Constitution of the Institute of Munition Clearance & Search Engineers

1. Status

Not for Profit Unincorporated Association

2. Objects

The objects of IMCSE are to:

• Provide Members with a globally recognized professional status.
• Validate Members training, education and experience.
• Accredit training and education entities.
• Facilitate the exchange of ideas.
• Contribute to Members continuous professional development.
• Participate in the development of international best practice.
• Enhance the safety & security of Members through knowledge exchange.
• Research the negative environmental impact of munitions.
• Encourage the development of new technologies & procedures.
• Investigate & publicise questionable procedures, practices and technologies.
• Utilise Members’ subject matter expertise to provide informed advice.

3. Powers

In furtherance of IMCSE objects the President and Council will on behalf of the Membership:

• Develop relationships with other professional bodies, government ministries, NGOs, training organisations, education institutes, service providers, manufacturers and researchers.
• Represent IMCSE at conferences and working groups.
• Make such decisions as are legal, financially appropriate and beneficial.
• Remove any Member from IMCSE who fails to uphold the highest professional standards, causes IMCSE disrepute, fails to pay the specified annual subscription  or who is convicted of criminal activity in a Court of Law.

4. Membership

IMCSE Membership is open to all those with a professional interest in munition clearance and search including but not limited to:

• Managers, supervisors, team leaders, chief inspectors, commanders, operators, deminers, technicians, searchers and inspectors in munition clearance and search disciplines including demining, CMD, EOD, BAC, EOC, IEDD, WMDD, detection, release containment, blast mitigation, Clearance Diving and weapons inspection.
• Instructors and training designers in munition clearance and search disciplines including demining, CMD, EOD, BAC, EOC, BAC, EOC, IEDD, WMDD, detection, release containment, blast mitigation, Clearance Diving and weapons inspection.
• Manufacturers/developers of equipment/technologies for the munition clearance & search sectors including demining, CMD, EOD, BAC, EOC, IEDD, WMDD, detection, release containment, blast mitigation, Clearance Diving and weapons inspection.
• Researchers, developers, policy makers and legislators for the munition clearance and search sectors including CMD, EOD, BAC, EOC, IEDD, WMDD, detection, release containment, blast mitigation, Clearance Diving and weapons inspection.
• Others with a genuine interest in munition clearance and search including CMD, EOD, BAC, EOC, IEDD, WMDD, detection, release containment, blast mitigation, Clearance Diving and weapons inspection.

 

Categories of IMCSE Membership are:

• Fellow – awarded by the Institute Council to individual Members of IMCSE who have made an exceptional contribution to the munition clearance and/or search profession.
• Member – any individual who has qualified and gained the requisite amount of experience in any of the listed munition clearance and search disciplines as a manager, supervisor, team leader, chief inspector, commander, operator, deminer, technician, searcher or inspector, instructor and/or researcher and whose application is endorsed by the IMCSE Membership Working Group on behalf of the Institute Council.
• Associate Member – any individual who has a genuine interest in munition clearance and search but who lacks the requisite qualification and experience to gain Membership and whose application is endorsed by the IMCSE Membership Working Group on behalf of the Institute Council.
• Corporate Member – any entity engaged in the munition clearance and/or search sector as a service provider, trainer/educator, manufacturer, researcher or developer whose application is endorsed by the IMCSE Membership Working Group on behalf of the Institute Council.
• Honorary Member – extraordinarily the Institute Council may confer an Honorary Membership on an individual who while not meeting the training and practical experience criteria for Membership has made or makes a significant contribution to the Institute over an extended period of time.

 

The Member’s Certificate and Card will specify the type of Membership held – Fellow, Member, Associate Member, Corporate Member, Honorary Member and the discipline/sector for which membership has been endorsed.

Membership, once awarded is life-long, subject to the Member meeting annual subscription obligations, upholding the highest professional standards and not incurring a criminal conviction. In the event the above criteria are not met Membership will be terminated.

5. Management

The overall management of the Institute on behalf of the Members is vested in the President and Council supported by Institute Officers; the daily operation of IMCSE is undertaken by a subcommittee styled the ‘Management Working Group’.

IMCSE Council

• The Council shall comprise 12 Members including the President and Immediate Past President.
• The Council Members shall be Members of the Institute and shall be elected by the Institute Members.
• The tenure of Council Members shall usually be 3 years after which period, should they seek to continue as Council Members, they shall stand for re-election.
• An unopposed Council Member who wishes to continue as a Council Member is not required to participate in the election process.
• The exception to the 3-year tenure shall be the adjusting of tenure to ensure that not more than 3 positions are up for election in any given year.
• The nomination of Institute Members for Council Membership shall include consideration of mirroring the skill set and experience of the incumbent Council Member.
• In the event that insufficient nominations are forthcoming and the incumbent Council Member chooses to step down the Council may invite a Member of the Institute to join the Council without recourse to an election.
• The Council/Institute President shall be a Council Member.
• The Council Members shall nominate candidates for appointment to the position of President.
• Only Council Members will participate in the election of the President.
• On completion of tenure as President the incumbent shall occupy the position of Immediate Past President.
• The incumbent Past President may seek to remain on the Council as an election candidate.

 

IMCSE Officers

• To ensure the efficient and legally compliant discharge of Institute Constitution obligations and objects the Council shall request and appoint volunteer Institute Officers as:
  • Administrator
  • Assistant Administrator
  • Treasurer
  • Auditor
  • Editor
  • Such other positions as deemed necessary by the Council.
• Institute Officers are not required to be Members of the Institute.
• Institute Officer tenure is unlimited.
• Institute Officers shall, with the Institute President and Immediate Past President, comprise the ‘Management Working Group’.
• Institute Officers do not have a vote at Council Meetings, except when the incumbent is an Institute Member, however their opinion and counsel shall be sought and assist in informing Council decision making.
• Institute Officers are entitled to claim reimbursement of expenses occasioned during the discharge of legitimate Institute activities and approved by the President. Reimbursement of expenses in excess of £100.00, or currency equivalent, must be approved by the Council.

 

Council Meetings

• Frequency – Council meetings shall take place quarterly on the first Friday of March, June, September and December respectively; in the event the majority of Council Members are unable to participate on the designated day an alternative date that allows majority attendance shall be selected.
• Format – Council meetings may be in-person, via video communications or hybrid in-person/video.
• Attendance – Institute Council Members and Institute Officers.
• Quorum – the minimum number of Council Members present to validate the proceedings of the Council Meeting shall be 7 (50% plus one).
• Voting – all Council Members have one vote and proposals will be carried on the basis of a simple majority (50% plus one); in the event of a tie the President has a casting vote.
• Chair – the President shall Chair Council Meetings; in the event the President fails to attend the Meeting the Immediate Past President shall fulfill the role. In the event neither attend the Meeting the senior (longest serving) Council Member present shall take the Chair.
• Minutes – the minutes shall be recorded by either the Administration Officer or the Deputy Administration Officer and distributed to all Council Members and Council Officers within 2 weeks of the Council Meeting having taken place.
• Sub-committees – sub-committees styled ‘Working Groups’ shall be established as required to fulfill the Institutes functional and special interest requirements for such duration as is deemed necessary by the Council. The Working Group ‘Lead’ may be a Council Member and must be a Member of the Institute and the Working Group membership of not more than 6 individuals Members, Associate Members or Council Officers. The Working Group Lead shall at Council Meetings present the activities of the Working Group undertaken since the previous Council Meeting.

6. Annual General Meeting (AGM)

The AGM shall take place after the December Council Meeting (the first Friday of December) and the agenda shall include:

• Acceptance of the Minutes of the previous AGM.
• A Report of the activities of the Institute since the previous AGM.
• Statement of Accounts.
• Announcement of results of Council Elections, appointment to Working Groups, appointment of Institute Officers including Auditor.
• AOB.

 

The Minutes of the AGM shall be published in the ‘Members Only’ section of the Institute website.

Institute Associate Members shall not have voting rights however their interests shall be represented by a nominated Council Member.

Extraordinary General Meeting – an Extraordinary General Meeting shall be held when requested in writing by not less than 10 Members of the Institute.

7. Finance

The funds of the Institute shall only be used to further the objects of the Institute including the Institutes operation and development.

Members donations to the Institute for specified purposes aligned with the Objects of the Institute shall only be used for those purposes.

An account shall be held at a licensed bank that offers online banking services.

Institute payments shall be authorized by the Treasurer; in the absence of the Treasurer the President shall authorize payments. Payments greater than £500 shall be endorsed by the Council.

No payment, other than Council approved donations, shall be made without an invoice and proof of payment shall be registered.

Institute accounts shall be audited annually.

8. Amendments to the Constitution

This Constitution may be amended by the Members at an AGM or Extraordinary General Meeting for which one month’s notice on the Institute website has been provided.

9. Dissolution

In the event the Institute decides to wind up, any funds remaining after all liabilities have been met shall be donated to a Council agreed not for profit organisation that as close as possible has Objects that align with those of the Institute.