Maldens and Coombe Heritage Society Constitution
1 The name of the organisation shall be "Maldens and Coombe Heritage Society”
2 The object of the organisation shall be to promote awareness of the Maldens and Coombe its rich history and to compile and archive of the history.
3 Membership shall be open to all those who have paid their membership subscription.
4 The subscription shall comprise either quarterly, half yearly or annual membership.
5 An Annual General Meeting shall be held in September each year at which the Officers and an auditor shall be elected and an audited statement of the organisation's financial position presented.
6 Apart from the Annual General Meeting, General Meetings shall be called whenever deemed necessary. At least fourteen (14) days' notice in writing shall be given, summoning members to a General Meeting and for the AGM.
7 The business of the organisation between General Meetings shall be conducted by the elected Officers (Chairperson, Vice Chair, Secretary and Treasurer) and other co-opted members as necessary, answerable to the membership attending General Meetings.
8 Between AGMs any Officer or the auditor may resign by written notice to the Secretary, and the Chairperson shall have the power to co-opt additional members to fill such vacancies as arise temporarily, until ratification or replacement by majority vote at the next General Meeting.
9 The control of finance shall be in the hands of the Maldens and Coombe Heritage Society, who shall appoint a Treasurer for this purpose.
10 All monies received shall be paid into a dedicated bank account in the name of “Maldens and Coombe Heritage Society”
11 All monies raised from subscription, personal donation award of grant will become part of the main finances of the organisation and paid into said account.
12 All monies expended shall be solely for the purposes of the organisation.
13 ‘Expenditure’ shall be a mandatory item on the agenda of each and every meeting.
14 It is likely that expenditure shall comprise: ‘day to day’ expenditure (for example, for administrative purposes, post, stationery, etc.), ‘expenses’ and ‘extraordinary expenditure’ (for example, procurement of equipment, payment for ‘specialist services’ services, etc.)
15 Monies expended for ‘day to day’ expenditure shall require the authorisation of a minimum of two officers of the organisation.
16 Monies expended for all other purposes shall be ‘projected’ and raised on the meeting agenda as ‘required future expenditure’. Authorisation for such expenditure shall comprise a proposal for expenditure, discussion (if required), a ballot of attendees and the return of a majority vote for expenditure from the attendees of the meeting.
17 Should expenditure not be authorised following a vote by the attendees of the meeting but be considered by the officers of the organisation as necessary the item can be raised at a subsequent meeting with further explanation provided and a second vote taken.
18 The process for such a second vote shall be that, as a minimum, the attendees of the first meeting and ballot be notified of the intent to progress a second vote, thus enabling any party or parties who voted against the proposed expenditure to be provided an opportunity to vote in the second ballot.
19 Following a second ballot not authorising expenditure the item shall not be raised on the agenda again for a minimum of 6 months following the second ballot where after it shall be raised as a ‘new’ item and the process will begin again with a primary ballot.
20 Where monies have been received by formal grant or grants, as opposed to personal donation, the expenditure of monies comprising the grant or grants shall be clearly and individually identified and tracked to enable external auditing at any stage by the party or parties providing the initial grant or grants.
21 In the event of termination and or cessation of the organisation the balance of monies in the organisation’s dedicated bank account accounts whether from personal donation, from subscription, from such a grant or grants shall be paid to a registered charity or to registered charities the name or names of which shall be previously stated by the party or parties providing the grant or grants or in the event that such direction is not provided then as mutually agreed following a ballot of attendees at the ‘final’ meeting.
22 In the event of termination or cessation of the organisation any and all accrued assets (for example, equipment, etc.) shall be sold to achieve the best return for the organisation and via a recognised ‘market’ (for example, eBay or equal). The sale of all such equipment shall be preceded by notification to the membership that all such items are to be sold and the market and dates of the sale fully and equally enabling any interested member to enter a bid on the ‘general market of sale’
23 All monies received from the sale of such assets shall be paid into the said dedicated account and thus subsequently paid to the recognised charity as aforesaid.
24 In the event of termination or cessation of the organisation any accrued ‘archive’ (for example photos, correspondence, anecdotes, etc.) shall be forwarded to the Kingston upon Thames Local History room.
25 The financial year shall run from the first of April to the thirty-first of March each year.
26 The accounts of the organisation shall be audited by the independent examiner before the AGM. The independent examiner shall be appointed by the AGM and may not be a member of the Committee during his/her term of office.
27 All members present at any General Meeting are eligible to vote and decisions other than amendments to the Constitution shall be taken on a simple majority. The Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds majority of members present at an AGM or an Extraordinary General Meeting, provided that 14 (fourteen) days' notice of the proposed amendment has been conveyed in writing to all members.
28 The Secretary shall call a meeting, if required to do so, attended by not less than 5 members.
29 Elected officers can sit in their elected role for a maximum of two years following which they shall step down and make way for a different member to take the role.
30 The maximum period of two years may be extended under extraordinary circumstances and on the majority vote of the membership where, for example, there is no party wishing to seek election to the office.
31 Elected officers retain the right to resign from office but where possible should endeavour to provide advance notice of their intent to do so. It is accepted that illness and a change of personal circumstances may not enable such advance notice to be provided.
32 Elected officers may be removed from office prior to the AGM following a ‘secret’ ballot and majority vote for such removal. The process for removal shall comprise a ‘proposal’ to seek removal of an officer being received from a member (clearly stating the basis for the request to remove) and being seconded by a separate member. The proposal and call for a secret ballot shall then be identified on the agenda for the next meeting such that all parties and members wishing to attend can partake in the ballot.
33 At the meeting the proposal to remove shall be raised and discussed enabling the parties proposing and seconding the proposal to clarify and explain their reasoning followed by the elected officer having the opportunity to respond. After clarification and response the secret ballot of attendees shall be taken and the majority vote considered as final.
34 It is stated that the object of the organisation shall be to promote awareness of the Maldens and Coombe its rich history and to compile and archive of the history. The membership has a right to be advised should an elected officer have conflicting interests although it is not initially envisaged that there would be such. It follows therefore that each and all elected officers are required to state and declare their interests if these can be, in any way, be construed as being in direct conflict to the aims and the development of the organisation.
Constitution 30th June 2012
2 The object of the organisation shall be to promote awareness of the Maldens and Coombe its rich history and to compile and archive of the history.
3 Membership shall be open to all those who have paid their membership subscription.
4 The subscription shall comprise either quarterly, half yearly or annual membership.
5 An Annual General Meeting shall be held in September each year at which the Officers and an auditor shall be elected and an audited statement of the organisation's financial position presented.
6 Apart from the Annual General Meeting, General Meetings shall be called whenever deemed necessary. At least fourteen (14) days' notice in writing shall be given, summoning members to a General Meeting and for the AGM.
7 The business of the organisation between General Meetings shall be conducted by the elected Officers (Chairperson, Vice Chair, Secretary and Treasurer) and other co-opted members as necessary, answerable to the membership attending General Meetings.
8 Between AGMs any Officer or the auditor may resign by written notice to the Secretary, and the Chairperson shall have the power to co-opt additional members to fill such vacancies as arise temporarily, until ratification or replacement by majority vote at the next General Meeting.
9 The control of finance shall be in the hands of the Maldens and Coombe Heritage Society, who shall appoint a Treasurer for this purpose.
10 All monies received shall be paid into a dedicated bank account in the name of “Maldens and Coombe Heritage Society”
11 All monies raised from subscription, personal donation award of grant will become part of the main finances of the organisation and paid into said account.
12 All monies expended shall be solely for the purposes of the organisation.
13 ‘Expenditure’ shall be a mandatory item on the agenda of each and every meeting.
14 It is likely that expenditure shall comprise: ‘day to day’ expenditure (for example, for administrative purposes, post, stationery, etc.), ‘expenses’ and ‘extraordinary expenditure’ (for example, procurement of equipment, payment for ‘specialist services’ services, etc.)
15 Monies expended for ‘day to day’ expenditure shall require the authorisation of a minimum of two officers of the organisation.
16 Monies expended for all other purposes shall be ‘projected’ and raised on the meeting agenda as ‘required future expenditure’. Authorisation for such expenditure shall comprise a proposal for expenditure, discussion (if required), a ballot of attendees and the return of a majority vote for expenditure from the attendees of the meeting.
17 Should expenditure not be authorised following a vote by the attendees of the meeting but be considered by the officers of the organisation as necessary the item can be raised at a subsequent meeting with further explanation provided and a second vote taken.
18 The process for such a second vote shall be that, as a minimum, the attendees of the first meeting and ballot be notified of the intent to progress a second vote, thus enabling any party or parties who voted against the proposed expenditure to be provided an opportunity to vote in the second ballot.
19 Following a second ballot not authorising expenditure the item shall not be raised on the agenda again for a minimum of 6 months following the second ballot where after it shall be raised as a ‘new’ item and the process will begin again with a primary ballot.
20 Where monies have been received by formal grant or grants, as opposed to personal donation, the expenditure of monies comprising the grant or grants shall be clearly and individually identified and tracked to enable external auditing at any stage by the party or parties providing the initial grant or grants.
21 In the event of termination and or cessation of the organisation the balance of monies in the organisation’s dedicated bank account accounts whether from personal donation, from subscription, from such a grant or grants shall be paid to a registered charity or to registered charities the name or names of which shall be previously stated by the party or parties providing the grant or grants or in the event that such direction is not provided then as mutually agreed following a ballot of attendees at the ‘final’ meeting.
22 In the event of termination or cessation of the organisation any and all accrued assets (for example, equipment, etc.) shall be sold to achieve the best return for the organisation and via a recognised ‘market’ (for example, eBay or equal). The sale of all such equipment shall be preceded by notification to the membership that all such items are to be sold and the market and dates of the sale fully and equally enabling any interested member to enter a bid on the ‘general market of sale’
23 All monies received from the sale of such assets shall be paid into the said dedicated account and thus subsequently paid to the recognised charity as aforesaid.
24 In the event of termination or cessation of the organisation any accrued ‘archive’ (for example photos, correspondence, anecdotes, etc.) shall be forwarded to the Kingston upon Thames Local History room.
25 The financial year shall run from the first of April to the thirty-first of March each year.
26 The accounts of the organisation shall be audited by the independent examiner before the AGM. The independent examiner shall be appointed by the AGM and may not be a member of the Committee during his/her term of office.
27 All members present at any General Meeting are eligible to vote and decisions other than amendments to the Constitution shall be taken on a simple majority. The Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds majority of members present at an AGM or an Extraordinary General Meeting, provided that 14 (fourteen) days' notice of the proposed amendment has been conveyed in writing to all members.
28 The Secretary shall call a meeting, if required to do so, attended by not less than 5 members.
29 Elected officers can sit in their elected role for a maximum of two years following which they shall step down and make way for a different member to take the role.
30 The maximum period of two years may be extended under extraordinary circumstances and on the majority vote of the membership where, for example, there is no party wishing to seek election to the office.
31 Elected officers retain the right to resign from office but where possible should endeavour to provide advance notice of their intent to do so. It is accepted that illness and a change of personal circumstances may not enable such advance notice to be provided.
32 Elected officers may be removed from office prior to the AGM following a ‘secret’ ballot and majority vote for such removal. The process for removal shall comprise a ‘proposal’ to seek removal of an officer being received from a member (clearly stating the basis for the request to remove) and being seconded by a separate member. The proposal and call for a secret ballot shall then be identified on the agenda for the next meeting such that all parties and members wishing to attend can partake in the ballot.
33 At the meeting the proposal to remove shall be raised and discussed enabling the parties proposing and seconding the proposal to clarify and explain their reasoning followed by the elected officer having the opportunity to respond. After clarification and response the secret ballot of attendees shall be taken and the majority vote considered as final.
34 It is stated that the object of the organisation shall be to promote awareness of the Maldens and Coombe its rich history and to compile and archive of the history. The membership has a right to be advised should an elected officer have conflicting interests although it is not initially envisaged that there would be such. It follows therefore that each and all elected officers are required to state and declare their interests if these can be, in any way, be construed as being in direct conflict to the aims and the development of the organisation.
Constitution 30th June 2012