Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014

Rules: supplementary provisions

19 Provision of rules with intent to mislead or defraud

(1) A person commits an offence if, with intent to mislead or defraud, the person gives to any other person—

(a) a copy of any rules other than the registered rules of a registered society on the pretence that they are the society’s existing rules or that there are no other rules of the society, or

(b) a copy of the rules of a society which is not a registered society on the pretence that they are the rules of a registered society.

(2) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 1 on the standard scale.

20 Creation of offences by a society’s rules

A registered society’s rules may provide that any contravention or failure to comply with any of the rules is an offence, punishable on summary conviction by a fine not exceeding such reasonable sum as is specified by the rules.

21 Rules as to fund for purchase of government securities

(1) The rules of a registered society (or a society to be registered under this Act) may make provision for the setting up and administration by the society of a fund for the purchase on behalf of members contributing to the fund of—

(a) defence bonds,

(b) national saving certificates, or

(c) any other securities of Her Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom for the time being prescribed under section 47(1) of the Friendly Societies Act 1974.

(2) The rules may make provision for enabling persons to become members of the society for the purpose only of contributing to that fund and without being entitled to any rights as members other than rights as contributors to that fund.

22 Rules of agricultural, horticultural or forestry society may provide for loans without security

(1) This section applies to a registered society (or a society to be registered under this Act) if—

(a) the society consists mainly of members who are—

(i) producers of agricultural or horticultural produce or persons engaged in forestry, or

(ii) organisations of such producers or persons, and

(b) the society’s object or principal object is the making to its members of advances of money for agricultural, horticultural or forestry purposes.

(2) The fact that the society’s rules provide (or would if amended provide) for the making of such advances without security is not a ground for refusing to register those rules (or the amendment).

23 Supplementary provisions as to rules

(1) The rules of a registered society (or any schedule to them) may specify the form of any instrument necessary for carrying the purposes of the society into effect.

(2) Any provision made by or under this or any other Act requiring or authorising the rules of a registered society to deal with particular matters does not affect the power of a registered society to make rules about any other matter which—

(a) are not inconsistent with the provision (or any other provision of this or any other Act), and

(b) are not otherwise unlawful.