Constitution
1. The name shall be the Association of Scottish Principal Educational Psychologists (ASPEP).
2. The aims of the Association will be –
a) to promote the development of Local Authority Psychological Services for children and young people in Scotland;
b) to consider and make representation on national policy;
c) to be concerned with all matters affecting the administration, leadership and development of Local Authority Psychological Services in Scotland.
3. Membership will be open to all grades of Principal Educational Psychologists, and will be conferred by payment of an annual subscription.
4. Main meetings will be held at least twice per year (normally in November and May) and will be open to all paid up members. On prior notice to the secretary, a member may be represented at a main meeting by an educational psychologist colleague. With the approval of the Executive, guests may be invited to attend all or parts of main meetings.
5. There will be the following officers:
a) Chair
b) Chair elect
c) Secretary
d) Treasurer
6. An Executive Committee consisting of the Chair, Chair Elect, immediate past Chair (for one year following demission of office), Secretary, Treasurer, and at least three elected members will be constituted to undertake the business of the Association. To assure accountability to the Association membership, all business undertaken by the Committee will be reported at the main meetings. Where appropriate, views of the wider profession will be sought on key issues.
7. a) Election of Executive Committee officers and members will be done electronically and ratified at main meetings.
b) The Chair will be confirmed at a main meeting (except in the case where another candidate has been put forward in which case an election will be held) and hold office for a period of not more than three years, but will be eligible for re-election for one further term.
c) The Secretary will be elected at the next main meeting in the year following the confirmation of the Chair, unless election is required at another time due to the position becoming vacant, and will hold office for a period of not more than three years, but will be eligible for re-election for one further term. The changeover of secretary will take place at the start of the financial year, where possible.
d) The Chair Elect will be proposed by the Executive prior to the main meeting but nominations can also come from the main ASPEP membership. Should there be more than one nomination an election will be held at the main meeting following the confirmation of the Chair. The Chair elect will be elected 18 months after the confirmation of the Chair and will demit office at the same time as the Chair. Once confirmed, the Chair Elect will attend Executive meetings.
e) The Treasurer will be elected at an election during a main meeting. They will hold office for a period of not more than three years, but will be eligible for re-election for one further term.
f) The elected members of the Executive will each serve for a period of two years, but will be eligible for re-election as ordinary members of the Executive for further terms. In the case of a member being unable to continue on the Executive for the full term a replacement will be elected.
g) In the case of an officer or Executive Committee member demitting office before the end of the full term, a successor will be voted on electronically and ratified at a main meeting. In order to ensure that the work of the Executive Committee can be carried out, the Executive may appoint from within the Executive, an officer on an interim basis, until an election can be held.
h) The Executive Committee may co-opt extra members from the ASPEP membership. Such extra members would serve for a period of not more than one year, but could be co-opted for a further year at the end of that period.
i) Elections and, when necessary, decisions and calls for action will be determined by a majority vote at the main meeting or electronically between main meetings if necessary, with the Chair having a deciding vote if required. Only members of ASPEP will have voting rights.
8. ASPEP representatives will be identified to contribute to key national initiatives and developments. A list of the ASPEP representatives on national groups will be regularly updated and made available to ASPEP members. The reports from these groups will be made to the Executive Committee for the consideration of the membership before being released for general publication or distribution.
9. To ensure effective partnership working, joint meetings of the ASPEP Executive Committee and the SDEP Executive committee will take place twice a year. A joint development plan will be maintained to set out and review shared objectives. The development plan and outcomes of joint meetings will be shared with the wider membership at the main ASPEP meetings.
10. To ensure that all agreed and proper expenses of the Association, its Executive Committee, Working Groups and ASPEP representatives can be defrayed, an annual subscription fee will be collected from each member. The amount will be determined at the November main meeting in each year and will be payable to the Treasurer at the May main meeting in the following year. An account of the income and expenditure of the Association will be presented at each main meeting.
11. Any alterations to the Constitution must be voted on by the membership and ratified at a main meeting of the Association. A change or addition will be competent provided it has the approval of two-thirds of the members who vote electronically. Proposed alterations to the Constitution must be forwarded to the Secretary at least six weeks before the date of the main meeting and circulated ten days prior to that meeting.