Constitution

1 – The Choir shall be called The Southrepps Chorale (the Choir).

2 – The objectives of the Chorale shall be:

a) To advance, improve, develop and maintain public education in, and appreciation of, the art and science of music in all its aspects by any means the Committee sees fit, including through the presentation of public concerts.

b) To further such charitable purpose or purposes as the Committee in their absolute discretion shall think fit but in particular through the making of grants and donations.

3 – Specific aims of the Chorale’s activities shall include:

a) To provide a community choir for residents of Southrepps and adjoining areas.

b) To promote community activity, education, enjoyment, mutual support, equality and social inclusion through singing.

c) To encourage and facilitate personal creativity through the shared experience of singing together.

d) To share and enrich wider community life through public performance.

e) Notwithstanding the Choir’s non-sectarian status, to provide choral music from time to time for suitable occasions in the service of the village and the church of St. James, Southrepps.

4 – Membership:

a) Membership of the Choir shall be open to anyone with a love of singing, from Southrepps and surrounding areas, subject to space being available.

b) In the event of space not being readily available, the Musical Director may ask potential new members to undertake a simple singing test, and new members may be asked to go on a waiting list until space is available.

c) Members should be at least 16 years of age.

d) For the avoidance of doubt, the Musical Director and Accompanist(s) shall not be Members.

e) A register of Members’ attendance at rehearsals shall be kept.

f) For a good and sufficient reason the Membership of any individual may be terminated by decision of the Committee provided that the individual shall have the right to be heard by the said Committee before the decision is final.

g) No individual shall be excluded from membership of the Choir or de-barred from any official capacity on the Committee on the grounds of gender, race, colour, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability or political affiliation.

5 – Formal organisation:

a) The Choir shall be managed by a Management Committee (the Committee) consisting of the three Officers, Representatives from the Choir, and the Musical Director (ex officio).

b) The Officers of the Choir shall be the Chair, the Secretary and the Treasurer.

c) The Officers and the other Committee members shall be elected by and out of the Choir’s members at the Annual General Meeting. They shall hold office for a three-year term and may potentially serve for two consecutive terms. There must then be a minimum break of two years before possible re-election. Any candidate for Chair should have experience as a Member of the Committee. In the case of a currently serving Member, completion of two three-year terms will not preclude them from standing as Chair for election for a further three- year term. The Committee can co-opt any Member of the Choir as a Committee Member to fill an Officer vacancy until the next Annual General Meeting.

d) A Committee quorum shall consist of a minimum of three: two Officers and one Choir Representative.

e) The Committee will meet a minimum of two times between successive AGMs.

f) Sub-Committees may be established for specific purposes to assist the Committee, and/or other Members may be co-opted onto the Committee as required, but these shall have no voting rights in the Committee.

g) Minutes will be taken of all Committee deliberations and these will be available to all members. The Secretary will hold a file of all Minutes for the Committee.

h) An Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held on a date and at a place and time to be decided by the Committee, subject to 6(k) below. A minimum of twenty-one days’ notice of the AGM shall be given.

i) At the AGM the business of the Choir shall be discussed, and Officers and Musical Director (subject to 7(a) below), shall be elected by simple ballot.

j) All active Members of the Choir may attend the AGM and participate in the election of Officers.

k) A quorum for the AGM shall be at least 20% of the Members plus at least two of the Officers.

l) An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) may be called at the request of 20% of the Members or by the Committee, giving a minimum of 21 days’ notice. A quorum for the EGM shall be at least 50% of the Members plus at least two of the Officers.

6 – Financial:

a) All Members will be expected to pay a subscription (or membership fee) towards the expenses of the Choir.

b) The size of this subscription shall be agreed by the Members at an AGM or EGM.

c) The Choir may receive donations, grants-in-aid or other financial remuneration for performances or other services provided by it.

d) Such income, however derived, shall be applied solely to the aims and objectives of the Choir and no portion thereof shall be paid directly or indirectly by way of dividend, bonus or professional fee to any Member of the Choir.

e) Professional fees may be paid to the Choir’s Musical Director, Accompanist and any other musicians required to deliver the Choir’s Objectives, whether in rehearsals or performance.

f) Reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by Members on the authorised business of the Choir will be reimbursed at the discretion of the Committee.

g) All music is the property of the Choir and must not be sold or loaned without sanction from the Committee, unless paid for by Members, when it becomes their own copy to dispose of as they wish.

h) The Choir shall be in possession of such insurances (e.g. liability and property) as the Committee feels appropriate.

i) The financial year of the Choir will be from 1st September to 31st August.

j) The Treasurer shall keep an accurate record of all income and expenditure.

k) Books of account shall be independently examined, and a financial statement extracted therefrom, which shall be presented at the AGM within twelve weeks of the end of the financial year.

Musical Director:

a) The Musical Director shall be elected from time to time for an agreed period.

b) The Musical Director shall seek to deliver the Choir’s Objectives through its Members, and he/she shall be appropriately skilled for that purpose.

c) The Musical Director shall propose an annual draft schedule for rehearsals and performances to the Committee.

d) The choice of music shall be in the hands of the Musical Director, who will be open to suggestions from Members.

e) The Musical Director shall have sole control at rehearsals.

Dissolution:

a) In the event of the Choir being wound up, any assets remaining upon dissolution after the payment of proper debts and liabilities shall be transferred to a charitable institution or institutions having similar objects to those of the Choir.

Miscellaneous:

a) Any eventuality not covered by these Rules shall be dealt with by the Committee.

b) The Rules of the Choir shall be altered only at the AGM or EGM duly called. No rule may be made which is inconsistent with this Constitution

October 2017