BHC Constitution

BRISTOL HANNOVER COUNCIL

THE CONSTITUTION

This constitution replaces previous Constitutions. It was approved by the membership of the Bristol Hannover Council at a Special General Meeting held on Wednesday, 11 September 1996

1.0 NAME

1.1. The name of the Association shall be Bristol-Hannover Council. It is herein referred to as The Council.

2.0 OBJECTIVES

2.1 The Council is established for the advancement of education by organising and facilitating educational exchanges between school children and educational institutions in and around the City of Bristol with school children and similar institutions in and around Hannover in Germany.

2.2 In furtherance of the above purposes the Council may:-

2.2.1 raise and receive money and funds by way of contributions, donations, affiliation fees, subscriptions, legacies, grants and any other lawful method, and accept and receive gifts of property of any description (whether subject to any special trusts or not);

2.2.2 arrange to be written, printed, published, issued and circulated, any reports, periodicals, books, pamphlets, leaflets or other documents relevant to the Council;

2.2.3 arrange and provide for or join in arranging and providing for the holding of activities relevant to the Council;

2.2.4 assist any group or groups, financially or otherwise, who promote the work of the Council and whose activities are approved by the Management Committee.

3.0 MEMBERSHIP

3.1 Individuals and corporate groups who are prepared to support the objectives of the Council and to cooperate in its activities will be eligible for membership of the Council.

4.0 SUBSCRIPTIONS

4.1 The annual subscription is subsumed within the membership fee of the Bristol-Hannover Council Foundation.

5.0 MANAGEMENT

5.1 The management of the Council shall be vested in the Trustees whose authority shall in all cases be paramount until overruled by a General Meeting of the Council with a two third majority of those present and voting.

5.1.1. The Trustees will comprise of:

The Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer who shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Council and will normally hold office until the next Annual General Meeting.

5.1.2. Seven additional members shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting and should, as far as possible, be representative of organisations and persons who can assist the Council in the achievement of its objectives. The four Trustees and the seven elected members shall form the Management Committee. The Registered Charity Number is 279212.

5.1.3. The eleven members of the Management Committee may co-opt up to four other members of The council to assist in the achievement of its objectives.

5.1.4. The President of the Council shall be the Lord Mayor of Bristol and is entitled to attend Management Meetings.

5.1.5. The Council may, from time to time, elect such Vice-Presidents as are recommended by the Management Committee and they may be invited to attend Management Meetings.

5.1.6. To assist with the day to day management of the Council the Management Committee may appoint such other Committees and Sub-Committees as it sees fit and determine their terms of reference. Each Sub-Committee will have a duty to report in writing to the Management Committee.

5.1.7. The Minuting and Membership Secretaries will be elected at the first Management Committee meeting following the Annual General Meeting.

5.2 All members of the Management Committee shall be entitled to one vote at Management and Sub-Committee meetings with the Chairman entitled to an additional casting vote in the event of a tied vote.

5.3 The quorum for the Management Committee and Sub-Committee meetings shall be one third of the membership of the Management Committee and Sub-Committees.

6.0 MEETINGS

6.1 General Meetings

The Management Committee may, at any time, and shall within twenty-eight days after receiving a request in writing of any ten members sent to the Honorary Secretary, summon a Special General Meeting of which not less than twenty-eight days written notice shall be given specifying the business to be presented. Ten members of the Council shall constitute a quorum.

6.2 Annual General Meeting

The Annual General meeting of the Council, of which at least twenty-eight days written notice shall be given to all members by the Honorary Secretary, shall be held during the month of October in each year. Ten members shall constitute a quorum. The business of the Annual General Meeting shall be:-

to receive reports from the Management Committee;

to receive the annual audited accounts;

to appoint auditors;

to elect Officers for the forthcoming year.

6.2.1. Nominations for the election of Trustees and others to the Management Committee shall be signed by the proposer and seconder who should be members of the Council and shall be made with the signed consent of the nominee for any of the offices and submitted to the Honorary Secretary at least fourteen days before the Annual General Meeting. If the number of nominations exceeds the number of vacancies, a ballot of the members present at the Annual General Meeting shall take place.

6.3 Management Committee Meetings

The Management Committee shall meet not less than four times in every year.

7.0 RESOLUTIONS

7.1 Resolutions (except alterations to the Constitution) shall be submitted in writing to the Secretary not less than 14 days before a General Meeting and shall be passed by a majority of members voting. The Chairman shall be entitled to a second or a casting vote.

7.2 The ruling of the Chairman on any question relating to procedure or on any point of order shall be final and not open to discussion.

8.0 ACCOUNTS

8.1 All funds and assets in the possession of the Council shall be held, paid and applied as the Trustees may direct, within the objects of the Council and, pending such direction, all funds shall be held in separate bank accounts in the name of the Council with such bankers as the Trustees may from time to time direct. All cheques drawn on such banks, other than transfers between the Council’s accounts on the authority of the Honorary Treasurer, shall be signed by any two of the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Honorary Secretary or Honorary Treasurer.

8.2 All documents requiring endorsement shall be sufficiently endorsed if signed by any of the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Honorary Secretary or Honorary Treasurer.

9.0 ALTERATIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION

9.1 No alteration may be made to the Constitution except by and with the authority of a resolution passed by a majority of no less than two thirds of the members present at a General Meeting of members.

9.2 No alteration shall be made which would affect the Council’s charitable status.

10.0 NOTICES

10.1 Notices to members shall be deemed sufficiently served if sent by post to the address of the member registered on their subscription form.

11.0 DISSOLUTION

11.1 The Council may at any time be dissolved by a resolution passed by a two thirds majority of those present and voting at a meeting of the Council of which at least twenty-one clear days notice shall have been sent to all members of the Council. Such a resolution may give instructions for the disposal of any assets held by or in the name of the Council, provided that if any property remains after the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities, such property shall not be paid to or distributed among the members of the Council but shall be given or transferred to such other charitable institution or institutions having objectives similar to some or all of the objectives of the Council as the Council may determine, with the approval of the Charity Commissioners or other Authority having charitable jurisdiction.