NANTWICH CIVIC SOCIETY CONSTITUTION
Name
The name of the Society shall be Nantwich Civic Society.
Purposes.
The Society is established for the public benefit for the
following purposes:
- To protect, preserve, help to improve the public realm of Nantwich and its environs, including existing and proposed buildings.
(b) To promote high standards of new development, town planning, conservation, architecture, restoration and maintenance of buildings and places.
(c) To secure the preservation, conservation,
and improvement of Listed Buildings and of buildings and features of general public amenity or historic interest in the area.
Activities:
In furtherance of the said purposes the Society shall have the following activities:
1 To act as a co-ordinating body, and to co-operate with the local authority, committees, other national, local and statutory authorities, voluntary organisations, charities and persons having aims similar to those of the Society.
2 To promote or assist in promoting activities throughout the area to further the purposes of the Society.
3 To use a variety of media to publish the activities of the Society.
4 To undertake surveys, prepare maps, plans and collect information in relation to any place, structure, building of significance, beauty or historic interest within the area.
5 To hold meetings, talks and exhibitions relevant to the purposes of the Society.
6 To educate public opinion and to give advice and information.
- To collect subscriptions and donations and use them for the purposes of the Society
- To do all such other things as are necessary for the attainment of the said purposes.
Membership.
Membership shall be open to all wherever they reside who are interested in and/or actively furthering the purposes of the Society.
No member shall have power to vote at any meeting of the Society if his subscription is in arrears at the time.
The subscriptions of a member joining the Society in the three months preceding 31st March in any year shall be regarded as covering membership for the Society’s year commencing on 1st April following the date of joining the Society.
Trustees.
The AGM may appoint one or more Trustee of the Society who shall act to ensure the Society conforms to its Charitable Status and requirements and advise the committee on relevant matters of the Society.
Life Membership.
The Committee or any member shall have power to submit to the A.G.M. of the Society the name or names of such members who in their opinion have rendered exceptional meritorious service to the Society, with a recommendation for proposal for Honorary Life Membership. If approved, such an Honorary Life Member shall enjoy life membership without further payment of subscription.
Subscriptions
The annual subscription shall be: Decided annually at the AGM
Membership Fees shall be payable on or before 31st March each year.
Membership shall lapse if the subscription is unpaid six months after it is due; due notification having been given to the member. Membership of late fees shall be backdated to the date they were due.
Meetings
Ordinary Meetings
Shall be on the third Tuesday of each month unless otherwise notified by the Chair. The Chair or Vice Chair shall preside at these meetings. An agenda shall be sent to members before each meeting . Members may request items for discussion or information at these meetings.
Annual General Meeting
An Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held at the first meeting of April (or near date) of each year to:
Receive the Officers reports and accounts and to
Elect: the Chair, Vice Chair; Hon.Treasurer; Minute Taker; Social Secretary.
At least 14 days notice of the A.G.M. shall be given to all fully paid up members.
Special General Meeting
A Special General Meeting (SGM) of the Society shall be held at the written request of members (whose subscriptions being fully paid up) represent not less than 10 per cent of
the existing membership of the Society.
At least seven days notice in writing of such meeting and its purpose shall be given to all fully paid members of the Society.
25% of members personally present shall constitute a quorum for such a meeting of the Society.
Normally the chairman or vice-chairman shall preside at a special general meeting.
Nominees for appointment (or if necessary elections) of officers of the Society may be made in writing to the Chair before the Annual General Meeting.
Such nominations shall be supported by a seconder, and the consent of the nominee shall first have been obtained and shall accompany the nomination.
If no earlier nominations are received, nominations at the AGM will be considered by all present at that meeting.
Officers of the Society.
The officers of the Society, hereinafter called The Committee, shall consist of Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Honorary Treasurer and Social Secretary all of whom shall relinquish their office every year and shall be eligible for re-election at the Annual General Meeting. A Meeting Note Taker for each meeting shall be decided upon annually or at each meeting.
The Committee shall be responsible for the management and administration of the Society subject to consultation where appropriate with the membership.
In the event of an equality in the vote’s cast,
the Chairman shall have the casting vote.
Casual Vacancies.
The meetings of the Society shall have the power to fill casual vacancies occurring among the officers of the Society.
Working Groups.
The Committee may constitute Working Groups as necessary for projects.
All actions and proceedings of each Working Group
shall be reported to the Chair and thence to the general meetings.
Financial Matters.
The Treasurer and Chair shall, in consultation with a Trustee as necessary, out of the funds of the Society, pay all proper expenses of administration and management of the Society.
All monies at any time belonging to the Society shall be retained in appropriate accounts as it may think fit, in accordance with accepted levels of public propriety as indicated by the Charity Commissioners.
The Society shall be bound to indemnify the trustees against all expenses properly incurred by the trustees in their duties and liability under such indemnity shall be a proper administration expense.
Constitution.
This Constitution may be adopted or amended by a majority of members present at an Annual or Special General Meeting of the Society, provided that at least seven days notice of the proposed amendment has been given to all, in writing, and provided that nothing herein contained shall authorise any amendments the effect of which would be to cause the Society at any time to cease to be a charity in law.
Any notice required to be given by these Rules shall be deemed to be fully given if emailed, left at or sent by prepaid post addressed to the address of that member last notified to the Secretary.
Winding up of the Society
The Society may be dissolved by a majority of members voting at an AGM or SGM. If a motion for the dissolution of the Society is to be proposed at an Annual General Meeting or a Special General
Meeting this motion shall be referred to specifically when notice of the Meeting was given. In the event of the dissolution of the Society the available funds and assets of the Society shall be transferred to one or more organisations having purposes similar or reasonably similar to those of the Society and approved by the Meeting of the Society at which the decision to dissolve the Society is confirmed.
On dissolution the minutes, correspondence and other records of the Society shall be deposited with the Nantwich Museum.