Constitution
1. THE NAME
The name of the organisation shall be The Federation of Nutritional Therapy Practitioners (hereinafter called the FNTP)
2. OFFICERS OF THE FNTP
a. Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the affairs of the FNTP shall be administered and managed by an Executive Committee (hereinafter called the Committee), elected as provided by this Constitution. They shall consist of the Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Treasurer and Secretary and agreed additional members. The committee may appoint, or obtain the services of an auditor to exercises the secondary duties of the committee.
b. Accurate records must be kept of the deliberations and decisions of the Executive Committee and of any subcommittees.
c. No decision(s) may be taken by the Executive Committee unless a majority of the committee is present.
d. Each member of the committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting (hereinafter mentioned) and shall hold office until:-
i ) the close of the next appropriate Annual General Meeting ;
ii) he or she resigns from office by notice in writing, addressed to the Chairperson and sent to the administrative address of the FNTP, or to such address as the may, from time to time, prescribe; or,
iii) he or she is removed from office by resolution duly passed at a Special Meeting of the members of the FNTP.
e. The Committee, at its discretion, shall have the power to fill any vacancy on the committee by co-option, or the office may be left unfilled until the next AGM. The co-opted member(s) shall be eligible for re-election.
g. No member of the committee appointed to any office of the FNTP shall be paid by salary or fees or receive remuneration for services rendered to the FNTP. Nothing herein contained shall prevent the payment of reasonable out of pocket expenses incurred in advancing the aims of the FNTP or payment for the provision of external professional services deemed necessary or desirable from time to time.
h. The Committee shall have the power to act in the name of and on behalf of the members.
j. The Committee shall be entitled:-
i) to appoint three signatories, who shall be the Treasurer, the Secretary and the Chairperson, who shall be empowered to operate a banking account on behalf of the FNTP. These officers are empowered individually and as a group to make operational financial decisions on behalf of the committee and the membership. For cash withdrawal amounts up to and including £1000 one of the appointed signatories shall be required to be appended. For amounts in excess of £2000 two signatures will be required. One signature shall be that of the Treasurer and the other shall be that of a named individual appointed by the Committee.
ii) to regulate its own meetings and proceedings; and such meetings to take place not less than every six months;
iii) to establish any subcommittee it deems necessary, subject to a current member of the committee serving on that subcommittee and reporting to the Executive Committee the work and findings of that subcommittee.
3. MEMBERSHIP
a. Full Membership of the FNTP shall be open to practitioners who have completed an approved course in Nutritional Therapy or to those who have successfully completed an assessment for entry into the FNTP.
b. Student Membership of the FNTP shall be open to any student of the discipline who is currently studying a course.
c. Lay Membership of the FNTP shall be open to any individual who has a genuine interest in the support and advancement of Nutritional Therapy but does not wish to undergo formal training and does not intend to practice as a Nutritional Therapist on members of the general public
4. TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP
Termination of membership may be implemented in accordance with the following procedures:
a. Non payment of annual subscription for a period of at least two calendar months; and a recorded delivery system having been utilised to advise the member that termination of membership is being contemplated;
b. The receipt by the member of a written notice of termination of membership;
c. Notification to the member, utilising recorded delivery; that, as a result of recommendations from the Disciplinary Subcommittee, the member is expelled from membership of the FNTP.
5. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The Annual General Meeting of the FNTP shall be held in the autumn of each year. The membership shall receive reports from the Chairperson, The Secretary and the Treasurer; any other matter of importance to the membership may also be reported at this time. The meeting will undertake the election and / or re-election of Executive Committee Members.
6. ELECTION OF MEMBERS
The election of the members of the Executive Committee shall be by democratic vote of each of the membership entitled so to do, at the duly appointed general meeting; notice of such meeting must be communicated to the membership thirty days prior to the meeting. Voting will be by simple hand count at that meeting.
7. TERM OF OFFICE
The term of office shall be for a period of two calendar years unless the holder of that office resigns, or is requested to vacate his/her position by the membership of the FNTP and/or the majority of the Executive Committee. Members retiring from office may offer themselves for re-election.
8. RECORD KEEPING
Accurate and detailed records must be kept of all meetings of the Executive and / or sub-committees, including records of attendance.
9. NOMINATIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP
Nominations for membership of the Executive Committee must be received not less than thirty two days prior to the AGM.
10. SUBCOMMITTEES
The Executive Committee shall be empowered to establish any subcommittee which it deems appropriate. The subcommittee will be accountable to the full committee for matters encompassed by its establishment mandate.
11. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE VOTING
a. The Executive Committee shall not be permitted to vote on any motion or attempt to transact any committee business unless the majority of its appointed members are present. Proxy votes are not permitted at meetings of the Executive Committee.
b. Voting at Executive Committee meetings will be by simple hand count, with one vote per committee member. In the event of an equal number of votes being cast in favour and against a motion at any meeting the Chairperson will be deemed to hold a second and casting vote.
12. MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Meeting of the Executive Committee must be held at least three times each calendar year. Additional meetings may be arranged to take place on as many occasions as the Executive Committee deems is necessary to carry out the legitimate business of the Committee.
13. PROPOSAL OF A RESOLUTION
The proposal of a resolution intended to be put forward at the AGM must be submitted, in writing, to the Chairperson of the FNTP at the administrative office of the FNTP at least forty days prior to the appropriate AGM.
14. REGISTER OF MEMBERS
The register of members may not be disseminated as a whole but only in limited geographical location by therapist name and approved contact detail and only with the written consent of the practitioner.