CASLE Constitution

CASLE is governed by a General Assembly of all its member societies and a Management Board consisting of the President, the five Regional Presidents and the Secretary General. Administration is the responsibility of the Secretary General. The Management Board may appoint an Honorary Treasurer and an Educational Adviser.

CASLE has promulgated standards for courses in surveying disciplines at professional and technician level and advised governments, universities, schools and international agencies on the standards of courses and proposals for new courses in surveying and land economy.

The formal Constitution and Regulations of CASLE are:

Constitution

Name

Article 1

The Association shall be known as The Commonwealth Association of Surveying and Land Economy.

Aims

Article 2

The objects of the Association shall be:

(a) To maintain and strengthen professional links between Commonwealth and other countries, with the aim of assisting each country to achieve the scale, quality and integrity of resource management services that it requires.

(b) To foster the establishment of professional societies in countries where none already exists and to promote their usefulness for the public advantage.

(c) To foster appropriate standards of education, including the establishment of appropriate facilities for vocational training, the achievement of professional qualifications, and the undertaking of continuing professional development (CPD) activities; taking cognisance of the increasing need to protect the environment, by promoting the concepts of sustainability in the management of the natural and the built environments for the common good.

(d) To encourage dialogue between its member societies and national governments on all matters of national policy including sustainability of development, security of land tenure and related matters, on which the profession is competent to offer informed opinions and advice.

(e) To evaluate educational standards, with the aims of co-ordinating rights of professional practice and of advising on reciprocity of qualifications.

(f) To collect and circulate non-technical information regarding the professions concerned with land and marine resource management and their activities in different countries; to foster the development of research and technical information services; and to encourage the interchange of technical information.

(g) To encourage and assist with the interchange of students.

(h) To facilitate personal contacts within the professions, and contacts with other professional groups, such as 'The International Federation of Surveyors'.

(i) To undertake such other activities as the Association may, from time to time, consider desirable for the furtherance of the preceding objects (a)-(h) or objects related thereto.

Membership

Article 3 (See also Regulations R.3)

3.1.

(a) Membership shall be open to professional societies as approved by the Management Board.

(b) The Association shall be a voluntary organisation and a member professional society shall be permitted to leave the Association on giving three months notice of intention to resign.

(c) A member professional society may be excluded from membership by a decision of the General Assembly arrived at by not less than a four-fifths majority of votes cast.

(d) The Management Board of the Association shall also admit to Associate membership such other organisations or individuals subject to report to the General Assembly.

(e) If there are 20 or more appropriately qualified individuals in any region, an Association could be formed and application could be made to become an Associate Member organisation. The annual subscription of such an Association would be decided as in Article 9. The Management Board shall decide if such an Association may be admitted as a member professional society and if it may be allowed to elect a voting member to the General Assembly.

(f) An Associate member organisation or individual may be excluded by a simple majority vote of the Management Board subject to report to the General Assembly.

(g) The Management Board may propose the names of persons for Honorary Fellowship of CASLE who may be admitted or excluded by a simple majority vote of the General Assembly.

(h) Associate Member organisations or individuals or Hon Fellows may attend all CASLE functions; subject to any conditions imposed generally upon attendance, may speak at such functions, will receive all newsletters and general communications. They will not be entitled to vote, unless so decided under paragraph 3.1(e) above.

3.2 The Societies referred to in Article 3.1(a) shall be those covering any one or more of the following:

(a) surveying, land and marine resource data collection, including all aspects of land and marine information systems;

(b) quantity surveying and building surveying: financial management and the financial control of construction projects;

(c) land economy, including the management development and valuation of rural and urban real estate (including minerals);

(d) land use planning, including urban and regional planning;

(e) the management and development of marine resources;

(f) other aspects of land, mineral and marine resource management and development, including conservation and the protection and improvement of the environment.

(g) The Association aims to embrace within its membership societies or organisations in each country of the Commonwealth, covering all or any of the principal groups of professional activity defined in Article 3.2 of the Constitution. A new applicant will be expected to have academic and ethical standards at least equivalent to those of any existing society of the same discipline and from the same country.

Correspondents

Article 4

The Management Board shall have power to appoint Correspondents in countries -

(a) which have no member professional societies or

(b) where the member professional societies do not represent all of the professional activities listed in Article 3.2.

(c) Where the Management Board deem it appropriate to give organisations or individuals the opportunity to be associated with CASLE's work.

(d) Such Correspondents shall have neither the rights nor obligations of member professional societies.

Policy and Management

Article 5

5.1 The overall policy of the Association shall be directed by the General Assembly, and the management by a Management Board and Secretary General as provided in Articles 5.5 and 7.

5.2. General Assembly

The Association shall be governed by a General Assembly of representatives of all the member-societies to be held in different regions normally at intervals of not longer than three years. General Assemblies shall be held at such places and times as the General Assembly shall decide on the recommendation of the Management Board.

At meetings of the General Assembly, only each fully paid up member professional society shall be entitled to one voting representative for every 2,000 members or part thereof, subject to a maximum of three representatives per society. Except where otherwise provided in this Constitution, voting shall be by a simple majority of those present and entitled to vote, the President being entitled to exercise a casting vote in the event of an equality of votes. Voting shall be by a show of hands unless a ballot is requested.

Member professional Societies not fully paid-up may take part in discussions but will not be entitled to vote.

5.3. CASLE President and Regional Presidents/Vice-Presidents

(a) The General Assembly shall elect a President, five Regional Presidents (with alternative vice-Presidents) and a Secretary General who shall hold office for the interval between General Assemblies. The President and the Regional Presidents shall not be eligible for re-election except in compelling circumstances. The Management Board may fill vacancies subject to report to the next General Assembly.

(b) It is the responsibility of the Regional Presidents to consult with member professional societies on all matters pertinent to CASLE operation in the regions, and in relation to organising nominations from member societies for the General Assembly to consider in future.

5.4. Honorary Treasurer and Educational Advisor

The President may, on the advice of the Management Board, appoint an Honorary Treasurer and an Educational Advisor.

5.5 Management Board

The members of the Management Board shall be the President, the five Regional Presidents and the Secretary General. In the absence of a Regional President the appropriate regional Vice President may take his/her place at Management Board meetings. Any vacancy occurring in the Board between General Assemblies shall be filled by the Board until the next General Assembly.

There shall be a quorum if three persons are present including the President or the Secretary General.

The management of the affairs of the Association will rest with the Management Board. Voting at meetings of the Board shall be by simple majority of those present, the President being entitled to exercise a casting vote in the event of an equality of votes.

The Honorary Treasurer may attend meetings of the Management Board to advise on financial matters.

Where this Constitution or the Regulations require any action to be approved or confirmed by the Management Board, and such approval or confirmation is required in the interval between meetings of the Board, the same may be obtained by post.

Special committees may be appointed by the Management Board to deal with specific business stated in their terms of reference.

Decisions of the Association shall be by way of recommendations to the member professional societies and acceptance of such recommendations will be at the discretion of each society.

Regional Organisation

Article 6

6.1 Each of the five regions defined in the Schedule to this Constitution shall have a regional committee, chaired by the Regional President and such sub-regional committees as the regional committees may decide.

Each member professional society may appoint one representative to serve on the region's committee; and where sub-regional committees are formed, may also appoint one representative to serve on the relevant sub-committee.

Associate members, Correspondents or representatives of Associate member organisations in the region may be invited by the regional committee to serve on the committee or sub-committees as non-voting members.

6.2 The Management Board shall make regulations for the organisation and administration of regional committees, as and when required.

Administration

Article 7

7.1 The duties of the Secretary General, shall be

(a) To oversee day-to-day business of the Association and such other duties as may from time to time be prescribed by the General Assembly, or by the Management Board.

(b) To maintain relations with the members.

(c) To prepare and issue the publications of the Association.

7.2 Subject to the approval of the Management Board, the Secretary General shall appoint an Administrative Secretary.

7.3 The Secretary General shall operate within a budget approved by the Management Board, with advice from the Honorary Treasurer.

7.4 The Management Board shall establish the salary, if any, and monitor the operating budget of the Secretary General. The operating budget shall allocate monies to be used by the Secretary General to meet all administrative support costs.

Finances

Article 8

8.1 The funds of the Association shall consist of annual subscription of member professional societies and Associate Member organisations and individuals as regulated by General Assemblies, and such grants, contributions, bequests and other forms of income as the Association may from time to time receive.

8.2 The funds of the Association shall be applied exclusively to the purposes of the Association in accordance with the directives of the Management Board.

8.3 The Management Board shall present annual statements of accounts to each General Assembly. Any auditors required shall be appointed by the General Assembly.

Subscriptions

Article 9 (See Regulations R.2)

Each member professional society, or Associate Member organisation or individual shall pay an annual subscription in a manner approved by the General Assembly.

Regulations

Article 10

The Management Board shall propose to the General Assembly for ratification Regulations for the administration of the Association. (see also Appendix)

Amendment of Constitution

Article 11

11.1 The Constitution of the Association may be amended by the General Assembly by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the votes cast. No proposal to amend the Constitution shall be considered by the General Assembly unless 6 months' notice thereof has been given to the member professional societies by the Secretary General.

11.2 Only member professional societies may propose an amendment of the Constitution and shall give notice thereof to the Secretary General not less than 9 months' before the date fixed for the General Assembly, and the Management Board shall report on the proposal to the General Assembly.

Dissolution

Article 12

12.1 The Association may be dissolved by the General Assembly, by a majority of not less than two thirds of the votes cast by those present and entitled to vote.

No proposal to dissolve the Association shall be considered by the General Assembly unless nine months' notice thereof has been given to the member societies by the Secretary General.

12.2 Any member professional society wishing to propose the dissolution of the Association shall give notice thereof to the Secretary General not less than 18 months before the date fixed for the General Assembly.

12.3 If a proposal to dissolve CASLE is approved by the General Assembly, any surplus funds and assets shall be transferred wholly or in part to one or more organisations with professional, charitable or non-profit-making status and appropriate educational or vocational aims, such organisation or organisations to be identified and any transfers made to be approved by simple majority vote of the Management Board.

Interpretation

Article 14

Any question as to the interpretation of any clause of the Constitution shall be decided by the President, advised by the Management Board.

Schedule to Constitution

(See Article 6)

S1 Africa : Botswana, Cameroon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

S2 Asia : Bangladesh, Brunei, India, Malaysia, Maldive Islands, Mauritius, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka.

S3 Atlantic : Anguilla, Antigua, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Falkland Islands, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Helena (including Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha), St. Christopher and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands.

S4 Europe : Cyprus, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey, Malta, United Kingdom

S5 Pacific : Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Western Samoa.

Other countries may be allotted to the appropriate region by the Management Board.

Appendix

Regulations

New regulations to be made under Article 10 of the Constitution will be submitted to the General Assembly. Member professional societies will be given at least three months notice of the regulations prior to a General Assembly.

R.1 Generally

R1.1 The financial year of the Association shall be the period year from 1 May to 30 April inclusive.

R1.2 The Secretary General shall keep proper books of account with respect to all sums of money received and expended by the Association, and the assets and liabilities of the Association; and such books of account shall be kept in the office of the Secretary General or at such other place as the Management Board may decide.

R1.3 The funds of the Association shall be applied exclusively to the purposes of the Association in accordance with the policy set by the Management Board. Payments under the said policy shall be made by the Secretary General.

R.2 Subscriptions

R2.1

(a) The annual subscriptions of member professional societies are due on 1 May in each year in advance and must be paid before 31 July of that year. Any society whose subscription is still in arrears after 31 October shall be reported to the Management Board which shall take such action as may be appropriate.

(b) The action taken by the Management Board in default of payment of annual subscription may include the suspension of the privileges of membership pending consideration of the case by the next General Assembly.

R2.2

(a) The subscription payable under Article 9 of the Constitution may be amended by the General Assembly.

(b) If the Management Board intends to propose an amendment to subscriptions notice thereof shall be given by the Secretary General to all member professional societies not less than nine months before the meeting of the General Assembly.

(c) If any member professional society intends to propose such an amendment it shall give notice thereof to the Secretary General not less than 18 months before the date fixed for the General Assembly.

The Secretary General shall send notice of the proposal to all member professional societies not less than nine months before the meeting of the General Assembly and the Management Board shall report on the proposal to the General Assembly.

R.3 Membership (See also Article 3)

R3.1 Any professional society which desires to join the Association (and which is eligible under Article 3.1(a) of the Constitution) shall complete and submit to the Secretary General the prescribed form of application.

R3.2 Upon receiving a form of application for membership (being an application to which paragraph R3.3 of the Regulations does not apply), the Secretary General shall report the same to the Management Board for confirmation and membership shall become effective from the date of confirmation by the Board.

The Board will not normally approve an application by a society or organisation which does not rank in seniority as required by paragraph 3.2(g) of this constitution.

R3.3 In any case where a society has been excluded from membership of the Association by a decision of the General Assembly under Article 3.1(c) of the Constitution and the said society subsequently submits to the Secretary General a form of application under regulation R3.1, indicating its wish to rejoin, paragraph R3.2 of this Regulation shall not apply; instead the Secretary General shall make a report to the General Assembly and the re-admission to the society shall not become effective unless and until it has been confirmed by a decision of the General Assembly, arrived at by not less than four-fifths majority of votes cast.