Swaffham Twinning Association

Twinned with Couhé in France and Hemmoor in Germany

 

CONSTITUTION

1. TITLE

a) The name of the Association shall be Swaffham Twinning Association

2. AIMS OF THE ASSOCIATION

a) To promote and foster friendship and understanding between the peoples of Swaffham and District and those of Couhé and District in France and Hemmoor and District in Germany and any other town with which the Association may later form links.

b) To encourage visits by individuals and groups of all ages to and from the twinned towns with the development of personal contacts and, by so doing, to broaden the mutual understanding of the cultural, recreational, educational and commercial activities of the twinned towns.

c) To organise social and fund-raising activities to foster the aims of the Association.

3. MEMBERSHIP

a) Membership of the Association shall be open to any person(s) who are in sympathy with the aims of the Association.

b) There shall be two categories of membership:

• Individual Membership – over 16 years of age

• Family Membership – parent(s), with voting rights; under 16s, with no voting rights.

c) Individual or family membership shall be encouraged for all those travelling on exchange visits.

d) Membership will apply to those who have paid the annual subscription as determined from time to time by the membership at an AGM.

e) The committee may for good reason terminate the membership of any individual or family if annual membership fees remain unpaid six months after the due date. Membership may also be terminated if a member acts in a way which is prejudicial to the Association or to the running of the Association or brings it into disrepute. The individual or family concerned, accompanied if desired by another person who may also speak or make representations, shall have the right to be heard by the committee before a decision is made. The affected member shall have the right to appeal at the subsequent Annual General Meeting of the Association and the decision of the members attending the AGM shall be final.

4. COMMITTEE

a) The affairs of the Association shall be conducted by a Committee with a maximum of sixteen members, all of whom shall be paid up members of the Association.

b) All positions on the Committee shall be honorary.

c) The committee shall consist of officers of the Association viz: Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, other such officers as deemed appropriate and ordinary members, all to be elected at each AGM.

d) The Committee shall have the power to form sub-committees and co-opt additional members as necessary; all co-opted members will have full voting rights.

e) The Chairman of the Committee shall be elected for a maximum of 6 consecutive years, this being one full cycle of three biennial visits, but may retire at any time and may not stand again for Chairman within the 3 years following retirement. Other members of the Committee may retire at any time.

f) The Committee shall meet as often as is deemed necessary.

g) The Chairman shall have a casting vote.

h) The Committee shall during its term of office arrange fund raising events. The monies raised shall be for the purpose of entertaining visitors from the Twinned Towns, the general administration of the Association and any reasonable request for a grant in respect of Town Twinning.

5. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM)

a) The AGM relating to any particular year shall take place preferably in January but in any case no later than March 31^st in that year.

b) Notification of the AGM and nomination forms for committee positions and proposals for the AGM shall be sent to each member 28 days before an AGM and must be returned at least 14 days prior to the AGM. Forms shall include the names of the nominee, a proposer and seconder, both of whom must be paid up members of the Association, the signature of the nominee and, where appropriate, the proposed position of the nominee.

c) Only paid up members in the year preceding an AGM and present at the AGM shall be entitled to vote.

d) The members present shall appoint the honorary auditor(s).

e) The AGM will have the power to elect a President and invite a maximum of 3 people to be Vice Presidents.

f) The President and Vice Presidents may attend any or all Committee meetings and take part in discussions but will have no voting rights unless they are also elected Committee members.

g) Once elected the President and Vice Presidents shall hold their office until such time as they resign or agree to stand down.

6. SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING (SGM)

a) A Special General Meeting may be called at any time by resolution of the Committee or on a written request containing details of the matters to be discussed and signed by at least twenty-five per cent of the members of the Association, being delivered to the Secretary. Thereafter, at least twenty-one days notice of any such SGM shall be given to the membership.

7. QUORUM

a) The quorum for a Committee meeting shall be 6.

b) The quorum for an AGM or SGM shall be a minimum of 25% of the paid up membership.

8. ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS

a) The annual individual subscription shall be that determined at the previous AGM or SGM and shall become due on January 1^st each year.

b) The subscriptions for family members over 16 years of age shall be the same as the individual subscription; family members under 16 will pay no subscription.

9. MONEY AND FINANCES

a) The financial year of the Association shall run from January 1^st to December 31^st.

b) Audited accounts shall be submitted to the AGM following the year end.

c) All monies received on behalf of the Association shall be the responsibility of the Treasurer and shall be paid into a Bank or Building Society in the name of the Association.

d) All cheques paid out on behalf of the Association shall be signed by the Treasurer and countersigned by the Secretary or Chairman.

e) No two members of the same family holding office shall sign cheques.

10. DISSOLUTION OF THE ASSOCIATION

a) In the event of the Association dissolving, all monies held in the name of the Association shall remain in the bank account until a decision on what to do with them is taken at an Annual or Special General Meeting.

11. AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION

a) Amendments to the Constitution may only be made at an AGM or SGM by a majority of not less than two thirds of the votes of those present and voting, and will take immediate effect.

b) Notice of such amendments shall be given to the Secretary not later than 14 days prior to the date of the meeting.

Signed:

Chairman

 

 

28th January 2011