The name shall be the [Branch name] Branch, hereinafter called the Branch.

Where the Branch is following byelaw 2, as a Devolved Financial Responsibility (DFR) Branch, include also ‘The parent of this DFR-Branch is the [Branch name] Branch’.

The objectives shall be to support the aims and objectives of the Campaign for Real Ale Limited (hereinafter called 'CAMRA') within the geographical area of [Branch name] and the current expectations to these ends are set out in the Appendix.

The Branch shall observe the regulations for branches laid down from time to time by the National Executive (NE).

Decisions of a General Meeting of CAMRA or the NE shall be binding on the Branch.

Any member of CAMRA living within the geographical area of the Branch is allocated to that Branch.

Any member may request to change Branch but the committee of the Branch in which the member does not reside has the right to refuse the change without assigning a reason.

They should however have a plausible reason which they should submit to the Regional Director (RD).

The Branch shall hold an open meeting at least once in every two calendar months.

At least 14 clear days’ notice shall be given to all members of the Branch by electronic communication through the Comms Tool for members who have opted in for branch communications.

Any member of CAMRA shall be free to attend and speak at such open meetings.

Only Branch members and the RD can vote on any resolutions put forward at the meeting.

Any vote/resolution which a Branch member feels goes against policy can approach their RD for guidance before carrying out any actions.

A quorum for an open meeting shall be five members present.

Meetings should ideally be no longer than one hour with a social element to follow.

A Branch Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held once in every calendar year, and not more than fifteen months shall elapse between one AGM and the next.

At least 28 clear days’ notice shall be given to all members of the Branch and the NE by electronic communication or in a CAMRA publication that in the ordinary course of events will give sufficient notice.

Only members of the Branch, the Regional Director or their duly appointed representatives and the NE or their duly appointed representatives shall be entitled to vote at the Branch AGM.

 A quorum for a Branch AGM shall be seven members present, unless otherwise previously approved by the Regional Director or the NE.

The business to be conducted at the AGM shall include:

• The approval of the examined accounts of the Branch.

• The election of officers and other essential and agreed discretionary roles.

• The appointment of an examiner of accounts.

A Branch Special General Meeting (SGM) may be called only on the decision of the Branch Committee; on written request signed by the greater of five members of the Branch or one tenth of the Branch membership (whichever is greater); or by the NE.

At least 28 clear days’ notice of an SGM shall be given to all members of the Branch and the NE by electronic communication or in a CAMRA publication that in the ordinary course of events will give sufficient notice.

Only persons entitled to vote at a Branch AGM shall be entitled to vote at an SGM.

A quorum for a Branch SGM shall be seven members present, unless otherwise previously approved by the Regional Director or the NE.

The notice of an SGM shall specify the business to be transacted at the meeting and only such business of which notice has been given shall be admissible for discussion at the meeting. No other matters are permitted.

Where an SGM is called for the purpose of removing one or more committee members from the Branch committee, then the motion (or motions) to do so shall be successful only if approved by at least two thirds of those present and entitled to vote. The successful motion (or motions) shall become effective upon approval by the Directors of CAMRA or their duly authorised representative.

The accidental omission to give notice of any meeting to any person entitled to such notice shall not invalidate any proceedings at the meeting.

Subject to the approval of the Regional Director, the Branch committee shall have the power (unless and until overruled by the Branch in a General Meeting) to adopt byelaws for the better furtherance of the objectives of the Branch.

The Branch shall abide by all financial practices set out in the Branches’ Financial Policy (BFP).

Branches shall adopt either:

• Byelaw 1 – Branches with Financial Responsibility.

• Byelaw 2 – Branches with Devolved Financial Responsibility.

Expenses may only be paid as described in the BFP.

Events for members shall not be subsidised except in circumstances described in the BFP.

All books relating to the finances of the Branch shall be produced to the NE or their duly authorised representative on demand, on seven clear days’ notice to the Branch.

The Branch committee shall undertake the general conduct of the affairs of the Branch. It shall include the minimum of the following five officers:

Branch Chair.

• Secretary.

• Treasurer (not required for a DFR Branch).

• Membership Secretary.

• Pub Data Co-ordinator.

In addition, it should include the following officers:

• Good Beer Guide Submissions Co-ordinator.

• Pub Protection Officer.

• Pub Promotions and Awards Co-ordinator.

Plus, any discretionary important or desirable roles as listed on the CAMRA website and agreed by the Branch, subject to such other guidelines for membership of the Committee as may be laid down by the NE or at a General Meeting of CAMRA.

Roles may be shared, except for the roles of Chair and Treasurer, at the discretion of the Branch, although it is possible to designate an Assistant Treasurer as an additional signatory for authorising payments.

Committee members shall be elected at and hold office from the end of one AGM to the next when they may be eligible for re-election. The exception to this is when removed by vote at an SGM.

Any member of CAMRA who is a member of the Branch may serve on the Committee.

Committee members shall be elected at and hold office from the end of one AGM to the next, when they may be eligible for re-election. The exception to this is when removed by vote at an SGM.

The committee shall consist of the above minimum of:

• Branch Chair.

• Secretary.

• Pub Data Co-ordinator.

The DFR-Branch Chair is also automatically an ex-officio member of the parent Branch committee.

Unfilled committee posts may be filled by the appropriate committee member from the parent Branch.

The Branch committee shall meet not less than once in every two calendar months or six meetings per calendar year.

A quorum for a committee meeting shall be five committee members present, or a simple majority of the members of the committee (whichever is greater) and may include the Regional Director and/or members of the Regional Leadership Team.

Committee meetings may be held in person, or online with the agreement of all members wishing to participate.

It is expected that key leadership Committee members should have access to email/internet.

Committee meetings may be combined with open meetings so as to minimise the number of meetings.

Nominations for posts on the committee are preferred to be in writing, signed by a proposer and seconder, both of whom shall be members of the Branch, and accompanied by evidence of the willingness of the nominee to stand.

Nominations and confirmation of the willingness of the nominee to stand may be sent electronically by individual emails rather than signed.

The committee shall be empowered to fill by co-option from the membership any vacancy that arises during the year or any post left unfilled at the AGM.

In the event of the resignation of an entire Branch committee, the NE will appoint such interim officers as may be necessary to manage the affairs of the Branch until a General Meeting of the Branch can be properly convened.

The Branch may be wound up at any time by the NE or by an SGM called for that purpose, the business having been notified in the convening notice, and upon a resolution to that effect being passed by a majority of at least two thirds of those present and entitled to vote.

Upon dissolution the assets shall be used firstly to pay off all proper liabilities of the Branch and any surplus thereafter shall be paid to CAMRA.

If the Branch membership falls below 25, the Branch may be wound up by the NE as recommended by Regions and Branches Committee.

This constitution may only be adopted or altered at a Branch AGM, or an SGM called for that purpose, with the specific alterations having been stipulated in the notice convening it and subject to the approval of at least two thirds of those present and entitled to vote.

Before any such alteration becomes effective, it shall be approved by the NE or the Regional Director.

Branches are expected to:

• Abide by the Model Branch Constitution.

• Comply with all national policies.

• Support any campaigning activity that has been initiated centrally by CAMRA.

• Support and help run local campaigns that are aligned with CAMRA’s policies, aims and objectives.

• Support the young member contact to recruit young members and encourage participation of young members in CAMRA activities.

• Attempt to educate all members about the qualities of beer, cider and perry and to recruit and retain them within CAMRA.

• Target some social events towards currently inactive members in order to attempt to activate them.

• Give priority to supporting high quality beers, ciders and perries regardless of who produces them and to promoting different beer styles especially mild. Branches should not ignore the need to promote regional brewers.

• In conjunction with the relevant Brewery Liaison Officer, work with landlords to encourage them to dispense beer by a method considered appropriate for beers that are accepted under CAMRA’s definitions.

• Maintain up-to-date details of every pub and club in their branch, including closures, preferably by using supported CAMRA systems.

• Liaise with local planning departments and licensing authorities and monitor planning applications to identify pubs and clubs that are threatened with closure or alteration and take any appropriate action.

• Seek agreement with the local planning authority that the relevant CAMRA branch is informed whenever a planning application is received in respect of licensed pub or club premises.

• Seek to influence local planning authority five-year plans to protect pubs and clubs.

• Arrange meetings so that, where possible, people with a disability shall have full comfortable access to all facilities.

• Consider setting themselves up to three stretching and achievable campaigning goals each year. One of these goals should be related to pubs and clubs campaigning.

• Note that CAMRA believes in choice and should not denigrate what people choose to drink. Consequently, branches shall not run ‘anti’ campaigns against other drinks.

• Abide by any laws that are appropriate to campaigning activity.

• In order to support awareness of the Campaign consider running a festival or similar event.

• Any brewery promotion or endorsement carrying CAMRA’s name shall be led by quality and not financial incentive.

• Campaigning for and promotion of pubs and clubs shall have equal priority with campaigning for promotion of beer, cider and perry.

• The Campaign recognises the importance to effective pub campaigning of an accurate, objective definition of a pub, and all other types of licensed premises. The definitions of a pub and a club are to be published in the Members’ area of the website.

• In order to encourage more people to use pubs and clubs, branches should add more information, including photographs, to online pub descriptions to make it easier for people to find the type of pub and club that best meets their needs.

The Branch shall abide by all financial practices set out in the Branches’ Financial Policy (BFP).

All payments from a Branch or CAMRA festival bank account shall be authorised by the Treasurer and one of at least two other committee members, appointed by the committee for that purpose.

Accounts

The accounts shall include combined income and expenditure accounts and balance sheets showing all monies held by the Branch or on behalf of the Branch relating to all activities including publications and festivals run by the Branch, including any DFR-Branches they are responsible for.

The accounts of the Branch shall be examined as specified in the BFP. Having been examined, the accounts must be presented for formal approval at the Branch AGM.

Copies of the examined accounts and the examiner’s report shall be sent to the CAMRA Finance Team, to the Regional Director in whose region the Branch is situated and to the Regional Finance Officer within one month of the date of the AGM.

A Branch with Devolved Financial Responsibility (DFR) may not hold a Branch account. It will have a neighbouring parent Branch with Financial Responsibility which has authority over Branch payments.

• It may hold a festival account, which shall be used only for the purpose of financing its festival. Apart from the festival, the parent Branch is entirely responsible for financing the campaigning activities of the DFR Branch. The DFR Branch may not spend any money without the agreement of the parent Branch Treasurer.

• The financial year of a DFR Branch shall commence on the same day as that of the parent branch in each year.

• The festival assets of a DFR Branch shall be under the control of the DFR Branch Committee and no payments shall be made out of the DFR-Branch monies except by authority of the DFR-Branch Committee.

All payments from a Branch or CAMRA festival bank account shall be authorised by the Treasurer and one of at least two other Committee members, appointed by the Committee for that purpose.

All payments from a Branch or DFR-Branch, festival or other such CAMRA event must follow the policy as laid out in the BFP.

Accounts

The accounts shall include combined income and expenditure accounts and balance sheets showing all monies held on behalf of the DRF-Branch relating to all festival activities run by the Branch.

The accounts of the DFR-Branch shall be examined as specified in the BFP.

Having been examined, the accounts must be presented for formal approval at the Branch AGM.

Copies of the examined accounts and the examiner’s report shall be sent to the CAMRA Finance Team, to the Regional Director in whose region the Branch is situated and to the Regional Finance Officer within one month of the date of the AGM.