Lincoln Cathedral Choir Association
The CONSTITUTION of
LINCOLN CATHEDRAL CHOIR ASSOCIATION
1. The Name of the Association
The name of the Association shall be 'Lincoln Cathedral Choir Association'.
The Association is part of the activities of Lincoln Cathedral and falls within its charitable status – Inland Revenue Charity Number X7802-1.
2. Objectives of the Association
The objectives of the Association are:
(i) to support the work and promotion of the choir and provide [extra] facilities for its members beyond those provided by the Dean and Chapter;
(ii) to establish and foster a friendly relationship among members of the Association and those connected with it, and provide mutual help and support between choir parents and others;
(iii) to help stimulate, develop and maintain the interest of the Cathedral Congregation and the wider public in Cathedral music;
(iv) to organise social events for members of the Choir and Association;
(v) to undertake fundraising in support of the Choir amongst those who might not normally come within the ambit of general Cathedral fundraising;
(vi) to do any other thing incidental or conducive to any or all of the above objectives.
3. Membership
Membership of the Association shall be open to any person over the age of 18 years who shall subscribe to the objectives of the Association and whom the Committee of the Association in their absolute discretion shall admit to membership.
Parents of serving Choristers and all Lay Vicars, unless otherwise indicated, shall automatically have full membership of the Association.
The Committee of the Association reserves the right to remove membership from any person and in such circumstances will provide written notification.
4. Subscription
If there shall be an annual subscription, it may be varied at a General Meeting. A subscription is not a requirement of those who qualify for automatic membership; though it is hoped they will wish to contribute.
5. Officers
(i) The Association may appoint Patrons to act as figureheads who will be expected to lend their support to the objectives of the Association.
(ii) The Association may appoint a President at the General Meeting who will be expected to provide continuity and support to the Committee of the Association and may, from time to time, be expected to question decisions, or arbitrate in matters, relating to the running of the Association.
(iii) The following officers shall be elected at the General Meeting:
(a) Chairperson
(b) Vice Chairperson
(c) Secretary
(d) Treasurer
(e) Database Coordinator
(f) Lay Vicars' Representative
(g) Representative(s) of Chorister Parents (when no other officer is a chorister parent); or to bring the total number of the committee to no more than 14 persons.
(h) Representative of the Cathedral Congregation (not a chorister parent)
(j) Representative of Lincoln Minster School (Headteacher of the Preparatory School)
(k) Representative(s) of the Directors of Music
(iv) The Cathedral Chapter shall appoint the Precentor as the ex-officio representative from Chapter to sit on the Committee of the Association.
(v) Officers of the Association will have the ability to co-opt the support of other members of the Association for the specific purpose of carrying out duties for the Association.
(vi) More than one office, except the office of Chairperson, may be held by a single person providing a quorum of the Committee can still be formed (see 7).
6. General Meetings of the Association
(i) A General Meeting of the Association shall be held at a frequency to be determined at the first General Meeting of the Association. Any four members of the Committee may call an Extraordinary General Meeting at any time subject to notice being given in accordance with (ii) below. The frequency of General Meetings may be altered at any General Meeting.
(ii) The Secretary shall provide at least fourteen days notice to every member of the Association of the date, place and time of each General Meeting.
(iii) At a General Meeting the chair shall be taken by the Chairperson of the Association, or the Vice Chairperson of the Association, or in their absence or inability to chair, by one of the other officers mention in 5 above elected by the meeting.
(iv) A quorum at a General Meeting shall be 11 members.
(v) Any matter for decision by a General Meeting shall be proposed by one member and seconded by another and shall be voted on by a show of hands. If a member so desires, he may, before a show of hands, propose an amendment which, if seconded, shall be voted on in the same manner and, if passed, shall take the place of the original proposition. Any number of amendments may be dealt with likewise after the preceding amendment or amendments have been voted upon.
(vi) The person presiding at every Meeting shall have control of the Meeting and his or her decision on any point of procedure or of order shall be final. In the event of any equality of voting the person presiding shall have a casting vote.
(vii) Subject to (vi) above, every member of the Association present at a General Meeting shall have one vote but no arrangements shall be permitted to cast votes on behalf of absent members.
7. The Committee
(i) The Committee of the Association shall comprise the President, if appointed, and the officers mentioned in 5 above.
(ii) The business of the Association shall be conducted and managed by the Committee.
(iii) A quorum at a meeting of the Committee shall be 5.
8. Secretariat
(i) The Secretary shall keep proper records of decisions and actions of Meetings of the Association and of the Committee.
(ii) The Membership Secretary shall maintain an up-to-date list of the names and addresses of the members of the Association.
9. Treasurer, Accounts and Audits
(i) Monies belonging to the Association shall be paid into an account, or accounts in the name of the Association with such bank or building society as shall be approved by the Committee and the Dean & Chapter.
(ii) The Treasurer shall keep proper books of account and prepare accounts in each fiscal year which shall be independently scrutinised and submitted to a General Meeting.
(iii) The Chapter Principal Accountant, not being an Officer or member of the Committee, shall be appointed annually by the Committee as account scrutineer.
(iv) The annual accounts of the Association will be incorporated within the consolidated accounts of Lincoln Cathedral prepared as at 31st March each year.
(v) Cheques drawn on the Association's account, or any withdrawals from such account, shall be signed by any two of the following signatories: Chairperson, Treasurer, Secretary, Chief Executive of Lincoln Cathedral, and Precentor of Lincoln Cathedral; one of whom must be the Chairman or Treasurer.
10. Alterations to the Constitution
The Constitution may only be altered at any duly convened General Meeting of the Association and provided the precise wording of the proposed alteration shall have been provided in the notice of the Meeting sent to Members of the Association. Only the Committee may direct that a proposed alteration to the Constitution shall be included in the notice of a General Meeting.
11. Disposal of the Association's Assets on Dissolution
In the event of the Association being dissolved the whole of the assets of the Association shall be realised and transferred to Lincoln Cathedral for the benefit of the Choir.