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Subsidiary Rules to the ACAT Constitution: November 2006 || Revised January 2008

1. MEMBERSHIP
   1. Membership of the Association (ACAT) is open to any individual aged 18 or over who wishes to support the Objects of ACAT
   2. In accordance with Article 3 there shall be the following classes of member:
      1. Full Member (Psychotherapist) - Voting
      2. Full Member (Practitioner) - Voting
      3. Trainee Member - Non-Voting
         Undergoing practitioner training or working for accreditation through Accreditation of Prior Experience and Learning
      4. Friend (formerly Associate) - Non-Voting
         Interested in the aims and objectives of ACAT but not training in or qualified in CAT
      5. Life Member - Voting
         This category of membership would be awarded by ACAT at the discretion of the Trustees to people who retire from psychotherapy work having given a lot to the organisation. It will be conferred as a mark of recognition and will not be an automatic progression for all those who retire.
      6. Non-Practising Member - Non-Voting
         This category of membership is available in exceptional circumstances to full or trainee members. It covers situations such as maternity leave, adoption leave, illness, family crisis etc, formal sabbatical etc. The member gives written confirmation that they will not be practising any form of CAT for the duration. They will still receive correspondence and ‘Reformulation’ from ACAT. Minimum duration for this category is one year, maximum is two years. It will always be by prior written agreement with the Exam Board, and will be decided on a case-by-case basis. Formal application to the Exam board in advance is essential. A written agreement will include some agreed CPD/catching up when returning to full membership.
         Members on maternity leave, sabbatical etc will have the option to remain full members if they so wish.
      7. Retired Member - Non-Voting
         This membership category is for those fully retired from CAT practice and who wish to keep in touch with ACAT. It will include Reformulation.
      8. The Trustees have the powers to set the terms and rates of subscription for the different classes.
   3. The Trustees shall ensure that a register of members is maintained
   4. A member whose subscription is six months in arrears ceases to be a member and thereby loses with immediate effect all rights of membership. A former member wishing to resume membership must apply to the Exam Board who shall determine the requirements for readmission.
   5. A member may resign by written notice to ACAT
   6. The Trustees may (subject to the complaints procedure) terminate the membership of any individual or organisation whose continued membership would in the reasonable view of the Trustees be harmful to the Association (but only after notifying the member concerned in writing and considering the matter in the light of any written representations which the member puts forward within 14 clear days after receiving notice)
   7. Membership of the ACAT is not transferable.
2. GENERAL MEETINGS
   1. All members are entitled to attend General Meetings (whether Annual General Meetings or Extraordinary General Meetings) of the ACAT
   2. Except for the chair of the meeting, who has a second or casting vote but only in the event of an equality of votes, every full member present or voting by proxy is entitled to one vote on every issue
      1. A full member may vote by proxy only by notifying in writing at least 24 hours before the General Meeting to the Chair or The Secretary of ACAT, either: a) his unequivocal view on an issue notified in advance to the membership, or b) his nomination of a full member present at the meeting to vote on his behalf on each or any issue to be decided at the meeting.
   3. At an Annual General Meeting the members:
      1. receive the accounts of ACAT for the previous financial year
      2. receive the report of the Trustees and Officers on ACAT's activities since the previous AGM
      3. elect Trustees
      4. appoint an auditor or independent examiner for ACAT where required
      5. may confer on any individual (with his or her consent) the honorary title of Patron, President or Vice-President of ACAT
      6. discuss and determine any issues of policy or deal with any other business put before them
3. TRUSTEES/DIRECTORS
   1. The Trustees shall meet not less than three times per annum.
   2. Each Trustee shall have one vote and in the event of equality of votes the Chair shall have a casting vote.
4. THE COUNCIL OF MANAGEMENT (CoM)
   1. The Trustees have overall responsibility for the governance, direction and management of ACAT, its committees, activities, its property and funds, in accordance with the Objects
   2. The Trustees shall, under Article 38, delegate day-to day management to a CoM appointed by and accountable to the Trustees
   3. Three Trustees -the Chair, Vice-Chair, Treasurer shall be Members of the CoM which shall also include the Secretary (who is also the Company Secretary), Chair of Training, Chair of Examinations Board, Chair of Research Committee and such appointments as the CoM shall recommend and the Trustees shall confirm
   4. Trainee members may appoint a representative to the CoM
   5. The CoM shall meet not less than three times per annum. It may meet concurrently with the Trustees by mutual consent of both bodies
   6. The Trustees shall at their discretion determine any remuneration or honorarium of each member of the CoM and their contracts of employment which shall be a maximum of 3 months notice
   7. Terms of office of members of the CoM shall only exceed 3 consecutive years with the approval of the membership in General meeting
   8. The Trustees shall appoint a Chair of Ethics responsible for overseeing complaints and their proper process and whose independence of judgment shall be respected and upheld by the Trustees
5. MEETINGS OF COUNCIL OF MANAGEMENT (CoM)
   1. A quorum at a CoM meeting is fifty percent of its members
   2. The Chair or (if the Chair is unable or unwilling to do so) the Vice-Chair or some other member of the CoM chosen by the members present presides at each CoM meeting
   3. Every issue may be determined by a simple majority of the votes cast at a CoM meeting but a resolution which is in writing and signed by all members of the CoM is as valid as a resolution passed at a meeting and for this purpose the resolution may be contained in more than one document and will be treated as passed on the date of the last signature and
   4. Except for the chair of the meeting, who has a second or casting vote but only in the event of an equality of votes, every CoM member has one vote on each issue
   5. CoM meetings may be held either in person or by telephone or video conference or other electronic means whereby each participant is able to communicate with each of the other participants
   6. The Secretary or other nominated person shall take responsibility for Minutes of CoM meetings which shall be available to all Trustees
6. DELEGATION
   1. The CoM shall delegate the following day to day functions to the following bodies:
      1. Matters relating to the training of students to the Training Committee
      2. Matters relating to professional examinations and the attainment of standards to the Examinations Board
      3. Matters relating to professional ethics and complaints about members to the Ethics Panel
      4. Matters relating to research to the Research Committee
   2. Subject to the above, the CoM has power to delegate any of their functions to any of the above bodies or to committees consisting of two or more persons appointed by them (but at least one member of every committee must be a member of the CoM)
   3. The CoM must set the terms of reference of every committee or other body which is to exercise delegated powers and all proceedings of committees and other such bodies must be reported promptly to the CoM
7. OTHER POWERS OF COUNCIL OF MANAGEMENT (CoM)
   1. The CoM has the following additional powers in the administration of the Association:
   2. to make Standing Orders consistent with this Constitution to govern proceedings at general meetings including provisions in respect of proxy voting
   3. to make Rules consistent with this Constitution about the proceedings of the Trustees, CoM and committees and other bodies exercising delegated powers
   4. to make Regulations consistent with this Constitution about the running of ACAT (including the operation of bank accounts and the commitment of funds)
   5. to resolve or establish procedures to assist the resolution of disputes within ACAT
   6. to exercise any powers of ACAT which are not reserved to a general meeting
8. RECORDS & ACCOUNTS
   1. The Trustees must ensure compliance with the requirements of the Charities Acts and Companies Acts as to the keeping of financial records, the audit or independent examination of accounts and the preparation and transmission to the Commission of reports and returns
   2. The Trustees must ensure that proper records are kept of:
      1. all proceedings at general meetings
      2. all proceedings at Trustee and Council meetings
      3. all reports of committees and other delegates and
      4. all professional advice obtained
   3. Annual reports and statements of account relating to ACAT must be made available for inspection by any member of ACAT
   4. A copy of the latest available statement of account must be supplied to any person who makes a written request and pays ACAT’s reasonable costs (as required by the Charities Act 1993)
9. NOTICES
   1. Notices under this Constitution may be sent by hand, by post or by suitable electronic means or (where applicable to members generally) may be published in any suitable journal or newspaper or in any newsletter distributed by ACAT
   2. The address at which a member is entitled to receive notices is the address noted in the register of members (or, if none, the last known address in the United Kingdom)
   3. Any notice given in accordance with this Constitution is to be treated for all purposes as having been received:
      1. 24 hours after being sent by electronic means or delivered by hand to the relevant address
      2. two clear days after being sent by first class post to that address
      3. three clear days after being sent by second class post to that address
      4. on the date of publication of a journal or newspaper containing the notice
      5. on being handed to the member personally or, if earlier,
      6. as soon as the member acknowledges actual receipt
   4. A technical defect in the giving of notice of which the members or the Council members are unaware at the time does not invalidate decisions taken at a meeting

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