School Travel Forum Ltd

Transcription

1 Schl Travel Frum Ltd 2 Cde f Practice Cntents 2.1 General Membership Rules Cmpsitin and Electin f Cmmittee Respnsibilities and Authrity f the Cmmittee Accunts Change Request Prcedure Cmplaints Prcedure General Membership Rules a) All Members agree t be bund by the rules f the STF. b) In rder t attain Assured Membership all Members are required t: Adhere t the UK Package Travel, Package Hlidays and Package Turs Regulatins Maintain adequate insurance prtectin in the frm f Tur Operatrs liability insurance cver with a minimum indemnity f 5 millin per claim, and in the aggregate, each year. Hld a principal (tur peratr) ABTA membership. Offer financial prtectin thrugh an STF apprved scheme. These are: ABTA CPT s Bnded Cach Hliday ABTOT Travel Vault TTA Be bnded if perating as sle traders, inslvency insurance is nt acceptable. Hld an ATOL, in their wn cmpany name, if ffering air packages; split cntracts r ATOL agency arrangements are nt acceptable. Detail in their terms and cnditins their cmplaints plicy and prcess, which will include an ultimate recurse t independent arbitratin. Cmply fully at all times t the STF s Safety Management Standards as minimum. Prvide the fllwing infrmatin fr public distributin by the Schl Travel Frum: Trading name(s) Business address Sectin 2 / Issue 1 / 1 Versin 1 / January 2018 / STF

2 Schl Travel Frum Ltd Website address Brief statement f the type(s) f schl travel activity undertaken Trade Assciatin membership details Statement f the methd f cmpliance with custmer financial prtectin regulatins c) Use f the Schl Travel Frum lg and any written r verbal reference t membership f the Schl Travel Frum will be accurate and subject t the ultimate cnsent f the Cmmittee. d) Membership f the Schl Travel Frum will lapse immediately if a Member ceases trading fr whatever reasn. e) Shuld any Member disagree with actins r intended actins by the STF in relatin t their Membership, then the Member has the right t vice their cmplaint t the Cmmittee, either in writing r in persn. A majrity decisin by the Cmmittee will be binding n the Member. 2.2 Cmpsitin and Electin f Cmmittee a) The Cmmittee cnsists f seven elected representatives frm the Assured Members. Each Cmmittee Member serves fr a tw-year perid, at the end f which he/she must retire frm the Cmmittee (but, t the extent applicable, nt as a directr f STF), but may seek re-electin alngside ther candidates. b) The Cmmittee must appint a treasurer frm within its number. The treasurer s rle is nt remunerated and there is n specific length f service attached t the psitin. Their task is t ensure that the STF s financial matters are mnitred and managed in a satisfactry manner and that the annual accunts are prepared and filed with due diligence. c) Cmmittee electins take place annually fllwing the electin prcedure: Members may stand fr electin t represent the turnver band f Membership fr which they are eligible. One seat is available in each band. A cmpleted applicatin frm including electin manifest (f a maximum f 100 wrds) alng with the declaratin frm must be received by the STF by the first Friday in September. The vting papers will be ed t all Assured Members the fllwing Mnday. Assured Members will have 15 wrking days t return their vtes. All Cmmittee candidates are allwed t vte Fllwing the electin, the STF will first apply the banding rules t ensure that a candidate in a vacant band with the highest number f vtes will be elected t represent that band. If there are n candidates in a vacant band, then the candidate with the highest number f vtes, frm any band, will be elected t ensure that the Cmmittee has a full cmplement. The candidates will be infrmed f the utcme, the Members will be ntified and a frmal annuncement will be made at the AGM. Sectin 2 / Issue 1 / 2 Versin 1 / January 2018 / STF

3 Schl Travel Frum Ltd d) In the event f a Cmmittee Member standing dwn mid-term then the Cmmittee may seek a mid-term electin t fill that vacancy. The STF will send ut a general invitatin fr nminatins, at least fur weeks prir t the electin date, t all Assured Members. e) Cmmittee Members may remain in ffice fr a maximum f fur years, after which they must resign as a Cmmittee Member (but nt, t the extent applicable, as a directr f STF). Hwever, shuld there be a rati f less than 1.5 candidates standing fr any given Cmmittee place at the annual electin, then incumbent Cmmittee Members whse terms are at an end may stand again fr electin fr a further tw-year perid. f) The Chair is elected frm within the existing Cmmittee. Hwever, in the event f ne r mre Cmmittee Members wishing t cntest the Chair s psitin, thse standing must advise the STF in writing within ne mnth fllwing the annual Cmmittee electins. An electin will then be held thrugh a vte f the Assured Members, which will take place within tw mnths f the general Cmmittee electins. The candidate with the highest number f vtes will be elected. g) If the Cmmittee feels that it wishes t c-pt additinal Members t the Cmmittee fr whatever reasn, then the Cmmittee may apprve this at its sle discretin, subject t a simple majrity vte within the Cmmittee itself. Such c-pted Cmmittee Members, shuld they be willing t cntinue t serve, must put themselves frward fr electin by the Assured Members at the next Cmmittee electin. If the c-pted Cmmittee Member (r representative theref) fails t be elected, then he/she will nt be allwed t be c-pted again until after the next Cmmittee electins (i.e. minimum f twelve mnths). C-pted Cmmittee Members will nt have any vting rights n the Cmmittee. h) The Cmmittee shall have the pwer t request the frmatin f ther sub-cmmittees as and when required. These sub-cmmittees will be cmprised f such members, serve fr such terms, and be allwed such pwers as the Cmmittee shall decide. A written reprt must be prvided t the Cmmittee after each sub-cmmittee meeting. i) Other than expenses n an agreed scale, Cmmittee Members (and any sub-cmmittee which may frm time t time be frmed) are nt entitled t any remuneratin in relatin t their invlvement with the STF. 2.3 Respnsibilities and Authrity f the Cmmittee a) The Cmmittee is respnsible fr directing and ensuring the running and peratin f the STF s affairs and furthering the bjectives set ut in Sectin 1.3 f this Handbk in accrdance with the bjectives f the Schl Travel Frum Ltd set ut in its Memrandum f Assciatin. b) The Cmmittee may make whatever appintments (including limits f financial authrity) it deems apprpriate fr the management, secretarial and administrative supprt functins needed t ensure the executin f the STF s plicies. c) The Cmmittee may use whatever funds are available within the STF t further the aims and bjectives f the STF, always prvided that such funds exist within the requirements f sectin 2.4 (Accunts). Sectin 2 / Issue 1 / 3 Versin 1 / January 2018 / STF

4 Schl Travel Frum Ltd d) Individual Cmmittee Members are nt authrised t incur expenses n behalf f the STF withut the express permissin f either the majrity f fellw Cmmittee Members, r the agreement f the treasurer. e) The Cmmittee will discuss and agree, by majrity vte if necessary, any changes that it wishes t intrduce t the STF s Membership rules, Safety Management Standards and assciated appendices. Where the changes will impact significantly n the majrity f Members, the Cmmittee must, in accrdance with the Articles, seek and receive agreement, by majrity vte if necessary, f the Assured Members befre the changes are implemented. f) The Cmmittee will meet at least fur times a year at a place f its chsing. Shuld it nt be pssible t frm a qurum fr any meeting (at least fur Cmmittee Members), then the meeting will be rearranged. g) Shuld any Cmmittee Member fail t attend mre than tw Cmmittee Meetings in a year, then the Cmmittee will have the right t request that Member resigns their Cmmittee Membership. If the Cmmittee Member refuses t resign then he/she will be allwed t make representatins t all the Assured Members and the Assured Members will then be asked t vte. If terminatin f Cmmittee Membership is carried ut, then the Cmmittee will be required t ask the Membership t seek and elect a replacement (firstly frm the Membership Band which the terminated Cmmittee Member represented). If a terminatin f this nature ccurred after a perid f six mnths befre the next Cmmittee electins then the cmmittee may, at their discretin, c-pt a new Cmmittee Member fr this interim perid. h) The Cmmittee, by a majrity vte, has the right and respnsibility t recmmend the terminatin f any Member s membership where it deems that Member t have breached the STF s General Membership Rules, r where it deems that Member t have brught the gd name f the Schl Travel Frum int disrepute. The Member will then have the right f appeal t the Assured Membership against this recmmendatin and if the Assured Membership vtes in majrity in favur f the recmmendatin the Member has a further right t appeal t an independent external arbitratr nminated by the Cmmittee. i) The Cmmittee may frm time t time call Extrardinary General Meetings at its discretin. Alternatively, such meetings may be called at the request f a simple majrity f Assured Members. In each case such meetings will be called in accrdance with the ntice prvisins set ut in the Articles. j) The Cmmittee will call an STF Annual General Meeting at intervals f n mre than 15 mnths. Only Members may attend. At least 21 days advance ntice will be given in writing and an agenda will be distributed prir t the meeting. Minutes will be taken and distributed after the meeting t all Members. k) The Chair will chair all Cmmittee meetings and ther frmal meetings f the STF. In his/her absence the Chair will appint a fellw Cmmittee Member t deputise as Chair fr the meeting in questin. Sectin 2 / Issue 1 / 4 Versin 1 / January 2018 / STF

5 Schl Travel Frum Ltd l) In the event f a split vte, then the vte will be taken again and will be cast by all Cmmittee Members. If after tw incnclusive vtes have been taken the matter will be decided by the Chair s casting vte. m) Cmmittee meetings will be minuted and the minutes will be issued t Cmmittee Members by fr agreement. Agreed minutes will be issued t Members as sn as pssible fllwing the Cmmittee meeting. n) Cmmittee Members must declare any special interest cncerning the STF business under discussin. ) Shuld a Cmmittee Member be deemed t have a material cmmercial interest in tpics under discussin, then the Cmmittee will judge whether r nt that Member will be allwed t vte n the subject. p) Members may be barred frm Cmmittee Membership fr reasns f: Bankruptcy, present r past. Previus criminal cnvictin. An rder made under the Cmpany Directrs Disqualificatin Act Mental disrder, illness r injury which renders him/her unable t administer his/her affairs. Direct r indirect interest in any cntract r prpsed cntract with the STF in which the Cmmittee Member cncerned has failed t declare the nature f his/her interest. The financial failure, r any ther cause by which a cmpany(ies) f which they are a directr, r by whm they are emplyed ceases t trade. q) A request t resign by a reslutin f the Cmmittee, passed by a tw-thirds majrity f thse present, at a Cmmittee meeting fr which at least seven days written shall have been given indicating the intentin t prpse such a reslutin. r) In the event f a Cmmittee Member being asked t vacate his r her Cmmittee Membership, an appeal may be ldged by that persn, which will be judged by vlunteers representing five Assured Members and agreed by majrity verdict f thse five Assured Members. 2.4 Accunts a) Accunting recrds will be kept and Reprting Accuntants appinted. b) Recrds will be kept at the registered ffice f Schl Travel Frum Ltd, r at such ther place as the Cmmittee sees fit, and shall be pen t inspectin f the Members (subject t applicable ntice perids). c) The Treasurer will prvide all accunting infrmatin and dcumentatin as required by law fr inspectin by Assured Members at each Annual General Meeting. d) The STF intends t build and, upn achievement, at any ne time will retain, a cash surplus amunting t ne full year s perating csts f the STF. This sum (the yearly verhead) will be determined annually prir t the current year end fr the fllwing year. Once achieved, neither the Cmmittee; nr the STF; has the right t use these funds withut seeking the sanctin f the Assured Members. This will nly be allwed if a 2/3 majrity f all Assured Members vte in favur f such funds being used. Sectin 2 / Issue 1 / 5 Versin 1 / January 2018 / STF

6 Schl Travel Frum Ltd e) T prtect the cnfidentiality f agreements with spnsrs, the financial details f any spnsrship will remain cnfidential t the Cmmittee. f) The Treasurer (r in his/her absence the Chair) will prvide an verview f the current financial psitin f the STF at each Cmmittee meeting. 2.5 Change Request Prcedure a) All Assured Members can prpse changes t the STF General Membership Rules, Cde f Practice and Safety Management Standards. Such changes t be prpsed in accrdance with the Articles. b) Submissins shuld be made in writing t the Cmmittee fr inclusin and cnsideratin at the next meeting (See paragraph 1.3 in Appendix 1). c) The Cmmittee will advise the Member in writing f the result f their deliberatins and recrd the decisin in the meeting minutes. 2.6 Cmplaints Prcedure a) All cmplaints abut a Member received by the STF will be frwarded t the CEO and acknwledged in writing within five wrking days f receipt. b) The CEO will als write t the Member raising the cmplaint and requesting their cmments. Members will be required t prvide a written respnse within furteen days f receiving the cmplaint. c) The STF will encurage reslutin directly between the parties cncerned. Where this is nt pssible it is a requirement f the STF that Assured Members subscribe t an independent arbitratin scheme, the detail f which is made available t all their clients. d) Where the issue is a significant breach f the STF Cde f Practice, the Cmmittee will cnsider the case individually and cme t a decisin, which may include lss f Assured Member status. The Member has the right t appeal a decisin as utlined in 2.3(h). Sectin 2 / Issue 1 / 6 Versin 1 / January 2018 / STF