Constitution
1. Name: The Society shall be called Hildenborough History Society (The Society).
2. Objectives: The Hildenborough History Society was founded to create an archive of local historical material, which will be made available both to local residents and historians in general; to promote the advancement of education by developing public interest in all aspects of local history and to provide a programme of meetings with presentations on historical subjects connected to Hildenborough and its environs.
3. Powers: To further these aims the committee shall have power to:
(a) Obtain, collect and receive money or funds by way of contributions, donations, grants and any other lawful method towards the aims of The Society.
(b) Do all such lawful things as will further the aims of The Society.
4. Management:
.
(a) A Management Committee (Committee) elected annually at the Annual General Meeting shall manage The Society.
(b) The committee shall consist of a chairman, vice chairman, secretary, treasurer, and four other voting members.
(c) The committee may co-opt further voting members who shall resign at the next Annual General Meeting.
(d) The committee shall meet at least four times each year. Special meetings may be called by an Officer who by agreement with all Committee members arrange a date, place and time.
(e) One half of the committee being present shall enable the business of The Society to be carried out, so long as at least one officer is present.
(f) A proper record of all transactions and meetings shall be kept in the Minute Book. .Minutes of proceedings shall be made available to all Group members.
(g) The functions and powers of the Committee shall be to conduct the business of The Society within the overall policy of the Society as laid down at the Annual General Meeting.
(h) The Committee may delegate part of the management to a Sub-Committee. The Sub-Committee must report its acts and proceedings fully and promptly to the Committee.
5. Membership:
(a) Voting membership shall be open to any person interested in actively furthering the purposes of The Society upon completion of The Society’s application form and contributing an annual subscription, the amount of which shall be determined from time to time at a general meeting, and shall be entitled to attend and vote at all general meetings of The Society as long as his or her current subscription has been paid.
(b) The Management Committee shall have the power to approve or reject applications for membership or to terminate the membership of any member whose subscription is more than two years in arrears. The Committee shall have the right for good and sufficient reason to terminate the membership of any person provided that said person shall have the right to attend and be heard by the Committee before the decision is made by the Committee.
6. Subscriptions: Adult subscription.... £5 per annum
Student subscription.... £2.50 per annum
Honorary members appointed by the Committee.... Nil
Visitors.... £2 per meeting
7. General Meetings:
(a) An Annual General Meeting shall be held within 15 months of the date of the adoption of this constitution and each year thereafter by 15th May in each year. Officers and Committee members shall be elected the audited accounts presented an auditor appointed and any other relevant business conducted.
(b) Twenty one days notice of the AGM shall be given and an agenda circulated to members before the meeting.
(c) One third of members present shall be a quorum. The retiring Secretary shall conduct the election of the Chairman who will then conduct the rest of the elections and the meeting. Officers and members shall be elected by majority vote of members at an Annual General Meeting. Should places on the Committee fall vacant during the year the Committee shall have the power to co-opt members to fill any vacancy that may arise. Voting shall be decided by a majority show of hands. Minutes of the previous AGM shall be read and agreed as correct or amended.
(d) A Special General Meeting may be called at any time at the request of the committee, or not less than one quarter of the membership. A notice explaining the place, date, time and reason shall be sent to all members 21 days beforehand. One third of members present shall be a quorum.
(e) Proposals to change the constitution must be given in writing to the secretary at least 28 days before a general meeting and approved by two thirds majority of those present and voting.
(a) Voting membership shall be open to any person interested in actively furthering the purposes of The Society upon completion of The Society’s application form and contributing an annual subscription, the amount of which shall be determined from time to time at a general meeting, and shall be entitled to attend and vote at all general meetings of The Society as long as his or her current subscription has been paid.
(b) The Management Committee shall have the power to approve or reject applications for membership or to terminate the membership of any member whose subscription is more than two years in arrears. The Committee shall have the right for good and sufficient reason to terminate the membership of any person provided that said person shall have the right to attend and be heard by the Committee before the decision is made by the Committee.
6. Subscriptions: Adult subscription.... £5 per annum
Student subscription.... £2.50 per annum
Honorary members appointed by the Committee.... Nil
Visitors.... £2 per meeting
7. General Meetings:
(a) An Annual General Meeting shall be held within 15 months of the date of the adoption of this constitution and each year thereafter by 15th May in each year. Officers and Committee members shall be elected the audited accounts presented an auditor appointed and any other relevant business conducted.
(b) Twenty one days notice of the AGM shall be given and an agenda circulated to members before the meeting.
(c) One third of members present shall be a quorum. The retiring Secretary shall conduct the election of the Chairman who will then conduct the rest of the elections and the meeting. Officers and members shall be elected by majority vote of members at an Annual General Meeting. Should places on the Committee fall vacant during the year the Committee shall have the power to co-opt members to fill any vacancy that may arise. Voting shall be decided by a majority show of hands. Minutes of the previous AGM shall be read and agreed as correct or amended.
(d) A Special General Meeting may be called at any time at the request of the committee, or not less than one quarter of the membership. A notice explaining the place, date, time and reason shall be sent to all members 21 days beforehand. One third of members present shall be a quorum.
(e) Proposals to change the constitution must be given in writing to the secretary at least 28 days before a general meeting and approved by two thirds majority of those present and voting.
8. Accounts:
(a) The funds of The Society including all subscriptions, donations, contributions and bequests, shall be paid into a bank account operated by the management committee in the name of the Society. All cheques drawn on the account must be signed by at least two officers of the Management Committee.
(b) The funds belonging to The Society shall be applied only to further the objects.
(c) A current record of all income, funding and expenditure will be kept.
9. Financial Year: Shall run from 1st April to 31st March. Audited accounts shall be presented to members at the AGM.
10. Dissolution:
The Society may be dissolved by resolution passed by two thirds of those present and voting at a Special General Meeting convened for this purpose. Such resolution may give instructions for the disposal of any assets held by or in the name of The Society provided that if any property remains after the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities such property shall not be paid to or distributed among members of The Society but shall be given or transferred to such other institution or institutions having objects similar to some, or all, of the objects of The Society.
Chairman....………………….…………...........……...……….…… Signed…………………….….…………… Date....................................
Vice Chairman...……………………………...….……………….… Signed……………………….………….... Date....................................
Secretary...……………………………………...….……………….. Signed…………………………………… Date....................................
Treasurer...…………………………………...…….….………….... Signed…………………………………… Date....................................
(a) The funds of The Society including all subscriptions, donations, contributions and bequests, shall be paid into a bank account operated by the management committee in the name of the Society. All cheques drawn on the account must be signed by at least two officers of the Management Committee.
(b) The funds belonging to The Society shall be applied only to further the objects.
(c) A current record of all income, funding and expenditure will be kept.
9. Financial Year: Shall run from 1st April to 31st March. Audited accounts shall be presented to members at the AGM.
10. Dissolution:
The Society may be dissolved by resolution passed by two thirds of those present and voting at a Special General Meeting convened for this purpose. Such resolution may give instructions for the disposal of any assets held by or in the name of The Society provided that if any property remains after the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities such property shall not be paid to or distributed among members of The Society but shall be given or transferred to such other institution or institutions having objects similar to some, or all, of the objects of The Society.
Chairman....………………….…………...........……...……….…… Signed…………………….….…………… Date....................................
Vice Chairman...……………………………...….……………….… Signed……………………….………….... Date....................................
Secretary...……………………………………...….……………….. Signed…………………………………… Date....................................
Treasurer...…………………………………...…….….………….... Signed…………………………………… Date....................................