NetIKX Constitution

The group will be called NetIKX (Network for Information and Knowledge Exchange). NetIKX is constituted as a not-for-profit, unincorporated, society.

NetIKX is an independent Community of Interest. Our fields of interest are knowledge and information and their management as resources (and/or assets) to provide value in any organisation whether small, medium or large in the private, public sector or voluntary sector.

Our focus is on the practical issues of managing knowledge and information in the workplace and the relationship and space between IM & KM.

Purpose and Aims
Through learning and sharing, our purpose is to help and support our members in their roles and in turn to help their organisations to gain greater value through better use and management of information and knowledge.

NetIKX aims to:

  • enable learning and keep members up to date with latest thinking
  • equip members with practical ideas to apply in their workplace
  • support members in developing their roles and progressing their careers
  • facilitate networking amongst our members and with other individuals and groups
  • provide an information and knowledge resource for members

Activities
NetIKX will achieve its aims through meetings and a Web Site

Meetings are the cornerstone of the NetIKX experience. They will offer a friendly, safe environment for learning and sharing of experience amongst members, guests and speakers, as part of the learning by sharing process.

  • NetIKX will hold six meetings per year with respected, thought leading speakers
  • NetIKX meetings will normally be free to members. Non-members will be welcome subject to payment of a non-member fee.
  • Special events may also be held

The NetIKX Web Site will:

  • provide an information and knowledge resource for our members
  • provide a Membership Directory to support networking
  • support the electronic management of NetIKX as a ‘virtual’ organisation

Anyone interested in knowledge and information management who wants to learn, share and network with professional colleagues will be eligible to join NetIKX.  Members will be drawn from professionals in information, knowledge, human resources (HR), internal communications, Information & Communication Technology (ICT), and business functions with an interest in information and knowledge management, representing organisations of all sizes in the private, public and voluntary sectors.

At the discretion of the Management Committee non-members may be invited to NetIKX events/meetings subject to safeguarding members’ benefits.

Membership categories
There will be two categories of membership: Corporate membership for an organisation and Individual membership for a single individual.  Details of the benefits, fees and terms and conditions of membership will be published on the NetIKX Web Site.

All members of NetIKX will have full voting rights.

NetIKX will be managed by a Management Committee which will take all decisions on the running of NetIKX.  The Management Committee may have up to a total of 12 members, consisting of:

  • Elected members, comprising:
    • Chair, Vice-Chair, Treasurer and Secretary
    • Other Officers as deemed necessary by the Chair and Vice Chair, for example: Membership Manager, Programme Manager, Web Site Manager, Meetings Manager, Publicity Manager etc.
  • Co-opted members
    • Up to 3 members may be co-opted to the Management Committee and shall have the same powers as if they were elected.
    • The number of co-opted members must be less than the number of elected members.
    • The tenure of co-opted members shall terminate at the next AGM.

Management Committee members must be members of NetIKX.  Management Committee members may take on more than one role.   Four members of the Management Committee (of which 3 must be elected), will constitute a quorum.

The Management Committee will have the power to establish sub-committees or sub-groups and will define their terms of reference; such sub-committees/groups will report to the Management Committee.

Elections to the Management Committee will take place annually at the time of the Annual General Meeting (see Section 6).  All members of NetIKX are eligible to vote.

Management Committee members will be elected for a period of two years and will be eligible for re-election at the end of their term. In the event that a Management Committee member resigns before the end of their term or a vacancy arises otherwise, at the discretion of the Committee, the vacancy can be filled by a co-opted member until the next AGM.

The Chairman will be directly elected; the other Officers shall be appointed by the Chairman in consultation with the Management Committee from amongst the other duly elected Management Committee members.

Electoral procedure
Not less than 28 calendar days before the Annual General Meeting (AGM) the Secretary will send by email to each member of NetIKX a notice containing:

  • An announcement of the date, time and place of the AGM
  • A list of officers and ordinary members of the Management Committee indicating those members due to stand down and/or offer themselves for re-election
  • An invitation requesting nominations for the Management Committee and the role of Chairman. The nominations must be received by the Secretary at least 14 days in advance of the AGM and must be supported by two other members of NetIKX.

If the number of properly nominated candidates does not exceed the number of vacancies, subject to any comments from members, the nominated candidates will be declared as elected at the AGM and no formal election is necessary.

If there are no nominations for Chairman, the elected Management Committee members will select their own Chairman.

If the number of nominations is not sufficient to fill all vacancies, the elected Management Committee members may co-opt up to 3 additional qualified members to fill such vacancies, provided that they are willing to accept office.

If the number of properly nominated candidates exceeds the number of vacancies, an election shall be held by ballot of the members of NetIKX.  If a ballot is required, the Secretary shall notify members of NetIKX by email, not less than seven days before the AGM, and provide a ballot paper to allow electronic voting by members unable to attend the AGM.

Members may vote at the AGM if they have not voted electronically already.  The results of the elections will be announced at the AGM or within 48 hours. Following the AGM, the Chairman, in consultation with the elected members of the Management Committee, will appoint the remaining Officers and assign any other roles within four weeks.  These appointments will be communicated to all NetIKX members within six weeks following the AGM.

NetIKX shall hold an Annual General Meeting (AGM) annually between 1st March and 30th September.  Two elected Management Committee members and six members of NetIKX shall constitute a quorum.

The AGM Agenda will include:

  • Approval of the minutes of the previous AGM
  • Management Committee reports to members regarding:
    1. the activities of NetIKX over the previous 12 months and plans for the future
    2. NetIKX finances and approval of Accounts for previous 12 months ending 31st Dec
  • Election of the Chairman and Management Committee members
  • Any special resolutions

All duly registered members of NetIKX will have the right to vote at, or prior to the AGM in respect of elections of the Chairman and Management Committee members (see Section 5) and any other resolutions which may be put to the AGM by the Management Committee or NetIKX members (see below). Wherever possible, voting electronically (e.g. by email) will be arranged and is permissible. Results of voting will be determined by simple majority of those voting unless otherwise determined (but see Section 9 regarding the Constitution).   Non-members of NetIKX may attend AGMs, at the discretion of the Chairman, but will have no right to vote at such meetings.

Items for the AGM agenda will be notified to the Secretary at least 14 days in advance of the day of the meeting.  Resolutions for the AGM Agenda proposed by NetIKX members will be accepted if they have the verified support of at least 6 NetIKX members. Any changes to the AGM Agenda will be distributed by the Secretary at least 7 days in advance; posting on the NetIKX Web Site will meet this requirement.

An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) to conduct specific business may be called by the Management Committee or upon receipt by the Secretary of a request supported by at least 10 members of NetIKX. The aim should be to hold to EGM within 28 days of receipt of the request. The rules for a quorum are as for the AGM.  All duly registered members of NetIKX shall have the right to vote at, or prior to, the EGM, otherwise the rules of voting are as for the AGM (email voting is permissible).  Non-members of NetIKX may attend EGMs, at the discretion of the Chairman, but will have no right to vote.

Financial Strategy
NetIKX will aim to set membership and other fees so that its annual income will at least cover its annual operating costs.  NetIKX is a not-for-profit organisation.  All funds are to be used for the benefits of NetIKX and its members.  NetIKX may build up and hold financial reserves of between one and two years’ operating costs.  These reserves may be used for special projects, at the discretion of the Management Committee.

Accounts
NetIKX’s income will come from membership fees, meeting fees and other activities.  The main items of expenditure will be for running the meetings and the Web Site.

NetIKX funds will be held in a bank account under the control of the Management Committee.  The bank account will have at least two authorised signatories, one of will normally be the Treasurer.  All elected Management Committee members are eligible to be signatories to the account. The Management Committee may delegate to some or all of the signatories sole authority to sign cheques for an amount to be decided annually (initially set at £400); for higher amounts prior Management Committee approval is required.  The Treasurer will keep accounts, which will be made up to 31st December each year.  The Management Committee is collectively responsible for the proper financial management of NetIKX and the Accounts.  A report on the Accounts for the previous calendar year will be made to the AGM each year (see Section 6).   Members will be asked to approve the Accounts at the AGM.

Whilst there is no requirement for the Accounts to be formally audited, the Management Committee may appoint an Auditor who is suitably qualified.  If no Auditor has been appointed, the Management Committee will provide the opportunity at the AGM for NetIKX members to appoint two lay auditors who are members of NetIKX, but are not members of the Management Committee, to examine the Accounts and report to members independently within 2 months.

Proposals to amend the constitution may be submitted to the AGM or an EGM, provided that they have been previously approved by the Management Committee, or have the verified support of not less than 10 NetIKX members. Such proposals must be received by the Secretary not less than 14 days before an AGM.

Voting arrangements will be as for other resolutions at an AGM or EGM except that amendments must be approved by at least 2/3rds of those voting.

The Management Committee may recommend, and enact, dissolution of NetIKX, in consultation with the membership,if it is judged that there is no longer sufficient interest in membership or if funding does not permit continued operation. NetIKX members may challenge such a recommendation, with alternative proposals, by calling an EGM within 14 days of any such recommendation being made.

In the event of NetIKX being dissolved, any surplus funds belonging to NetIKX shall, by default, be remitted to one or more registered charities, to be chosen by the Management Committee. There will be no refunds to members in such circumstances.

The signatories below confirm that this Constitution was duly approved at the 1st NetIKX AGM held on 3rd July 2007:
Signed: ………………………………………….
Name: Stuart Ward…….. (NetIKXChairman)
Date: ……………………………… …………….

Signed: ………………………………… ……….
Name: Jane Jennings…..(NetIKXSecretary)
Date: …………………………………………….