Constitution

BRAINTREE MUSICAL SOCIETY 

CONSTITUTION  

2018 Revision (May 2018) 

1. NAME AND OBJECTIVES: The Society shall be named the Braintree  

Musical Society. Its objectives shall be the promotion of active interest in music and the  production of musical stage shows. Allied to this shall be the provision of social activities and  mutual assistance in the practice of the arts. 

2. MEMBERSHIP: Membership is open to all who have an interest in the arts and the objectives of  the Society. The Committee shall retain the right to approve or disapprove or revoke an individual membership. All members shall receive a copy of the Constitution on request. There  shall be four classes of membership: 

i. Full Members – who shall pay an annual subscription and shall be eligible to participate in  any Society function, to one vote at all General Meetings, and to priority bookings for Society  productions. 

ii. Junior Members (under the age of 16 – which is linked to the age requiring a chaperone) – who shall pay a reduced annual subscription. They shall be eligible to participate in any  Society function and to priority bookings for Society productions but not to vote at General  Meetings. Under 16’s may be invited to participate in a show if the show requires them, at  the Committee’s discretion. 

iii. Honorary Members – past Members who are invited by the Committee to continue in the  activities of the Society and who retain the same rights as a full Member without the obligation  to pay an annual subscription. New Honorary Members shall be proposed, seconded and elected  at an AGM. 

iv. Friends – people with an interest in the Society who shall be invited to make a donation to Society  Funds. They shall be eligible to participate in Society Functions and to priority bookings for Society  productions but shall not be entitled to vote at General Meetings. In order to take part in a show a  Friend should pay at least the annual subscription amount. 

3. SUBSCRIPTIONS: Shall be in respect of the year commencing July 1st and shall become due  immediately after the Annual General Meeting. Subscription rates will be reviewed at Annual  General Meetings subject to incorporation as an agenda item. In addition, a Show Fee is  charged for each production, which is to be set by the Committee. No person may take part in a  show or production until annual subscriptions and show fees have been paid. Membership may  be revoked if such fees remain unpaid. 

4. PRESIDENT and OFFICERS : The President and the Officers of the Society, namely the  Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and Membership Secretary, shall be elected from the  membership of the Society at the Annual General Meeting each year (or Extraordinary General  Meeting (EGM)).  

5. COMMITTEE: The Committee shall consist of the Officers, together with six other Members,  who shall serve two year terms. Election shall take place at an Annual General Meeting (or  EGM). Three of the elected Committee Members shall retire annually but be eligible to offer  themselves for re-election. The Committee shall have the power to co-opt a Member to fill a  vacancy on the Committee. The Director and Musical Director may not serve as an Officer of the Society but may serve as a Committee Member. They must leave the room when  fees are discussed.

6. DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE: The Committee shall have the duty of general management of  the Society, and may appoint sub-committees who shall report to the Committee as required.  The terms of reference of Officers and sub-committees shall be determined by the Committee.  A full Committee meeting shall normally be held at least once during each calendar month. The  quorum for a Committee Meeting shall be six. The Committee shall appoint a casting sub committee for each production. This shall consist of the Production Team: The Director, The  Musical Director, The Choreographer/ Assistant Director (if appointed), and a Member of the  Committee. All stage productions to be undertaken by the Society shall be chosen by the  Committee after taking into account the views of the Members. In the event of emergencies the  Chairman shall have the power to make any decision deemed necessary. The Chairman shall  report any such decision to the ex officio Members within one week. 

7. FINANCIAL YEAR: Shall end on June 30th. 

8. ANNUAL INSPECTOR OF ACCOUNTS: Shall be elected for the ensuing year at the Annual  General Meeting. 

9. GENERAL MEETINGS: The Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held in June or July of  each year. The Notice and Agenda of any General Meeting (including AGM or EGM) shall be  issued to the Membership not less than 14 days prior to the meeting. No item of ‘Any Other  Business’ should be on the agenda of an Annual General Meeting. A member wishing to  include an item on the Agenda of a General Meeting should contact the Secretary in advance of  the Notice of Meeting being issued in order for the item to be considered for inclusion at the  meeting. The quorum of any General Meeting shall be one third of the total (voting)  membership. Votes at a General Meeting shall be carried by a simple majority of those present  at the meeting. 

An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) or Special General Meeting (SGM) shall be called by  the Secretary in the following cases: 

a) Upon the direction of the Committee 

b) Upon a requisition signed by at least 10 members stating the special subject thereof. 

The Society shall not be wound up except by resolution of a duly convened Special General  Meeting. The voting in favour of the resolution must be at least 50% of the total membership of  the Society. 

10. FUNDS OF THE SOCIETY: Shall be applied to the furtherance of its objectives and to such  charitable purposes as the Committee may decide. No Officers or Members of the Society  shall receive any payment for their services other than reasonable out-of-pocket  expenses authorised by the Committee. The Committee may choose to authorise the  payment of a fee to the Director, Musical Director, and Choreographer of a production. Any Members who have an interest in any company providing goods or services to the  Society must declare their interest to the Committee prior to any agreement being made. In the event of the dissolution of the Society, the assets shall be devoted to objectives similar to  those of the Society or to charitable purposes. 

11. CHANGE OF CONSTITUTION: This Constitution may be amended at any General Meeting,  subject to a vote. Any such amendments shall take effect immediately on adoption unless  otherwise decided at the meeting. The Notice of Meeting must state any proposed amendments to the Constitution.