1. THE NAME OF THE SOCIETY shall be "Fleet & District Art Society".

 

2.   OBJECTS

 

1. The Society is an unincorporated association, a membership organisation which has as its main object the promotion, enjoyment and development of artistic skills of drawing and painting in various media in a friendly environment.

2. The Society shall be a not-for-profit organisation, shall maintain adequate reserves to cover foreseeable requirements and maysupport the local community through donations to charity.

 

3.   POWERS IN FURTHERANCE OF THE OBJECTIVES

 

The Society shall have the power to –

1. Organise activities including Exhibitions, Workshops, Lectures, Demonstrations, Outdoor Painting Days and Social Events.

2. Raise funds and receive contributions by way of subscriptions, donations, sales or otherwise.

3. Enter into contracts on behalf of the Society and make donations to charities.

 

4.   MANAGEMENT AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS

 

1. The management of the Society shall be vested in a Committee consisting of a Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Secretary, Exhibitions Secretary and Programme Secretary as Officers elected annually at an AGM.   The Officers shall be Society Members and their roles shall be defined in a document agreed and kept up to date and available to Society Members.

2. Other Society Members may be co-opted onto the Committee in roles designated by the Officers during the year, subject to approval at the next succeeding AGM.

3. A quorum for Committee Meetings shall be at least half of the serving Committee Members, which must include the Chairman or an agreed Officer to chair the meeting.

4. Decisions taken by the Committee require a majority vote and the Chair shall have a casting vote in cases where no majority is reached.

5. Proposals for Demonstrations, Workshops, Exhibitions, and any events which involve a financial commitment by the Society shall be presented in adequate detail to the Committee for approval.   The fees charged for such events shall be set by the Committee, and the Committee shall be kept informed of any changes to planned events.    Public Liability Insurance covering events arranged for the Society shall be taken out and renewed annually.

6. Committee Members and Officers may be replaced upon voluntary retirement or by a vote of more than two-thirds of the attending members at an AGM or EGM.

7. The Committee shall choose how often to hold Committee Meetings and any two Committee Members may call for an Extraordinary Meeting of the Committee.

8. Committee Meetings may be held in person or by video conference, and all matters not specifically provided for in thisConstitution shall be dealt with by the Committee. 

9. The Committee shall maintain a website and any social media devices deemed appropriate to provide information to Society Members and the public.

 

5.   GENERAL MEETINGS

 

1. An Annual General Meeting shall be held within four months of the end of each subscription year at which the accounts of the year and the reports of the Officers shall be presented to Society Members for approval and the election of Officers andCommittee Members shall be held.  Notice of not less than fourteen days shall be given to Society Members, the quorum shall consist of twenty Society Members in addition to Members of the Committee, and the AGM may be held in person or by video conference as deemed appropriate by the Committee.

2. An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called at any time at the written request of ten Society Members stating the reason for the EGM.   Notice of not less than fourteen days shall be given to Society Members, and the meeting shall be held within thirtydays of receipt of the request.  An EGM may be held in person or by video conference as deemed appropriate by the Committee.

 

6.    BANK ACCOUNTS AND ACCOUNTING

 

1. The Treasurer shall maintain accounts and records of all financial transactions undertaken on behalf of the Society, make payments in accordance with decisions made by the Committee, retain appropriate documentary support for sums received and paid, and present a summary of such accounts at the AGM.  

2. Bank accounts shall be held in the name of the Society, and all payments by cheque from those accounts shall require the signature of two authorised signatories designated by the Committee.

3. The Treasurer may make Petty Cash payments as necessary up to a level set by the Committee and make electronic payments without the authorisation of a second signatory if the online systems of the Society’s bank(s) do not enable a second authorisation to be made efficiently.

4. The Committee shall be kept informed of income and expenditure during the year, with sight of  bank statements periodically or upon request by any Committee Member and the records may be scrutinised as deemed appropriate by the Chair.

5. The accounts of the Society shall be reviewed in detail and signed off by an approved qualified accountant annually for presentation at the AGM.

 

7.   MEMBERSHIP AND ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION

 

1. The maximum number of Society Members shall be determined by the Committee and shall be open to any person over 16 years of age who supports the Society's objectives.   Applicants for membership must provide an email address to which the Society can direct communications.

2. The Subscription Year commences on the first of September each year and the fee payable shall be set by a two-thirds majority of those present at an AGM, with the rate taking effect from the start of the next Subscription Year.

3. The Committee may discontinue the membership of any member at the absolute discretion of the Committee.

4. Special subscription rates may be applied to particular groups of Members and must be approved by a majority of Members attending an AGM.

 

8.    DATA PROTECTION

 

1. The Society’s policy is to protect the personal data of its Members in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulations (May 2018) to ensure that any data held on Members is relevant, accurate and not excessive and is securely stored.  Additionally, that it is fairly and lawfully processed in accordance with Members’ rights, held for defined purposes, is accurate and up-to-date, and is not kept longer than necessary. 

2. The Committee shall review this policy and amend it from time to time as the laws covering personal data change.  

 

9.   DISPLAY AND ALTERATIONS TO THIS CONSTITUTION

 

1. This Constitution shall be displayed on the Society’s website and circulated to members as deemed appropriate by the Committee.

2. Alterations to this Constitution shall require the approval of two-thirds of the Members present and voting at an AGM or EGM.

 

10.  DISSOLUTION OF THE SOCIETY

 

1. The Society shall be dissolved if the Society is no longer financially viable.

2. The Society shall be dissolved if there are no Members willing to perform any of the Officer roles of Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Secretary, Exhibitions Secretary or Programme Secretary.    Given however that an Officer vacancy may take time to fill, the Committee may, if they deem it practical, continue with the vacancy unfilled for a period of up to six months before beginning the process of dissolving the Society.

3. Any proposal to dissolve the Society must be presented to the Members at an AGM or EGM of which twenty-one days notice has been given and requires a two-thirds majority of those present.

4. If no viable alternative is agreed by the Members dissolution must follow, and any funds remaining after the payment of all debts and liabilities shall be given to such charities as are approved by a majority vote of those present.    If a majority vote cannot be agreed the Committee shall decide which charities will receive the remaining Society funds.

 

This Constitution replaces the 2014 version and was adopted on 11th December 2021

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