[Osmf-talk] OSMF Articles of Association - Discussion on Revision for 2013 AGM

[Richard Fairhurst]

Simon Poole wrote:
> Note that a lot of organisations actually have very limited formal
> membership and I suspect what you think of as "AI" membership is
> completely informal (aka you fork the money over and that is it).

Exactly that.

Like the OSMF, the Canal & River Trust (formed last year, so a good 
exemplar of current practice) is a Company Limited by Guarantee and not 
having a Share Capital. It has just 35 members, who are its governing 
Council. Its large number of paid-up supporters are not formal members.

See its Articles of Association:
	http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/media/library/1338.pdf

and in particular, note item 32:
	"The Trustees may establish such classes of associate membership with such
description and with such rights and obligations (including without 
limitation the
obligation to pay a subscription) as they think fit and may admit and 
remove such
associate members in accordance with such regulations as the Trustees 
shall make,
provided that no such associate members shall be Members of the Trust 
for the
purposes of the Articles or the Companies Acts."

Richard