Shropshire Family History Society Constitution
This document is the constitution of the Shropshire Family History Society (Registered Charity 514014).
This document was last approved on 17th January 2023.
1. TITLE
The name of the organisation shall be the Shropshire Family History Society.
2. OBJECTS
The objects of the Society are to promote the study of genealogy and history especially
of Shropshire families and places, to educate the public therein through advice and
instruction and for the public benefit to encourage the preservation and transcription
of relevant documents and records especially for the County of Shropshire.
3. MEMBERS
Membership is open and freely available for up to two named persons, living at the
same address and subscribing to the Society's objects upon payment of the appropriate
subscription.
4. THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
a) The Executive Committee shall consist of three officers, a Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer together with a minimum of three and not more than nine ordinary members, who shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting.
b) The Executive Committee shall administer the affairs of the Society and shall meet at least four times in each year and shall determine the rules and
procedures to govern its own meetings. A quorum of the Executive Committee shall consist of three of its members. The Society shall have the right to hold meetings online where agreed by the committee.
c) The Secretary of the Executive Committee shall circulate with the Agenda for the Annual General Meeting, a list of candidates proposed for election to the Executive Committee. The names of the proposed candidates must be submitted to the Secretary of the Executive Committee so as to arrive not less than twenty-eight days before the Annual General Meeting. If there is more than one candidate for any office on the Executive Committee, the Chairman shall appoint two scrutineers to hold a ballot and shall announce the result at the end of the meeting. If there are fewer candidates than vacancies further nominations may be accepted at the meeting, at the discretion of the Chairman of the A.G.M.
d) Minutes of the proceedings of the Executive Committee shall be taken by the Secretary and entered in the Minute Book. They shall be confirmed at the next relevant meeting and signed by the Chairman as correct.
e) If any elected member of the Executive Committee shall be unable to complete his or her full term of office, the said Committee may co-opt any other eligible person to serve until the next Annual General Meeting.
f) The Executive Committee may appoint annually sub-committees, either ad hoc or permanently, which under the authority and with the approval of the Executive Committee shall be empowered to deal with particular questions. The Executive Committee may nominate such persons as they consider appropriate, including persons not members of the Executive Committee.
g) The Executive Committee shall lay down the form and manner in which candidates shall apply for membership of the Society.
h) The Executive Committee shall be empowered to elect Honorary members of the Society.
5. SUBSCRIPTIONS
a) The Executive Committee shall from time to time determine the annual subscription for membership, which shall be subject to confirmation at the
Annual General Meeting or at an Extraordinary General Meeting called under section 8.
b) Any member who is in arrears with their subscription one calendar month before the appointed date of the AGM will automatically cease to be a member of the Society.
6. FINANCE
a) The Executive Committee shall be responsible for the administration of the Society's funds. The Executive Committee shall have power to invest funds in Trustee Securities or to place them on deposit or loan with financial institutions previously approved by a majority of the Committee, or to hold funds in a current account in a clearing bank or to invest funds in freehold or leasehold property. The Executive Committee shall not, however, raise loans or mortgages chargeable on the funds or properties of the Society, without the express approval of an Annual General Meeting.
b) The Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary and two other Committee members appointed by the Committee shall be authorised to sign cheques on behalf of the Society, provided that at least two of those authorised sign together on each occasion. Other documents governing the finances of the Society, can be signed by one of the authorised signatories provided that the majority of the Committee have given prior approval at a Committee meeting.
c) The Treasurer shall keep a regular account of all receipts and payments in a manner approved by the Executive Committee and shall present to each meeting of the Executive Committee an interim statement showing the current state of the Society's finances.
d) The income and property of the Society wheresoever derived shall be applied solely to the promotion of the objects of the Society as set forth in the constitution and no part thereof shall be transferred to any person without the approval of the Executive Committee.
e) No payment shall be made from the Society's funds to any individual member of the Society except as repayment of out-of-pocket expenses incurred on the Society's business and with the approval of the Executive Committee.
f) The Society's financial year shall end on the 30th September. After examination the relative Accounts shall be submitted to the Executive Committee at least fourteen days before the Annual General Meeting. [Amended at 1992 A.G.M.]
g) A competent person shall be appointed annually at the Annual General Meeting to examine the Accounts and certify as to their accuracy.
[Amended 1992 A.G.M.]
h) Individual members of the Executive Committee must declare any personal financial interest in any matter under discussion and shall not vote on the matter in question.
7. THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The Annual General Meeting shall be held at such time and place as shall be decided by the Executive Committee. The Society shall have the right to hold meetings online where agreed by the committee. The business of the Annual General Meeting shall be
to: -
a) Receive reports on the activities of the past year from the Chairman.
b) Receive and approve the certified Accounts of the Society. [Amended 1992 A.G.M.]
c) Elect the Officers and other members of the Executive Committee of the Society.
d) Transact any other business on the Agenda.
8. EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING
The Executive Committee shall have the power to call an Extraordinary General Meeting and shall be bound to do so within twenty-eight days of receiving notice in writing specifying the business and signed by not less than one-third of the membership for the time being of the Society. The business to be transacted must appear on the Agenda and no other business may be discussed.
9. AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
The Constitution can be altered or amended only at an Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting of the Society and then only if the proposed alteration or amendment receives two-thirds of the votes of members of the Society present at the meeting, provided that no such alteration shall be made so as to cause the Society to cease to be a charity at law.
10. EXPULSION OF MEMBERS
If the conduct of a member shall be judged such as gravely to damage the welfare of the Society as a whole, then a full meeting of the Executive Committee may expel the member concerned. The member shall have the right to appeal against this decision at the Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting, at which he or she shall have the right to speak but not to vote. The motion for expulsion must be carried out by two-thirds of the members of Society present at the relevant meeting.
11. DISSOLUTION OF THE SOCIETY
A motion for the dissolution of the Society may be submitted to the Executive Committee three months before the Annual General Meeting or in accordance with the rules governing Extraordinary General Meeting. The motion shall be passed if it receives two-thirds of the votes cast by the members of the Society present at the relevant meeting. Upon dissolution after the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities such
property shall be given or transferred to some other charitable institution or institutions having similar objects to those of the Society.
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