Rotation and term-limit rule

Rotation and term-limit rule

Purpose

Offices that are held for long periods by the same people tend to concentrate knowledge, contacts and power, the pattern Robert Michels called the iron law of oligarchy. This rule limits how long anyone may hold an office, spreads offices across the membership and keeps enough continuity that bodies can still do their work.

Article 1. Terms and limits

1. The term of every office in the schedule of offices is two years unless the schedule states otherwise.
2. No person may hold the same office for more than two consecutive terms. After two terms, a person may hold that office again only after an interval of at least one full term.
3. No person may hold more than six years in total in the council over any period of twelve years.
4. Partial terms of more than half the normal length count as full terms.

Article 2. Staggering

Half of the seats of each standing body are renewed each year, so that at any time half of its members have at least a year's experience.

Article 3. Accumulation of offices

1. No person may hold more than two offices in the schedule at the same time.
2. No person may chair more than one standing body at the same time.

Article 4. Handover and knowledge

1. An outgoing office-holder prepares a written handover note covering open matters, commitments, contacts and records, and is available to their successor for advice for 60 days.
2. Records, passwords and accounts belong to the office, not the person, and are transferred in full on the last day of the term.
3. The secretariat keeps a manual for each office, updated at every handover.

Article 5. Rotation by lot

1. Where the schedule marks an office as rotating, it is filled by lot from members who volunteer and meet the stated eligibility conditions, giving priority in the draw to those who have never held it.
2. A member drawn may decline without giving reasons; the next name drawn takes the place.
3. Members who serve by lot receive the training and allowances needed to take part on equal terms, including care costs.

Article 6. Co-holders and gender balance

1. Where the schedule marks an office as shared, it is held jointly by two co-holders who are not of the same gender, decide jointly and may each sign for the office.
2. Where co-holders disagree on a matter that cannot wait, the body they chair decides.
3. The term limits in Article 1 apply to each co-holder separately.

Article 7. Exceptions

1. The assembly may, by two-thirds majority and for no more than one additional term, exempt a technical office from Article 1(2) if no qualified candidate has stood after two calls. The exemption is published with the reasons.
2. No exemption may be granted for the chair of the council or for any office that controls elections, finances or the membership roll.