Stevenage Singers - Constitution
1. Title
The society shall be called the “Stevenage Choral Society”. However the operating name of the organisation will be “Stevenage Singers” and that name will be used throughout the remainder of this document
2. Objectives
The objectives of the Stevenage Singers are to promote, improve, develop and maintain public education in and appreciation of the art and science of music in all its aspects, by the presentation of public concerts and recitals and by such other ways as the society through its committee shall determine from time to time.
3. Membership
The members of the Stevenage Choral Society shall be elected by the committee, and any person desiring to become a member shall, in the first instance, apply to the Hon. Secretary. The applicant shall give such evidence of his or her musical ability to the Director of Music as the committee may require.
If considered satisfactory applicants shall be admitted, provided that there are vacancies.
Until vacancies occur their names shall be placed on a waiting list.
Membership is open to all in accordance with the Equal Opportunities Policy of the Society. Ordinary members shall pay an annual subscription at the commencement of the season at the rate determined at the Annual General Meeting, or any Special General Meeting, from recommendations of the committee.
No person shall be considered a member until such subscription has been paid.
There may also be Honorary Life Members and Vice Presidents elected at the Annual General Meeting from recommendations of the committee.
Members shall at all times be bound by the rules of the Stevenage Singers.
4. Officers
The following shall constitute the Officers of the Stevenage Singers:
(a) Chairman
(b) Vice-Chairman
(c) Honorary Treasurer
(d) Honorary Secretary
These Officers shall be members of the Stevenage Choral Society and shall be elected by nomination and
voting at the Annual General Meeting. In the event of there being more than one nomination for any office
voting shall be by secret ballot. In the event of any tie the Chairman or acting Chairman shall have the
casting vote.
5. The Committee
The committee shall consist of the Officers and four elected members of the Stevenage Singers to fulfill the following functions:
(a) Librarian
(b) Publicity Officer
(c) Social Organiser
(d) Concert/Stage Manager
The role of National Federation of Music Societies (now known as Making Music) representative will be filled by one of the officers of the committee, through agreement between themselves. In addition, the Director of Music and his associates shall be ex-officio members of the committee.
In the event of there being more than one nomination for any committee position voting shall be by secret ballot.
In the event of any tie the Chairman shall have the casting vote.
The committee shall meet at least once before each concert and before the Annual General Meeting and be called by the Chairman and the Hon. Sec. at additional times, as deemed necessary.
The quorum of the committee shall be five.
Selection of music for performance shall be made by the Director of Music and his associates in
consultation with the committee.
The Committee
(a) shall have power to curtail the appointment of the Director of Music
(b) shall have power to refuse or terminate membership;
(c) may fill any vacancy that occurs on the committee;
(d) may form sub-committees where necessary for specific purposes and any such sub-committees shall report their actions to the committee;
(e) may prepare motions for consideration at the Annual General Meeting:
(f) may co-opt additional committee members as necessary;
(g) shall be responsible for setting out the policies of the Stevenage Choral Society and for the execution
of these policies.
6. Finance
(a) The financial year shall end on July 31st and annual subscriptions, due on September 1st, shall be payable not later than the end of October. If paid in instalments subscriptions shall be paid by the end of March.
(b) The Stevenage Choral Society may receive donations, grants in aid and financial guarantees; and tickets for any or all of its concerts and other events may be offered for sale to the public.
(c) The income and property of the Stevenage Singers, whensoever derived, shall be applied solely towards promoting the objects of the Stevenage Singers as set forth above and no portion thereof shall be paid or transferred, either directly or indirectly, to any member or members of the Stevenage Singers but shall be transferred to a charitable organisation whose objects are similar to
those of the Stevenage Singers and whose rules preclude the distribution of income and assets among its members.
(d) The financial accounts shall be audited and submitted to the members at the Annual General Meeting.
7. Annual General Meeting
The Annual General Meeting of the Stevenage Choral Society shall be held before the end of September, three weeks’ notice having been given to all members. This meeting shall:-
(a) Receive and consider reports from (1) The Chairman (2) Hon. Sec. (3) Hon Treasurer (4) Director of Music.
(b) Elect from amongst its members the Officers and members of committee.
(c) Consider motions from the committee.
(d) Consider motions from the members which must be submitted in writing to the Hon. Sec. at least one week before the meeting.
8. Special General Meeting
A Special General Meeting may be called by:-
(a) the committee
(b) the request of at least ten members of the Stevenage SIngers, giving reasons, in the form of a
motion.
At least fourteen days’ notice of such a meeting must be given to all members of the Stevenage Singers stating the motions to be discussed. No other business may be discussed and decisions shall bemade by a simple majority of those present.
9. Dissolution of the Organisation
The dissolution of the Stevenage Choral Society and the dispersal of its assets shall rest on the recommendation of the committee and shall be agreed at the Annual General Meeting or at a Special General Meeting by a majority of those present.
10. Alterations to the Constitution
No alterations shall be made to the constitution except at a General Meeting of the Stevenage Singers the notice of which has specified the proposed changes. Such alterations shall require the affirmative vote of two-thirds of those present and entitled to
vote, provided that no amendment shall be made which would cause the Stevenage Choral Society/Stevenage Singers to cease to be a charity at law.
11. General
Each member shall be supplied with a copy of the constitution and of the rules of Stevenage Choral Society.
N.B. THIS CONSTITUTION WAS DRAWN UP BY THE COMMITTEE OF THE STEVENAGE MUSIC SOCIETYDURING THE PERIOD MARCH – SEPTEMBER 1985 AND WAS RATIFIED AT A SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE SOCIETY HELD ON 20/9/85 BY A TWO-THIRDS MAJORITY.
AMENDMENTS WERE AGREED AT THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS OF THE SOCIETY IN SEPTEMBER 1989, SEPTEMBER 1999 AND SEPTEMBER 2006. IN 2009, FOLLOWING THE COMPLETION OF AN EXERCISE TO CHANGE THE OFFICIAL LEGAL NAME TO STEVENAGE CHORAL SOCIETY, THIS DOCUMENT WAS UPDATED TO CHANGE THE NAME IN EVERY PLACE IN THIS DOCUMENT WITH NO OTHER SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE.
IN 2023 THE OPERATING NAME OF THE SOCIETY CHANGED TO BECOME STEVENAGE SINGERS BUT REMAINS THE CHARITY KNOWN AS THE STEVENAGE CHORAL SOCIETY.
THIS DOCUMENT IS A RESTATEMENT OF THE CONSTITUTION WITH THE NAME BEING CHANGED IN THE RELEVANT PARTS OF THE DOCUMENT. THIS WEB PAGE WILL HAVE IDENTICAL CONTENT BUT WEB FRIENDLY FORMATTING SO IT WILL NOT SEEM TO BE IDENTICAL. THIS DOCUMENT HAS YET TO BE APPROVED BY A SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING