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SHOTTS
ST. PATRICK’S
AMATEUR OPERA
GROUP
CONSTITUTION
1.
TITLE
The
Group will be called “SHOTTS ST. PATRICK’S AMATEUR OPERA GROUP” hereafter
referred to as “THE GROUP”.
2.
OBJECTS
The
objects of the Group will be to entertain the public by the performance of
dramatic and operatic works and to provide a social interest for the benefit of
our members. To this end, the
Committee will have the following powers:
a)
To promote
operas, operettas, plays, drama comedies and other dramatic and operatic works;
b)
To acquire any
copyrights or performing rights, musical scores or libretto necessary for any
show to be performed by the Group;
c)
To purchase or
hire plant, machinery, furniture, fittings, scenery and all other necessary
effects;
d)
To hire the
services of any person or persons deemed necessary, or to subsequently dispense
with the services of the said person or persons.
To this end, any person or persons hired by the Committee will be
supplied with written terms of employment clearly stating:
(i)
The nature and
period during which the duties to be undertaken by the said person or persons;
(ii)
The payment they
will receive for carrying out these duties;
(iii)
In the event of
premature resignation or dismissal, the financial settlement, if any to be paid.
e)
To raise funds,
invite and receive contributions from any person or persons whatsoever by way of
subscription, sponsorship, donation and otherwise, provided that the Group will
not undertake any permanent trading activities in raising funds.
f)
To promote the
concept of equal opportunities and inclusion and discourage discrimination on
account of religion, race, disability, gender and age (subject to the provisions
of paragraph 4 regarding the minimum age membership requirement) in granting
membership and the performance of works.
g)
To protect the
welfare of all members (aged 18 years and under) and children invited to
participate in any works performed by the Group in accordance with the
requirements of the Protection of Children (Scotland) Act 2003 and through the
introduction and maintenance of a Child Protection Policy and associated
procedures.
h)
To do all such
other things as shall further the objects of the Group.
3.
CONSTITUTION
The
Group will consist of cast and non-cast members.
An accurate and up-to-date register of members will be maintained by the
Secretary.
4.
MEMBERSHIP
Eligibility
for membership (irrespective of religion, colour and race) will be open to those
aged 15 years and over at the commencement of rehearsals who agree with the aims
of the Group and desire actively to further them.
All cast and non-cast members will require to pay an annual subscription.
Membership fees for cast and non-cast members will be proposed annually
by the Committee for consideration at the AGM (see para 24 (d)).
5.
APPLICATION FOR
MEMBERSHIP
Application
for membership will be by request to the Secretary.
Applicants may be required to satisfy the Musical Director as to their
singing/musical ability.
6.
EXPULSION OF
MEMBERS
The
Committee may by a 2/3 majority, vote to expel or suspend any member who has
persistently neglected the work undertaken by the Group or whose conduct they
consider likely to endanger the welfare of the Group.
No decision on such a matter may be taken unless all Committee members
have been given prior notice that such a decision is to be taken at a Committee
meeting. A quorum for such a meeting
will be 8.
7.
MANAGEMENT
The
Group will be managed by a Committee consisting of the following officials:
President; Vice President;
Secretary; Treasurer;
Minute Secretary; a minimum of eight
and a maximum of fourteen Committee Members.
8.
ANNUAL GENERAL
MEETING
The
A.G.M. of the Group will be held no later than 2 months after the final
performance of the show produced each year.
The report of the Committee and the Accounts, duly audited, will be
presented. Officials, where
applicable, Committee members and 2 Auditors for the ensuing year will be
elected and all general business transacted.
9.
NOTIFICATION OF A.G.M.
Written
confirmation of the date, time and place of the A.G.M. will be sent to each
member, no later than 14 days before the A.G.M.
10.
GENERAL AND
EXTRAORDINARY MEETINGS
A General Meeting of
the Group may be called at any time at the discretion of the Committee (but see
para 27). An Extraordinary General
Meeting may be called within 21 days after receipt by the Secretary of a dated
requisition in writing to that effect, signed by at least one third of the
current membership. Every such
requisition will specify the business for which the meeting is to be convened
and no other business shall be transacted at that meeting.
A quorum for any General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting will
consist of not less than one third of the total membership of the Group.
To this end, the Secretary will ensure a proper quorum has been achieved
by reference to the register of members (see para 3).
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RESOLUTIONS
AT A.G.M., GENERAL MEETINGS, EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETINGS AND COMMITTEE
MEETINGS
Unless otherwise
provided by these rules, all resolutions brought forward at the above meetings
will be decided by a bare majority of the votes properly recorded at such
meetings and in the case of an equality of votes, the Chairman will be the
second or casting vote (see paras 6, 26 and 27 for exceptions to this rule).
12.
NOMINATION OF
CANDIDATES FOR ELECTION
Nomination of
candidates for Official, Committee and Auditors vacancies to be filled at the
A.G.M., will be by nomination slips submitted to the Secretary at least 7 days
prior to the A.G.M. (nomination slips will be enclosed with the written
notification of the A.G.M. – see para 9).
If more names are proposed than the number required to fill the vacancies
and sufficient names are not withdrawn at or before the A.G.M.,
the election will be by ballot at the A.G.M.
If insufficient nominations are received to fill the vacancies in
question, verbal nominations will be accepted at the A.G.M.
In the event of insufficient verbal nominations being received at the
A.G.M., the Committee may ask for and accept volunteers present at the A.G.M.
If vacancies still remain outstanding at or after the A.G.M., the
Committee reserve the right to co-opt anyone they consider suitable.
13.
RETIREMENT OF OFFICIALS
AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS
All officials will be
elected for a period of 2 years but shall be eligible for re-election.
For the 1982 A.G.M. only, the Vice President and Secretary will be
elected for a one year period. In
l982, the Vice President and Secretary will retire.
In 1983 the President, Treasurer and Minute Secretary will retire.
Thereafter, the sequence will continue by bi-annual election.
The Committee and 2 Auditors will be elected annually and will also be
eligible for re-election. In the
event of the premature retirement of any Official, the vacancy will be filled by
an elected member of the existing Committee.
In the event of the premature retirement of any Committee member, the
vacancy will fall to be filled by the candidate who polled the most votes at the
A.G.M., but failed to be elected. Should
there be no such candidates, the Committee may co-opt anyone they consider
suitable. A similar procedure will
apply when an Auditor prematurely retires.
14.
APPOINTMENT OF SUB
COMMITTEES
The Committee will have
the power to appoint Sub-Committees and to delegate to such Sub-Committees all
or any of its powers. These
Sub-Committees will continue to hold office until the conclusion of the A.G.M.
at which, if necessary, its successors will be elected.
15.
SELECTION OF WORKS
The Committee will
select the works to be produced by the Group.
A Selection Sub-Committee will be appointed by the Committee to assist
and advise the Committee on the choice of the annual production.
Suggestions for the annual production will be accepted from members in
writing. These suggestions, together
with any nominations from the Committee, will be appraised by the Selection
Sub-Committee. The final decision on
the choice of the show for the annual production will rest with the full
Committee.
16.
SELECTION OF PRINCIPALS
The Principals for any
production will be selected by a Casting Sub-Committee appointed by the
Committee. This Sub-Committee will
consist of no less than 5 and not more than 7 persons.
17.
ALTERATION TO ORIGINAL
CASTING
The Committee, after
consultation with the Casting Sub-Committee, Musical Director(s) and the
Producer(s), will have the power to replace any member to whom a principal part
has been given, and who, in the opinion of the aforementioned, has proved
unsuitable for the part.
18.
OBLIGATIONS OF CAST
MEMBERS
Cast members will, to
the best of their ability, play the part assigned to them whether principal or
chorus and obey the directions given at all rehearsals and performances.
19.
CONTROL OF REHEARSALS
The Musical Director(s)
will conduct and control all musical rehearsals and the Producer(s) will control
all production rehearsals.
20.
ATTENDANCE AT
REHEARSALS AND PERFORMANCES
A record of cast
members’ attendance at rehearsals and performances will be maintained by the
Secretary and the Committee will have the right to approach any cast member
whose attendance at rehearsals has been irregular without just cause.
If, after such an approach, there is no improvement in attendance and the
Committee consider that such poor attendance be detrimental to the quality of
the production, they will have the power to expel the offender from the
production in question (see para 6).
21.
MEETING OF THE
COMMITTEE
The first meeting of
the Committee will be called by the Secretary and will be held within 21 days of
the A.G.M. A minimum of 6 further
meetings will be held throughout the year until the next A.G.M. and will be
called by the Secretary on dates specified by the Committee but out with the
Group’s rehearsal nights.
Minutes of all
Committee meetings will be recorded by the Minute Secretary or in his/her
absence, by another member of the Committee.
These minutes will be proposed and seconded at subsequent meetings as a
true reflection of the business enacted and will be available for scrutiny by
any member of the Group at an A.G.M. or on request.
All decisions relating
to the business of the Group will be taken by the Committee utilising a majority
vote basis where necessary. The
President will have a casting vote in the event of a tied vote.
Where a decision or
decisions are required out with the Committee meetings, Committee members should
be contacted verbally by the Secretary and a decision or decisions reached.
Five will constitute a quorum for such decisions.
22.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS
The Minute Secretary
will maintain a record of Committee members’ attendance at meetings.
Members absenting themselves, without just cause from 3 consecutive
meetings, may be, at the discretion of the remainder of the Committee, be deemed
to have resigned their position on the Committee.
23.
COMMITTEE’S POWERS
The Committee will have
the power to decide any questions arising out of this Constitution and all other
matters connected with the Group (other than, and except those which can only be
dealt with by the Group in a General Meeting (see paras 10, 26 and 27)).
24.
The Committee will
review annually it’s Child Protection Policy and associated procedures as a
means of protecting all children (under the age of 18 years) who are either
members or have been invited to participate in the Group’s works from all
forms of abuse, danger, exploitation and harm in accordance with the provisions
of the Protection of Children (Scotland) Act 2003.
25.
FINANCE
(a)
The funds of the Group will be applied solely to the stated
objects of the Group and causes considered worthy by the Committee;
(b)
No member of the Group will receive payment directly or indirectly
for services to the Group other than legitimate expenses incurred in it’s
work;
(c)
Any legitimate expenses must be claimed through the Secretary;
(d)
All cast membership fees, concession fees and non cast membership
fees will require to be paid to the Treasurer by the 30th April of each year.
Those cast members who have not paid the prescribed fee within this time
limit will forfeit their cast membership by this default;
(e)
A time limit will be set by the Committee for the return of all
money due from any function held on behalf of the Group throughout the year;
(f)
The Treasurer will be required to submit financial reports to the
Committee at regular intervals throughout the year.
26.
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Members and non cast
members will be afforded the opportunity to pay their membership fees and
concession fees to the Treasurer fortnightly on nominated rehearsal nights prior
to 30th April. The Committee will
nominate the nights in question. Non
cast members may also pay non-cast membership fees in this manner.
The Committee reserves the right to alter annual fees.
Any proposed alteration must be notified to members at a General Meeting
(para 10) or at the A.G.M.
27.
DISSOLUTION OF THE
GROUP
The Group will only be
dissolved by resolution passed by a majority of at least five sixths of the
members present and voting at an Extraordinary General Meeting (E.G.M.) called
for the purpose of considering such dissolution.
In the event of dissolution, any balance of funds remaining in the
accounts after the realisation of any assets and payment of any debts will not
be distributed among the members but will either be held in trust by trustees
appointed at the said E.G.M. or charitably donated to any individual(s),
organisation(s) or other cause(s) deemed to be worthy by the members in
attendance at the E.G.M. The
preferred option to be decided on the basis of a simple majority.
28.
ALTERATION TO
CONSTITUTION
No alteration to this
Constitution will be made except at an A.G.M.
However, should the Committee consider that an alteration is urgently
required, this can only be done by calling an Extraordinary General Meeting of
the Group (see para 10). To this
end, all members will receive written notification of the proposed alteration to
the Constitution, together with the time and place of the General Meeting at
least 7 days before the said meeting. Any
alteration will only be effected if there is a two thirds majority of members at
the General Meeting in favour of the alteration. A
quorum for such a General Meeting will be one third of the total membership (see
para 10).
(Updated 15/01/2008 from proposed and
accepted amendments of A.G.M. December 2007)
Paul Leonard
Secretary
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