The British Educational Travel Association (BETA) is governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association as filed at Companies House. This Constitution serves as an explanatory document setting out the procedures and practices in relation to the operation of BETA. Copies of the articles can be obtained in writing via the Secretariat.
Article 1: Name of the Association
The name of the Association is the British Educational Travel Association – BETA, hereafter referred to as the Association or BETA.
Article 2: Legal Status
BETA is an association registered in England as the British Educational Travel Association Limited and is a company limited by Guarantee. The Registration number is 4556194
Article 3: Mission of BETA
The mission of BETA is to promote the interests of companies and organisations promoting programmes, or supplying services, to the education and/or youth and educational travel market to, from, and within the United Kingdom.
Article 4: Aims and Objectives
The aims and objectives of the Association are:
i. to create and maintain a network of member organisations;
ii. to assist Members with the development and dissemination of information so as to provide young people from all countries the opportunity to engage in travel to, from and within the United Kingdom;
iii. to collect and publish from time to time, statistical research on the educational travel sector;
iv. to secure mutual understanding and co-operation among all Members of the Association in any way which may be found practicable including conferences, seminars, training, exchange of literature and information;
v. to establish guidelines for the conduct of business among Members of the Association and for the treatment and protection of participants in youth and educational travel programmes;
vi. to encourage governments and official bodies to facilitate youth and educational travel to and from their countries with a set of effective regulations;
vii. to continue to improve the quality of services provided by Members and to encourage the maintenance of a high standard of facilities;
viii. to promote the social and economic benefits of youth and educational travel;
ix. to increase public awareness of the professionalism of the Members of the Association;
x. to represent the common interests of Members to national, international and regional governments and other bodies.
Article 5: Membership Categories
There are seven categories of BETA Membership. Membership is open to commercial and not-for-profit organisations and companies. Full Members are the voting members of the Association.
1. Full Members
Organisations that are primarily engaged in education and or youth and educational travel in the United Kingdom. Each Full Member shall have one vote in respect of Association matters requiring a vote.
2. Supplier Members
Organisations supplying services to Full Members but are not themselves primarily engaged in education and/or youth and educational travel.
3. International Members
Commercial companies and not-for-profit organisations non UK based who derive a substantial part of their income from education and/or youth and educational travel to, or from, the United Kingdom.
4. Affiliate Members
UK trade associations of organisations primarily engaged in education and/or youth and educational travel and tourism programmes.
5. International Association Members
International non-commercial associations of organisations involved in education and/or youth, student and educational travel.
6. Official Organisation Members
Tourist Boards, Regional Development Agencies, Local Government Organisations, official student organisations and other public sector non-commercial or not-for-profit organisations.
7. Honorary Members
Individuals who have contributed significantly to education, and/or youth and educational travel, within the UK.
ii. Membership Eligibility
Full Members
To be eligible for Full Membership, an organisation must:
- have been in existence as a legal entity for a minimum of one full year;
- be involved in the business of providing or supplying services to the education and/or youth and educational travel market in the United Kingdom;
- be accredited and/or licensed to conduct business where such a requirement is mandatory.
Supplier Members
To be eligible for Supplier Membership, an organisation must:
- be involved in the business of supplying services to Full members;
- be accredited, properly constituted and/or licenced to conduct business where such a requirement is mandatory;
International Members
To be eligible for International Membership, an organisation must:
- have been in existence as a legal entity for a minimum of one full year;
- be non UK based and involved in the business of providing or supplying services to the education and/or youth and educational travel market to, or from, the United Kingdom
- be accredited, properly constituted and/or licenced to conduct business where such a requirement is mandatory.
Affiliate Members
To be eligible for Affiliate Membership an organisation must:
- be UK trade associations of organisations primarily engaged in education and/or youth and educational travel and tourism programmes.
International Association Members
To be eligible for International Association Membership an organisation must:
- be a recognised association of organisations promoting education and/or youth and educational travel.
Official Organisation Members
To be eligible for Official Organisation Membership an organisation must:
- be a Tourist Board, Regional Development Agency, Local Government Organisation, official student organisation, other public sector non-commercial, or not-for-profit organisation.
Honorary Members
To be eligible for Honorary Membership, an individual must:
- have contributed significantly to education and/or youth and educational travel within the UK;
- be nominated by the Board.
Membership Fees / Entrance Fees
Annual Membership and joining fees shall be determined by the Board and presented at the Annual General Meeting.
Applications for Membership
Applications for Membership of the Association must be approved by the Board and:
- be received at the Secretariat in writing on the Association’s Application for Membership form together with a copy of the applicants certificate of incorporation or evidence of legal status and most recent brochure or other similar publication;
- be supported by a Full Member of the Association, a recognised trade association or sponsored by the Board;
- be accompanied by a copy of the last audited or certified accounts, and where necessary, a letter from the applicant’s auditors or accountants confirming the amount of the applicant’s turnover in its latest completed financial year;
- provide such additional references as may be required by the Board.
Cessation of Membership
Membership of the Association shall cease:
- through resignation;
- through cessation of the business for whatever reason;
- for non-payment of membership fees or other dues to the Association;
- on a decision by the Board to expel a Member when in the opinion of the Board a Member acts in a manner detrimental to the good name of the Association.
Membership of the Association shall be suspended:
- following temporary cessation of the Members business.
Review of Membership Status
In the event of a change in the controlling interest of a Member, except for purposes of internal reorganisation, the member must apply to the Board in order to continue with membership of BETA.
Article 6: The Governing Body
The Governing Body of the Association shall be the Member organisations meeting together once every year, hereinafter called the Annual General Meeting or AGM.
Article 7: The Board
The Board shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting and will be responsible for the affairs of the Association.
- The Board shall consist of all those Directors of the Association appointed by the Full Members and the Executive Director(s) appointed by the Board.
- The Officers of the Association shall be the Board.
- The Board will elect a Chair from among the elected Board members.
- The Executive Director will be appointed by the Board and will be an ex officio member of the BETA Board without voting rights.
- No organisation may have more than one representative on the Board.
- Newly elected Board Members assume office at the end of the AGM or EGM at which they were appointed. The Executive Director assumes office at the end of meeting of the Board in which he/she is appointed.
- Elected Board members with the exception of the Executive Director will serve for terms of three years but may offer themselves for re-election. Co-opted members will hold office only until the AGM next following their appointment.
- At all times the Board shall consist of no less than 5 and no more than 8 elected Members. In addition, at any time the Board may also co-opt a number of persons not exceeding 4 to act as Board Members. Co-opted members shall be eligible to vote. However, at all times the composition of the Board shall not exceed a total of 10 Board Members (excluding the Executive Director).
- Board Meetings shall take place at least three times per year.
- The quorum for a Board meeting shall be two elected members. The voting at Board meetings shall be by majority vote and in the case of equal votes the Chairman shall have a second and casting vote.
- Incidental expenses of Board members attending Board meetings and undertaking specific tasks on behalf of the Association shall be paid by the Association, subject to approval by the Board.
The duties of the Board shall be:
i. to actively develop the Association;
ii. to supervise the finances of the Association;
iii. to approve the accounts in arrears and adopt the budget in advance after the end of the financial year and no later than at the AGM;
iv. to circulate the AGM Agenda together with the Annual Report at least three weeks prior to the AGM;
v. to represent the Association with third parties.
Secretariat
The Board shall appoint an Executive Director and other staff as necessary who will be paid to execute the day-to-day management of the affairs of the Association, reporting to the Chairman or other designated Officers of the Association.
Article 8: Functions
Annual General Meeting (AGM)
a) In pursuance of the objectives set out in Article 5, the Association shall convene an Annual General Meeting of the member organisations and invited non-members, in order to conduct the official business of the Association.
b) The Agenda for the AGM shall be sent to the Members three weeks in advance of the meeting and shall include the following points:
- Report on the business of the Association during the financial yearSubmission and approval of the audited accounts
- Submission and approval of the budget
- Election of Board members
- Motions submitted by the Members
- Any other business
- Date of next Annual General Meeting
AGM Procedures
i. Quorum – shall be 20% of Full Members present or represented by proxy.
ii. Voting – shall be by a simple majority of Full Members present or represented by proxy at the AGM. A Full Member may only hold three proxies. Postal or email voting is allowed.
iii. Standing Orders – shall be established for the conduct of all General Meetings.
iv. Chairman of the AGM – and the Chairman of the Board shall be the same person.
v. An Extraordinary General Meeting may be convened either:
a) by the Chairman of the Association;
b) at the request of not less than two-thirds of the Full Members
c) by a majority of Board members.
The rules governing an EGM are the same as for an AGM.
Article 9: Finance
i. The funds of the Association comprise:
a) Annual membership fees and joining fees;
b) Funds generated by the management and administration of the AGM and other projects;
c) Funds generated through investments of the Association’s assets and raised in any other way.
ii. Funds of the Association shall only be placed in non-risk investments.
iii. The financial year of the Association shall end on 31st December. The Treasurer will prepare a report on the previous year and a budget for the year ahead for presentation to the AGM.
Article 10: Auditors
The Association may appoint a registered independent auditor who will audit the accounts of the Association.
Article 11: Amendments to the Constitution
i. Amendments to the Constitution may only be made at the AGM or at an EGM called for that purpose.
ii. Amendments to the Constitution, other than those proposed by the Board, may only be proposed by a Full Member and must be submitted co-sponsored by at least 10 Full Member organisations.
iii. Notice of any proposed amendments to the Constitution by Full Members must be submitted in writing to the Board at least 12 weeks prior to the next AGM.
iv. All proposed amendments to the Constitution whether by the Board or by Full Members shall be sent to all Members one month before the AGM at which the proposed amendments are to be submitted.
v. A motion for any amendment of the Constitution shall require the assent of at least two-thirds of the Full Member organisations present or represented by proxy.
Article 12: Dissolution
Dissolution of the Association may be decided by two-thirds majority of the Full Members of the Association so deciding. In the event of dissolution a liquidator will be nominated by Full Members and the assets of the Association will be shared in equal parts among all Full Members of the Association, after payment of all outstanding debts of the Association.