| 0. | VERSION |
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10.0 - amended at AGM held on 26th January 2010. |
| 1. | TITLE |
| The Society shall be called “Woodley Light Operatic Society.” |
| 2. | OBJECTS |
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The objects of the Society is to educate the public in the dramatic and operatic
arts, to further the development of public appreciation and taste in the said
arts, to assist and further such charitable institutions and charitable purposes
as the Committee shall from time to time determine, and in furtherance of these
objects, but not otherwise, the Society, through its Management Committee, shall
have the following powers:
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| (a) |
To promote plays, drama, comedies, operas, operettas and other dramatic and
operatic works of educational value.
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| (b) |
To purchase, acquire and obtain interests in the copyright of, or the right
to perform or show, any such dramatic or operatic works.
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| (c) |
To purchase or otherwise acquire plant, machinery, furniture, fixtures,
fittings, scenery and all other necessary effects.
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| (d) |
To raise funds and invite and receive contributions from any persons or
person whatsoever by way of subscription, donation and otherwise; provided
that the Society shall not undertake any permanent trading activities in
raising funds.
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| (e) |
To do all such things as shall further the objects of the Society.
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| 3. | CONSTITUTION |
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The Society shall consist of Acting Members, Non–Acting Members, Life Members,
Honorary Members, Patrons, an Honorary President and Vice-Presidents. The fees
paid and basis of membership is more fully described below:
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| (a) |
An Acting Member will pay the full membership fee and is eligible to vote at
AGMs.
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| (b) |
Senior Acting Members who are 60 and over, Student Acting Members who are
in full time education and Unemployed Acting Members pay a reduced fee and
are eligible to vote at AGMs. A Non–Acting Member will pay a reduced fee and
is eligible to vote at AGMs.
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| (c) |
A Life Member is an Acting or Non–Acting Member of the Society who has given
at least 25 consecutive or accumulated years service to the Society and who
has provided additional exceptional service to the Society e.g. on the
Committee or some other capacity. Any eligible voting member may nominate
someone, providing details of the basis of the application, as a Life Member.
This nomination should be made to the Committee and should be seconded by an
eligible voting member. Nominations will be assessed and decided on by the
Committee. Life Members do not need to pay annual subscriptions and are
eligible to vote at AGMs, but they do have to pay show fees.
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| (d) |
Patrons are those who provide financial or other tangible support to the
Society and are recognised as such on the Society's website and as
appropriate in a programme. A register of Patrons will be maintained by the
Secretary or other nominated member of the Committee. They are not eligible
to vote at AGMs.
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| (e) |
An Honorary Member is someone who has not been an on-going member, Acting or
Non–Acting of the Society, but has provided, over a period not less than 10
consecutive or cumulative years, outstanding service to the Society. Any
eligible voting member may nominate someone, providing details of the basis
of the application, as an Honorary Member. This nomination should be made to
the Committee and should be seconded by an eligible voting member.
Nominations will be assessed and decided on by the Committee. Honorary
Members may attend an AGM but are ineligible to vote and pay no fees.
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| (f) |
An Honorary President is someone who the Committee believes will be an
ambassador for the Society. He/she will not pay membership fees. Honorary
Members may attend an AGM but are ineligible to vote and pay no fees.
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| (g) |
A Vice President is someone who is recognised for their service to the
Society and who has been an Acting or Non–Acting Member for a consecutive or
accumulated period of at least 10 years and has rendered outstanding service
on the committee and or in some other capacity. Any eligible voting member
may nominate someone, providing details of the basis of the application, as
a Vice President. This nomination should be made to the Committee and should
be seconded by an eligible voting member. Nominations will be assessed and
decided on by the Committee. Vice Presidents have to pay membership fees and
are eligible to vote at AGMs. |
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| 4. | ELIGIBILITY FOR MEMBERSHIP |
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Membership shall be open to all those having sympathy with the objects of the
Society and desiring actively to further them and to pay the annual subscription
as approved at the Annual General Meeting.
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| 5. | APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP |
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The Committee shall have the right to refuse admission to membership of the
Society.
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| 6. | CAPABILITIES OF CANDIDATES FOR MEMBERSHIP |
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Prior to acceptance, all candidates for Acting Membership shall satisfy the
Committee as to their histrionic and/or musical ability.
Non–Acting membership is available but if a Non–Acting member wishes to upgrade
to Acting status for part of the year the remainder of the full amount of the
yearly Acting membership must be paid after successful audition if appropriate.
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| 7. | EXPULSION OF MEMBERS |
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| (a) |
Any member of the Society who, in the opinion of the Committee, confirmed by
an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Society, shall be guilty by their
actions of misusing the privileges of the Society or of otherwise bringing
the Society into contempt or disrepute, may be suspended or expelled from
the Society.
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| (b) |
The Committee may, by unanimous vote, remove from the list of Members the
name of any Acting Member who has persistently neglected the work undertaken
by the Society or the name of any Member whose conduct they consider likely
to endanger the Welfare of the Society.
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| 8. | OFFICERS |
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The Officers of the Society shall be the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer and
shall be elected from amongst the Members at an Annual General Meeting. Normal
tenure of Office shall be ideally for periods of two years, with Officers retiring
by rote in order to provide continuity. All Officers must be re–elected at each AGM.
Retiring Officers shall be eligible for re–election.
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| 9. | MANAGEMENT |
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The Society shall be managed by a Committee of the above mentioned Officers and
four Acting and Non–Acting Members of the Society. Four Committee Members, of
whom one must be an Officer, shall be a quorum. In the event of any split
decisions in Committee Meetings, the Chairman shall have a second casting vote.
Normal tenure of committee membership shall be ideally for periods of two years,
with retiring by rote in order to provide continuity. All
committee members must be re–elected at each AGM. Retiring comittee members
shall be eligible for re–election.
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| 10. | ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE |
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Nominations for Officers and Committee shall be elected at the Annual General
Meeting may be accepted from the Membership present at that Meeting or in
writing beforehand, subject to the prior agreement of the Nominee. |
| 11. | SUB–COMMITTEES |
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The Committee shall be empowered to appoint Sub–Committees and/or Production
Officials and to delegate to such persons any of its powers.
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| 12. | CO–OPTION |
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The Committee shall have power to co–opt when necessary but shall at no time
consist of more than seven persons (excluding the Officers). Vacancies on
Committee shall be filled by co–option until the next Annual General Meeting but
co–opted Members must be the minority. If a vacancy is that of an Officer, then
the Committee shall, after co–opting a new Member, elect one of its number to
perform the Office in an acting capacity until the next Annual General Meeting.
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| 13. | FINANCE |
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| (a) |
The funds of the Society shall be applied solely to the stated objects of
the Society.
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| (b) |
No Member of the Society shall receive payment directly or indirectly for
services to the Society or for other than legitimate expenses incurred on
the Society’s behalf.
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| (c) |
No expenditure or other liability shall be incurred without the sanction of
the Committee — except for the Treasurer’s petty cash payments.
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| 14. | SUBSCRIPTIONS |
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The annual subscription to the Society shall be approved at an A.G.M. and shall
be paid by all members. There will be reduced rates for Students (in full time
education), Seniors (over 60) and Unemployed.
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| 15. | PAYMENT OF SUBSCRIPTIONS |
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The annual subscription shall be payable on joining the Society and annually,
upon that date, thereafter.
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| 16. | NON-PAYMENT OF SUBSCRIPTIONS |
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The Committee shall have the power to suspend any member whose subscription
remains unpaid after a reasonable time, and the name of any member may be erased
from the register at the discretion of the Committee.
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| 17. | FINANCIAL YEAR |
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The Financial Year of the Society shall run from the 1st January to the 31st
December.
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| 18. | ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING |
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The Annual General Meeting shall be held each year during the month of January
when the reports of the Committee and the audited accounts for the previous year
shall be presented. Officers and other members of the Committee for the ensuing
year shall be elected, two auditors shall be appointed and all general business
transacted. All members whether Acting or Non–Acting are eligible to vote at an
AGM. Non members may attend an AGM but are not eligible to vote.
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| 19. | EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING |
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An Extraordinary General Meeting of the Society may be called at any time at the
discretion of the Committee or shall be called within 21 days after the receipt
by the Committee of a directive in writing to that effect, signed by at least 12
Members of the Society. Any such directive shall specify the business for which
the meeting is convened and no other business shall be conducted at the meeting.
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| 20. | NOTICE OF GENERAL MEETINGS |
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Notice of General Meetings shall be sent to all Members at least 14 days prior
to the said Meeting.
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| 21. | QUORUM AT GENERAL MEETINGS |
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No business shall be transacted at a General Meeting unless a quorum is present
and such quorum shall consist of at least 25% of the paid up membership.
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| 22. | RESOLUTIONS |
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All Resolutions (apart from alterations to the Constitution as outlined in
Article 30) to be considered at a General Meeting shall be submitted in writing
to the Secretary not less than 7 clear days prior to the date of such meeting.
Except for matters as outlined in Articles 29 and 30 of this Constitution,
resolutions shall be decided by a bare majority of votes properly recorded. In
the case of equality of votes, the Chairman of the Meeting shall have a casting
vote, except for Resolutions covered in Articles 29 and 30.
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| 23. | CASTING |
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The cast for any production shall be selected by a Sub–Committee appointed for
this purpose. Such a Sub–Committee shall normally be comprised of the Production
Team and such other persons as appointed by the Committee.
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| 24. | ACTING MEMBERS |
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Acting Membership does not necessarily guarantee taking part in any production.
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| 25. | REVISION OF CASTING |
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The Production Team, either of its own volition or on the recommendation of the
Committee shall have the power to revise the cast of a show if any member to
whom a part has been allocated shall in its opinion prove unsuitable for the
part.
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| 26. | OBLIGATIONS |
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Members shall to their best of their ability play the parts assigned to them,
whether principal or chorus and obey the directions of the Management at all
rehearsals and performances.
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| 27. | SELECTION OF WORKS |
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The Committee shall, at an appropriate time, request Members to suggest, in
writing, productions for consideration by the Committee, with a view to possible
selection by them. The final decision as to the work to be performed shall be at
the discretion of the Committee.
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| 28. | COMMITTEE’S POWER |
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The Committee shall have power to decide any question arising out of these rules
and all matters connected with the Society.
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| 29. | DISSOLUTION OF THE SOCIETY |
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The Society shall only be dissolved by resolution passed by a majority of at
least five sixths of the Members present and voting at a Special General Meeting
called for the purpose of considering the dissolution. In the event of
dissolution any balance of cash remaining in hand after realisation of assets
and payment 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 consent of the meeting, shall determine.
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| 30. | ALTERATION TO RULES |
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| (a) |
No alteration to the Constitution shall be made except at a General Meeting,
nor unless 21 days prior to such a meeting a written notice of the proposed
alteration, or of one substantially to the like effect, shall have been
given to the Secretary who shall give 14 days notice thereof to the Members.
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.
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| (b) |
No alteration may be made to Articles 2, 29 and 30 of this Constitution
without the approval of the Charity Commissioners for England and Wales or
other Authority having charitable jurisdiction from time to time.
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