The Deal Society Constitution

As adopted at the Annual General Meeting held on 1 April 2008 NAME 1. The name of the Society shall be The Deal Society. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 2. The aims of the Society shall be to promote the following objectives: To encourage high standards of architecture and town planning in Deal, Walmer and the surrounding districts. To stimulate public interest in and care for the beauty, history and character of the town and its surroundings. To encourage the preservation, development and improvement of features of general public amenity or historic interest. The Society will pursue these aims and objectives by means of meetings, exhibitions, lectures, publications and other forms of education and publicity. The Society may also organise a social programme on behalf of all members and their guests at the discretion of the Executive Committee. 3. Through the Executive Committee (hereafter “the Committee”), the Society shall have powers to make appeals, solicit donations and canvas monies for carrying out the objects and aims of the Society and shall keep the membership informed. MEMBERSHIP AND SUBSCRIPTIONS 4. Membership shall be open to all who are interested in actively furthering the aims of the Society. No member shall have a vote at any meeting of the Society if their subscription is in arrears at the time of the meeting. The Committee shall have the right to withdraw membership in cases of bringing the Society into disrepute or in contravention of its aims and objectives. 5. The annual subscription shall be determined at the Annual General Meeting, the sum agreed to apply from the next 1 January. Subscriptions are due on the 1 January each year and membership will lapse if a subscription is more than 3 months overdue. At their discretion, the Committee may waive or reduce a member’s subscription without prejudice to their membership. Members joining after 1 October shall be deemed to have paid their subscription for the following year. MEETINGS 6. An Annual General Meeting shall be held in or about April of each year, for which a quorum shall consist of twenty members. The agenda shall include the reports of the officers of the Committee, the examination of the accounts and the election or confirmation of the appointments of Committee officers and members. Extraordinary General Meetings may be called by the Committee or at the request of twenty or more members. 7. The Committee shall hold at least six meetings a year, not more than two months apart, as required to conduct and direct the business of the Society and deal with finance and correspondence, giving members fourteen days notice of meetings. The President and Vice-Presidents may attend Committee meetings but may not vote at such meetings. Any member of the Society may attend ordinary committee meetings but may not vote and must withdraw for any items in which they have a vested interest. A quorum for Committee meetings shall be five Committee Members, including the Chairman or Vice-Chairman. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 8. The officers of the Society shall comprise the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer. The Committee shall comprise the officers and up to a maximum of eight additional members. The officers and additional members shall relinquish their appointments each year and be eligible for re-election at the Annual General Meeting by a majority vote. The tenure of a Chairman shall be for two years, with the option of standing for election for up to a maximum of a further two years if the Chairman wishes to continue and if that extension is ratified by the members at the Annual General Meeting. Nomination papers will be made available by the Secretary and shall be submitted to the Committee at least 14 days before the AGM for validation. Nominees must be proposed and seconded by two members of the Society. If more than one nomination is received for an appointment a ballot will be held. In the event of a tied vote a second ballot will be held. In the event of a second tie, the President will cast a deciding vote. 9. The Committee may appoint officers and members on a temporary basis before Annual General Meetings at which they may be elected. The Committee may also appoint up to four co-opted members, whose tasks and objectives shall be clearly defined. 10. The Committee may constitute such sub-committees, study groups and project teams as may be necessary from time to time. Their purpose, objectives and modus operandi shall be clearly defined. The Chairman and Secretary of each sub-committee shall be required to report regularly to the Executive Committee. Such sub-committees shall be subordinate to and may be regulated or dissolved by the Executive Committee. PRESIDENT AND VICE-PRESIDENTS 11. A President and one or more Vice-Presidents may be nominated by a majority vote of the Committee. Their nomination must be approved by a majority vote of the earliest General Meeting following their nomination by the Committee. 12. There shall be no set eligibility requirements for the President or Vice-Presidents, except that they be members of the Society. Appointment of Vice-Presidents will be for five years and may be renewed at the discretion of the Annual General Meeting. DECLARATION OF INTERESTS 13. Nominees for election as officers or members of the Committee, and any member holding office in the Society, shall declare any personal, financial or professional interest or responsibilities known or likely to conflict with the interests of the Society. Any officer or member of the Committee who is in any way directly or indirectly interested financially, professionally or by virtue of any office held, in any item discussed at any Society meeting at which he or she is present shall declare such interest, and he or she shall not discuss any such item (except by invitation of the Chairman), nor vote thereon, or may be asked to leave the meeting for the item. EXPENSES OF ADMINISTRATION AND APPLICATION OF FUNDS 14. The Committee shall, out of the funds of the Society, pay all proper expenses of administration and management of the Society and create such reserves as are deemed expedient by the Committee and shall use the residue of such monies to support the aims and objectives of the Society. INVESTMENTS 15. All monies at any time belonging to the Society and not required for immediate application for its purposes shall be invested by the Committee in or upon such investments, securities or property as it may think fit, subject nevertheless, to the advice and guidance of the Charity Commissioners. ACCOUNTS 16. The Treasurer shall maintain such accounts as are necessary to ensure that the financial position of the Society is always clear. The accounts for the period ended 31 December each year shall be prepared by the Treasurer, examined by a suitable person who is not a member of the Executive Committee, and presented at the Annual General Meeting. Cheques must be signed by the Treasurer and countersigned by one other specifically authorised member of the Committee. AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION 17. The Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds majority of members present at an Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting, provided that fourteen days notice of the proposed amendment has been sent to all members. No amendment shall be approved that commits the expenditure of funds of the Society on any object not within the aims of the Society. A copy of the constitution shall be lodged with the Civic Trust. WINDING UP 18. On dissolution, the minute books and other records of the Society shall be deposited with the Civic Trust. In the event of the winding-up of the Society, the residual funds of the Society shall be transferred to one or more charitable bodies having objects similar to those of the Deal Society, as may be chosen by the Committee and approved by the Charity Commissioners for England and Wales.