The Society shall be known as the Eastbourne Local History Society.
The object of the Society is to advance the education of the public by the study of the history of Eastbourne and district. In furtherance of this object but not further or otherwise the Society shall have the following powers:
- To arrange meetings, lectures and visits to places of historical interest.
- To raise funds by voluntary donation, subscription or otherwise provided that the Society shall not undertake any permanent trading activities.
- To do all such other things as shall further the above object.
These shall be the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Hon. Secretary and Hon. Treasurer.
The Executive Committee [EC] shall consist of the Officers and five members of the Society, all of whom shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting [AGM] and shall have power to co-opt up to three additional members. In addition a representative from each of the Borough of Eastbourne's Local History Museums and the Eastbourne Area Library of the East Sussex County Library may be invited to be members of the EC.
The general management of the Society shall be vested in the EC who shall have the power to form sub-committees for special purposes as necessary.
Meetings of the EC shall be held as and when necessary. A meeting may be summoned by (a) the Chairman; (b) the Hon. Secretary; or (c) on requisition signed by at least three members of the EC. Three members shall form a quorum. In the absence of the Chairman and Vice-Chairman, the members present at the EC meeting shall elect, from amongst themselves, the Chairman of that particular meeting. At least seven days' notice shall be given of all meetings of the EC.
The role of the sub-committees shall be to execute the policy of the EC. It is not intended that the sub-committees will formulate policy, although it will be within their brief to submit policy initiatives to the EC for approval. The EC shall determine terms of reference for sub-committees and shall elect from its own members at least one and up to four members of any sub-committee. A sub committee shall elect a Chairman and a Secretary. Such officers must be approved by the EC. Each sub-committee shall have power to co-opt up to three additional members not necessarily from the EC. Each sub-committee shall keep minutes and forward these to the Hon. Secretary of the Society for EC to ensure actions are within the delegated terms of reference.
These shall be elected at an AGM and shall hold office for five years. They shall all be eligible for re-election.
These shall be elected at an AGM and shall hold office for five years. They shall all be eligible for re-election.Membership of the Society shall be open to all those interested in the furthering of the objects of the Society. Members whose subscriptions are not paid before the date of the AGM in any year will be deemed to have ceased to b members.
Members joining on or after 1st October any year and paying the annual subscription will be deemed fully paid for the following calendar year. The Society may confer Honorary Membership upon a person deemed worthy thereof on the nomination of the EC and confirmed at a General Meeting.
The annual subscription rates shall be decided at a General Meeting of the Society and shall come into effect on the following 1st January.
The AGM of the Society at which if possible, the President or a Vice-President shall preside, will be held during the month of April. At the meeting a report of the activities of the Society and a certified Statement of Accounts will be presented, Officers and other EC members elected, a competent Independent Examiner of the accounts appointed and general business transacted. Twenty eight days' notice shall be given to members by electronic mail or by post. Any motion or question to be considered at the AGM must be forwarded to the Hon. Secretary in writing twenty-one days before such meeting. A quorum at this meeting shall be ten members.
An Extraordinary General Meeting [EGM] of the Society may be called at any time by the EC, or upon requisition signed by ten members to the Hon. Secretary setting out the reason therefor. Only the business for which the special meeting has been called shall be considered. Seven days' notice shall be given to members by electronic mail or by post. A quorum at this meeting shall be 10 members.
Should the Society be dissolved at a General Meeting all assets remaining after the payment of just debts shall be paid or transferred to some other charitable organisation or organisations having objects similar to those of the Society according to the decision by simple majority of those members present and voting.
Alteration or addition to the Constitution can only be effected at an AGM, or an EGM called for that purpose, provided that no amendment made to CLAUSE 2, CLAUSE 12 or THIS CLAUSE without prior approval of the Charity Commissioners or that NO AMENDMENT SHOULD BE MADE WHICH WOULD CAUSE THE SOCIETY TO CEASE TO BE A CHARITY AT LAW.
