The following is the Constitution for the Society approved at the AGM held on the tenth of February 2016 at the Mill Road Baptist Centre.
1. Definitions
1.1. The Society shall be called the Mill Road History Society.
1.2. A General Meeting means an Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary General Meeting.
1.3. An Annual General Meeting is a meeting open to all members convened in accordance with clause 3.3.1.
1.4. An Extraordinary General Meeting is a meeting open to all members convened in accordance with clause 3.3.2.
1.5. The Financial Year shall begin on 1st April and end on 31st March save that the first year shall extend from the date hereof to 31st March 2017.
1.6. A Member is a person whose name and address are recorded on the roll of members and who (if a membership fee has been set in accordance with Clause 4.3.) has paid the fee for the year.
2. Aims and Objectives
2.1 The aims and objectives of the Society are to celebrate and research the history and community of the Mill Road area of the City of Cambridge and its locality to create a permanent record of that research and to share it as widely as possible;
2.2. The Society may (inter alia) undertake the following to achieve the aims and objectives;
2.2.1. To endeavour as a Society to provide and promote equal opportunities for the membership for activities undertaken by the Society whatever a person’s race, colour, ethnicity or nation’s origin, religion, beliefs, sex, age, sexuality, gender identity, HIV status, physical or mental disability, state of health, appearance, marital status or family circumstances;
2.2.2. To pursue original research that is made available to all;
2.2.3. To share information amongst the members of the Society and on the website Capturing Cambridge (Museum of Cambridge) so as to add to the body of knowledge;
2.2.4. To organise talks and courses that will provide members and the general public with relevant information, knowledge or skills to pursue individual or group research;
2.2.5. To mount a programme of activities on topics relevant to the history of the locality;
2.2.6. To contribute to the local archive of documents (illustrations and artefacts) relating to the local history of the area;
2.2.7. To arrange guided local history walks;
2.2.8. To gather oral histories;
2.2.9. To mount exhibitions of a historical nature;
2.2.10. To publish books, leaflets and resource materials relating to the local history of the area;
2.2.11. To act as a resource for material and information for schools, libraries, media, museums, etc.;
2.2.12. To extend any of the above and develop additional activities as opportunities arise.
3. Management of the Society
3.1. The Committee of the Society shall consist of no fewer than five members and not more than nine. The Committee shall have the option of co-opting further members as is deemed necessary;
3.2. The election of the Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer and the rest of the Committee will take place at the Annual General Meeting by the membership;
3.3. The date of a General Meeting shall be notified to members not less than thirty days prior to its being held;
3.3.1. The Annual General Meeting shall be held no later than 3 months after the end of the Financial Year
3.3.2. An Extraordinary Meeting shall be held not less than 30 days and no more than 45 days after the secretary shall have received a written request to convene the meeting signed by four Committee members or six ordinary members
3.4. Resolutions for discussion at a General Meeting and nominations for election to the Committee at the Annual General Meeting shall be forwarded to the Secretary at least fourteen days prior to the date of the Meeting;
3.5. Resolutions which have not been notified under Clause 3.4 may be discussed and voted on at a General Meeting provided that a 2/3rds majority of members attending the meeting give agreement;
3.6. The Constitution of the Society can only be changed at a General Meeting requested in writing by ten members of the Society;
3.7. Constitution of the Society may only be changed by a two-thirds majority of the members present at a General Meeting. The proposed alteration(s) submitted in writing and seconded, shall be sent to the Secretary fourteen days prior to the date of the meeting;
3.8. The Committee shall meet as often as it deems necessary for the good administration of Society business. Resolutions discussed by the Committee shall be passed by a simple majority. The Chairperson (who will not normally vote) shall exercise a casting vote should this be necessary;
3.9. Committee meetings shall require a quorum of four committee members to make a decision;
3.10. Any comment or opinion given to the press, media, official bodies or the public by a member of the Society committee or by a Society member can only be deemed to be that of the individual concerned unless the matter has been discussed within the Committee and agreed thereby. Any written communication to such bodies should be done on Society headed paper.
3.11. The administration and management of the Society’s affairs shall be conducted in a manner that is transparent, accountable, efficient and effective. Members of the Society may request information or clarification of the Society’s affairs by writing to the Committee. The matter will be considered at the next scheduled Committee Meeting and a response will follow.
4. Membership and Subscriptions
4.1. Membership shall be open to all persons on payment of an appropriate subscription;
4.2. Guests are welcome to attend Society meetings and open events on payment of an appropriate charge;
4.3. Membership fees and guest charges will be decided at a General Meeting. Subscriptions may include individual membership, family membership and other concessions. The amount of each type of membership shall be recommended by the Committee and agreed at the Annual General Meeting for the following year. Annual subscriptions will be renewable from the date of the Annual General Meeting.
5. Finance
5.1. The Treasurer shall prepare a draft Income and Expenditure Account for the year to present at the Annual General Meeting. The accounts shall be inspected annually by an independent inspector;
5.2. Bank Account(s) shall be maintained in the name of the Society and shall be operated by the Treasurer and committee members with any two to sign cheques;
5.3. The Treasurer shall receive all membership fees, donations, contributions, bequests and grants. All income from whatever source shall be paid into the Society’s Bank Account;
5.4. The three principal Officers are responsible for the maintenance and safe custody of the property of the Society;
5.5. All items of expenditure by any member of the Committee shall be strictly within the context of the aims and objectives of the Society. All such expenditure shall be subject to the prior approval of the Treasurer, who may wish to consult with other Committee members. No officer or other Committee member shall unilaterally make any commitment or enter into any agreement to purchase supplies or equipment or take any action that will incur expense to the Society without first consulting the Treasurer;
5.6. Failure to observe the above principles may result in a Committee member not being reimbursed.
6. Ownership issues
Any resources or materials obtained and/or published by the Society will remain the property of the Society.
7. Payments and Benefits to Committee Members, Members and Related Persons
A Committee member, Member or related person may enter into a contract for the supply of services or goods to the Society where that is permitted in accordance with and subject to the conditions of Section 185 of the Charity Act 2011.
8. Dissolution
8.1. The Society shall be wound up only by a resolutionof an Extraordinary General Meeting called for the purpose and on the approval given by no fewer than two-thirds of those present and entitled to vote as paid up members;
8.2. Any assets remaining after the meeting once liabilities have been met shall be disposed of in such a manner as the meeting shall decide.