East of London Family History Society

CONSTITUTION

The Constitution
The East of London Family History Society
Registered Charity 1094419

This Constitution was approved by the Charity Commission, February 2010

Publishing date 24/07/2010

Contents

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1. Name

1.1. The Name of the Society shall be “The East of London Family History Society”, hereinafter referred to as the Society.

2. Objects and Powers

2.1. The objects of the Society shall be:-

2.1.1. To promote and encourage the public and private study of family history, genealogy, cultural heritage, heraldry and local history with particular reference to the eastern area of Greater London.

2.1.2. To promote the preservation, security and accessibility of archival material.

2.2. In furtherance of the above objects of the Society it shall have the following powers:

2.2.1. To promote and engage in educational activities including the issue of a regular journal and the publication and sale of other appropriate material.

2.2.2. To support the activities of the Federation of Family History Societies in its pursuit of these objectives.

2.2.3. To hold lectures and discussions and organise educational and research visits for Society members and interested members of the general public.

2.2.4. To preserve and transcribe or publish original source materials including documents and monumental inscriptions.

2.2.5. To engage in collaborative actions with similar societies and with established supportive bodies such as churches, libraries, record offices and educational institutions and organisations.

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3. Affiliation

3.1. This Society shall be a member of the Federation of Family History Societies and shall have the power to affiliate with other organisations whose objectives are deemed compatible and mutually supportive of the objectives of the Society.

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4. Membership

4.1. Membership shall be open to all persons showing genuine interest in the support of the Society’s objectives.

4.2. There shall be three categories of membership.

4.3. Membership entitles one or more related persons per household to attend all meetings and to take part in all other activities of the Society. Each household shall receive one copy of the journal, issued by the Society and be entitled to a single vote at all meetings of the Society, and its Branches

4.4. Institutional Membership entitles the member institution to receive a single copy of the journal, issued by the Society, and should be entitled to one vote to be cast by a formally nominated representative

4.5. Honorary Life Membership will be conferred upon those members who in the opinion of the Executive Committee have rendered exceptional service to the Society.

Recommendations for such membership will be made to the Annual General Meeting of the Society.

4.6. Classes of membership shall be determined by the Executive Committee and may include such other categories as they may consider appropriate.

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5. Branches
5.1. The Society’s Executive Committee shall have the power to establish or authorise branches, for the furtherance of the Society’s objectives.

5.2. Every member of the Society shall be deemed a member of every branch.

5.3. Each branch so established shall comply with and be subject to the following regulations:

5.3.1. The branch shall act solely in pursuit of the said objectives and of the policy of the Society and shall be subject to any conditions as may be from time to time laid down by the Society Executive Committee

5.3.2. The branch shall be deemed to have adopted and approved the Standing Orders for branches as prescribed from time to time by the Society Executive Committee, subject to any variation agreed with the Society Executive Committee.

5.3.3. All monies raised by the branches shall be deemed to be monies of the Society, although they may be collected through branch officers.

5.3.4. The Executive Committee shall provide funds to a Branch as deemed appropriate by that Committee.

5.3.5. A branch may, with the prior agreement of the Society Executive Committee open a bank or building society account, which shall be run in accordance with the policy laid down by the Society. All such monies shall remain at all times the monies of the Society as a whole. The branch account must be kept in such form as may from time to time be determined by the Society Executive Committee and shall be subject to annual audit/examination for inclusion in the Society annual accounts.

5.3.6. All printed material, microfilm and other assets, however acquired, held by the branch shall be the assets of the Society.

5.3.7. A branch may be suspended at any time by a resolution of the Society Executive Committee and upon suspension shall cease all operations and any assets under its day-to-day administration shall be frozen until a resolution has been approved at the next AGM dissolving the branch or otherwise.

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6. Officers

6.1. The principal officers of the Society shall consist of a Chairman, General Secretary and Treasurer who shall be elected by the membership at the Annual General Meeting. They shall serve for one year, taking office on the first day of the month following the AGM. The maximum period that an individual can hold office is four years unless by special resolution at the AGM.

6.2. The Executive Committee will consist of the Principal Officers together with the Membership Secretary, the Members Interests Secretary, Editor and the Projects Co-ordinator and 2 members, all elected by the membership at the Annual General Meeting, to serve for one year.

6.3. Nominations should be submitted in writing not less than 28 days before the meeting. If insufficient nominations have been received to fill the vacancies, the chairman of the meeting may, at his discretion, take nominations from the floor. In the event of a vacancy during the year the Executive Committee shall have the power to fill the vacancy.

6.4. In addition the Society may, at the Annual General Meeting, elect a President and one or more Vice-Presidents who may or may not be members of the Society. The President but not the Vice-Presidents shall be deemed to be an ex-officio (by virtue of one’s office) member of the Society Executive Committee.

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7. Executive Committee

7.1. The Society shall be administered by an Executive Committee, deemed to be Trustees of the Society, consisting of the Principal Officers together with the Membership Secretary, the Members Interests Secretary, Editor and the Projects Co-ordinator who shall serve as ex officio and 2 members elected by the membership at the Annual General Meeting, to serve for one year.

7.2. In addition, each branch shall at its Branch General Meeting elect one representative to serve on the Society Executive Committee for the year. The branch may also elect one substitute in the event of its elected representative being unable to attend.

7.3. The Society Executive Committee shall have the power to co-opt up to 4 members to serve during the current year.

7.4. The Society Executive shall have the power to appoint sub-committees to deal with particular matters. Members shall be appointed by the Society Executive Committee but need not necessarily be members of the Executive Committee. The principal officers shall be ex- officio members of all committees. All sub-committees shall be automatically disbanded at each Annual General Meeting.

7.5. The Executive Committee shall, at its first meeting, elect a Vice-Chairman from amongst its members.

7.6. The committee quorum shall be five.

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8. Finance and Subscriptions

8.1. The financial year shall run from 1st September to 31st August.

8.2. Subscriptions shall be payable at the time and at the rate determined by the Executive Committee, subject to the approval of members at a General Meeting. Any member not having renewed the subscription within 6 months of the due date shall be deemed to have resigned from the Society.

8.3. The Society Executive Committee shall decide at the beginning of each financial year that portion of the Society income that shall be allocated to each branch and shall retain the discretion to allocate additional funds as the need may arise.

8.4. Any funds raised by a Branch shall be deemed to be funds of the Society as a whole. Branches must provide annual accounts to the Society Executive Committee who has final responsibility for all financial matters.

8.5. All Society cheques must be signed by two of the three elected principal officers. (i.e Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer).

8.6. The Society’s accounts shall be audited/examined annually, the auditors/examiners having been appointed by the previous Annual General Meeting. A copy of the audited/examined accounts shall be presented to members at the AGM and subsequently published on the Society’s website.

8.7. All income and property of the Society shall be applied solely towards the promotion and execution of the objectives of the Society as defined in Clause 2 above and no portion thereof shall be paid or transferred directly or indirectly in any manner by way of profit to any member of the committee or the Society providing that nothing herein shall prevent re- imbursement of reasonable and proper expenses incurred on behalf of the Society.

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9. Annual General Meeting

9.1. An Annual General Meeting shall be held not later than the 31st January each Society year.

9.2. Notice of the meeting shall be given not less than 28 days prior to the meeting.

9.3. The business of the meeting must include:

9.3.1. A report by the Chairman or Secretary on the activities of the Society during the year;

9.3.2. A report by the Treasurer which shall include the audited/examined accounts of the Society;

9.3.3. The election of officers and members of the Executive Committee of the Society;

9.3.4. Any other resolution or business of which at least 100 days notice has been given;

9.3.5. Any other urgent business at the discretion of the Chairman with the agreement of the meeting.

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10. Special General Meeting

10.1. The Society Executive Committee shall have the power to call a Special General Meeting.

10.2. The Society Executive Committee must also convene such a meeting at the request of at least 10% of the current membership within 70 days of receiving such a notice.

10.3. All members shall be sent notice of such meetings not less than 56 days prior to the meeting setting out the business to be discussed. Only such matters as set out in this notice can be discussed at the Special General Meeting.

10.4. A quorum for such a meeting shall be 25 members.

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11. Constitutional Amendment

11.1. The constitution may only be amended or altered at an AGM or SGM of the Society called in accordance with sections 9 and 10.

11.2. Any such change must be approved by a two-thirds majority of those present and eligible to vote.

11.3. All such proposals must be submitted by or through The Society Executive Committee at least 100 days prior to the date of the meeting. This is to enable notice of the resolution to be given in the Society journal prior to the AGM.

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12. Expulsion of Members

12.1. The Executive Committee of the Society has the power to suspend any member whose activities are deemed, in their opinion, to be prejudicial to the Society. Such a proposal shall be a formal agenda item, and the member shall be notified in advance and have the right to make representation.

12.2. Such members shall have the right to appeal to the Annual General Meeting, or to a Special General Meeting outlined in Section 10.

12.3. The suspension, if upheld after the appeals procedure, shall lead to automatic expulsion.

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13. Dissolution

13.1. The Society may be dissolved by a resolution passed at an Annual or Special General Meeting convened in accordance with the procedure of Section 10.

13.2. Such resolution must be passed by not less than three-quarters of those members present and eligible to vote.

13.3. Such resolution may direct how the assets of the Society shall be disposed, after all debts and liabilities have been discharged, provided such direction is in accordance with the objectives of the Society and the requirements of the Charity Commission.

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