EGM Notice and Docs

The trustees have called an Extraordinary General Meeting, 8pm Tuesday 20th February , at The Vine Tree Inn to vote on the proposal to change the bye laws relating to the choosing of the queen. Please note ONLY members in the pollbook will be able to vote.

Here follows the proposed amendments :

Voting 

3(i) Voting for Mayor opens after March 1st and will be by secret ballot: 

(a) For a minimum of 1 hour at a selection of the following venues (or reasonable alternatives): Wesley Rooms, Vine Tree Inn, Carpenters Arms, Randwick Scout Hut, Randwick School. Times and venues must ensure accessible choices of locality and time of day 

or 

(b) Through application to theTrustees; by electronic vote, by postal vote, or by proxy with signed consent of the elector at or before the casting of the vote. 

3(ii) The close of voting will be at the end of the last publicised polling station session on the Day before Chusin’ in. This will be no later than 10.00pm 

3(iii) The Counting of the votes will take place on the evening before Chusin’ in.

(a) The scrutineer of the Count is to be the current High Sheriff or his/her appointed representative. 

(b) The Count will be conducted by Trustees. 

3(iv) At or before the close of nominations, Trustees must declare any vested interest or conflict of interests (see 11. Terms) relating to candidates for election, and should where possible withdraw from involvement in the voting process and any decision affecting it, and from the counting of votes. In the event of uncertainty or dispute, rulings on the interests of individual Trustees are at the discretion of the Trustees.

3(v) The results of the Count will remain confidential to the Trustees and Scrutineer until the results are declared at the Chusin’ in ceremony 

3(vi) The Trustees will keep a record of active electors voting each year. 

3(vii) At the discretion of Trustees, the Queen may be chosen via a secret public ballot following the same rules as set out in 3(i) - 3(vi) or alternatively Trustees may delegate the decision as to which nominee shall be Queen to the Events Committee. The process for determining the Queen will be decided each year before nominations close.

3(Viii) If the Queen is to be decided by the Events Committee then its members shall be encouraged to take into account the nominee’s level of involvement with the community, the nominee’s age and the number of times the nominee has previously applied for the role of Queen. Should the vote amongst members of the Events Committee be tied then the final decision shall be referred to the Trustees. 

Election of “Lords of the Wap” 

4(i) Candidates are elected to office according to the casting of votes:

 (a) For the election for Mayor; the nominee with the greatest number of votes is elected Mayor, the next is High Sheriff then Sword Bearer, Mop Man and Union Flag Bearer. There is the option of a Guard of Honour at the discretion of the Trustees, the outgoing Mayor is the St.George Flag Bearer. 

(b) In the event of a lower number of nominees the Mayor appoints the remaining officers in line with the eligibility criteria and subject to Trustee approval. 

(c) In the election for Queen: The nominee with the greatest number of votes is elected Queen, the next two as Ladies-in-Waiting and the next two as Cheese-Bearers.This ordering shall apply irrespective of whether the Queen is chosen via a secret public ballot or via a vote amongst members of the Events Committee. 

(d) In the event of a lower number of nominees the Queen appoints the remaining officers in line with the eligibility criteria subject to Trustee approval.