West Wight Arts Association - Constitution
The West Wight Arts Association is a registered Charity, no. 1081794. Key to our charity work is the Bursary Scheme. Our activities are governed by our constitution, which can be read below, or downloaded here.
CONSTITUTION OF THE WEST WIGHT ARTS ASSOCIATION
11th May 2019
Registered Charity No: 1081794
1. TITLE
The name shall be West Wight Arts Association, hereinafter referred to as WWAA.
2. OBJECTS
The objects of WWAA shall be to promote, improve, develop and maintain public education in, and appreciation of, the art and science of music and drama in all their aspects, by the presentation of public professional or amateur performances; or for such other purposes as shall be exclusively charitable as the Trustees may from time to time decide.
3. BURSARY
WWAA will endeavour to hold a Bursary competition biennially for youngsters aged between 11 and 18 years old who live on the Isle of Wight which shall be funded to a level agreed by the Trustees from any surplus retained income.
4. OFFICERS AND TRUSTEES
The management of WWAA shall be in the hands of Trustees consisting of the following Officers: President, Chair, Vice-Chair, Hon. Secretary, Hon. Treasurer and up to ten other Trustees. The Trustees shall have the power to co-opt, at an ordinary Trustees meeting, further Trustees as necessary. The Trustees shall be elected at an Annual General Meeting by the existing Trustees; they shall each hold office for three years; at each Annual General Meeting elections shall take place for the re-election of those Trustees who are at the end of their terms of appointment. Officers shall be elected by simple majority at an ordinary Trustees meeting as and when vacancies occur.
5. EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
No individual shall be excluded from Trusteeship of WWAA or debarred from any official capacity on the grounds of sex, gender, race, colour, age, religion, sexual orientation, physical disability or political affiliation.
6. TERMINATION OF TRUSTEESHIP
A Trustee shall cease to hold office if he or she:
i) is disqualified from acting as a trustee by virtue of sections 178 and 179 of the Charities Act 2011 or any statutory re-enactment or modification of that provision;
ii) in the written opinion, given to the charity, of a registered medical practitioner treating that person, has become physically or mentally incapable of acting as a trustee and may remain so for more than three months;
iii) is absent without the permission of the trustees from all their meetings held within a period of six months and the trustees resolve that his or her office be vacated, or
iv) notifies to the trustees a wish to resign. In order to accede to such a wish, Trustees will use their best endeavours to co-opt a successor so that the Trustees remain quorate and the resignation is not delayed.
7. MANAGEMENT
All the arrangements for the concerts and other events, and the control of finance shall be in the hands of the Trustees.
8. POWERS
In furtherance of the objects but not otherwise the Trustees may exercise the following powers:
i) Power to raise funds and to invite contributions provided that in raising funds the Trustees shall not undertake any substantial permanent trading activities and shall conform to any relevant requirements of the law;
ii) Power to buy, take on lease or in exchange any property necessary for the achievement of the objects and to maintain and equip it for use;
iii) Power subject to any consents required by law to borrow money and to charge all or part of the property of WWAA with repayment of the money so borrowed;
iv) Power to engage such persons (who shall not be Trustees) as are necessary for the proper pursuit of the objects;
v) Power to co-operate with other charities, voluntary bodies and statutory authorities operating in furtherance of the objects or of similar charitable purposes and to exchange information and advice with them;
vi) Power to establish or support any charitable trusts, associations or institutions formed for all or any of the objects;
vii) Power to appoint and constitute such advisory committees as the Trustees may think fit;
viii) Power to terminate the Trusteeship of any individual by a simple majority of the Trustees attending at a meeting provided that the individual concerned shall have the right to be heard by the other Trustees, accompanied by a friend if desired, before a final decision is made;
ix) Power to do all such other lawful things as are necessary for the achievement of the objects.
9. FINANCE
i) The financial year shall end on 30th April.
ii) Bank accounts shall be kept in the name of West Wight Arts Association and if cheques are required shall be signed by any two of the following Officers; The Chair, the Hon. Treasurer and Hon. Secretary. Where there are online bank accounts with the bank’s agreement and with authorisation of the Trustees, one or more Trustees shall be appointed to operate the online bank accounts.
iii) WWAA shall receive donations, grants in aid and financial guarantees. Tickets for any or all of its concerts and other events shall be offered for sale to the public.
iv) The Trustees shall review their financial controls annually.
10. APPLICATION OF INCOME AND PROPERTY
The income and property of WWAA whencesoever derived shall be applied solely towards promoting the objects of WWAA as set out in Clause 2 of this Constitution and no portion thereof shall be paid or transferred either directly or indirectly to any Trustee of WWAA except in payment of legitimate expenses incurred on behalf of WWAA. WWAA shall maintain such reserves as are necessary to protect WWAA and its Trustees in the pursuance of its objects which reserves shall be reviewed annually by the Trustees.
11. ACCOUNTS
The financial accounts shall be audited or examined to the extent required by legislation or, if there is no such requirement, scrutinized by a person who is independent of the Trustees and then submitted to the Trustees for approval at the Annual General Meeting.
12. REPAIRS & INSURANCE
The Trustees shall keep in repair and insure to their full value against fire and other usual risks all of the charity’s possessions. They shall also insure suitably in respect of public liability and employer’s liability.
13. DATA PROTECTION
WWAA shall adhere to all the Information Commissioner’s Office’s requirements currently in force and a Data Protection Officer shall be appointed.
14. SAFEGUARDING
WWAA shall appoint a Safeguarding Officer and have a Safeguarding Policy which shall be updated from time to time.
15. ORDINARY MEETINGS
The Trustees shall hold at least two ordinary meetings each year. There must be a quorum of at least three Trustees present for business to be transacted.
16. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS
Within three months of the end of each financial year the Trustees shall hold an Annual General Meeting of which at least fourteen days’ notice shall be given. The Chair’s Annual Report and the examined Accounts shall be approved at this meeting and copies shall thereafter be made available for public inspection.
17. SPECIAL MEETINGS
A Meeting may be called by the Hon. Secretary if so requested by at least two of the Trustees and at least seven days’ notice must be given to Trustees.
18. MINUTES
Minutes of all Ordinary, Special and Annual General Meetings shall be taken, copies sent to all Trustees and proposed, seconded and approved at subsequent meetings and held by the Hon. Secretary and such minutes will record the decisions of the Trustees and where appropriate, the reasons for those decisions.
19. COMMUNICATIONS
All communications, including notices and minutes of meetings, may be made by email.
20. AMENDMENTS
The constitution may be amended by a two-thirds majority of the Trustees present at any Annual or Special Meeting, provided that seven days’ notice of the proposed amendment has been sent to all Trustees and provided nothing herein contained shall authorise any amendment which shall have the effect of WWAA ceasing to be a charity.
21. DISSOLUTION
In the event of WWAA being wound up, any assets remaining upon dissolution after the payment of proper debts and liabilities shall be transferred to a charitable institution or institutions having similar objects to those of WWAA. The Charity Commission must be notified promptly that the charity has been dissolved and, if the Trustees are obliged to send the accounts of WWAA to the Commission for the accounting period which ended before its dissolution, the final accounts shall be sent to the Commission.
Approved by a General Meeting of the WWAA