The society will be known as ARNSIDE CHORAL SOCIETY

The object of the choir shall be the study and practice of choral music in order to foster public knowledge and appreciation of such music by means of public performance.

Membership of the Society is open to any person on payment of current membership subscription.

3.1 Subscriptions

» An Annual Subscription shall be fixed by the members at the Annual General Meeting and shall be payable to the Treasurer at the beginning of each season. Those who are in arrears of payment of their Subscription for more than four weeks shall not have their name added to the Membership Roll.

» Those joining the Choir after the first concert in any year shall, on acceptance, pay a pro rata of the Annual Subscription for the remaining season.

» The Committee may, for suitable cause, waive all or part of the Annual Subscription of any Chorister Member.

3.2 Rehearsals and Concerts

» The musical direction of the Choir shall be the responsibility of the Conductor in consultation with the Committee.

» Rehearsals shall take place regularly on dates and at places to be specified by the Committee.

» Any member unable to attend a rehearsal or performance must try to inform any member of the Committee at the earliest opportunity.

» Singing members are expected to participate in all concerts unless unavoidably prevented from doing so, in which case they should notify the Membership Secretary. Members who in the opinion of the Conductor have not satisfactorily rehearsed for a concert shall not be permitted to sing (in that concert).

» Persons who are not members of the choir may attend any rehearsal but can only partake in a performance after express permission of the Conductor in consultation with the committee. (Permission should only be granted in exceptional circumstances.)

» Absence from the final two rehearsals prior to a performance will preclude a member from the performance, except in exceptional circumstances.

3.3 Dress

» Members are required to conform to the dress laid down by the Committee for participation in performances.

3.4 Music

» All music which is purchased by the Society will remain the property of the Society.
Members will be held individually responsible for any music loaned to members for rehearsal, whether from the Society or from a Library Service and may be held accountable for any loss or damage however incurred.

» Members will be responsible for the return of such music in good condition as requested by the Librarian.

3.5 Termination of Membership

» A member may resign by written notice to the Secretary. Should a member feel that their resignation is as a result of the conduct of the choir as a whole or by an individual then the matter should be referred to the committee for resolution where possible.

4.1 Annual General Meeting

» An Annual General Meeting of the Choir shall be held each year at the earliest opportunity following its final concert on a date to be fixed by the Committee, when a statement of the Choir’s financial transactions and its position, made up to the date of the AGM will be submitted for approval.

» Management of the society will be vested in the Officers and Committee. At the Annual General Meeting there shall be appointed a Committee comprising the following Officers: Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, and the following Committee Members: Four members representing all sections of the choir.
At the first meeting of each new Committee, the following areas of responsibility should be delegated: Publicity Officer, Librarian, Deputy Conductor.

» The Committee will have powers of co-option.

» Each officer and committee member shall be elected up until the next Annual General Meeting but may be re-elected.

» Arrangements for the proper conduct of the elections will be the responsibility of the retiring Committee.

4.2 Special General Meeting

» A Special General Meeting shall be called whenever the Committee deems it necessary or on a written request being presented to the Secretary stating the matter to be discussed, signed by at least fifteen members, and such meeting shall be held within thirty days from receipt of such request. The Secretary shall give at least seven days prior notice to all members of such a meeting.

4.3 Committee Meetings

» The Committee must hold regular meetings to consider any arrangements which need to be made concerning the conduct of the Society.

» Meetings to be conducted by the Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson. Decisions should be taken following a proposition which has been seconded and voting will be by a show of hands.

» A quorum for taking decisions will be no less than five members, including two officers.

» When meetings are called, committee members should be informed and should be given at least seven days notice of the date of the meeting.

» Written minutes must be kept of all meetings and a summary report of meetings be available to the choir at a subsequent rehearsal. Minutes should be kept in a Minute Book.

The Committee shall appoint a person to be the Conductor of the Choir. Such appointment to be renewable on an annual basis at the end of the concert season. He or she shall be remunerated by a sum as laid down by the committee. The Conductor shall, ex officio, be a member of the Committee but shall have no voting rights. A term’s notice shall be given by either party to terminate this agreement.

The committee shall be responsible for the appointment of an accompanist who shall be remunerated by a sum as laid down by the committee. A term’s notice shall be given by either party to terminate this agreement.

Financial matters are the responsibility of the Treasurer who must maintain suitable accounts at a bank for the maintenance of the Society’s funds. Access to any account and cheques payable from these accounts must be on the signatures of the Treasurer, and either the Chairperson or the Secretary.
Consideration regarding fees paid to the Conductor and accompanist, and negotiations regarding fees paid to performers will be delegated to the Committee.
Decisions regarding entrance fees for concerts, venues, programmes, etc will be delegated to the Committee.
Claims for reasonable and proper out-of-pocket expenses incurred by members of the Committee should be met from Society Funds.

The Rules of the Choir shall only be altered at the Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting duly called. No alteration shall be made to the rules that would cause the Choir at any time to cease to be a charity at law and no alteration shall be made to Rule 2, Rule 9 or this rule without prior written approval of the Charity Commission.

If, upon winding up or dissolution of the Choir, there remains any property whatsoever after the satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities, the same shall not be distributed among the Members of the Choir, but shall be given or transferred to some Charitable Institution or Institutions having objects similar to the objects of the Choir. Such Institution or Institutions to be determined by the Members of the Choir at or before the time of dissolution and is so far as effect cannot be given to such provision then to some charitable object.

October 2007