Sherborne Science Cafe Constitution

Sherborne Science Cafe

  1          NAME

 The name of the Association is ‘Sherborne Science Café’ hereinafter called "the Association".

 2          ADMINISTRATION

 Subject to the matters set out below the Association and its property shall be administered and managed in accordance with this constitution by the members of the Management Committee, constituted by clause 5 of this constitution ("the Committee").

 3          OBJECTS

 3.1       The Association is established to promote science based subjects in the Sherborne area through expert presentation and general discussion

3.2       POWERS

Meetings to be held in the Sherborne area approximately monthly.

Guest speakers can be from any science based discipline.

Overtly political and racial subjects will be avoided.

Light refreshments will be available.

 4          MEMBERSHIP

 4.1       Membership of the Association shall be open to any person of 14 and over, irrespective of gender, disability, nationality, ethnic identity, religion or political opinion:

 5          MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

 5.1       The Committee shall meet not less than 6 times a year and shall consist of not less than 6 members of the Association aged eighteen years or over, elected at an Annual General Meeting.

 5.2       Nominations from members of the Association for members of the Committee must be in writing, and must be in the hands of the Honorary Secretary of the Association at least 7 days before the Annual General Meeting hereinafter mentioned.

 5.3       Should the number of nominations exceed the number of vacancies, election shall be by secret ballot of the members of the Association present and voting at an Annual General Meeting.

 5.4       Should the number of nominations be less than the number of vacancies, further oral nominations may with the approval of the Annual General Meeting be invited from members present and voting at the said Annual General Meeting.

 5.5       The Committee elected at an Annual General Meeting shall have the power to co-opt further members, who shall be Individual Members or Associate Members and who shall serve until the conclusion of the next following AGM. Co-opted members shall have the right to vote.

 5.6       The Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer, who shall be the Officers of the Association, shall be elected annually by and from the members of the Committee at their first meeting following the Annual General Meeting.  The remainder of the committee will consist of three persons covering the tasks of Publicity and Facilitation.

 6          FUNCTIONS OF THE COMMITTEE

 6.1       The Committee may make such regulations or procedural rules as they consider appropriate for the efficient conduct of the business of the Committee and the Association PROVIDED that such regulations or rules shall not be inconsistent with this constitution and shall be subject to amendment by the members in Annual General Meetings.

 6.2       The Committee may appoint such staff as they consider necessary on such terms and conditions as they may determine.

 6.3       The Committee may appoint such sub-committees, advisory groups or working parties of their own members and other  persons as they may from time to time decide necessary for the carrying out of their work, and may determine their terms of reference, duration and composition. All such sub-committees shall make regular reports on their work to the Committee.

 6.4       The proceedings of the Committee shall not be invalidated by any failure to elect or any defect in the election, appointment, co-options or qualification of any member.

 7          CHAIRING MEETINGS

 All meetings of the Association or of the Committee or of any of its subcommittees shall be presided over by its Chairperson failing whom its Vice-Chairperson, if one has been appointed. If neither the Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson are present, those present may elect one of their number to take the Chair. [The Chairperson of any meeting shall have a second or casting vote.]

 8          FINANCE

 8.1       All moneys raised by or on behalf of the Association shall be applied to further the objects of the Association and for no other purpose PROVIDED THAT nothing herein contained shall prevent the payment of legitimate out-of-pocket expenses to members of the Association engaged upon the approved business of the Association.

 8.2       The Honorary Treasurer shall keep proper accounts of the finances of the Association.

 8.3       The financial year of the Association shall run from l April to 3l March.

 8.4       The accounts shall be audited at least once a year by an auditor or auditors who shall be appointed at the Annual General Meeting.

 8.5       An audited statement of accounts for the last financial year shall be submitted by the Committee to the Annual General Meeting.

 8.6       A bank account shall be opened in the name of the Association with Natwest Bank Ltd, or with such other bank as the Committee shall from time to time decide.  The Committee shall authorise the Chairperson and Treasurer to sign cheques on behalf of the Association (both to sign).  In the case of prolonged absence of one of the above, the committee will appoint a third person to become the second signatory.

9          ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

9.1       The Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held not later than the 30th September and an  Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held at such place and time (not being more than l5 months after the holding of the preceding Annual General Meeting) as the Committee shall determine.

9.2       At such Annual General Meeting the business shall include the following:

9.2.1     the election of members to serve on the Committee;

9.2.2     the appointment of an auditor or auditors;

9.2.3     the consideration of an Annual Report of the work done by or under the auspices of the Committee;

9.2.4     the consideration of the audited accounts;

9.2.5     the transaction of such other matters as may from time to time be considered necessary.

 10        SPECIAL GENERAL MEETINGS

 The Committee may at any time at its discretion and shall upon a requisition signed by not less than 4 members having the power to vote and giving reasons for the request, call a Special General Meeting of the Association for the purpose of altering the constitution in accordance with Clause 12 hereof or of considering any matter which may be referred to them by the Committee or for any other purpose.

 11        RULES OF PROCEDURE AT ALL MEETINGS

         Voting 

11.1     Subject to the provisions of Clause 13 hereof all questions arising at any meeting shall be decided by a simple majority of those present and entitled to vote thereat. [In case of an equality of votes the Chairperson shall have a second or casting vote.]

Minutes

 11.2     Minute books shall be kept by the Committee and all other subcommittees and the appropriate Secretary shall enter therein a record of all proceedings and resolutions.

 Quorum

 11.3     The quorum at General Meetings of the Association shall be 4 and at meetings of the Committee shall be 4 or such other number as the Committee may from time to time determine.

 Standing Orders

 11.4     The Committee shall have power to adopt and issue Standing Orders and/or Rules for the Association.  Such Standing Orders and/or Rules shall come into operation immediately PROVIDED ALWAYS THAT they shall be subject to review by the Association in General Meeting and shall not be inconsistent with this constitution.

 12        ALTERATIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION

 12.1     Any alterations to this Constitution shall receive the assent of not less than two-thirds of the members of the Association present and voting at the Annual General Meeting or a meeting specially called for the purpose PROVIDED THAT notice of any such alteration shall have been received by the Honorary Secretary in writing not less than 21 clear days before the meeting at which the alteration is to be brought forward.

12.2     At least 14 clear days notice in writing of the meeting setting forth the terms of the alteration to be proposed shall be sent by the Honorary Secretary to each member of the Association PROVIDED FURTHER THAT no alteration shall be made which would cause the Association to cease to be a charity at law.

13        DISSOLUTION

13.1     If the Committee by a simple majority decide at any time that on the grounds of expense or otherwise it is necessary or advisable to dissolve the Association they shall call a meeting of all members of the Association who have the power to vote of which meeting not less than 21 days notice (stating the terms of the Resolution to be proposed thereat) shall be given.

13.2     If such decision shall be confirmed by a simple majority of those present and voting at such meeting the Committee shall have power to dispose of any assets held by or in the name of the Association.

13.3          Any assets remaining after the satisfaction of any proper debts and liabilities shall be given or transferred to such other charitable institution or institutions having objects similar to the objects of the Association as the Committee may decide.