1. Moving Motions: A motion shall be proposed and seconded before any discussion.2. Speaking to Motions: Members shall normally only be allowed to speak once on the same motion except that the proposer of the motion shall be permitted to respond to the debate before the motion is voted upon and may be permitted by the Chairman to respond to questions from other members..
3. Amendment. If an amendment of a motion is proposed and the amendment is seconded debate on the main motion ceases until the amendment has been voted upon..
4. Suppression of Debate. The Chairman or any member who has not already spoken on the motion may propose that 'the question be put'. Debate on the main motion must cease until this motion has been voted upon. If it is carried the main motion must be immediately put to a vote without further discussion save only that the proposer may reply to the debate.
5. A 'Point of Order' concerning the conduct of the debate may be raised by a member at any time and debate shall cease until the Chairman has ruled on the point raised by the member.
6. Tellers. Voting shall normally be by a show of hands. If the Chairman decides that he cannot easily ascertain the result of the vote without assistance he may appoint as many tellers as he thinks fit to assist him in counting the votes cast. Such tellers may not vote on any motion for which they act as tellers.
7. Challenge to any ruling by the Chairman. The Chairman's rulings can only be challenged by a member proposing 'that the Chairman leaves the chair'. This motion must be seconded if it is to proceed to a vote and requires a two-thirds majority to be carried. If carried the Chairman will take no further part in the debate of the motion, handing the Chairmanship of the meeting over to the Secretary or other Trustee but he shall resume Chairmanship at the commencement of the next motion or next item of business.
An election shall be decided by the totting up of votes for each candidate. In the first count the preferences expressed under rule 18(b) will be ignored.Under rule 19 the winners of the election are those with the highest number of votes overall, with vacancies filled by the candidates with the highest number votes in descending order, until all vacancies are filled.
In the event that candidates receive the same number of votes this shall not cause an issue unless there are more candidates with equal votes than there are vacancies. For example, if there are three remaining vacancies and two out three candidates have matching votes the provisions of rule 19(b) need not be invoked. All three are elected. If there are three candidates for two vacancie; candidates with the larger vote compared with the third, take the remaining places.
Should, however, for further example, there be two candidates with equal votes and only one vacant post, the provisions under rule 19(b) shall be utilised to decide the election. In such a case scrutineers shall calculate the arithmetical total of the preference votes for the candidates who are otherwise tied. He or she who has the lower score will be determined to have received a higher preference overall by virtue of the highest preference being deemed as "1".
In the further case where this calculation fails to break the tie, in an election held at an Annual General Meeting, the membership shall vote again, by show of hands, in the absence of the candidates. Where this situation arises at a ballot held under Rule 17(b) a run off ballot shall be held as soon as it is convenient to do so. Meanwhile the committee may run with both candidates, neither having a vote.
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Page updated 30 May 2013 by Richard
Salmon, with text from Gavin Bennett.