Chepstow Choral Society
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Constitution

| 1. Title | 2. Object | 3. Membership | 4. Musical Director & Assistant Musical Director | | 5. Management of the Society | 6. Finance | 7. General Meetings | Back to Members' Area |

1. Title The title of the organisation shall be called Chepstow Choral Society, "the Society" 2. Object The objects of the Society are:- • To promote and encourage the art of music within the community by giving two or more public concert performances of choral music per year. • To promote and encourage participation of young people in the performance and enjoyment of live performances of choral and other music. 3. Membership Membership is open to all, regardless of sex, race, colour, sexual orientation or political affiliation. Members of the Society shall be those who are admitted to membership and who pay the annual subscription at the appropriate rate for that individual member, as laid out in the Society rules. The Management Committee will, on the advice of the Treasurer, decide annually on the level of subscription. The Management Committee ("the Committee") shall have the discretion to refuse or terminate membership. A member may resign at any time. Membership may be terminated if • A member fails to pay the appropriate subscription in full within three months of the start of the Society's financial year; • If the Committee decides that a member is not acting or contributing to the Society in an appropriate manner. • If the Musical Director, with agreement from the Committee, believes that a choir member's singing voice is unsuitable for the type of works the Society performs. 4. Musical Director and Assistant Musical Director The Society will appoint a Musical Director and, if required, an Assistant Musical Director to manage all musical aspects of rehearsal and performance of concerts. A new appointment will be proposed by the committee, and confirmed at the next Annual General Meeting or at a Special General Meeting. The Musical Director and Assistant Musical Director will be honorary members of the Society for the duration of their appointment. The appointments of Musical Director or Assistant Musical Director can be terminated by the Society by giving three months notice. The Society would expect a similar period of notice from the holders of those roles if they wish to resign. The decision to Terminate either appointment can only be made at an SGM. The Society will appoint a rehearsal Pianist/accompanist. An Honorarium will be paid to MD and rehearsal pianist at rates decided by the Committee in the absence of these two officers. 5. Management of the Society The management of the Society shall be in the hands of a Committee consisting of a Chairman, an Honorary Secretary, an Honorary Treasurer and three or more members of the choir to include a minimum of three voice representatives. Officers and other committee members shall be elected by the Society's members at the Annual General Meeting; they will hold office for one year and be eligible for re-election. The Musical Director and Assistant Musical Director will be ex officio members of the Committee for the duration of their appointment. They will be entitled to vote except where specifically stated in the constitution. The Management committee is delegated to run the day-to-day business of the Society and to operate within the published rules and processes. They are entitled to change those rules and must notify the Society members if they have done so. Rule changes can only be made at committee meetings and must be passed by at least three-quarters of members present, with a quorum of six elected members. If the members of the Society are dissatisfied with the management committee they have the option of voting all or any of them out of office at the next AGM or, if it is sufficiently serious, of calling an SGM to do so. Minutes of all meetings of the committee will be published and filed, this will be the responsibility of the secretary. All committee decisions will be by simple majority with the chairman having a vote and, in the event of a split vote, having a second, casting vote. A Music sub committee consisting of MD, AMD and at least one other co opted choir member will research and advise the Committee on suitable and appropriate music for future performances. The Management Committee has overall authority for approval and financing of the programme. 6. Finance Control of finance will be the responsibility of the Committee, the treasurer will be responsible for the day-to-day management of financial issues. The financial year will run from September1 to August 31. Annual accounts of the Society will be examined and authorised by an external independent person and submitted for approval by the membership at the AGM. Bank/Building Society accounts will be held in the name of the Society. Two of the following must sign all cheques: Treasurer; Chairman; Secretary, with the Treasurers signature being one of those signatures unless unavailable due to illness or prolonged absence. The Society may receive donations, grants in aid and other income, such as proceeds from raffles and other fund raising events. Tickets for any or all of its concerts and other events shall be offered for sale to the public. This does not include special events such as special "thank-you" performances to sponsors, donors or patrons, which may not be open to the general public. Any donations the Society may make to charity must have the unanimous approval of the Committee. In the event of the winding-up or dissolution of the Society, any remaining assets after all liabilities have been discharged, shall not be paid or transferred to any member of the Society but shall be transferred to another society whose object is the promotion of choral music or, to a charitable organisation or institution having objectives similar to those of the Society. 7. General Meetings An Annual General Meeting shall be held once every calendar year, within six weeks of the start of the financial year; at least fourteen days notice shall be given to members. Election or re-election of Committee Members, confirmation of re-appointment of Musical Director and/or Assistant Musical Director and approval of the externally authorised annual accounts will take place at the AGM. Election of committee members will be by majority vote with a quorum of at least half of current membership present for the vote. Changes to the constitution may be proposed at either the AGM or an SGM, but in either case, written notice of the change proposed must be provided to the membership with at least fourteen days notice. Special General Meetings may be called by the Committee or upon written request to the Secretary signed by at least ten members of the Society. Such requests will set out the business that is to be conducted at the SGM. The Committee, upon receiving such a request from the membership, will try initially to resolve the problem raised, to the satisfaction of all signatories. If it is unable to deal with the issue in that way, then notice of an SM must be given to members of the Society within fourteen days of receiving the request. At least two-thirds of the current registered membership must be present at an AGM/SGM in order to make changes to the constitution, a majority of at least two-thirds is required for any change. All other decisions will by a simple majority by show of hands of those present with the Chairman being entitled to vote and in the event of a split vote, to have a second, casting vote. | Back to top | Back to Members' Area |

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