YATE CHORAL SOCIETY

 

Rules and Constitution

 

1        a) The Choir shall be called The Yate Choral Society, hereinafter referred to as the Society.

b)     It shall be non-political and non-sectarian.

 

2. The Objects

a) The study and practice of Choral music in order to foster public knowledge and appreciation of such music by means of public performance.

 

b) To assist and support such Charitable Institutions or purposes as the     

     Committee shall from time to time determine.

 

3. Membership

a)   There shall be no discrimination concerning membership with regard to race, sex, sexual orientation or age.

b)   A member shall be a person  approved by the Musical Director after audition, duly admitted to membership at a meeting of the Society, and paying the annual subscription at the appropriate rate or rates determined by the Committee.

c)   Any member joining part-way through a session shall pay a pro rata percentage of the full session subscription, as calculated by the Treasurer.

d)   Any former member who has been absent for more than one year and wishes to rejoin the Society will be required to take a further voice test.

e)   The Musical Director has discretion to require any member to take a further voice test as evidence of continued singing ability.

f)   Any member who does not attend the last three rehearsals before a concert may only take part in the concert at the discretion of the Musical Director.

g)   Members are required to wear the choir uniform as agreed by the Committee and the AGM.

h)   For good and sufficient reason the membership of any individual may be terminated by the decision of the Committee, PROVIDED that the individual shall have the right to be heard by the Committee before any decision is made final.

 

4. Officers and Committee 

a)     The Officers of the Society shall be the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer.

b)     Management of the Society shall be carried out by the Committee, consisting of the Officers and five other members, who shall be elected by and out of the Society’s members at the Annual General Meeting, by secret ballot if necessary. They shall hold office for one year and be eligible for re-election.

c)      The Committee shall meet at least four times a year. A quorum shall be four, including at least two of the Officers.

d)     The Committee may co-opt other members if required for purposes of the business of the Society.

e)     At the first meeting following the Annual General Meeting the Committee shall appoint the Vice-Chairman, Musical Director, Accompanist, Publicity Officer(s) and Librarian(s).

f)       The Musical Director shall be an ex officio member of the Committee but shall not have voting rights.

g)     All the arrangements for concerts and other Society events, and the control of finance, shall be in the hands of the Committee. Choice of music shall be in the hands of the Musical Director, subject to the approval of the Committee.

 

5. Finance

a)     The financial year shall end on 31st December.

b)     A suitable bank account shall be maintained in the name of the Society and operated under the signatures of any two signatories from the Officers and one other Committee member nominated by the Committee.

c)       Rates of subscription shall be recommended by the Committee and approved by the Annual General Meeting..

d)     The Society’s accounts shall be independently examined by 31st  January each year by a suitable person appointed at the Annual General Meeting.

e)     Reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by members on the authorised business of the Society will be reimbursed at the discretion of the Committee.

f)       Fees payable to the Musical Director and Accompanist shall be decided annually by the Committee. Should either be absent from a rehearsal or concert, the appropriate fee shall be paid to a substitute.

g)     The Society may receive donations, grants and financial guarantees, and tickets for any or all of its concerts and other events may be offered for sale to the public at rates decided by the Committee.

h)     The income and property of the Society whencesoever derived shall be applied solely towards promoting the objects of the Society as stated

in Rule 2 above and no portion thereof shall be paid or transferred either directly or indirectly to any member or members of the Society except in payment of legitimate expenses incurred on behalf of the Society.

 

6. Annual General Meeting

 

a)     All members shall be notified at least fourteen days in advance of the Annual General Meeting which shall be held not later than March each year. Nominations for the Officers and Committee shall be submitted to the Secretary not less than ten days before the meeting.

b)     The Annual General Meeting shall receive and be asked to approve the accounts for the previous year.

c)      The Annual General Meeting shall elect the Officers and Committee as laid down in Rule 4b above, and appoint a suitable person to examine the accounts as laid down in Rule 5d above.

d)     An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called at the written request of at least four members, giving at least fourteen days’ notice.

e)     The Rules of the Society shall only be altered at the Annual General Meeting or at a duly called Extraordinary General Meeting. Fourteen days’ notice of any proposed alterations shall be sent to all members and a two-thirds majority of those attending shall be required for any alteration to be ratified.

f)       No alteration shall be made which would cause the Society to cease at any time to be a Charity at law and no change shall be made to this Rule 6f or to Rule 7 without the written approval of the Charity Commission.

 

7. Dissolution of the Society

 

a)     If at an Annual General or Extraordinary General Meeting the members vote for the winding up or dissolution of the Society, any assets remaining after the satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities shall not be distributed among the members but shall be given or transferred to some Charitable Institution or Institutions having objects similar to those of the Society and whose rules preclude the distribution or income and assets among its or their members.

b)     Such Institution or Institutions shall be determined by the members at or before the time of dissolution and in so far as effect cannot be given to such provision then to some Charitable object.

 

8. A copy of these Rules and Constitution shall be given to each member.

 

 

DATED:-    6TH JANUARY 2009