Questors Constitution

Questors Choir Constitution

1 Name

The name of the Choir shall be the Questors Choir hereinafter referred to as the Choir.

2 Objects

The objects of the Choir shall be to advance, improve, develop and maintain public education in and appreciation of the art and science of choral music in all its aspects by the presentation of public choral concerts; and for the general purposes of such charitable bodies or for such other purposes as shall be exclusively charitable as the Committee may from time to time decide.

3 Affiliation

For so long as the Choir is affiliated to The Questors Theatre (Registered Charity 207516), nothing in this Constitution shall be interpreted in such a way as to violate the Articles of Affiliation.

4 Finance

  1. The Financial Year shall end on 31st August.
  2. A banking account shall be opened in the name of the Choir and any two Officers nominated as authorised signatories shall sign cheques.
  3. Annual Subscriptions shall be due on or before the first rehearsal in the Choir Year, or part thereof for new Choir Members taking up Full Membership part way through the Choir Year.
  4. The income and property of the Choir whencesoever derived shall be applied solely towards promoting the objects of the Choir as set forth above and no portion thereof shall be paid or transferred either directly or indirectly to any Member or Members of the Choir except in payment of legitimate expenses incurred on behalf of the Choir.

5 Membership

  1. Membership of the Choir shall be open to any person over the age of 18 interested in furthering the objects of the Choir. Membership shall consist of Full Members (b), Temporary Members (c), and Honorary Members (d).
  2. Full Membership with voting rights as defined in Clause 9e shall be open to all who wish to join the Choir subject to:
  1. Meeting such standards of musical competence as shall be determined by the Musical Director, in consultation from time to time with the Committee.
  2. There being vacancies in the section of the Choir in which they are to sing; this shall be determined by the Musical Director, in consultation from time to time with the Committee.
  3. Payment when due of the appropriate subscription and deposits, as determined from time to time by the Committee;
  4. Observation of such rules of attendance and behaviour as shall be determined by the Committee;
  5. Failure to meet requirements b) 1,2,3 & 4 above may result in the Committee’s decision to suspend a Member from participation in the current concert or to suspend such Member’s Membership temporarily or indefinitely. The Committee has the power to terminate the membership of any individual, provided that the decision of the Committee (with the exception of (i) the individual concerned if a member of the Committee and (ii) any member of the Committee making or connected with the complaint against the individual) is unanimous both as to the termination and as to there being good reason for it, and provided that the individual concerned shall have the right to be heard by the Committee, accompanied by a friend if desired, before a final decision is made. No subscription is refundable if membership is suspended under this Clause.
  1. Temporary Membership may be granted by the Committee for such period and on such terms as it sees fit to any person whose participation at that time is judged to be beneficial to the Choir. Payment of subscriptions may be waived at the discretion of the Committee. Temporary Members shall have no voting rights.
  2. The Committee may grant Honorary Life Membership to any person whom it considers has rendered outstanding services to the Choir. Honorary Life Members shall have no voting rights.

6 Choir Year 

The Choir Year shall commence on 1st September and conclude on 31st August.

7 Officers and Committee

  1. The management of the Choir shall be in the hands of the Committee which shall consist of the following officers: Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Secretary, Publicity Officer, Webmaster, and up to four Section Representatives who shall be nominated by the Section in which they sing. There must be at least one Member of the Committee from each Section of the Choir (Soprano, Alto, and Tenor/Bass). Posts of up to two of the four main offices may be filled by a single Member. If fewer than four Section Representatives are nominated, the Committee may fill any vacancy by co-opting a Full Member from any Section. Only Full Members may serve as voting Members of the Committee.
  2. Committee Members shall be elected at Annual General Meetings. Nominations for Committee Members shall be made in writing and with the consent of the Nominee and shall reach the Secretary before commencement of the Annual General Meeting.
  3. The Committee shall have powers of co-option to (i) fill any vacancy on the Committee or (ii) fill other roles of value to the Choir.
  4. Committee Members shall hold office from the date of their election or co-option until the following Annual General Meeting when they shall automatically resign but be eligible for re-election.
  5. As the Choir is a Registered Charity, members of the Charity’s governing body (ie the Committee) are also designated as Charity Trustees under the Charities Act 2011. Their period of Trusteeship shall begin after their first Committee Meeting, when the corrected list is reported to the Charity commissioners and shall end at the AGM when they cease to be elected or at an intermediate date if they should resign.
  6. The Committee may meet, adjourn and otherwise regulate its meetings as and when it thinks fit. The Chairman or a majority of its Members may summon a meeting of which at least 48 hours shall be given, save that meetings may be called at shorter notice with the consent of all current Members.
  7. There shall be a quorum of not less than four before a Committee Meeting shall take place.
  8. The Chairman shall act as chairman at meetings of the Committee. If the Chairman is absent from any meeting, the Members of the Committee present shall choose one of their numbers to be chairman before any other business is transacted.
  9. 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.
  10. The Committee may form sub-committees and co-opt such persons as it thinks fit to serve on such sub-committees, for the purpose of making any enquiry 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 sub-committee, provided that all acts and proceedings of any such sub-committee shall be fully and promptly reported to the Committee.
  11. The Committee shall keep minutes of the proceedings at meetings of the Committee and any sub-committee, and shall ensure that these are stored safely, and that they are available for inspection as required. A report of any major decisions of the Committee will be given verbally at the first rehearsal after the Committee has met.
  12. The Committee shall appoint a Musical Director and such other Officers as it thinks necessary on such terms and for such period as it sees fit. The Musical Director shall be an ex-officio Member of the Committee and have the right to attend, speak and vote at all Committee and General Meetings. 
  13. The Committee, in consultation with the Musical Director, shall approve concert dates, concert and rehearsal venues, and budgets.
  14. The Musical Director, in consultation with the Committee, shall determine the musical programme for the coming year.

8 Powers 

In furtherance of the objects but not otherwise the Committee may exercise the following powers:

  1. power to raise funds and to invite contributions provided that in raising funds the Committee shall not undertake any substantial permanent trading activities and shall conform to any relevant requirements of the law;
  2. power to buy, take on lease or in exchange any property necessary for the achievement of the objects and to maintain and equip it for use;
  3. power to co-operate with other charities, voluntary bodies and statutory authorities operating in furtherance of the objects or of similar charitable purposes and to exchange information and advice with them;
  4. power to appoint and constitute such advisory committees as the Committee may think fit;
  5. power to do all such other lawful things as are necessary for the achievement of the objects.

9 General Meetings

  1. The Annual General Meeting shall be held once a year during the first term of the Choir Year. At least 14 days notice in writing shall be given to all Full Members. Save for amendments to Motions submitted in writing to the Secretary before commencement of the General Meeting, only items on the Agenda may be discussed.
  2. The financial accounts shall be audited or examined to the extent required by legislation or, if there is no such requirement, scrutinized by a person who is independent of the Committee.
  3. An up-to-date financial statement as to the Choir’s affairs together with the last audited accounts and a report by the Chairman on the past year and future plans shall be presented at each Annual General Meeting or circulated with the notice of such meeting.
  4. An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called by the Committee or on the signed requisition of at least 5 Full Members. At least 14 days notice in writing shall be given. Only items on the Agenda may be discussed. 
  5. Each Full Member shall be entitled to one vote at General Meetings. No proxy or postal voting shall be allowed. In the event of a tied vote at any General Meeting, the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote. 
  6. No General Meeting shall take place unless a quorum of one-third of Full Members is present.

10 Equal Opportunities

No individual shall be excluded from membership of the Choir or de-barred from any official capacity on the Committee on the grounds of sex, race, colour, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability or political affiliation.

11 Changes to the Constitution

The Constitution of the Choir shall not be revised or added to save at an Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary General Meeting and by a majority of two-thirds of those Members present and voting at such a Meeting.

12 Dissolution 

In the event of the Choir being wound up, any assets remaining upon dissolution after the payment of proper debts and liabilities shall be transferred to a charitable institution or institutions having similar objects to those of the Choir.