CONSTITUTION OF THE OULTON SOCIETY
1. The name of the Society shall be The Oulton Society.
2. Object
The Society is established to promote and encourage the following objectives within the area comprising the Oulton boundary in the ward of Rothwell and those adjoining areas which affect and relate to that area:
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To stimulate public interest and respect for the area.
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To promote a high standard of planning and architecture within the area.
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To encourage the development and improvement of features of general public amenity within the area and the preservation of areas of particular interest of individuality.
In order to further these objectives, but not otherwise, the Society, acting through its committee, aims –
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To educate public opinion and to give advice and information.
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To promote research or investigation into subjects directly connected with the objects of the Society and to publish the results of such work.
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To act as a co-ordinating body and to co-operate with all local and statutory authorities, voluntary organisations, charities and persons having similar aims to those of the Society.
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To make or join in making representations to local or other authorities, Government Departments, industrial concerns and others, to make or support or oppose proposals on matters relevant to its objectives and to obtain and pay for professional advice or representation.
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To raise funds and to invite and receive contributions from any person or persons by way of subscription, donation or otherwise, provided that the Society shall not undertake any permanent trading activities in raising funds for its primary purposes.
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To take and accept any gifts or bequests whether subject to any special trusts or not, subject to approval of the Committee.
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To borrow or raise money for the purpose of the Society on such terms and on such security as the committee shall think fit, but so that the liability of individual members of the Society shall in no case extend beyond the amount of their respective annual subscriptions.
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To do all such things as are necessary for the attainment of the Society’s objectives.
3. Membership
Membership of the Society shall be of two kinds, individual or group members. Individual membership should be open to persons who are interested in furthering the objectives of the Society.
Group membership shall be open to any corporation, firm, society or association who shall apply for membership and whose membership shall be accepted by the Committee.
4. Subscriptions
The annual subscription shall be at the rate approved at the either the AGM or a Special General Meeting. The membership categories will be as follows:
Individual membership
Family membership
Senior Citizens
Corporate membership
The membership year will commence on the first day of February and annual membership subscription shall be due on that date. Membership shall lapse if the subscription is unpaid after two consecutive years, or at the discretion of the Committee.
5. Meetings
The Annual General Meeting shall normally be held in March of each year to receive the report of the Committee, the annual financial accounts and to elect officers and members of the committee. The financial year will end annually on 31st January.
The Committee shall decide when Ordinary Meetings of the Society shall be held and shall give at least two weeks notice of such meetings to all members.
A Special General Meeting of the Society shall be held at the written request of members representing not less than 10% of the existing membership of the Society whose subscriptions are fully paid up.
10% of members entitled to vote shall form a quorum at an Annual or Special General Meeting.
6. Officers
The Officers of the Committee shall consist of Chairman, Honorary Secretary, and Honorary Treasurer, all of whom shall relinquish their office every year and shall be eligible for re-election at the Annual General Meeting.
Nominations for the election of officers shall be made at or before the Annual General Meeting. They must be supported by a second member and have the consent of the proposed nominee. If the nominations exceed the number of vacancies a ballot shall take place.
The election of Officers shall be completed prior to the election of further Committee members.
The Committee shall have the power to fill co-opted vacancies among the Committee and Officers of the Society. The co-opted member will only have full voting rights and Trustee status after being voted in at the AGM or Special General Meeting
7. The Committee
The Committee shall be responsible for the management and administration of the Society.
It shall consist of the officers and not more than 10 other Committee members who shall be appointed annually at the Annual General Meeting.
Nominations for election to the Committee shall be made at or before the AGM. They must be supported by a second member and have the consent of the proposed nominee. If the nominations exceed the number of vacancies a ballot shall take place.
The committee shall have the power to co-opt additional non-voting persons.
The Committee shall meet not less than six times a year at intervals of not more than two months and the Hon. Secretary shall give all Committee members not less than seven days notice of each meeting.
Six members of the Committee shall comprise a quorum. In the event of a split decision, the Chairman shall have the casting vote.
8. Sub-Committees
The Committee may constitute and dissolve such sub-committees from time to time as shall be considered necessary for such purposes as shall be thought fit.
The Chairman and Secretary of each sub-committee shall be appointed by the Committee and all actions and proceedings of each sub-committee shall be reported to and be confirmed by the Committee as soon as possible.
9. Expenses of Administration and Application of Funds
The Committee shall, out of the funds of the Society, pay all proper expenses of administration and management of the Society. After the payment of administration and management expenses and the setting aside to reserve of such sums as may be deemed expedient, the remaining funds of the Society shall be applied by the Committee in furtherance of the purpose of the Society.
10. Investment
All monies at any time belonging to the Society and not required for immediate application for its purposes may be invested by the Committee in or upon such investment securities of property as it may think fit, subject nevertheless to such authority, approval or consent whether by the charity commissioners of the appropriate Secretary of State as may for the time being be required by law or by the special trusts affecting any property in the hands of the Committee. All monies should be invested in appropriate funds to maintain income and funds.
11. Trustees
The Officers and the Committee shall be the Trustees of the Society. They will be responsible for the administration of the Society and for carrying out its objectives, the powers and the administration of the Society, as set out in the Constitution.
12. Amendments
This Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds majority of members present at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting of the Society, provided that 14 days notice of the proposed amendment has been given to all members and provided that nothing herein contained shall authorise any amendment the effect of which would be to cause the Society at any time to cease to be a charity in law.
13. Notices
Any notice required to be given by this Constitution shall be deemed to be duly given if left at or sent by pre-paid post addressed to the address of that member last notified to the Secretary.
14. Winding up
The Society may be dissolved by a two – thirds majority of members voting at an Annual General Meeting or Special Meeting of the Society confirmed by a simple majority of members voting at a further Special General Meeting held not less than fourteen days after the previous meeting. If a meeting 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 is given.
In the event of the dissolution of the Society, the available funds of the Society shall be transferred to one or more charitable institutions having aims similar to those herein and will be chosen by the Committee and approved by the meeting of the Society at which the decision to dissolve the Society is confirmed.
On dissolution, the minute books and other records of the Society shall be deposited with the West Yorkshire Archive Service, Leeds Branch.
16th March 2011 (AGM