| Administrative History | The Council, or Area Council, was the main governing body of the Derbyshire Miners' Association (DMA) and, from 1945, the National Union of Mineworkers (Derbyshire Area). When the DMA was formed in 1880 the Council consisted of a President, Secretary, Treasurer and, according to the DMA's first set of rules, 'one experienced member duly elected (as Delegate), by and from each of the financial Lodges composing the Association'. Each lodge, or branch, had one vote if its membership numbered fifty or under, with additional votes granted for every other set of fifty members. From 1905 the Council held monthly meetings, with branches invited to submit questions and agenda items prior to the meetings. The branches themselves were regulated by the Council, and no new branches could be created without its permission. The Secretary, or Area Secretary, was controlled and directed by the Council, and acted on decisions reached by the Council through a vote.
An Area Executive Committee was formed at the same time as the DMA and its Council. The purpose of the Committee was to supervise the administration of the union between Council meetings, and later it would be responsible for liaising with the National Executive Committee of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM). The DMA's first set of rules, published in 1880, suggested that an Executive Committee be formed of no less than nine members, including the President, Secretary and Treasurer. The rules were amended in 1883 to no less than five or more than nine, and again in 1888 when the Council decided that the Executive Committee should have nine members. In 1910 a panel system was introduced: the branches were organised into twelve panels with each electing a member to the Executive Committee. The revised rules of that year allowed for an Executive Committee for no less than five or no more than twelve members in addition to the President, Vice-President, Secretaries and Treasurer.
No person aged sixty or over was eligible for election as an Area Executive Official, and only members who had made financial contributions to the union for more than twelve months could be considered eligible. |