Our Constitution

DALSTON MALE VOICE CHOIR (founded February 1985)

TITLE

1. The Choir shall be called “Dalston Male Voice Choir”

OBJECTS

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

It shall be non-political and non-sectarian.

OFFICERS

3. The Officers of the choir shall consist of a Chairman, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer.

COMMITTEE

4. Management of the Choir shall be by a committee consisting of the Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, Honorary Concert Manager and three other members. In addition the Musical Director shall be an ex-officio member of the committee but without any voting rights.

5. If the committee deems it necessary up to two further members may be co-opted to the committee by majority vote of the committee. All committee members shall hold office until the following Annual General Meeting (AGM).

MEETINGS AND ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE

6. The officers and committee shall be elected at the AGM which shall be held in February or March of each year (or such other date as shall be sanctioned by the committee) or at a properly called Special General Meeting.

Two weeks' notice shall be given of the meeting. Committee members shall hold office for one year and subject to rules 9 and 10 shall be eligible for re-election.

7. Elections and other decisions in general meeting, except as provided for in rule 27, shall be by a simple majority of the members present and voting, by ballot if necessary.

8. A Special General Meeting may be called with 14 days notice at the request of at least four members of the Choir.

9. A Chairman having served in that office for a continuous period of five years shall not be eligible for re-election for one year.

10. At each AGM the non-office holder who has served longest on the committee shall retire by rotation and shall not be eligible for re-election in that capacity for one year. If two or more members have served the same length of time lots shall be drawn to determine who shall retire.

11. The committee shall meet four times a year and at other times when business warrants. A quorum shall be four members.

12. All the arrangements for concerts and other events and control of the finance (including accounts, investment of income, adequate insurance of assets, purchase of music and uniform, payment of copyright or performance fees, booking of engagements and publicity) shall be made by the committee.

13. At the first meeting following the AGM the committee shall appoint a Musical Director and an Accompanist for a period of one year.

MEMBERSHIP

14. A member shall be a person approved by the Musical Director after audition and admitted to membership at a meeting of the committee.

15. Members are expected to attend not less than 70% of rehearsals.

16. Honorary and Associate membership

17. For good and sufficient reason the membership of any individual may be terminated by decision of the committee provided that the individual shall have the right to be heard by the committee before any decision is taken.

FINANCE

18. The financial year shall end on 31st December in each year with the Choir’s financial position being reviewed at least quarterly by the committee.

19. The subscription rates for members and associate members shall be determined annually at the AGM and shall become due on the 6th day of April in each year.

20. Account(s) shall be opened at a bank or building society in the name of the Choir and withdrawals shall be signed by any two of the Chairman, Honorary Treasurer, Honarary Secretary and Honarary Concert Manager.

21. The books of account shall be independently examined and the independent examiner shall be appointed at the AGM each year. The annual accounts shall be submitted to the members for approval at the AGM.

22. Reasonable out of pocket expenses incurred by members on the authorised business of the Choir may be reimbursed at the discretion of the committee.

23. The committee shall have the power to pay an honorarium to the Musical Director, Accompanist and any other person rendering services to the Choir.

MUSIC

24. All music issued to members is the property of the Choir and must not be sold, loaned or copied without the sanction of the committee.

25. The choice of music, the programme selection and the decision as to which members shall sing at any Choir performance shall be in the sole discretion of the Musical Director.

DRESS

26. Members of the Choir shall wear the uniform dress approved by the committee on any occasion when the Choir gives a public performance.

DISSOLUTION

27. The Choir may be wound up by a decision to do so at a general meeting by not less than 75% of the membership then present voting in favour of such winding-up.

28. If, upon the winding-up or dissolution of the Choir there remains any property whatsoever after the satisfaction of its debts and liabilities the same shall not be distributed amongst the members of the Choir but shall be given or transferred to some charitable institution or institutions having objects similar to the Choir, such institution or institutions to be determined by the members of the Choir at or before the time of dissolution and in so far as effect cannot be given to such provision then to some charitable object.

GENERAL

29. The rules of the Choir shall only be altered at the AGM 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 rules 2, 28 or this rule without the prior written approval of the Charity Commission.

30. A copy of these rules and constitution shall be given on request to each member.

Revised – March 2014