The TAG CONSTITUTION

At the SGM held on 30th November 2023, the updated Constitution was ratified.

Here below is the Constitution in full:

The Constitution of the
Traditional Architecture Group

1.     Name

1.1.       The name of the organisation shall be the Traditional Architecture Group [TAG].

2.     Aims

2.1.       The aim of TAG is to celebrate the highest achievements of the past as a living source for modern inspiration.

2.2.       TAG seeks to work within architectural, planning and educational disciplines to promote the value of a traditional approach in architecture and design. The organisation will provide mutual support, a meeting point and a venue for the exchange of ideas for those individuals interested in or practicing contemporary traditional architecture.

3.     Membership

3.1.       TAG requires, by virtue of being a linked society of the Royal Institute of British Architects, that 80% of its Full Members are members of the RIBA.

3.2.       In the event that TAG receives more applications for membership from non-RIBA members than can be accommodated within its membership limit, it will offer such members an Associate Membership. Associate Members may attend TAG meetings and events and shall pay the same membership fee as Full Members.

3.3.       TAG may consider applications from non-architects at the discretion of the Committee. Applications may be considered from those with an active interest or involvement with traditional architecture such as designers, historians, craftspeople and makers. The Committee’s decisions are final and there is no recourse for appeal if a membership application is rejected.

3.4.       TAG is open to individuals but not corporate entities, who are resident in the British Isles (the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and Republic of Ireland). The definition of residency is being present in the British Isles for at least   180 days in any calendar year.

3.5.       A member who joined TAG while resident in the British Isles but who has subsequently moved overseas, or an existing member who lives overseas, may continue their membership but cannot be an officer.

3.6.       The Secretary of TAG (or an individual appointed by the Secretary) shall maintain a list of members. The list is to include the name of each member, together with contact details.

3.7.       Members shall pay an annual membership fee, the level of which shall be decided by the officers of the organisation.

4.     Relationship to the RIBA

4.1.       The Traditional Architecture Group is an independent voluntary organisation including members of the RIBA.

4.2.       It is a Linked Society of the RIBA but retains no legal or financial call on the RIBA.

5.     Officers

5.1.       The officers of TAG shall act as the Committee with day-to-day responsibility for the management and administration of the organisation and shall comprise:

5.1.1.          A Chairman

5.1.2.          A Secretary

5.1.3.          A Treasurer

5.1.4.          Two or more committee co-opted officers.

5.2.       The officers shall be elected for a four-year term every fourth year at the Annual General Meeting and shall have day-to-day responsibility for the management and administration of the organisation.

5.3.       The officers shall meet at the request of the Chairman, giving seven days' notice at a time and place of the Chairman’s choosing, but management meetings in person shall take place within the British Isles.

5.4.       Elected officers shall normally hold the same office for no more than eight consecutive years. However, if there are no alternative candidates who stand and are elected for any of the three elected posts, those officers shall remain in their post for a further term.

5.5.       No member shall be eligible to stand for election as an officer if they have been disqualified from being a director of a company.

5.6.       Officers are not paid for their time and service, nor reimbursed for travel to normal meetings. There is nonetheless the facility to claim back travel and related expenses to attend a special event, meeting or site visit that is likely to be productive in the interests of TAG as a whole, if agreed by the Committee. One annual dinner for officers to discuss informally matters pertinent to the mission of TAG can be legitimately funded from TAG funds provided there is a healthy surplus, and no more than £80 per head at 2023 prices.

5.7.       The officers may appoint members to fill other co-opted posts as required. The officers may also appoint a paid administrative assistant. The hourly rate and yearly cap on fees shall be set by the officers based on market rates, and reviewed annually. Co-opted members may attend management meetings, and vote on any matters that require a vote due to a split in opinion amongst the officers. In such cases where there is a tied vote, the Chairman’s vote will be the casting vote. Any administrative assistant may attend meetings with the agreement of the officers, but may not vote.

5.8.       The quorum for a management meeting, or any committee or board set up by the officers, shall be three.

5.9.       If an officer elected at the Annual General Meeting ceases to hold office, for whatever reason, the remaining officers shall elect a successor at a management meeting until the next Annual General Meeting. If the remaining officers are, or would be, unable to reach a quorum at that meeting, a Special General Meeting or an electronic or mailed vote of all members shall be held.

5.10.   Officers (elected or co-opted) should normally give a minimum of two-month’s notice of their desire to leave the committee.

6.     Annual General Meeting

6.1.       TAG will hold an Annual General Meeting not later than the 31st July each year.

6.2.       The Chairman will call the Annual General Meeting at a time and place of their choosing, but meetings in person shall take place within the UK.

6.3.       Notice of the Annual General Meeting shall be given to each member at least 28 days before the date of the meeting and shall require nominations for officers and other vacancies (when required) to be proposed and seconded not later than 14 days before the date of the meeting. The proposed candidate should also submit a mission statement no later than 14 days prior to the meeting.

6.4.       If no prior nomination for a particular office or vacancy is so received, nominations made for that office or vacancy at the meeting shall be valid.

6.5.       A member may not nominate themselves for an office or vacancy but must seek a proposer and seconder to submit a short supporting statement to the committee (see 6.3).

6.6.       The Treasurer shall prepare an Annual Report giving summary details of the organisation's income and expenditure, and that report shall be presented at the Annual General Meeting.

6.7.       The Annual General Meeting may elect as an Honorary Patron or to other honorary positions, individuals who have made an outstanding and valuable contribution to TAG or its aims, or who have the status and capability to do so in the future. These positions do not confer any ex-officio rights to any other role within the organisation or its committees.

7.     Special General Meetings

7.1.       In the case of an urgent unusual circumstance a Special General Meeting of the organisation may be summoned at any time by:

7.1.1.          the Chairman, or

7.1.2.          upon a petition signed by not less than 20% of the current qualifying membership sent to the Secretary requesting them to convene such a meeting, or

7.1.3.          in the case of a Chairman having resigned or otherwise ceased to hold office and the remaining officers being unable to form a quorum to elect a successor, by a joint request by the remaining officers.

7.2.       Upon the summoning of a Special General Meeting a Special General Meeting shall be held not less than fourteen nor more than twenty-eight days later.

7.3.       Notice of the Special General Meeting shall be given to every member. The business of the meeting shall be stated in the notice convening it and no other business shall be discussed, except by leave of the Chairman or a vote of two-thirds of those present at the meeting.

8.     General Meetings

8.1.       Notice of the Annual General Meeting and of any other General Meeting shall be given by written notification to every member, which may include the use of email.

8.2.       If any member fails to receive proper or adequate notice for reasons outside the control of the person sending the invitations (including but not limited to mail not being delivered, emails not being received or insufficient or out of date contact details being held), such shall not prevent the holding of the meeting or invalidate any resolutions made or elections undertaken at it.

8.3.       For all General Meetings the quorum shall be not less than 5% of the total membership

8.4.       In the event that a General Meeting is or becomes inquorate, another meeting shall be called not less than two months from the date of the inquorate meeting. Any nominations or motions submitted to the inquorate meeting shall stand as nominations for elections or motions at the quorate meeting.

8.5.       If the Chairman is not able to be present for a General Meeting, the officers shall appoint a Chairman for the meeting from amongst them.

8.6.        At all General Meetings voting (if required) shall be by a show of hands in the first instance except that in relation to the election of officers, and other positions and vacancies, voting shall be by secret ballot, this may be conducted by email, other digital means, or if in person, with printed ballot papers.

8.7.       Proxy voting will be accepted, but not postal voting, at any General Meeting.

8.8.       Normally, decisions at a General Meeting will be carried by mutual agreement, but in exceptional cases where there is a split of opinion, a motion may be carried on a majority vote.

8.9.       Except where expressly provided otherwise, the Chairman (or chairman of the meeting) shall have a second or casting vote in all cases where the voting is declared to be equal or otherwise tied.

9.     Termination of Membership

9.1.       Any person who has ceased to be a member shall have no rights.

9.2.       A member may choose to end their membership by giving notice in writing to the Secretary.

9.3.       A member whose membership has been terminated or suspended, or who has ended it voluntarily, shall not be entitled to receive a refund of their membership fee for the remaining portion of that year.

9.4.       All members of TAG shall pay their annual fee in a timely manner. If any member falls more than 6 months behind they will be put on a watch list and a reminder may be sent. Failure to pay within 12 months of the due date, despite being reminded, may result in automatic termination of membership.

9.5.       Any member of TAG who has been expelled by the ARB or RIBA is automatically deemed to have been expelled from TAG.

9.6.       Any member of TAG may have their membership suspended or terminated by the officers if they bring the organisation into disrepute or disrupt TAG’s ability to fulfil its aims.

9.7.       Any member suspended or terminated according to paragraphs 9.6 above shall have a right of appeal by requesting the matter to be considered at the following Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting, whenever it is held. Any member making this request shall consent to have the details of their case made known to the wider membership.

9.8.       The management team may vet applications for membership and decline an application if they deem it likely that the prospective member might have in the past qualified for termination or restriction of membership under paragraphs 9.6, or might be likely to do so in the future. There is no obligation to provide any reason for this decision.

10.   Funds and chattels

10.1.   The officers shall have the power to raise and control funds and to administer chattels on behalf of the organisation.

10.2.   The officers may incorporate a company limited by guarantee in order to hold the funds and property of the organisation, including the proceeds from membership fees.

10.3.   Any officer who is the director of such a company must immediately relinquish their position on the board of such a company to their successor on ceasing to hold office for whatever reason.

10.4.   The board of any company incorporated to hold the funds and property of the organisation must be comprised of all the elected officers of the organisation and no others.

10.5.   The directors of such a company must act at all times as Trustees for the organisation and undertake no act contrary to the interests of TAG or its general membership, or to deprive the organisation of the benefit of its funds or property.

11.   Grants and Prizes

11.1.   The officers may decide to make available grants to members or institute prizes in order to further the aims of TAG.

11.2.   The rules of such grants or prizes must be published by the officers in writing in advance, so that all members have equal knowledge of them and are equally able to apply for them.

11.3.   Any grant or prize so awarded must be made at a management meeting by a vote of officers present.

11.4.   However, the officers may set up one or more prize or grant boards to make award decisions on their behalf, and to nominate members or suitable outside persons to such boards.

11.5.   No officer or member of such a board may vote on, or be present for, a matter in which they have an interest, or which involves a member of their family or household or any person to whom they are connected in a financial way.

11.6.   There is no right of appeal for any member not being given a grant, or any applicant not being awarded a prize.

11.7.   11.7 Provided a healthy surplus remains, funds may be allocated to special events that further the activities and visibility of TAG, for example a symposium, exhibition, or gathering.

12.        Alteration to the Constitution

Any proposal to change this Constitution shall be proposed and seconded and be made in writing to the Secretary with enough notice to be included in the invitation to a General Meeting. It will require a two-thirds majority of those present to pass.

END