Our Constitution
1. The name of the society is the Nailsea and District Local History Society (the "Society").
AIMS2. The aim of the Society is to promote an interest in, and study of, any aspect of history relating to Nailsea and its surrounding parishes by means of meetings and publications or other appropriate means. The Society shall also encourage an interest in the present and future environment of Nailsea
3. The Society will safeguard any archives coming into its possession and will arrange for their preservation at an appropriate place.
MEMBERSHIP4. Membership is open without discrimination to any individual in sympathy with the aims of the Society and who pays the relevant subscription. (a "Member")
5. Membership is renewable annually on 1st January and if not renewed will lapse 3 months later.
MANAGEMENT OF THE SOCIETY6a. The Society shall be managed by a Committee to be elected each year by Members at an Annual General Meeting (AGM).
6b. The Committee shall comprise a Chairman, a Secretary, a Treasurer (the "Officers" ) and not more than twelve other Members who may be appointed to such posts and responsibilities as may be expedient one being responsible to the Committee for matters of a civic nature
6c. Officers and Committee members shall serve for one year but are eligible for re-election.
6d. A meeting of the Committee shall be quorate when attended by at least one Officer and half the number of the other individuals currently serving on the Committee.
7. The Committee shall elect one of its number (other than the Secretary or Treasurer) as Deputy Chairman.
8a. The Committee may co-opt replacements for up to two of its members between AGMs.
8b. The Committee shall have the right to set up sub- committees and to co-opt to such sub-committees non Members whose expertise is appropriate to the aims of such sub-committee.
PRESIDENT OF THE SOCIETY9. There shall be a President of the Society who will be an ex-officio member of the Committee and shall have the normal rights of a Member. The President shall be elected for three years by Members at an AGM and shall be eligible for re-election.
GENERAL MEETINGS10. The Society shall hold an AGM in October or November. The date shall be displayed in the annual programme card supplied to Members or notified to members in writing not less than 42 days, or such longer period as is herein provided, before the date of the meeting. Business to be transacted will include:
10a. consideration of reports from the Chairman and Treasurer;
10b. election of Officers and members of the Committee;
10c. appointment of an auditor;
10d. any business required by the Committee; and
10e. any other business referred in writing by a Member to the Secretary not less than 28 days before the Annual General Meeting.
11a. An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) may be convened to conduct any business which may be transacted at an AGM.
11b. Unless otherwise provided in these rules an EGM shall be convened by the Secretary within 42 days from the receipt of a written proposal for such a meeting by a Member supported by 15 other Members or if required to do so by the Committee.
11c. Unless otherwise provided in these rules Members shall be given at least 28 days notice in writing of an EGM.
QUORUM12. Unless otherwise provided in these Rules 27 Members shall form a Quorum at a General Meeting of the Society unless at the date of the Meeting the number of Members is 50 or less when the Quorum shall be 51% of the number of Members.
VOTING13a. A Member aged 18 or over shall have one vote.
13b. Any matter to be decided at a General Meeting of the Society, unless otherwise provided in these rules, shall be determined by a simple majority of those Members present at the General Meeting and who are entitled to vote. In the event of votes being tied the Chairman of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote.
OTHER MEETINGS14. The Society shall hold regular meetings open to Members and visitors where and when decided by the Committee for the purpose of pursuing its aims. A programme shall be published annually showing the meetings planned.
FINANCE15. The Society shall maintain a bank or building society account(s) as approved by the Committee.
16. The accounts of the Society as at 31 July annually shall be submitted for certification to the person appointed by the Members. The accounts , when certified, shall be presented to the members for approval at the next AGM.
17. Annual membership subscriptions shall be determined by the Committee.
RECOGNITION OF SERVICE18. The Members at an Annual General Meeting may appoint Honorary Vice Presidents and Life Members in recognition of special service to the Society. These shall have the same voting rights as Members.
DISSOLUTION OF THE SOCIETY19. Where a proposal to dissolve the Society is to be considered at an EGM the period of notice convening the meeting and the method of voting shall be as follows.
The meeting will be called by the Secretary within 70 days of receipt of the proposal that the Society be dissolved.
Not less than 42 days before the date of the EGM the Secretary shall arrange that Members will be sent a statement of the financial accounts and a general statement of the Society's holdings.
In the statement convening the meeting Members will be given the opportunity to vote by proxy. Such proxy must be lodged with the Secretary not less than seven days prior to the date of the EGM. Proof of posting will not constitute proof of delivery.
The EGM called with the intention of dissolving the Society shall be quorate provided that at least ten per cent of the Members attend. The decision for or against the dissolution shall be made by a simple majority of the votes cast.
The Committee in office at the date of the EGM shall
(i) notify the result of the vote to Members in writing and
(ii) announce the result in a daily paper that circulates in the
Nailsea area and, if the motion is carried
(iii) dispose of the assets and holdings of the Society in the manner
set out in Rule 20 below.
The successful completion of the procedures in 20 below shall discharge
all members of the Committee from any further liability with regard to
the Society's affairs.
For the avoidance of doubt no Member shall be entitled to the return of any subscription paid to the Society in the event of its dissolution.
WINDING UP THE SOCIETY'S AFFAIRS20. The Committee shall arrange that:
20a. Artefacts in the Society's possession be donated to North Somerset Museum Service;
20b. Original documents and any photocopies be donated to Somerset Record Office;
20c. The ownership of items on loan by the Society to the Somerset Record Office or to the North Somerset Museum Service shall be transferred to them respectively.
20d. Publications held on behalf of authors and other publishers shall be returned to those persons at the Society's expense.
20e. After all the expenses of dissolution have been paid from the assets of the Society and any stock of Society publications have been sold the balance so obtained shall be divided equally and half paid to the Somerset Record Office and half to the North Somerset Museum service for the maintenance and care of local history collections.
20f. A statement to the effect that these measures have been completed together with receipts for monies and other items referred to above shall be delivered to the Somerset Record Office.
Confirmed that this is a true copy
Secretary Nailsea and District Local History Society
(Effective from 9th October 2001 following amendment and adoption at the AGM on that date)