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Supporting documents: Conditions of Membership - Minutes of the 2011 AGM -
2011 chair's report - 2011 treasurer's report - 2011 MD's report - 2011 report from Simon Sharp (special advisor and interim MD)

Name

The name of the Organisation shall be Tottenham Community Choir (hereinafter called The Choir).

Objects

The objects of the Choir are:

To promote community activity, enjoyment and social inclusion through singing;

To provide educational, recreational, leisure and social activities for members through the promotion of music;

To develop opportunities for friendship, companionship, mutual support;

To reduce social isolation through the mutual pleasure of music;

To promote equality and diversity for all people.

Powers

In furtherance of the objects the Choir may:

Raise funds and invite and receive contributions by any legal means outside the Choir’s primary purpose;

Organise and participate in meetings, rehearsals, training, concerts and social events;

Co-operate with other voluntary organisations, community groups, statutory bodies and others to achieve the objects;

Produce newsletters and articles, websites and other such material as shall be deemed necessary in pursuance of the objects;

Do all such other legal things as shall further the objects of the Choir.

Membership of the Choir

Membership of the Choir shall be open to anyone with an interest in furthering the objects, subject to payment of a membership fee as shall be determined by the Committee.

The Secretary will keep a record of the Choir's membership.

The Committee shall have the right, for good or sufficient reason, to terminate the membership of any individual or individuals who are deemed to be acting in away which is considered detrimental to the Choir. In the event of termination of membership, the individual or individuals concerned shall have the right to be heard by the Constitution for the Tottenham Community Choir Committee before a final decision is made.

The Committee

Membership of the Committee shall be open to anyone who is aged over 16 years and is also a member of the Choir.

The Committee is the body responsible for the management of the Choir. Its meetings will be open to the attendance of members of the Choir by prior arrangement and agreement with the Chair.

The Committee shall consist of not less than five nor more than ten members, elected from the membership of the Choir at the Annual General Meeting.

The Committee may also co-opt any person or persons with specific knowledge, skills or experience and for a suitable period of time provided that co-opted members account for no more than one third of the membership of the Committee.

Co-opted members do not have voting rights.

Resignation from the Committee should be made in writing and the Committee has the power to fill the vacancy until next election takes place at the Annual Meeting.

Members of the Committee are expected to attend meetings on a regular basis. If unable to attend, members should notify apologies for absence to the meeting.

Should any member of the Committee fail to attend three consecutive meetings without good or sufficient reason as determined by the committee, they will be deemed to have resigned from the committee.

Committee procedures

All matters arising at any Committee meeting, unless this Constitution provides otherwise, shall be decided by a simple majority vote.

No member shall exercise more than one vote but in the case of an equality of votes, the Chair shall have a second or casting vote.

The Committee shall meet not less than five times a year including the Annual Meeting.

Meetings will normally last no longer than two hours.

A quorum at meetings shall be a minimum of three members including at least one officer.

Any non-member of the Committee present may contribute to committee discussion with the prior agreement of the Chair.

At the first meeting following the Annual Meeting the Committee shall elect from amongst the incumbent a Chair, Secretary and Treasurer and such other officers as may be deemed necessary. No person shall hold the same post of Chair, Secretary or Treasurer for more than three consecutive years.

The Committee may appoint such sub-committees as shall be deemed necessary and shall determine their duration, composition, powers and terms of reference.

Any sub-committees appointed must always report back to the full Committee as soon as possible.

The Committee and all sub-committees shall keep minutes of all actions and proceedings and shall ensure the safe-keeping of all the Choir's documents and records. Minutes shall be available for inspection by any member of the Choir. Minutes of meetings shall be circulated with the agenda for the next meeting .The Chair will move that the minutes of the previous meeting be agreed as a correct record subject to any corrections agreed by the meeting.

The Committee may make rules to govern its activities and proceedings and those of any sub-committees provided that such rules are not in consistent with the provisions of this constitution.

The Chair may need to take decisions on urgent matters that must be advanced too quickly for their inclusion in meetings .In such circumstances, the Chair is delegated to take such decisions after involving as many other Committee Members as possible.The Chair shall report any such decisions to the next meeting.

Nominations to the Committee

At each Annual Meeting, the Choir Membership shall elect its Committee. Any member of the Choir wishing to be a member of the Committee must be nominated by one other Choir member.

Anyone nominated for Committee membership must indicate his or her willingness to stand for election.

Nominations for membership of the Committee may be made at any time up to the time of the election at the Annual Meeting.

If nominations exceed ten, there will be an election by secret ballot of members present and voting at the meeting.

Annual and Special Meetings

The Annual Meeting of the Choir shall be held in the month of April each year or at such other time (not being more than 15 months after the preceding Annual Meeting) as the Committee shall from time to time determine.

The Annual Meeting shall be chaired throughout by the Chair of the out going Committee or, in his or her absence, a person nominated by the Chair.

At the Annual Meeting the business shall include:

Consideration of a report on the Choir's activities during the preceding year;

Consideration of the annual accounts;

Election of Committee members for the following year;

Discussion of any relevant matter(s) of which prior notice has been given.

The Secretary shall give at least fourteen clear calendar days notice in writing and/or by e-mail of the Annual Meeting to all members.

Such notice shall include details of the matters to be discussed.

A special meeting of the Choir may be called at any time by the Committee or at least 10 members of the Choir.

Should such a meeting be requested it must be held within twenty-one clear calendar days of the request being made, with notice sent to all members of the Choir at least fourteen clear calendar days before the meeting.

Quorum at an Annual or Special Meeting shall be twenty members or one third of the membership, whichever is the lower number; this number shall include at least one officer.

Unless this Constitution says otherwise, all decisions at an Annual or Special Meeting shall be made by a simple majority of those members present in the room for the discussion and voting.

No member shall exercise more than one vote but in the case of an equality of votes the Chair shall have a second or casting vote. There will be no restriction on how the Chair chooses to exercise a casting vote.

Finance

All funds raised from whatever source must only be used to further the objects of the Choir.

A bank account shall be opened in the name of the Choir and all monies raised must be paid in to this account.

The Chair, Secretary and Treasurer shall be the signatories to the bank account and all cheques must be signed by not less than two of those signatories.

The signatories must not be members of the same family or household.

The Treasurer shall keep a record of all financial transactions and shall present regular reports to the Committee.

At the Annual Meeting the Treasurer shall present the annual accounts.

The Choir's accounts shall be kept up to date and annual accounts for each year shall be independently examined or audited as required.

No member of the Committee shall receive payment from the Choir's funds other than for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred whilst carrying out the business of the Choir as approved by the Treasurer.

All other expenditure on behalf of the Choir must be agreed in advance by the Treasurer and one other officer.

Appropriate vouchers or receipts must be produced for any expenditure made on behalf of the Choir, including any out-of- pocket expense refunds.

Amendments to the Constitution

This constitution may be amended at a quorate Annual Meeting or Special Meeting by a resolution passed by a two thirds majority of members present and voting.

Such a proposal for change shall be accompanied by a copy of the relevant part of the existing Constitution and the proposed amendments in the documentation for the meeting, sent out with notice of the meeting.

Dissolution

The Choir may be dissolved at any time by a resolution passed by a two thirds majority of members present and voting at a special meeting called for the purpose. Should there be insufficient members attending the Special Meeting to form a quorum, the committee shall then decide how to determine the question of dissolution.

In the event of dissolution the Committee shall be the body responsible for the orderly winding up of the Choir's affairs.

After the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities the Committee shall transfer any remaining funds and assets to another organisation or organisations having objects similar to some or all of the objects of the Choir.