Central Coast Philharmonia Inc

CONSTITUTION

NAME:

1.               The name of the organisation shall be “Central Coast Philharmonia Incorporated”, hereinafter referred to as “the Choir”.

OBJECTS:

2.               The objects of the Choir shall be:

a)              to maintain a choir and to arrange concerts, musical evenings, social functions and other entertainments of any kind whatsoever;

b)             to foster, develop, promote and encourage music and entertainment of all kinds and, where possible, to assist in the musical education of the youth of the Central Coast;

c)              to carry on such other activities as the Choir or Committee may determine.

MEMBERSHIP:

3.               All persons wishing to join the Choir shall be eligible for full membership.

4.              Members shall pay a subscription fee to be determined from time to time by the Committee. All subscriptions shall be payable in advance.

5.               If a member fails to pay a subscription within two months of the same being due the Committee may at any time thereafter cancel his/her membership.

6.              The Secretary shall keep a roll of members showing their names, address, contact details and date of admission to membership.

7.               Any member may resign by verbal notice or otherwise to the Secretary.

8.              A member may be expelled from membership by a two-thirds majority of the members present at a Committee Meeting PROVIDED THAT the member shall have the right to make representations at the meeting but not attend the vote, AND ALSO that the member shall be given seven clear days notice of the meeting and the reasons for proposing his/her expulsion.

9.               Any person, upon ceasing to be a member in any manner whatsoever, shall forfeit all rights and claims upon the Choir and its property and funds.

MANAGEMENT:

10.          The management of the Choir shall be vested in a Committee comprising a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Musical Director and up to six other members.

ELECTION OF OFFICERS:

11.          At each Annual General Meeting the members of the Committee shall retire and the meeting shall elect members to fill such positions. Such election shall be by show of hands for those nominated prior to the meeting. In the event that the show of hands does not give a clear outcome as determined by the Chairperson of the meeting, the election will be by ballot. In the event that there are insufficient nominations to form a full committee, further nominations can be made at the meeting.

GENERAL MEETINGS:

12.          The Annual General Meeting of the Choir shall be held not later than 31^st March in each year on a day determined by the Committee. The yearly accounts made up to 31^st December shall be submitted to the Annual General Meeting and such meeting shall be competent to entertain and transact any business of the Choir.

13.          The Committee may, whenever it considers it necessary for a special purpose or upon requisition in writing by not less than five members, call a Special General Meeting. Such requisition shall state the purpose for which the meeting is to be called and no other subject shall be discussed at the meeting. Such meeting shall be held within a month of the Secretary receiving such requisitions.

14.          At least seven days notice of general meetings shall be given. Such notice shall state the time, place and nature of the meeting and shall set forth any special business to be transacted.

15.          At all general meetings the quorum shall be five members present and entitled to vote. If, within 30 minutes from the time appointed for the meeting a quorum is not present the meeting shall be adjourned to the same time on the same day of the following week and if at such adjourned meeting a quorum is not present within 30 minutes of the time appointed, then any two or more members shall be a quorum and may transact the business for which the meeting was called.

16.          Only financial members of the Choir shall be entitled to vote at any meeting.

17.          At all general meetings, the President or Vice President shall be Chairperson and in their absence the meeting shall elect a Chairperson.

18.          Each member present at a meeting shall have one vote and the Chairperson shall have a second casting vote. Voting shall be by show of hands or, if requested by no less than one third of those members present, by ballot.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS:

19.          The committee shall meet as and when it shall determine, or upon the requisition of the President or two other committee members.

20.        The quorum of the Committee Meetings shall be five members.

21.          Minutes of the Committee Meetings shall be open for inspection by any financial member of the Choir.

22.        The President or Vice President shall act as Chairperson at Committee Meetings or in their absence such other members as shall be elected by a majority of members present. Each member present shall have one vote and the Chairperson shall have a second casting vote.

23.        The Committee shall have control of the finances of the Choir and shall be responsible for the management of the affairs of the Choir. The Committee shall have the power to do all such things as are incidental or conducive to the attainment of all or any of the Choir’s objects.

24.        The Committee may from time to time for such purposes as it sees fit appoint one or more of its members or members of the Choir as a sub-committee, and members of that sub-committee can attend Committee Meetings where the affairs of the sub-committee are discussed.

25.         The Committee will elect four signatories from Committee members and establish limits of authority for payments. All cheques shall require two signatures.

MINUTES:

26.       The Committee shall cause minutes of all meetings of the Committee or of the Choir to be kept in a book for that purpose and shall cause such minutes to be approved by such meeting or by the succeeding meeting and signed by the Chairperson of the meeting so approving.

FINANCE:

27.        The Treasurer shall receive and disburse the moneys of the Choir as authorised by the Committee. He/she shall keep current accounts of all such transactions and shall lodge in a bank approved by the Committee all moneys received by him/her and shall present at each Committee Meeting a financial statement to date and shall present a report and audited account at the Annual general Meeting.

AUDIT:

28.       When required by law, there shall be one independent auditor appointed by the Choir at the Annual General Meeting who shall audit the accounts for the Annual general Meeting.

NOTICES:

29.        Any notice to be given under this Constitution may be served upon a member either personally or by mail to the address currently held by the Secretary.

INDEMNITY:

30.        Office Bearers of the Choir who by the authority of the Committee accept or incur any pecuniary liability on behalf of the Choir shall be held indemnified by the Choir against any personal loss in respect of such liability.

AMENDMENT OF CONSTITUTION:

31.          No repeal, amendment or addition to the Constitution shall be made except by resolution at an Annual General Meeting passed by a two-thirds majority of the members present at the meeting and entitled to vote.

BY-LAWS:

32.        The Committee may make such by-laws not inconsistent with this Constitution as it deems necessary for the proper effective management of the Choir and may alter or repeal such by-laws.

DISSOLUTION:

33.         The Choir shall be dissolved in the event of the membership being less than three persons, or upon the vote of a three-fourths majority of the members present at a Special General Meeting convened to consider such question. Upon dissolution, after payment of all debts and liabilities, any remaining property shall not be divided amongst the members of the society, but shall be given to a similar organisation, and if effect cannot be given to that provision, then to some charitable object.

Adopted at the 2008 Annual General Meeting of the Central Coast Philharmonia.