Bye-Laws of The LAS Benevolent Fund

These Bye – Laws are intended to supplement the Constitution of the Fund; they in no way override any of the clauses of the Constitution.   These Bye – Laws may only be altered at a General Meeting of the Fund, properly called for that purpose, or at the Annual General Meeting of the Fund.  In either case Notice of the proposed amendments must be published to the membership for at least 28 days prior to the meeting.   A two-thirds majority of those members present and voting at the meeting in favour of the amendments will be necessary before an amendment may be incorporated.

1. Duties of Chairperson:  The Chairperson of the Fund shall be responsible for the general policy of the Fund and the terms of the Constitution and that these Bye-Laws are strictly adhered to.   The Chairperson shall also ensure that all business of the Council and Executive committee shall be conducted in accordance with such Bye Laws and regulations as may from time to time be in force.
2. Duties of Vice Chairperson:  The Vice Chairperson of the Fund shall undertake such special duties as the Council through the Chairperson shall direct and shall assist him/her in the general supervision of the Fund.
3. Duties of Treasurer:  The treasurer shall undertake such duties, as the council through the chairperson shall direct.  He/She shall be responsible for all monies received on behalf of the Fund, for the prompt banking of the same and the receipt and action of the funds auditor reports or requirements.  He/She shall keep proper records and accounts and shall produce or give up all records, documents, property and money of the Fund when called upon to do so by the Council or its chairperson.   He/She shall balance the Cash Account seven days prior to the regular General Meeting and when required to by the Chairperson or the Council through the Chairperson.
4. Duties of Secretary:  The Secretary shall undertake such duties, as the Council through the chairperson shall direct. He/She shall keep minuted records of all meetings of the Fund, The Council of Management and Executive Committee meetings and produce same when required.  He/She shall maintain all correspondence of the Fund at the direction of the Chairperson.  At the direction of the Chairperson he/she shall be responsible for the summoning of all meetings in connection with the Funds operational working, causing such summons to be sent out in good time and to the proper addresses as shown on record.  He/She shall produce or give up all records, documents, property and money of the Fund when called upon to do so by the Council or its Chairperson.
5. Almoner:  The Staff Support Advisor of the London Ambulance Service shall continue at all times to act as the Almoner to the Fund, in accordance with the agreed Welfare Officer relationship between the LAS and the Fund.  In his/her absence, the Chairperson shall carry out this duty.  The Almoner shall be responsible for the investigation of and presentation to the Executive Committee of all applications for assistance made to the Fund.  At the direction of the Executive Committee he/she shall disburse all assistance, and document his/her action to enable the record of assistance to be completed. He/She shall act as advisor in Social Services to the Fund and represent the Fund in its dealings with National and Local Social Service organisations or other outside agencies.He/She in the first instance shall keep proper records of the Membership of the Fund maintaining Card Index or an alternative computerised index and record books for this purpose as required.
6. Honorary Constitutional and Fund advisor:  The Fund shall appoint an Honorary Constitutional and Fund advisor at an honorarium fee per annum (as agreed by the Executive Committee from time to time).  He/She shall advise and represent the Fund in all Constitutional and Fund matters and in addition to the honorarium shall be entitled to all fees and dues for such representation.
7. Authority to incur Expense:  No member of the Fund shall be empowered to incur expense in the name of or work in connection with the Fund without its previous authority.
8. Assistance in Cases of Urgency:  In particular cases of an urgent nature the Almoner is empowered to advance up to a sum, which the Council from time to time agree, will be held in cash in the Welfare Officers safe keeping.  The applicant shall be informed that an advance so made is in the nature of a loan until otherwise informed by the Executive Committee.  The Almoner is then required at the earliest opportunity to inform the Executive of the action taken, who will then recommend such further action as may be required.
9. Consultation of Executive for Application of Assistance:  For the purpose of dealing with applications for assistance the Executive Committee may meet without previous notice or due to the inability to convene a meeting at short notice may be consulted by telephone and as may be directed by regulations.
10. Assistance:  All applications for assistance dealt with by the Almoner and Executive Committee of the fund shall be recorded against the membership record of the applicant and the decision of the committee shall be noted at the time of the consultation or meeting, or as soon as possible thereafter.  Such decisions shall be recorded in writing or by entry into a fund assigned computer system and as soon as practical be checked or signed off by the Chairperson or temporary chairperson at the conclusion of the consultation or meeting.  The Council shall appoint from time to time a member or members to check the record of assistance against the treasurer’s records and report their findings to the Council of Management at the next regular meeting.
11. Dependents:  Dependents shall be considered to be persons and children who were actually dependent upon earnings of the applicant. Other dependents shall be considered upon the merits of each case, but it must be shown that the person in respect of whom the application is based actually contributed to their support.
12. Assistance to Council of Management Members:  Assistance will be rendered to members of the Council of Management providing agreement upon the application is reached by independent members (appointed by the Chairperson or temporary Chairperson), of the executive Committee or Council of management.
13. Expense to members:  When attending meetings of the Council of Management or the Executive Committee, members will be entitled to receive the appropriate public transport fares to and from their normal place of duty or residence depending from where the journey commenced.  Ex officio members, Honorary officers and advisory Officers will be entitled to receive expenses at a reasonable rate to be determined by the Council of Management at the time of incurment when proceeding about the business of the Fund.
14. Change of Address:  It shall be the duty of every member of the Fund to keep the secretary informed of the up to date address to which all correspondence should be sent.
15. Administrative and Financial Year:  The administrative and financial year shall be a period commencing the first day of April and ending the 31^st day of March, unless directed otherwise by the Executive Committee or in circumstances that may warrant a change of the Funds financial year end.
16. General Meetings:  An annual General Meeting shall normally be held during the month of April or May each year and the business shall include the reception of the Annual General report, Annual Accounts and the election of Officers of the Council.  A special General meeting may be called by the Council of Management or at the written request submitted to the Chairperson of not less than 100 (one hundred) ordinary members of the Fund.  Variation to the normal timing of the Annual General Meeting shall be subject as 15 above.
17. Annual Report and Accounts: The Annual report and duly audited financial statement shall be published and distributed for discussion at the convened Annual General Meeting.
18. Benefits:  The Benefit sums payable to members of the Fund from time to time agreed by the Council of Management shall be published at regular intervals of not less than 6 Months and are payable for the following:
    (a)           On the Death of a serving member, to NOMINATED BENEFICIARY
    (b)           On retirement of member, calculated for each year of membership of the Fund
    (c)           Loans or Grants to special hardship cases to be decided upon by the Executive Committee.
    (d)           A monthly Cash Prize Draw of eight equal prizes.
    (e)           A Yearly Pre-Christmas Cash prize Draw.18a.  BENEFITS AMENDMENT:  For the purpose of Section 18 Paragraph (a) above the following amendment became effective as of February 28 1991.Notice is hereby given that the Benefit referred to in Section 18 Paragraph (a) refers to “Subscribing Members” of the London Ambulance Service Benevolent Fund, currently employed for duty within the London Ambulance Service.Members who are called up by any Government Department to serve in “Her Majesty’s” forces on active duty in any capacity shall not be entitled to any Benefit payment under Section 18 Paragraph (a).  This rule applies notwithstanding any agreements which members may negotiate with the London Ambulance Service concerning any continuation of benefit coverage, etc which the LAS may agree to whilst the member is absent on service with “Her Majesty’s” forcesDuring any term of active service with “Her Majesty’s” forces, Benevolent Fund subscriptions will be suspended for the member/s concerned.This rule will not apply for Benevolent Fund members carrying out normal Territorial or Auxiliary duties during peacetime.
19. Termination of Membership:
    (a)       Membership of the Fund shall cease in the event of a member:
    (i)        Leaving the London Ambulance Service.
    (ii)       Being more than Three Months in arrears with his/her subscriptions, except that any member whose full pay entitlement has been exhausted may remain as a non-paying member until returning to duty.
    (iii)       Resigning from the Fund, having notified the Secretary in writing of such resignation and allowing fourteen days for such resignation to take effect.(b)       Membership may also be terminated by decision of the Executive Committee subject to the member having the right of Appeal to the Council of Management.(c)       On ceasing to be a member of the Fund in accordance with the foregoing provisions of the Bye-Laws, a former member of the Fund shall not, subject to Sub- Paragraph (d) hereof, be entitled to any refund or re-imbursement of any subscription paid to the Fund or to any benefit thereof.(d)       In the event of a member returning to the London Ambulance Service up to six months from date of resignation, that member shall be entitled to resume full membership and Benefits of the Fund on payment of the lapsed contributions. Lapsed contributions in excess of six months to be considered by the Council of Management.

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Bye Laws of The LAS Benevolent Fund-rev