by Model Standing Orders (agreed by the LLA Steering Committee and Organising Group)
A. Quorum
i. The quorum for meetings shall be 25 percent of those entitled to vote.
ii. Business agreed during meetings that are not quorate shall be subject to the ratification by the next quorate meeting.
B. Entitlement to Attend
i. Delegates whose details have been duly notified by their organisations to the Secretary of this LLA unit shall be entitled to attend meetings and to vote.
ii. When an annual or special meeting is not held for any reason or is abandoned without completing the business on the agenda, such meeting must be reconvened as soon as practicable in order for any necessary outstanding business to be transacted. Only those eligible to participate in the meeting as first convened, whether or not held, shall be entitled to participate in any further reconvened meeting.
iii. If an SC officer is replaced as the representative by their local group, they will continue in their role as officer on the SC unless/until replaced by the OG.
C. Chair
i. The elected Chair of this body shall preside at all meetings, except where otherwise provided for in the rules of the LLA unit.
ii. In the absence of the Chair the Vice-Chair shall preside. In the absence of both, the Secretary or other Officer shall call on those present to elect a chair.
D. Notice of Motion
i. Original motions for the general meeting of this body must be received by the Secretary in writing not less than seven days prior to the meeting.
ii. Motions for discussion shall be made available to those entitled to attend at least three days before the meeting, except for emergency motions which must be sent to the Secretary as soon as the nature of the emergency allows. Emergency business may be accepted by the majority of the meeting on the recommendation of the Chair.
E. Discussion of Motion
i. No motion shall be discussed at a meeting until it has been moved and seconded. Where a motion has been submitted by a LLA unit or organisation it must be moved by a delegate from that LLA unit or organisation. Where a motion has been submitted by an LLA unit or organisation, or 10 signatories, it will not require a seconder.
ii. Speakers shall address the Chair and are only entitled to speak once on any motion except by permission of the Chair, providing that the mover of a motion or an amendment may reply to the discussion without introducing new matter for debate; such reply shall close the discussion. No speaker shall be allowed more than five minutes, unless agreed by the meeting to be ‘further heard’ for a specified period.
iii. Amendments to any motion may be moved and seconded from the floor of the meeting but shall be handed to the secretary in writing. Amendments shall be taken in order with one amendment being disposed of before another is moved. If an amendment is carried, the amended resolution becomes a motion to which further amendments may be moved.
F. Procedural Motions
i. A motion of ‘next business’ shall not be taken until the mover and seconder of a motion have spoken. Any motion ‘of next business’, ‘that the vote be taken’, ‘to adjourn’, ‘of no-confidence in the Chair’ shall be moved, seconded and voted on without discussion.
G. Voting on Motions
i. Voting shall be by show of hands except where the constitution of the LLA provides for a ballot vote or where this body decides otherwise (for example online or email voting). In the event of there being an equality of votes on any matter decided by a show of hands, the Chair may give a casting vote provided that s/he has not used an ordinary vote. If the Chair does not wish to give a casting vote, the motion falls.
H. Ballot Votes
i. The election of officers and/ or representatives of this body, and the election of Executive Committee members or large delegations may be by Borda Count method.
I. Chair’s Ruling
i. The Chair’s ruling on any point arising from the rules or standing orders is final unless challenged by not less than two members; such a challenge shall be put to the meeting and be carried with a simple majority of those voting at the meeting.
J. Rules governing conduct at and access to meetings
i. LLA meetings shall be conducted in a friendly and orderly manner and organised to maximise participation from members. No member shall be precluded from attendance because they cannot gain access to the venue. Harassment or intimidation of any member is unacceptable, as is any form of discrimination.
ii. Any member acting in an unruly or disruptive manner may be removed from the meeting by action of the Chair. The Chair shall put such a motion to the meeting, which shall require the support of two-thirds of those voting. Any member who has been removed from two meetings during a 12-month period shall be ineligible to attend meetings of this body for the next 12 months.
