THE CONSTITUTION OF THE HASTINGS & ST. LEONARDS SOCIETY

1. Name: Hastings & St. Leonards Society

2. Objectives:

The Society is established for the public benefit for the following purposes in the municipal borough comprising Hastings and St Leonards-on-Sea (hereinafter treated as ‘the Town’).

(i) To serve as an umbrella organisation for existing groups in the Town concerned with conservation, heritage and development, in order to improve communication between them, share resources, and assist with and encourage information exchange and publicity.

(ii) To promote enthusiasm for, and pride in, the Town throughout the community.

(iii) To celebrate the ‘Spirit of Hastings and St. Leonards’ and promote recognition as one of England’s great historic towns

(iv) To help care for the beauty of the Town’s natural setting.

(v) To work with the local authority, planning committees, voluntary organisations, charities, and other groups with similar aims to the Society, in planning for the Town’s future.

In furtherance of the said objectives, the Society, through its Executive Committee, shall endeavour to undertake the following:

(vi) To educate the public in the geography, history, natural history and architecture of the Town, through meetings, lectures, exhibitions and other events.

(vii) To publish papers, reports and other literature

(viii) To raise funds for local projects, by way of inviting and receiving contributions and donations for set purposes.

3. Membership:

Membership shall be open to all individuals who are interested in the purposes of the Society. Corporate members shall be such societies, associations, educational institutions or businesses as are interested in actively supporting the purposes of the Society. A corporate member shall appoint a representative to vote on its behalf at meetings.

4. Subscriptions:

The annual subscription shall be:
Single: £5*
Joint (two persons in same household): £8*
Student: £4*
Corporate membership: Variable (according to membership size of society/group)
* Introductory Rate for limited period
The subscription of a member joining the Society in the three months preceding 31 December in any year shall be regarded as covering membership for the Society’s year commencing on 1 January following the date of joining the Society.

Subscription fees will be subject to review by the Executive Committee from time to time.

5. Meetings:

An Annual General Meeting shall be held in or about April of each year to receive the Executive Committee’s report and statement of accounts, and to elect Officers and Members of the Committee. The Committee shall decide when ordinary meetings shall be held.

Five members personally present shall constitute a quorum for a Meeting of the Society.

6. Officers:

The officers of the Society shall consist of:
Chair
Vice Chair
Secretary
Membership Secretary
Treasurer
all of whom shall relinquish their office every year and shall be eligible for re-election at the Annual General Meeting. The Executive Committee shall have the power to fill casual vacancies occurring among the Officers of the Society.

Nominations for the election of Officers shall be made in writing to the Secretary at least 14 days before the Annual General Meeting. Such nominations shall be supported by a seconder and consent of the proposed nominee must first have been obtained. The elections of Officers shall be completed prior to the election of further Committee members.

7. The Executive Committee:

The Executive Committee shall be responsible for the management and administration of the Society. The Executive Committee shall consist of the Officers and not less than 2 and not more than 6 other members. The Committee shall have the power to co-opt further members (who shall attend in an advisory and non-voting capacity). In the event of an equality in the votes cast, the Chair shall have a second or casting vote. Nominations for the election to the Executive Committee shall be made in writing to the Secretary at least 14 days before the Annual General Meeting. They must be supported by a seconder and consent of the proposed nominee must first have been obtained. If the nominations exceed the number of vacancies, a ballot shall take place in such manner as shall be determined. Members of the Executive Committee shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting of the Society, and out-going members may be re-elected. The Executive Committee shall meet not less than 4 times a year, and the Secretary shall give all members not less than 14 days’ notice of each meeting.

8. Sub-committees:

The Executive Committee may constitute such sub-committees from time to time as shall be considered necessary for such purposes as shall be thought fit.

9. Declaration of Interest:

It shall be the duty of every member who is in any way directly or indirectly interested financially or professionally in any item discussed at any meeting of the Society at which he or she may be present to declare such an interest and he or she shall not discuss such item (except by invitation of the Chair) or vote thereon.

10. Expenses of Administration and Application of Funds:

The Society shall operate on a not-for-profit basis and be run by unpaid volunteers only. However, the Executive Committee shall, out of the funds of the Society, pay all proper expenses of administration and management of the Society, and any personal expenses that arise when volunteers carry out the business of the Society. After the payment of such expenses and the setting aside to reserve such sums as may be deemed expedient, the remaining funds of the Society shall be applied by the Executive Committee in furtherance of the purposes of the Society, as stated above.

11. Accounts:

The Executive Committee shall be responsible for:
(i) the keeping of accounting records for the Society
(ii) the preparation of the annual statements for the Society

The Annual Accounts Statement shall be presented at the Annual General Meeting of the Society.

12. Amendments:

This Constitution may be amended by a majority of members present at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting of the Society, provided that 14 days’ notice of the proposed amendment has been given to all members.

13. Notices:

Any notice required to be given by this Constitution shall be deemed to be duly given if sent by e-mail or post, addressed to the address (including e-mail address) of that member as last notified to the Secretary.

14. Winding Up:

The Society may be dissolved by a two-thirds majority of members voting at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting of the Society. In the event of the dissolution of the Society the available funds of the Society shall be transferred to such one or more institutions having objects similar to those herein, as shall be chosen by the Executive Committee and approved by the meeting of the Society at which the decision to dissolve the Society is confirmed.
Adopted by the Hastings & St. Leonards Society at the steering committee meeting on 13 February 2017

Signed: Dr. Deborah Madden (Chair)

Signed: Dr. Chris Joyce (Vice-Chair)

Signed: Steven Whitfield (Secretary)

Signed: Eve Montgomery (Treasurer)