MOULTON DRAMA GROUP - CONSTITUTION:
1. The Society shall be
called Moulton Drama
Group.
2. The object
of the society is to educate
the public in the dramatic
and operatic arts and
to further the development
of public
appreciation and taste in the said
arts, and in furtherance of this object but
not otherwise the society
shall have the following powers:
a. To promote
plays, drama, comedies, opera, operettas, recitals and other dramatic
& operatic works of educative
value.
b. To purchase,
acquire and obtain interests in the copyright of or the right
to perform or show any such
dramatic or operatic
works.
c. To purchase or otherwise acquire
plant, machinery, furniture, fixtures, fittings, scenery and all other
necessary effects.
d. To borrow money subject
to such consent as may be required
by law. To raise funds
and invite and receive contributions
from any persons or persons
whatsoever by way of subscriptions, donation and otherwise: Provided that the society shall
not undertake any permanent trading
activity in raising funds.
e. To do all such things as shall further the objects of the society.
3. The society
shall consist of acting and non-acting
members, & may also include as life
members such other persons as shall have rendered
special service to the society.
4
a. Honorary Offices:
The Annual General Meeting
shall elect a Chairman,
Treasurer and Secretary
and other officers such
as a President or Vice-Presidents as
it may from time to time
determine.
b. Committee:
The policy and general management
of the affairs of the group shall be directed by
a committee comprising 9
members of the group, who shall be elected
by the annual general meeting. The Officers
of the group shall be
members of the committee ex-officio. In addition
the committee
may co-opt further members, who shall be
members of the group, provided
that the number of co-opted
members shall not exceed
one third of the total number of members of the committee as defined above. Any member of
the committee, or such sub-committees as may be formed, who
fails to attend 3
consecutive meetings of the committee or sub-committee without offering reasonable excuse shall be deemed
to have resigned. All
members of the committee shall
retire annually but shall
be eligible to be appointed
or co-opted again.
5. Membership shall be open to all those having
sympathy with
the objects of the society
and desiring actively to further it
and to pay the annual
subscription prescribed by the rules.
6. Applications for acting and non-acting
membership shall be made in writing, signed by the applicant
to the Secretary.
7.
a. Any member
of the society who in the opinion
of the committee confirmed by an extra-ordinary
general meeting of the society shall be guilty
by his actions of misusing the privileges
of the society or of otherwise
bringing the society into contempt or disrepute, may be suspended
by the society.
b. The committee
may, by unanimous vote, remove
from the list of members the name of any member who persistently
neglected the work he has agreed to undertake
for the society and the name of any member
whose conduct they consider likely to endanger
the welfare of the society.
8. The annual subscription to the society shall
be:
£8 for adults,
£10 per family (i.e.. man, wife and any
children under 18
years & living in
the same household) and £1 students receiving full time education, or such other sums as the committee
may from time to time
decide.
9. Life members
may on the nomination and recommendation
of the committee
only, be elected on
such terms as the members
of the society at an annual general
meeting may decide.
10.
a. The funds of the society
shall be applied solely to
the stated objects of the society.
b. No member
of the society
shall receive payment directly or
indirectly for services
to the society or for other than
legitimate expenses incurred
in its work.
11. The financial
year of the society shall begin on 1st April and
an annual Profit and Loss
Account and balance sheet shall be
prepared within two calendar
months after 31st March each
year.
12. The committee shall
have power by ordinary resolution
to suspend any member whose subscription remains unpaid
after 30th September in any year, from exercising all or any of the privileges
of membership until the subscription is paid.
13. Once in each year in the months of April, May or June the committee
shall convene an annual general meeting of the group
which all members of the group shall be entitled
to attend, for the purpose of receiving
the annual report of the committee
and the annual audited accounts, of appointing
honorary officers of the group, of electing members to serve on the committee,
an auditor and whenever necessary, of voting on proposals to amend this constitution
in accordance with clause 24 hereof.
14. An extra-ordinary general
meeting may be called at any time at the discretion of the committee
and shall be called within 21 days after the receipt by the Secretary of a
requisition in writing to that effect signed by at least 8 members. Every such requisition shall specify the
business for which the meeting is being convened and no other business
shall be transacted at such meetings.
15. No business other than the
formal adjournment of the meeting shall be transacted at any general meeting
unless a quorum be present and such quorum shall
consist of not less than 3 persons present and entitled to vote.
16. Unless otherwise provided by
these rules all resolutions brought forward at a general meeting shall be decided by
a bare majority of votes properly recorded at such meeting and in
the case of an equality of votes the Chairman shall have a casting vote.
17. The committee (including the officers) and the
auditor shall retire annually
but shall be eligible for re-election All nominations for these positions shall
be formally proposed and seconded. If more names are proposed than the number
required to fill the vacancies and sufficient names are not withdrawn at such
meeting, the election shall be by ballot. If all the before-mentioned positions shall
not be filled at such meeting or any casual vacancy shall thereafter
occur, the same shall be filled by the remaining members of the committee.
18. A printed notice of every
general meeting shall be sent to every member of the group at least 14 days
prior to the day fixed for such meeting.
19. The committee shall have the
power to appoint such subcommittees as it may from time to time decide and may
determine their powers and terms of reference, provided that all acts and
proceedings of any such sub-committee shall be fully and promptly
reported to the committee. The honorary
officers of the group shall be ex-officio members of all
sub-committees.
20. The committee shall approve the works to be from time to time produced by the society.
21
a. All monies due
and owing to the group
including the entrance fees
and subscriptions of members, shall be recoverable
at law in the name
of the group and
its trustees.
b. The title of all and any real
property which may be acquired by or for the purpose of the group shall be vested
in Trustees who shall be appointed by the committee and who shall enter
into a deed of trust setting forth the purpose and conditions under which
they hold the said property in trust for the group. The number of trustees shall not be less
than 3 nor more than 4 except that a
local council of official custodian may be appointed as sole trustee.
22. The committee shall have the
power to decide any questions arising out of these rules and all other matters
connected with the society (other than and except those which can only be dealt
with by the society in general meeting) and make and maintain and publish
all necessary orders, regulations and bye-laws in connection therewith.
23.
The society shall only be dissolved by resolution passed my a majority of at
least five sixths of the members present and voting at a special general
meeting called for the purpose of
considering such dissolution. In the event of dissolution any balance of cash
remaining in hand after the realisation
of assets and payments of debts shall not
be distributed among the members of the society but shall be applied for
such charitable purposes similar to those of the society or be paid,
distributed or transferred to such charitable institutions or institutions
having objects similar to the objects of the society as the committee with the
consent of the meeting shall determine.
24
a. No alteration of these rules
shall be made except at a general meeting nor unless 21 days prior to such meeting
a written notice of the proposed alteration or one substantially
to the like effect shall have been given to the Secretary who shall give
14 days notice thereof to the members and the resolution
embodying such proposed alteration shall be carried by a majority of at least
two thirds of the votes recorded thereon at the meeting.
b. No alteration may be made
to rules, 2, 23, and 24 without the approval of the Charity Commissioners for
Adopted 5 May 1981