Albrighton & District Civic Society

1. NAME.

The name of the Society shall be the Albrighton & District Civic Society


2. OBJECTS.

The Society is established for the public benefit for the following purposes in the area comprising the parishes of Albrighton, Boningale, Donington-with-Boscobel and Tong and which area shall hereinafter be referred to as “the area of benefit”:-

a) To preserve develop and improve the amenities, environment and other features of the area which combine to make pleasing conditions in which to live and work

b) To stimulate public interest in the care for the character, beauty and history of the area

c) To encourage high standards of architecture and town planning in the area.

In furtherance of the said purposes but not otherwise the Society through its Committee shall have the following powers:-

(1) To promote research into subjects directly connected with the objects of the Society and to publish the results of any such research.

(2) To act as a co-ordinating body and to co-operate with the Local Authority, planning committees, sanitary, drainage and all other local and statutory authorities, voluntary organisations, charities and persons having aims similar to those of the Society.

(3) To promote or assist in promoting activities of a Charitable nature throughout the area of benefit

(4) To publish papers, reports and other literature.

(5) To make surveys and prepare maps and plans and collect information in relation to any place, erection or building of beauty or historic interest within the area of benefit.

(6) To hold meetings, lectures and exhibitions.

(7) To educate public opinion and to give advice and information.

(8) To raise funds and to invite and receive contributions from any person or persons whatsoever by way of subscription, donation and otherwise; provided that the Society shall not undertake any permanent trading activities in raising funds for its primary purposes.

(9) To take and accept any gifts of property, whether subject to any special trusts or not.

(10) To sell, let, mortgage, dispose of or turn to account all or any of the property or funds of the Society as shall be necessary.

(11) To borrow or raise money for the purposes of the Society on such terms and on such security as the Committee shall think fit, but so that the liability of individual members of the Society shall in no case extend beyond the amount of their respective annual subscriptions.

(12) To do all such other things as are necessary for the attainment of the said purposes.


3. MEMBERSHIP

Membership shall be open to all who are interested in actively furthering the purposes of the Society. No member shall have power to vote at any meeting of the Society if his subscription is in arrears at the time. The subscriptions of a member joining the Society in the three months preceding October 1st in any year shall be regarded as covering membership for the Society's year commencing on October 1st following the date of joining the Society.
Junior members shall be those aged over 12 years and less than 18 years at the time their subscription is due, but they shall not be entitled to vote at any meeting of the Society.
The Committee may grant Honorary Life Membership to those who have given exceptional service to the Society or who are deemed to provide exceptional support to the Society. It is expected that there will not normally be more than about ten Honorary Life Members at any one time.


4. SUBSCRIPTIONS

The annual subscriptions shall be:-

Full Members £1.00 per annum

Junior Members £0.50 per annum
(between 12 and 18 years of age)

Family Members £2.00 per annum
(covers all family members living in the same household)

Life Members £10 sum

or such other reasonable sum as the Committee shall determine from time to time, and it shall be payable on or before October 1st each year. Membership shall lapse if the subscription is unpaid three months after it is due.


5. MEETINGS

An Annual General Meeting shall be held in or about October of each year to receive the Committee’s report and audited accounts and to elect Officers and Members of the Committee

The Committee shall decide when ordinary meetings of the Society shall be held and shall give at least seven days notice of such meetings to all members by display in the Village.

Special General Meetings of the Society shall be held at the written request of members representing not less than 10 per cent of the existing membership of the Society and whose subscriptions are fully paid up. Members personally present shall constitute a quorum for a Meeting of the Society, provided they shall be at least six in number.

Nominations for the election of Officers shall be made before the Annual General Meeting by sending to the Secretary the nomination in writing together with the nominee’s written consent at least 7 days before the meeting. Such nominations shall be supported by a seconder and the consent of the proposed nominee must first have been obtained. The elections of Officers shall be completed prior to the election of further Committee members.


6. OFFICERS

The Officers of the Society shall consist of:-

Chairman
Honorary Secretary
Honorary Treasurer

all of whom shall relinquish their office every year and shall be eligible for re-election at the Annual General Meeting. A President and Vice-President may also be elected at a General Meeting of the Society, for periods to be decided at such a Meeting. The Committee shall have the power to fill casual vacancies occurring among the Officers of the Society.

The first Officers of the Society are:-
Chairman: Peter Woodman
Honorary Secretary: Rod Smith
Honorary Treasurer: David Hughes

In addition to the Officers the following shall be the first members of the Committee referred to in paragraph 7 of this Constitution:-
John Bulmer
David Harding
Hugh Hughes
Paul Joseland
Peter Leigh
Malcolm Pate

The first Officers and the first members of the Committee will hold office until the first Annual General Meeting of the Society to be held in 2010 and will be eligible for re-election at that meeting, should they decide to stand.


7. THE COMMITTEE

The Committee shall be responsible for the management and administration of the Society. The Committee shall consist of the Officers and not more than 6 other members. The Committee shall have power to co-opt further members (who shall attend in an advisory and non-voting capacity). The Officers and members of the Committee shall normally be resident or work in the area of benefit but the Committee shall have power to co-opt additional members from outside the area of benefit. The President and Vice-president may attend any meeting of the Committee but shall not vote at any such meeting. In the event of an equality in the votes cast, the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote. Nominations for election to the Committee shall be made in writing to the Secretary at least 7 days before the Annual General Meeting. They must be supported by a seconder and the consent of the proposed nominee must first have been obtained. If the nominations exceed the number of vacancies, a ballot shall take place in such manner as shall be determined. Members of the Committee shall be appointed at the Annual General Meeting of the Society, outgoing members may be re-appointed. The Committee shall meet not less than four times a year at intervals of not more than three months and the Honorary Secretary shall give all members not less than seven day's notice of each Meeting. The quorum shall, as near as may be, comprise one half of the members of the Committee.


8. SUB COMMITTEES

The Committee may constitute such sub-committees from time to time as shall be considered necessary for such purposes as shall be thought fit. The Chairman and Secretary of each sub-comrnittee shall be appointed by the Committee and all actions and proceedings of each sub-committee shall be reported to and be confirmed by the Committee as soon as possible. Members of the Committee may be members of any sub-committee and membership of a sub-committee shall be no bar to appointment to membership of the Committee. Sub-committees shall be subordinate to the Committee and may be regulated or dissolved by the Committee.


9. EXPENSES OF ADMINISTRATION & APPLICATION F FUNDS

The Committee shall, out of the funds of the Society, pay all proper expenses of administration and management of the Society. After the payment of the administration and management expenses and the setting aside to reserve of such sums as may be deemed expedient; the remaining funds of the Society shall be applied by the Committee in furtherance of the purposes of the Society.




10. INVESTMENT

All monies at any time belonging to the Society and not required for immediate application for its purposes shall be invested by the Committee in or upon such investments securities or property as it may think fit, subject nevertheless to such authority, approval or consent as may for the time being be required by law or by the special trusts affecting any property in the hands of the Committee.


11. TRUSTEES

Any freehold and leasehold property acquired by the Society shall and if the Committee so directs any other property belonging to the Society may be vested in trustees who shall deal with such property as the Committee may from time to time direct. Any trustees shall be at least three in number or a trust corporation. The Power of Appointment of new trustees shall be vested in the Committee. A trustee need not be a member of the Society but no person whose membership lapses by virtue of paragraph 3 hereto shall thereafter be qualified to act as a trustee unless and until re-appointed as such by the Committee. The Honorary Secretary shall from time to time notify the trustees in writing of any amendment hereto and the trustees shall not be bound by any such amendment in their duties as trustees unless such notice has been given. The Society shall be bound to indemnify the trustees in their duties (including the proper charge of a trustee being a trust corporation) and liability under such indemnity shall be a proper administrative expense.


12. AMENDMENTS

This Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds majority of members present at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting of the Society, provided that seven days notice of the proposed amendment has been given to all members by notice in the Village and provided that nothing herein contained shall authorise any amendment the effect of which would be to cause the Society at any time to cease to be a charity in law.


13. NOTICES

Any notice required to be given by these Rules shall be deemed to be duly given if left at or sent by prepaid post addressed to the address of that member last notified to the Secretary.


14. WINDING UP

The Society may be dissolved by a two-thirds majority of members voting at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting of the Society confirmed by a simple majority of members voting at a further Special General Meeting held not less than 14 days after the previous Meeting. If a motion for dissolution of the Society is to be proposed at an Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting this motion shall be referred to specifically when notice of the meeting is given. In the event of the dissolution of the Society the available funds of the Society shall be transferred to such one or more charitable institutions having objects similar or reasonably similar to those herein before declared as shall be chosen by the Committee and approved by the Meeting of the Society at which the decision to dissolve the Society is confirmed. On dissolution the minute books and other records of the Society shall be deposited with the Shropshire Archives of Shropshire Council.

 

Copyright (c) 2013 ALBRIGHTON and DISTRICT CIVIC SOCIETY