0. VERSION
11.0 - amended at AGM held on 29th January 2013.
1. TITLE
The Society shall be called "Woodley Light Operatic Society."
2. OBJECTS
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:
(a) To promote plays, drama, comedies, operas, operettas and other dramatic and operatic works of educational 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 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.
(e) To do all such things as shall further the objects of the Society.
3. CONSTITUTION
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:
(a) An Acting Member will pay the full membership fee and is eligible to vote at AGMs.
(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.
(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.
(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. Patrons may attend an AGM but are ineligible to vote and pay no fees.
(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.
(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.
(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.
4. ELIGIBILITY FOR MEMBERSHIP
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.
5. APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP
The Committee shall have the right to refuse admission to membership of the Society.
6. CAPABILITIES OF CANDIDATES FOR MEMBERSHIP
Prior to acceptance, all candidates for Acting Membership shall satisfy the Committee as to their histrionic and/or musical ability.
None-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.
7. EXPULSION OF MEMBERS
(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.
(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.
8. OFFICERS
The Officers of the Society shall be the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer.
9. MANAGEMENT
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.
10. ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE
The Officers of the society and Committee Members shall be elected from amongst the Members at an Annual General Meeting. All Officers and Committee Members must be elected at each AGM. Retiring Officers and Committee Members shall be eligible for re-election.
Nominations for election to the Committee as an Officer or a general Committee Member may be made in writing before an Annual General Meeting. Nominations for an individual must be made by two current voting Members of the Society. Nominations may also be accepted for an individual from the Membership present at the AGM. In all cases the Nominee must agree to the nomination.
11. SUB-COMMITTEES
The Committee shall be empowered to appoint Sub-Committees and/or Production Officials and to delegate to such persons any of its powers.
12. CO-OPTION
The Committee shall have power to co-opt when necessary but shall at no time consist of more than seven persons (including 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.
13. FINANCE
(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 on the Society's behalf.
(c) No expenditure or other liability shall be incurred without the sanction of the Committee - except for the Treasurer's petty cash payments.
14. SUBSCRIPTIONS
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.
15. PAYMENT OF SUBSCRIPTIONS
The annual subscription shall be payable on joining the Society and annually, upon that date, thereafter.
16. NON-PAYMENT OF SUBSCRIPTIONS
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.
17. FINANCIAL YEAR
The Financial Year of the Society shall run from the 1st January to the 31st December.
18. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
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. Vice Presidents, Life Members, Acting Members and Non-Acting Members of the Society are eligible to vote at an AGM. Non members may attend an AGM but are not eligible to vote.
19. EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING
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.
20. NOTICE OF GENERAL MEETINGS
Notice of General Meetings shall be sent to all Members at least 14 days prior to the said Meeting.
21. QUORUM AT GENERAL MEETINGS
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.
22. RESOLUTIONS
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.
23. CASTING
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.
24. ACTING MEMBERS
Acting Membership does not necessarily guarantee taking part in any production.
25. REVISION OF CASTING
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.
26. OBLIGATIONS
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.
27. SELECTION OF WORKS
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.
28. COMMITTEE'S POWER
The Committee shall have power to decide any question arising out of these rules and all matters connected with the Society.
29. DISSOLUTION OF THE SOCIETY
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.
30. ALTERATION TO RULES
(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.
(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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