National boards

44. The Council shall establish National Boards in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales and nine Regional Boards in England to which the Council shall delegate responsibility for the management and transaction of the affairs of the College in their respective countries and regions in such terms and in such manner as it shall think fit. The boundaries of the National and Regional Boards shall correspond with those of the Sections.

The Council has to establish boards in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales, and nine regions in England, which correspond to the RCN sections. The boards are then responsible for managing their geographical catchment areas.

45. The Council shall approve the constitution of the National and Regional Boards always provided that members are elected to the Board by and from amongst the members of the College whose notified addresses fall within the country of the respective National Board, or the region of the respective Regional Board. The National and Regional Boards shall be responsible for the conduct of the elections in the countries and regions concerned in accordance with Council's procedures and regulations for elections.

Members of the regional boards have to be RCN members, and they have to live within the catchment area of the board. These national and regional boards are responsible for carrying out elections in the areas they represent.

46. The Council shall establish a representative body to be known as the RCN Congress consisting of representatives of such constituent elements within the College as the Council shall from time to time determine and shall make regulations for the election of a Chair of that body. The Council may also make, alter or repeal regulations for the election and appointment of such representatives and for the conduct of such representative body, in such manner and subject to such provisions as the Council shall in its discretion determine.

The council has to establish a representative body called the RCN Congress, and nominate a Chair for it. Members of the Congress represent RCN groups selected by the Council. The Council controls the rules governing the Congress, and is able to alter rules if it sees fit.

47. The Council shall have power to make, alter or repeal such Rules, Standing Orders or Regulations for regulating the affairs of the College as it shall think fit and also for regulating examinations and the granting of Certificates and Diplomas in accordance with the Charter: provided that no such Rule, Standing Order or Regulation shall be contrary to the provisions of the Charter or these Bye-Laws. Any Rules, Standing Orders or Regulations made by the Council shall be available to any Member on request.

The Council has the power to create, modify or repeal any rules relating to the affairs of the RCN, or the rules relating to any exams it sets and the diplomas and certificates it awards. It can only create, modify or repeal such laws if in doing so it does not contravene other bye-laws. Any rules made by the Council must be made available to RCN members on request.

48. The Council may make such arrangements for the banking of moneys belonging to the College and for signing of cheques or other documents in connection with any bank account of the College as it shall think fit.

The Council is allowed to take responsibility for banking money belonging to the RCN, and for signing cheques and other bank account documents.

Accounts

49. The Council shall cause true accounts to be kept of all money received and expended by the College and of the assets, credits and liabilities of the College. The books of accounts shall be kept at the offices of the College or at such other place as the Council shall think fit.

The council has to keep up-to-date, comprehensive accounts of the RCN' s financial activities and status. Records of these accounts have to be kept at the RCN offices or any other place decided by the Council.

50. At each Annual General Meeting the Council shall lay before the College a balance sheet containing a summary of the property, assets and liabilities of the College, and an income and expenditure account made up from the date up to which the last preceding balance sheet and income and expenditure account were made and to a date not more than nine months before the date of such Meeting. Every such balance sheet shall be accompanied by a report of the auditors and shall be signed by any two of the following, namely, the Chair or Vice-Chair of the Council or the Honorary Treasurers and countersigned by the Secretary of the College or such other officer as the Council may designate.

At each AGM, the Council has to publish financial records of the RCN' s property, assets and liability. It also has to publish a balance sheet of the RCN' s income and expenditure for a period of time finishing no later than nine months before the start of the AGM. The financial accounts must be accompanied by a report by their author, which must be signed by two of the following post holders - Chair, Vice Chair and Honorary Treasurers. In addition, the report must be countersigned by the Secretary of the College or another officer designated by the Council.

51. Once at least in every year the accounts of the College shall be examined and the correctness of the balance sheet shall be ascertained and certified by the Auditors of the College who shall be members of a body of accountants established in the United Kingdom and eligible for appointment pursuant to Section 25 of the Companies Act 1989.

The RCN accounts must at least once a year be subjected to the scrutiny of external auditors.

52 a) The College at each Annual General Meeting shall appoint Auditors to hold that office until the next Annual General Meeting and the Auditors who hold that office in any year shall be deemed to have been re-appointed in the next following year unless:

At each AGM, the Council must appoint external auditors. Once appointed, these auditors will de deemed to have been re-appointed the following year, unless:

i) a resolution has been passed at a General Meeting of the College appointing some other person instead of the said Auditors or providing expressly that they shall not be re-appointed; or

i) a resolution has been passed at AGM appointing another auditor, or a decision has been made not to re-appoint the existing auditors

ii) the said Auditors have notified the College of their unwillingness to be re-appointed; or

ii) the auditors don' t want to be re-appointed

iii) they shall cease to be qualified to act as Auditors; or

iii) the auditors lose their eligibility to carry out their role

iv) they shall have ceased to act as Auditors by reason of incapacity.

iv) the auditors are not physically able to carry out their role

b) Where it is proposed to remove an Auditor or Auditors of the College or to appoint some person or persons as Auditor or Auditors in their place, notice of any intended resolution to that effect shall be given to the said Auditor or Auditors who shall be entitled to make representations at the Meeting at which the appropriate resolution is to be put either in person or in writing to be read out at such Meeting.

b) If a decision has been reached to replace an auditor, the auditor must be given notice of the meeting at which that decision will be made concrete. The auditor will have the opportunity to make a case against the decision.

c) The remuneration of the Auditors shall be determined by the College at each Annual General Meeting.

c) The amount paid to auditors for their services is decided at the AGM.

d) No Member or Officer of the College shall be appointed as Auditor.

d) Neither RCN members, nor RCN officers can be appointed as auditors.

53. Every Auditor shall have a right of access at all times to the books and accounts and vouchers of the College, and shall be entitled to require from the Members of the Council and Officers of the College such information and explanation as may be necessary for the performance of the duties of the Auditor or Auditors. They shall be entitled to receive notices of and to attend all Annual General Meetings of the College.

Auditors must be given access to all financial records and documents at all times, and must be able to ask for explanations of these documents at any time. They must also be allowed to attend, and receive notices of, the Annual General Meeting.

Notices

54. Any notice required to be served by the Charter or by these Bye-Laws may be served by the College upon a Member of the College either personally or by sending it through the post in a pre-paid letter envelope or wrapper addressed to such Member at the address of that Member as it stands on the Roll of the College or at such other address as shall be notified to the College by such Member. In case of emergency such notices shall be sufficiently given if given by advertisement, but the Council shall use its best endeavours in every case to ensure that notice of meetings is sent or drawn to the attention of all persons who are entitled to receive the same.

Notices should be given either in person, or by post, to addresses on the membership roll. Wherever possible, members should be given such notifications in adequate time. In emergencies, however, notice may be given by advertisement.

55, The accidental omission to give notice of any meeting of the College or of the Council to any person entitled to receive such notice or the failure to send such notice to the correct address shall not invalidate the meeting or any proceedings thereof.

Just because the RCN has accidentally failed to notify a member of a meeting does not means that the decisions made at the meeting are invalid.

56. Any notice required to be given under the provisions of the Charter or these Bye-Laws shall be deemed to have been served three days after the date on which it is posted.

Notice is deemed to have been given three days after the notice was posted.

57. Any notice required to be given to the College under the provisions of the Charter or these Bye-Laws shall be served personally upon or posted addressed to the Secretary of the College.