The Davenham Players
Constitution
Title
1. The Society shall be called “THE DAVENHAM PLAYERS”.
2. The object of the Society is to entertain and educate the public in the dramatic and operatic arts and to further the development of public appreciation and taste in the said arts: and in furtherance of this object, but not otherwise, the Society through its management committee shall have the following powers:-
a) To promote the Performing Arts and the Arts in general.
b) To purchase, acquire and obtain interests in the copyright of or the right to perform or show any such dramatic or other work.
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 person or persons 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 other things as shall further the objects of the Society
f) To acquire and dispose of freehold or leasehold property whether by sale, purchase, lease, exchange or otherwise and to mortgage or charge the same to be used in connection with the objects of the Society and to appoint Trustees to act as nominees for the Society in connection with any of the aforementioned objects and to deal with such property as so directed by a majority of members present at a duly convened meeting of the Society as such meeting shall determine: a certificate signed by the Chairman for the time being of the Society or the Chairman of that meeting shall be conclusive evidence in favour of persons dealing with the Society that the requirements of this clause have been complied with.
Membership
3. The Society shall consist of acting and non-acting Members, and may also include as life members such other persons as shall have rendered special services to the Society.
Management
4.
a) The Society shall be managed by a Committee consisting of the following Officers, namely:- Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and up to eight other members.
b) The Trustees of the Society shall be responsible for overseeing the work of the Committee and for monitoring that the Society is carrying out its aims in accordance with this constitution.
c) The Trustees may also be called upon to adjudicate on questions of policy and in the resolution of complaints.
d) The Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer shall be ex-officio members of the Trustees
e) Any person wishing to join the committee at the AGM must be a member of the Society and must return a duly completed and signed nomination form to the Secretary prior to the meeting.
Eligibility for Membership
5. Membership shall be open to all those having sympathy with the objects of the Society and desiring actively to further it and to pay the annual subscription prescribed by the Rules.
Application for Membership
6. Applications for membership shall be made to the Secretary, who shall submit the same to the Committee for confirmation.
Expulsion of Members
7.
a) Any member of the Society who in the opinion of the Committee shall be guilty by his 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 a unanimous vote, remove from the list of members the name of any member who has persistently neglected the work undertaken by the Society and the name of any member whose conduct they consider likely to bring the Society into disrepute.
c) Any member who feels they have been unfairly or badly treated in any way within the society may submit a complaint under the Complaints policy.
Subscriptions
8. The annual subscription to the Society shall be £20.00 or such other sums as the Committee shall from time to time decide.
Life Members
9. Life Members may, on the nomination and recommendation of the Committee only, be elected on such terms as the members of the society at an Annual General Meeting may decide.
Finance
10.
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 in its work.
c) The financial year of the Society shall commence on 1st July and an annual profit and loss account and balance sheet shall be prepared in time for presentation at the AGM that year.
Non-Payment of Subscriptions
11. The Committee shall have the power by ordinary resolution to suspend any member whose subscriptions remain overdue by more than six months from exercising all or any of the privileges of membership until his or her subscription is paid.
Annual General Meeting
12. The Annual General Meeting of the Society shall be held within six months of the financial year end when the Report of the Committee and the accounts for the past year, duly audited, shall be presented, the Officers, other members of the Committee and an Auditor, for the ensuing year, and life members, if any, elected and all general business transacted.
Extraordinary General Meeting
13. An Extraordinary General Meeting of the Society may be called at any time at the discretion of the Committee and shall be called within 21 days after receipt by the Secretary of a requisition in writing to that effect signed by at least 12 members. Every such requisition shall specify the business for which the meeting is to be convened and no other business shall be transacted at such meeting.
Quorum at General Meeting
14. No business other than the formal adjournment of the meeting shall be transacted at any General Meeting unless a quorum of members be present and such quorum shall consist of not fewer than 30% of the total membership entitled to vote.
Resolution at General Meeting
15. Unless otherwise provided by these Rules all resolutions brought forward at a General Meeting shall be decided by a bare majority of the votes properly recorded at such meeting and in the case of an equality of votes the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote.
Retirement of Officers and Committee
16. The Committee (including the officers) and the Auditor shall retire annually but shall be eligible for re-election. If more names are proposed than the number required to fill the vacancies and sufficient names are not withdrawn at such Meeting, the election shall be by ballot. If all the before-mentioned positions shall not be filled at such Meeting or any casual vacancy shall thereafter occur the same shall be filled by the remaining members of the Committee.
Notice of General Meeting
17. A printed or electronic notice of every General Meeting shall be sent to each member of the Society at least 14 days prior to the day fixed for such meeting.
Appointment of Sub-Committee
18. The Society shall have the power to appoint Sub-Committees which will continue in office until the next Annual General Meeting. The Committee or Sub-Committee shall have power to co-opt suitable persons pending the following Annual General Meeting.
Selection of Works
19. The Committee shall select the works to be from time to time produced by the Society.
Recovery of Money Due to the Society
20. All monies due and owing to the Society, including the Entrance Fees and Subscriptions of Members, shall be recoverable at law in the name of the Secretary.
Committee’s Power
21. The Committee shall have the power to decide any questions arising out of these Rules and all other matters connected with the Society (other than and except those which can only be dealt with by the Society in a General Meeting) and make and maintain and publish all necessary orders and rules in connection therewith.
Dissolution of Society
22. 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 such dissolution. In the event of dissolution any balance of cash remaining in hand after realisation of assets and payments 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 institution having objects similar to the objects of the Society as the Committee with the consent of the meeting shall determine.
Alteration to Rules
23.
a) No alteration of these Rules shall be made except at a General Meeting nor unless 21 days prior to such Meeting a written notice of the proposed alternation 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 and the resolution embodying such proposed alternation shall be carried by a majority of at least two thirds of the votes recorded thereon at the meeting.
b) Any proposed change to Rules 1, 2, 22 and 23 must, if they require it, be confirmed with the Charity Commission for England and Wales or other authority having charitable jurisdiction from time to time.
Adoption of this Constitution
24. This document details the constitution as adopted by the membership at an Extraordinary General Meeting of the society convened on the 9th of November 2017 and replaces all previous versions of the constitution.
Signed
Chairman Secretary
Date Date
