be held and drawn at the regular meeting place and only members and their guests may participate. Tickets must not be sold outside the regular meeting place.
13/07/2026