Shaftesbury Symphony Orchestra Constitution

1. Title

The society shall be called the Shaftesbury Symphony Orchestra

2. Object

The object of the society shall be to promote, improve, develop and maintain the public education in and appreciation of music by the study and practice of orchestral music and the public performance of such music.

3. Membership

3.1 Membership of the society shall, at the discretion of the Committee, be open to all persons interested in furthering the object of the society.

3.2 Each person elected to membership shall pay a subscription on election and thereafter on 1st September of each year, unless the Committee waive such payment at its discretion

3.3 All duly elected playing members will be expected to be regular in attendance at rehearsals and concerts and to advise the Secretary of illness or other causes which should prevent attendance. The Committee may make rules limiting participation at concerts to those who have attended an insufficient number of rehearsals

4. Subscription

The annual subscription payable by playing members shall be proposed by the committee and submitted for ratification at a General Meeting.  The subscription shall be payable from 1st  September each year.  At the discretion of the committee this subscription may be reduced or waived in special circumstances.

5. Committee

5.1 The management of the society shall be vested in a Committee consisting of the following members:

and three Ordinary Members. Any six of these shall form a quorum. The Committee may co-opt up to two members to serve until the next general meeting

5.2 Committee members shall be elected at a General Meeting to serve for a period of one year. 

Retiring Committee members shall be eligible for re-election, but ordinary members may not serve for more than three consecutive years in that capacity.

5.3 The conductorship shall be regarded as a permanent appointment subject to one years’ notice from the Chairman of the Committee.  Nominations of the Leader and, when necessary, a new conductor shall be put to a General Meeting by the Committee who will pay due regard to the views of the playing members.

6. General Meetings

6.1 The Society shall hold, not later than 31st October each year, a General Meeting as its Annual General Meeting

6.2 At least fourteen days’ notice shall be given before holding a General Meeting.  All members shall be entitled to participate and vote.

6.3 An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called at the request of six playing members of the society.

6.4 At General Meetings attendance of one third of the playing members shall constitute a quorum.  Should a meeting be adjourned due to there being no quorum, the members attending the adjourned meeting shall constitute a quorum whatever their number.

7. Management

7.1 All arrangements and the management of rehearsals and concerts and control of expenditure and finance shall be in the hands of the Committee.

7.2 The accounts of the society shall be examined and presented annually at a General Meeting.

7.3 The society shall maintain extant safeguarding and data protection policies, the management of which shall be in the hands of the Committee.

8. Finance

8.1 The society may receive donations, grants in aid or financial guarantees.  The Committee shall have power to issue tickets, if applicable, for the Society’s concerts at reduced prices.

8.2 The income and property of the society, whencesoever derived, shall be applied solely towards the promotion of the object of the society.

8.3 No portion of the income and property of the society shall be paid or transferred directly or indirectly, by the way of dividend, bonus, or by payment of a professional fee to any member of the society other than to defray expenses legitimately incurred.

8.4 In the event of the society being wound up or dissolved from any cause all monies standing to the credit of the society shall be handed to some charitable society or association having a similar object.

8.5 All monies shall be banked without delay.  Every account shall be held in the name of the society with at least three signatories who shall have been approved by the Committee.

8.6 Payment to suppliers shall be permitted via online banking with the approval of the Treasurer alone.

9. Alterations of Constitution

Alterations to this constitution shall receive the assent of two thirds of the members present and voting at a General Meeting. A resolution for the alteration of the constitution must be received by the Secretary at least twenty-one days before the meeting at which the resolution is to be brought forward. At least fourteen days’ notice of such a meeting must be given to the membership and must specify the proposed alteration.

September 2024