Constitution
1. TITLE
The name of the Society shall be Folkestone Choral Society, hereinafter referred to as the Society.
2. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
The Aims and Objectives of the Society shall be to promote, improve, develop and maintain public education in, and appreciation of, the art and science of choral music in all its aspects, by the presentation of public choral concerts and in such other ways as the Society shall determine from time to time.
3. MEMBERSHIP
The Members of the Society will be those who pay the appropriate annual subscription in advance, unless special arrangements have been made to pay by Standing Order with the last instalment payable before 31st January in the following year. Singing Members will provide such evidence of musical ability as the Committee may require. Regular attendance is expected from Members wishing to perform in concerts. Every Member shall have one vote.
4. OFFICERS, COMMITTEE, MUSICAL DIRECTOR & ACCOMPANIST
5. MANAGEMENT
6. EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
Subject to the financial and musical requirements on all members as set out in Clause 2, no individual shall be excluded from Membership of the Society or de-barred from any official capacity on the Committee on the grounds of gender, race, colour, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or political affiliation.
7. FINANCE
8. PATRONS and FRIENDS
Patrons and Friends will be welcome as individuals or companies. Those making donations to the Society will receive the Society's publicity and may attend (but not vote at) the Annual General Meeting. Patrons' names will be listed in concert programmes and other privileges will be determined by the Committee from time to time.
9. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
10. SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING
A Special General Meeting may be called by the Secretary at the request of the Chairman or any ten Members of the Society stating the object of the meeting and giving at least twenty-one days’ notice. No other business will be transacted except that contained in the notice calling the meeting. Minutes will be kept in writing and will be approved before new business is dealt with at the next General Meeting. Each Member will have one vote, with the Chairman having a (second) casting vote, if required.
11. AMENDMENTS
These rules may be amended by two-thirds of the Members present at a General Meeting, provided twenty-one days’ notice has been given to all Members and that no change will be made to affect the Society's charitable status without the prior agreement of the Charity Commission.
The name of the Society shall be Folkestone Choral Society, hereinafter referred to as the Society.
2. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
The Aims and Objectives of the Society shall be to promote, improve, develop and maintain public education in, and appreciation of, the art and science of choral music in all its aspects, by the presentation of public choral concerts and in such other ways as the Society shall determine from time to time.
3. MEMBERSHIP
The Members of the Society will be those who pay the appropriate annual subscription in advance, unless special arrangements have been made to pay by Standing Order with the last instalment payable before 31st January in the following year. Singing Members will provide such evidence of musical ability as the Committee may require. Regular attendance is expected from Members wishing to perform in concerts. Every Member shall have one vote.
4. OFFICERS, COMMITTEE, MUSICAL DIRECTOR & ACCOMPANIST
- The management of the Society shall be the responsibility of a Committee consisting of the Officers and up to ten other Members of the Society elected annually at the Annual General Meeting. Existing Members may be eligible for re-election. Elected Members of the Committee shall be the Trustees of the Society.
- The officers will be:
- Chairman
- Honorary Secretary
- Honorary Treasurer
- Other Committee posts will be Membership Secretary, Librarian, Publicity Manager, Making Music Representative, Friends and Patrons Secretary, Orchestra Manager, Concert Manager. One person may fulfil more than one role.
- The Committee will have the power to co-opt additional Members who may vote, or other, non-voting Members, as necessary. From time to time the Committee will set the maximum size and membership of the Committee, and may make and alter rules for the conduct of their business. The maximum number of voting Members of the Committee will not exceed fourteen.
- The Committee will, when required, appoint a Musical Director, taking into consideration the views of Members of the Society. In making such an appointment, the Committee will, if appropriate or necessary, advertise the post.
- The position of the Musical Director (currently an honorary, non-contractual one) will be subject to an annual review with reference to the Job Description, under Appendix A. On the appointment of any subsequent Musical Director, a Contract will be offered, based on the Model Contract from Making Music (Appendix B).
- In conjunction with the Musical Director, the Committee will appoint an Accompanist, taking into consideration the views of Members of the Society.
- An honorarium will be offered to the Musical Director, set at the discretion of the Committee. Any such honorarium will be paid termly in arrears.
- Both the Musical Director and the Accompanist will be entitled to be in attendance at Committee and Society meetings, but will not be Trustees or Members of the Society and will have no voting powers at any such meetings.
- Outline Job Descriptions for other Committee posts are included in Appendix C. Each Post-holder will hold a list of Duties and Responsibilities for their post, which will also be held centrally by the Secretary.
5. MANAGEMENT
- Membership, concerts, other events, the control of finance and all other arrangements, which are not delegated specifically to the Musical Director will be the responsibility of the Committee, which will meet at least four times during the year. At least one week’s notice of Committee meetings will normally be given and the agenda will be published to Committee Members in advance.
- The Society will be advised of meetings of the Committee and any Member may propose business for inclusion on the Committee’s agenda, giving notice to the Secretary or Chairman before the meeting.
- The Committee meetings will be chaired by the Chairman or, in his/her absence, by the next Officer in the list of Officers.
- Minutes of Committee meetings will be kept in writing, will be approved at the next meeting before new business is dealt with, and be available to Members to view on request.
- Each Committee Member entitled to vote will have one vote, with the Chairman having a (second) casting vote.
- The Committee may appoint Sub-Committees consisting of at least two Committee Members, who will have power to co-opt non-Committee Members to the Sub-Committee. The Committee will determine the terms of reference of those Sub-Committees. A written record will be kept of their activities, which will be reported promptly to the Committee.
- Six Members including two officers will constitute a quorum for the Committee for voting purposes.
6. EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
Subject to the financial and musical requirements on all members as set out in Clause 2, no individual shall be excluded from Membership of the Society or de-barred from any official capacity on the Committee on the grounds of gender, race, colour, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or political affiliation.
7. FINANCE
- The Committee may increase the amount of annual subscriptions by a maximum of 5 % giving members eight weeks notice of any such increase. Any increase greater than 5 % must be approved by members at a General Meeting.
- The financial year will end on 31st August.
- A banking account(s) will be maintained in the name of the Society and cheques will be signed by the Honorary Treasurer and one other Officer or by two Officers (excluding any Officer who is a payee on any particular cheque), within signing limits and bank mandate arrangements agreed by the Committee.
- The Society may receive donations, grants in aid or financial guarantees and otherwise conduct its financial affairs as it sees fit to meet its Aims and Objectives but will not undertake permanent trading activities. Tickets for concerts and other events will be offered for sale to the general public.
- The income and property of the Society may be applied solely towards promoting the Aims and Objectives of the Society. No portion may be paid or transferred to any Member directly or indirectly, except in payment of expenses legitimately incurred on behalf of the Society.
- The financial accounts shall be prepared and scrutinized in accordance with the requirements of the Inland Revenue and the Charity Commission current at the time and submitted to the Members at the Annual General meeting.
- In the event of the dissolution of the Society, any remaining assets will be transferred to a charitable institution or institutions having similar objects to those of the Society.
8. PATRONS and FRIENDS
Patrons and Friends will be welcome as individuals or companies. Those making donations to the Society will receive the Society's publicity and may attend (but not vote at) the Annual General Meeting. Patrons' names will be listed in concert programmes and other privileges will be determined by the Committee from time to time.
9. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
- The Annual General Meeting will be held within ten weeks of the end of the financial year. Members will be given at least twenty-one days’ notice of the meeting, orally or in writing, with the agenda delivered at or before the rehearsal held fourteen or more days before the meeting.
- Reports from Officers and the annual accounts will be presented and the Officers and Committee for the ensuing year will be elected. Nominations for appointments to the committee may be made in writing to the Secretary with the approval of the Nominee, to be received fourteen days before the date of the meeting. Election will be by ballot. In the event of a tied vote, the Chairman of the meeting will have the casting vote.
- Any Member may propose business for inclusion on the agenda, giving notice to the Secretary or the Chairman before the agenda for the meeting is closed. The meeting will be chaired by the Chairman or, in his /her absence, by the next Officer in the list above. Minutes will be kept in writing and approved at the next meeting before new business is dealt with. Proposals made at the meeting on matters arising from the agenda may, with the Chairman’s agreement, be considered and voted on at the meeting, in addition to the matters on the published agenda, notwithstanding that they have not been shown separately to Members on the agenda.
- Each Member will have one vote, with the Chairman having a (second) casting vote, if required.
- 20% of Members, including two Officers and three committee members, will form a quorum for the meeting; resolutions may be adopted by a majority of the votes cast at the meeting.
10. SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING
A Special General Meeting may be called by the Secretary at the request of the Chairman or any ten Members of the Society stating the object of the meeting and giving at least twenty-one days’ notice. No other business will be transacted except that contained in the notice calling the meeting. Minutes will be kept in writing and will be approved before new business is dealt with at the next General Meeting. Each Member will have one vote, with the Chairman having a (second) casting vote, if required.
- 20% of Members, including two Officers and three committee members, will form a quorum for the meeting; resolutions may be adopted by a majority of the votes cast at the meeting.
11. AMENDMENTS
These rules may be amended by two-thirds of the Members present at a General Meeting, provided twenty-one days’ notice has been given to all Members and that no change will be made to affect the Society's charitable status without the prior agreement of the Charity Commission.