ASHER Constitution

CONSTITUTION

  1. NAME

The Society shall be called ‘The Arts Society Hull & East Riding’. (Amended by unanimous vote AGM November 21st 2017)

  1. OBJECTS

As a Member Society of The Arts Society (The Arts Society is the operating name for the National Association of Decorative & Fine Arts Societies) the Society shall have as its objects

  • a) The promotion and advancement of the education of the public in the cultivation, appreciation and study of the decorative and fine arts.
  • b) The conservation and preservation of the artistic heritage of the United Kingdom and other countries for the benefit of the public; and
  • c) The advancement of the arts, culture and heritage, and in particular, but without limitation, the decorative and fine arts.
  1. POWERS OF THE COMMITTEE

In furtherance of the Society’s objects but not otherwise the Committee may exercise the following powers:

  • a) The arrangement of lectures for the members of the Society.
  • b) The arrangement of study groups, tours and visits to private houses, museums, exhibitions and other places of interest for the members of the Society.
  • c) The arrangement of related activities of an educational character for children and other members of the public.
  • d) The arrangement of voluntary preservation and recording work by its members in relation to the decorative and fine arts.
  • e) To take on lease, hire or otherwise acquire any real or personal property or premises including halls or lecture rooms and any rights, privileges or interests which the Society may think necessary for the promotion of its objects.
  • f) To subscribe, donate or guarantee money for any purpose connected with and calculated to advance the objects of the Society.
  • g) To raise and utilise funds for the furtherance of the objectives but without the power to pledge the personal liability of any member for the repayment of any sums of money.
  • h) The committee may make rules regulating the conduct of meetings other than General Meetings, attendance of visitors, charges for visitors and otherwise for the regulation of the Society’s affairs.
  1. MEMBERSHIP
  • a) The Committee shall decide on the number and admission of Ordinary Members. All applications for membership shall be made in writing and shall be signed. Any person is eligible for membership subject only to there being a vacancy and that the resulting number of members shall not exceed the capacity of the meeting place, and a waiting list shall be maintained so that the capacity of the meeting place shall not be exceeded.
  • b) Persons on the waiting list will be admitted to membership in strict order of the date of application, but priority may be given at the discretion of the Committee to members from other Societies who move into the locality.
  1. THE OFFICERS
  • a) THE OFFICERS OF THE SOCIETY shall be the Chairman, the Vice-Chairman, the Treasurer and the Secretary all of whom shall be nominated annually by the Committee for election at the Annual General Meeting. The Chairman and Vice-Chairman should normally hold these offices for two years but in circumstances agreed by the Committee these periods may be extended to three years. The retiring Chairman shall remain as an ex-officio Committee Member for one further year following his/her retirement.
    The Treasurer and the Secretary shall not be restricted to a three year period in office.
  • b) THE CHAIRMAN The Chairman, or in his absence the Vice-Chairman, shall preside at General Meetings and Committee Meetings of the Society but not at the Annual General Meeting (see 5c) If neither of these is present the members present shall choose one of their number to be Chairman of the meeting.The decision of the Chairman of the meeting upon any question of order, voting, adjournment of the meeting or interpretation of the rules of the Society shall be final.
    The Chairman of the meeting shall have an additional casting vote in the event of equality of votes on any matter under consideration by the Society. The Chairman shall attend and represent the Society at all Arts Society (NADFAS) General meetings, Area and National meetings or appoint a deputy to attend.
  • c) THE PRESIDENT AND VICE-PRESIDENT The Committee may appoint for a period not exceeding five years, in recognition of their services to the decorative and fine arts or to the Society, a President and Vice-President who need not also be a member(s) of the Society.
    Providing he is a subscribing member of the Society the President shall act as Chairman at the Annual General Meeting and failing the President or any Vice-President the Chairman of the Society shall act as Chairman of the Annual General Meeting.
    The President and Vice-President(s) shall be entitled to attend Committee meetings but shall not be entitled to vote.
  1. COMMITTEE
  • a) The Committee shall manage the affairs of the Society and administer its funds.
  • b) The Committee shall consist of not more than twelve members including the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary.
  • c) Any ordinary member of the Society may propose or second members for election to the Committee at the Annual General Meeting. Nominations must be given to the Secretary not less than twenty- eight days before the Annual General Meeting.
  • d) Following election a Committee member may serve for three consecutive years. Retiring members of the Committee are eligible for re-election.
  • e) Should a vacancy arise on the Committee a member may be appointed to that position at the Committee`s discretion. Persons so appointed shall hold office until the next Annual General Meeting after the appointment and shall be empowered to vote.
  • f) The Committee may co-opt up to four additional members to the Committee. Co-opted members shall have the right to attend and speak at meetings of the Committee but not have the right to vote. Co-opted members shall be appointed for a specified period.
  • g) The Committee may appoint one or more sub-committees consisting of three or more members of the Committee for the purpose of making any inquiry or supervising or performing any function or duty which in the opinion of the Committee would be more conveniently undertaken or carried out by a sub-committee: provided that all acts and proceedings of any such sub-committee shall be fully and promptly reported back to the Committee.
  • h) The Committee shall meet as required and not less than six times each year. A quorum shall consist of over one half of the number of the elected members of the Committee one of whom shall be an Officer.
  1. FINANCE
  • a)  The Society`s financial year shall end on 31st March each year. (Amended by unanimous vote – AGM November 17th 2020)
  • b)  An independent financial examiner shall be appointed at the Annual General Meeting, whose duties shall be to examine and report on the annual accounts of the Society for submission to members.
  • c) The Committee shall authorise its officers to arrange payment and re-imbursement of expenditure on behalf of the Society. The funds of the Society will be paid into current, deposit or investment accounts in the name of the Society with such banks, building societies or investment institutions as the Committee shall agree. Cheques and other instruments shall be signed by not less than two signatories authorised by the Committee. If such payment(s) are to be made by on-line bank transfer, then the person authorised to make such payment(s), normally the Honorary Treasurer, will obtain prior approval of such payment(s) from another signatory to the Society’s bank account by exchange of emails. (Adopted by unanimous vote at an EGM 15th May 2018)
  • d) A deposit for outings, study days or other events will be due at the time of booking and will not normally be refundable.
  1. SUBSCRIPTION
  • a) The subscription for ordinary members of the Society shall be such a sum as may be recommended by the Committee and approved by the Annual General Meeting. The first payment shall be due on election to membership and due annually on 1st October
  • b) A member whose subscription is not paid in full within twenty eight days of the due date shall thereupon cease to be entitled to the rights and privileges of membership but may at the discretion of the Committee be reinstated on payment of all arrears.
  1. GUESTS

Subject to prior notice having been given to the Secretary or Membership Secretary every member may be accompanied to a lecture by a guest provided that any guest

  • i) must sign the visitors book
  • ii) pay the admission fee set by the Committee and
  • iii)  may not attend more than two lectures in any membership year.
  1. GENERAL MEETINGS
  • a) The Annual General Meeting shall be held at such time and place as shall be determined by the Committee. Written notice, including the text and proposers and seconders of any resolutions, shall be given at least twenty one days before the meeting.
    The business of the Annual General Meeting shall be:
  • i) To receive the examined accounts of the Society and the report thereon.
  • ii) To receive the Chairman`s report on the activities of the past year.
  • iii) To elect Officers and Committee of the Society
  • iv) To elect an independent financial examiner of the accounts of the Society.
  • v) To consider any resolutions of which due notice has been given.
    Any member desirous of bringing forward any resolution shall give notice in writing thereof to the Secretary at least thirty-one days prior to the holding of the Annual General Meeting. Any such resolution shall have been duly seconded and shall be set forth in the agenda with the name of the proposer and seconder. Save with the consent of the Chairman, a resolution which does not comply with the foregoing may not be proposed at a General Meeting.
  • vi) To discuss any other business with the permission of the Chairman.
  • b) The election of Officers and of the Committee shall be by a show of hands unless there are more candidates than there are vacancies to be filled, in which case the relevant election shall be by ballot of those present at the meeting.
  • c) The quorum for General Meetings shall be thirty of the Ordinary Membership.
  • d) An Extraordinary General Meeting may be convened at the request of the Committee or of at least twenty members of the Society. Resolutions to be considered must be given in writing to the Secretary who will give all the members not less than twenty–one days written notice of the meeting, stating time and place of the meeting and the text of the resolutions.
  • e) Except under Rule 10 (b), voting shall be by a show of hands of those present and eligible to vote. In the event of equality of votes the Chairman of the Meeting shall cast an additional vote. Proxy vote shall not be permitted.
  1. MEMBERS’ ADDRESSES AND DATA PROTECTION ACT
  • a) Members shall notify any change of address to the Society.
  • b) Where the names and addresses of members are held on a computer, members shall be deemed to consent to the disclosure of such information to The Arts Society.
  1. AMENDMENT TO THE RULES

These rules may be amended by a written resolution of which due notice has been given in accordance with Rule 10(a) and 10(d) passed at a General Meeting by at least two thirds of the members present and voting. No alteration or amendment shall be made which would cause the Society to cease to be a charity at law.

  1. EXPULSION FROM THE SOCIETY

If the conduct or action of any member shall, in the opinion of the Committee, be injurious to or inconsistent with the character, objects or interests of the Society, the Committee may request in writing such a member to resign, but only after granting the member a hearing before it. Any member so requested who does not resign within one month from the date of such a written request shall be liable to expulsion from the Society.

  1. WINDING UP THE SOCIETY

If a resolution to wind up affairs of the Society shall have been duly proposed and carried at a General Meeting (at which a member of The Arts Society Executive is present ) by at least two thirds of those present so much of the assets shall be realised as may be necessary to discharge liabilities of the Society and all the remaining assets shall be made over to such one or more charitable institutions or associations having charitable status with objects similar to those of the Society as the Committee shall decide.

  1. WITHDRAWAL FROM THE ASSOCIATION
  • a) According to the Constitution and Rules of The Arts Society, six months previous written notice must be given to The Arts Society before a member society withdraws from the Association.
  • b) On withdrawal or termination of membership by The Arts Society, the Society shall cease to be entitled to the use of The Arts Society name. The Society shall return to The Arts Society all confidential documentation issued by The Arts Society.
  1. INTERPRETATION

In these rules where the content admits the masculine shall include the feminine and the singular shall include the plural and vice versa. The decision of the Committee upon any question of interpretation of these rules shall be final and binding on all members and guests of the Society.

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November 2018