Purbeck Player Constitution

adopted on the 7th day of June, 2005

1. Name
The Society shall be called " Purbeck Players"

2. Objects
The objects of the Society are to entertain, educate and to further the development of public appreciation and taste in the dramatic arts

3. Powers
The Society through its Committee may exercise the following powers:
a. To promote plays, drama, comedies, and other dramatic works of educative value;
b. To purchase acquire the right to perform or show any such dramatic art.
c. To purchase or otherwise acquire, furniture, fixtures, fittings, scenery and all other necessary effects;
d. To raise funds and invite and receive contributions from any person or persons whatsoever by way of subscription, donation and otherwise, provided that in raising funds the Society shall not undertake any substantial permanent trading activities and shall conform to any relevant requirements of the law;
e. Subject to any consents required by law to sell, lease or dispose of all or any part of the property of the Society;
f. To co-operate with other charities, voluntary bodies and statutory authorities operating in furtherance of the objects or similar charitable purposes and to exchange information and advice with them;
g. To establish or support any charitable trusts, association or institutions formed for all or any of the objects;
h. To do all such other lawful things as are necessary for the achievement of the objects of the Society.

4. Society Membership
The Society shall consist of Members, and may also include as honorary Life Members such other persons as shall have rendered special services to the Society. Single members, on payment of an annual subscription for adults and junior member of under 21, Family membership (husband and/or wife and any children up to 20 years) shall be entitled to participate in all the Society's activities. They will have one vote at all Meetings. Application for membership should be made to the membership secretary. Admission to membership shall be at the sole discretion of the Committee. All members must also be members of the Arts Club, for insurance purposes.

5. Eligibility for Membership
Membership shall be open to all those having sympathy with the objects of the Society and desiring actively to further it and to pay the annual subscription laid down from time to time by the Committee. Every Member shall have one vote.

6. Expulsion of Members
The Committee may by a unanimous vote remove from the list of Members the name of any member whose conduct it considers likely to endanger the welfare of the Society. The individual shall have the right to be heard by the Committee, accompanied by a friend, before a final decision is made.

7. Subscriptions
The annual subscription to the Society shall be determined from year to year by the Annual General Meeting.

8. Non-Payment of subscriptions
The Committee shall have power by bare majority to suspend any member whose subscription remains unpaid in any year from exercising all or any of the privileges of membership until his or her subscription is paid.

9. Honorary Life Members
Honorary Life Members may, on the nomination and recommendation of the Committee only, be elected on such terms as the members of the Society at an Annual General Meeting may from time to time decide.

10. Committee
a. The Society shall be managed by a Committee elected at the Annual General Meeting consisting of the following Officers, namely: Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary and …… 4 Members.
b. A member of the Committee shall cease to hold office if he or she:
Is disqualified from acting as a member of the Committee by virtue of section 72 of the Charities Act 1993
Becomes incapable by reason of mental disorder, illness or injury of managing and administering his or her own affairs;
Is absent without the permission of the Committee from all their meetings held within a period of six months and the Committee resolve that his or her office be vacated;
Notifies to the Committee a wish to resign.
c. No person shall be entitled to act as a member of the Committee whether on a first or subsequent entry into office until after signing in the minute book of the Committee a declaration of acceptance and of willingness to act in the best interest of the Society.
d. All officers and members shall retire annually, but shall be eligible for re-election by ballot or show of hands at the Annual General Meeting.
e. The Committee shall hold meetings every month or more frequently as necessary. The quorum for a meeting shall be four members.

11. Committee Members not to be personally interested
b. Any member of the Committee for the time being who is a solicitor, accountant or other person engaged in a profession may charge and be paid all the usual professional charges for business done by him or her or his or her firm when instructed by the other members of the Committee to act in a professional capacity on behalf of the Society: provided that at no time shall a majority of the members of the Committee benefit under this provision and that a member of the Committee shall withdraw
from any meeting at which his or her own instruction or remuneration, or that of his her firm, is under discussion.

12. Meetings of Committee
a. A special meeting may be called at any time by the Chairman or by any two members of the committee upon not less than 4 days' notice being given to the other members of the Committee of the matters to be discussed.
c. The Chairman shall act as chairman at meetings of the Committee. If the Chairman is absent from any meeting, the members of the Committee shall choose one of their number to be chairman of the meeting before any other business is transacted.
d. There shall be a quorum when at least one half of the number of members of the Committee for the time being or … 4 of the Committee, whichever is greater, are present at a meeting.
e. Every matter shall be determined by a majority of votes of the members of the Committee present and voting on the question but in the case of equality of votes the chairman of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote.
f. The Committee shall keep minutes, in books kept for the purpose, of the proceedings of meeting of the Committee and any sub-committee.
g. The Committee may from time to time make and alter rules for the conduct of their business, the summoning and conduct of their meetings and the custody of documents. No rule may be made which is inconsistent with this constitution.
h. The Committee may appoint one or more sub-committees consisting of three or more members of the Committee for the purpose of making any inquiry or supervising or performing any function or duty which in the opinion of the Committee would be more conveniently undertaken or carried out by a subcommittee: provided that all acts and proceedings of any such sub-committees shall be fully and promptly reported to the Committee.

13. Finance
a. The funds of the Society shall be applied solely in furthering the objects of the Society.
b. The funds of the Society, including all members' fees, donations, box office income and bequests, shall be paid
into an account operated by the Committee in the name of the Society at such bank as the Committee shall from time to time decide. All cheques drawn on the account must be signed by at least two members of the Committee.
c. No member of the Society shall receive payment directly or indirectly for services to the Society or for other than
legitimate expenses incurred in its work.
d. No expenditure shall be incurred by any member of the Society without the authority in writing of the Treasurer
and/or Secretary and all accounts shall be sanctioned by the Committee.

14. Annual General Meeting
a. The Annual General Meeting of the Society shall be held as close to before the AGM of the Arts Club
b. Every Annual General Meeting shall be called by the Committee. The Secretary shall give at least 21 days' notice of the Annual General Meeting to all members of the Society. All the members of the Society shall be entitled to attend and vote at the meeting.
c, The Report of the Committee and accounts for the past year, shall be presented, the Officers, other members of Committee, the Honorary Life Members, if any, elected, and all general business transacted.
e. Nominations for election to the Committee must be made by members of the Society in writing and must
be in the hands of the Secretary at least 14 days before the Annual General Meeting. Should nominations exceed vacancies, election shall be by show of hands
f. The Committee (including the Officers) shall retire annually but shall be eligible for reelection
g. The Secretary or other person specially appointed by the Committee shall keep a full record of proceedings at
every General Meeting of the Society.

15. Special General Meetings
A Special General Meeting of the Society may be called at any time at the discretion of the Committee and shall be called within 21 days after the receipt by the Secretary of a requisition in writing to that effect signed by at least 7 Members. Every such requisition shall specify the business for which the Meeting is to be convened and no other business shall be transacted at such Meeting.

16. Quorum at General Meetings
No business other than the formal adjournment of the Meeting shall be transacted at any General Meeting unless a quorum be present and such quorum shall consist of not less than … 12 persons present and entitled to vote.

17. Resolution at General Meeting
Unless otherwise provided by these Rules all resolutions brought forward at a General Meeting shall be decided by a bare majority of the votes properly recorded at such Meeting and in the case of an equality of votes the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote.

18. Notice of General Meeting
A printed notice of every General Meeting accompanied in the case of the Annual General Meeting by the Statement of Accounts for the past year and particulars of nominations for the Committee (including the Officers) and Auditor and of any proposal to elect an honorary Life Member shall be sent to each member at least 14 days prior to the day fixed for such Meeting.

19. Selection of Works
The Committee shall select the works to be produced by the Society, in consultation with the producer and shall determine the dates of productions.

20. Selection of Cast
The cast for any production shall be selected by the Producer .

21. Obligations of Acting Members
Acting Members shall to the best of their ability play the parts assigned to them and obey the directions given at all
rehearsals and performances.

22. Control of Rehearsals
The Musical Director shall conduct all music rehearsals and the Producer shall direct all stage rehearsals.

23. Attendance at Rehearsals and Performances
Acting Members absenting themselves from three consecutive rehearsals may, at the discretion of the producer, be deemed to have resigned their parts in the work then in rehearsal.

24. Production Account
Within two calendar months after the final performance of any work produced by the Society, the Committee
shall prepare or cause to be prepared a full statement of the receipts and expenses of each production and the same shall
be open for the inspection of Members at such time and place as the Committee shall decide.

25. Recovery of Money due to Society
All monies due and owing to the Society, including Subscriptions of Members, shall be recoverable at law in the name of the Secretary.

26. Dissolution of Society
If the Committee decides that it is necessary or advisable to dissolve the Society it shall call a meeting of all members of the Society, of which not less than 21 days' notice (stating the terms of the resolution to be proposed) shall be given. If the proposal is confirmed by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting the Committee shall have power to realise any assets held by or on behalf of the Society. 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 Society as the members of the Society may determine or failing that shall be applied for some other charitable purpose. [A copy of the statement of accounts, or account or statement, for the final accounting period of the Society must be sent to Art Club for onward transmission to the Charity Commission.]

27. Alteration to Rules
a. No alteration of these Rules shall be made except at a General Meeting nor unless 21 days prior to such a meeting a
written notice of the proposed alteration or of one substantially to the like effect shall have been given to the Secretary, who shall give 14 days notice thereof to the members and the resolution embodying such proposed alteration shall be carried by a majority of at least two thirds of the votes present and voting at a General Meeting.

This constitution was adopted on the date mentioned above by the persons whose signatures appear at the bottom of this
document.

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