Our Constitution

If you need further information, please telephone Catherine Nash on 01744 902742 
St Helens Choral Society Constitution as amended 1988

1. ​Title - The Name of the Society shall be St. Helens Choral Society, hereinafter referred to as the "Society".
2. Objects - The objects of the Society shall be to promote,  improve, develop and maintain public education in, and appreciation of, the art and science of choral music in all its aspects by the presentation of public choral concerts: and for the general purposes of such charitable bodies or for such other purposes as shall be exclusively charitable as the Committee may from time to time decide.
3. Membership - The members of the Society shall be those who  pay the annual subscription at the appropriate rates as shall be determined by  the Committee, all subscriptions being payable by 31st March.  The Committee may also admit into membership an Honorary President and Vice Presidents and confer honorary life membership on persons who have, in the Committee's opinion, given outstanding service to the Society.  Honorary members, unless they are also active members of the Society, shall not be eligible to vote at general meetings of the Society.
4. Officers and Committee - The management of the Society shall be in the hands of a Committee consisting of the following officers:  
   • President,
   • Chairman,
   • Secretary,
   • Treasurer,
   • Registrar,
   • Librarian,
   • Publicity Officer,
   • Ticket Secretary,
   • Patrons Secretary,
   • Catering Officer,
   • Fundraising Officer,
   • and not more than four other members:  the Officers and the other Committee members shall be elected by and out of the Society's members at the Annual General Meeting; they shall hold office until the next Annual General Meeting and be eligible for re-election.  The Musical Director may attend all meetings of the Committee except when his or her position is being considered.
5. Management - All the arrangements for the concerts and other events, and the control of finance shall be in the hands of the Committee.  The quorum for meetings of the Committee shall be four, including at least one of the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer.
6. Powers - In furtherance of the objects, but not otherwise, the Committee may exercise the following powers:    
   1. power to raise funds and to invite contributions, provided that in raising funds the Committee shall not undertake any substantial permanent trading  activities and shall conform with any relevant requirements of the law; 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;
   2. power, subject to any consents required by law, to borrow money and to charge all or part of the property of the Society with repayment of the money so
      borrowed;
   3. power to employ such staff (who shall not be members of the Committee) as are necessary for the proper pursuit of the objects and to make all reasonable
      and necessary provision for the payment of honoraria;
   4. 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;
   5. power to establish or support any charitable trusts, associations or institutions formed for all or any of the objects;
   6. power to appoint and constitute such advisory committees as the Committee  may think fit;
   7. power to do all such other lawful things as are necessary for the achievement of the objects.


7. Equal Opportunities - No individual shall be excluded from membership of the Society or debarred from any official capacity on the Committee on the grounds of sex, race, colour, religion, sexual orientation or political affiliation.
8. Finance:       
   1. The financial year shall end on 31st March
   2. A banking account or accounts shall be opened in the name of the Society and cheques shall be signed by any two of the Chairman, Secretary and
      Treasurer.
   3. The Society shall receive donations, grants in aid and financial guarantees.  Tickets for all of its concerts or other events shall be offered for sale to
      the public.
   4. The income and property of the Society, whencesoever derived, shall be applied solely towards promoting the objects of the Society as set forth above  and no portion thereof shall be paid or transferred either directly or indirectly to any member or members of the Society except in payment of  legitimate expenses incurred on behalf of the Society.
9. Dissolution - In the event of the Society being wound up, any assets remaining on dissolution after the payment of proper debts and  liabilities shall be transferred to a charitable institution or institutions having similar objects to those of the Society.
10. Annual General Meeting - Within six months of the end of
    each financial year the members shall be summoned to an Annual General Meeting, of which at least fourteen days' notice in writing shall be given.
11. Extraordinary General Meeting - An Extraordinary General Meeting, of which at least fourteen days' notice in writing must be given to members may be called by the Committee, or upon written request to the Secretary, signed by at least ten members of the Society.
12. Accounts - The financial accounts shall be audited or examined to the extent required by legislation, or, if there is no such requirement, scrutinised by a person who is independent of the Committee and then submitted to the members at the Annual General Meeting.
13. Amendments - The Constitution may be amended by a  two-thirds majority of the members present at any Annual or Extraordinary  General Meeting, provided that fourteen days' notice of the proposed amendment has been sent to all members and provided that nothing herein contained shall authorise any amendment which shall have the effect of the Society ceasing to be a charity.