Our current constitution can be found from the link below:
This constitution dates from the 1960’s and contains a provision that our accounts should be audited that is inappropriate and disproportionately expensive for a charity of our size. We need to amend the constitution to remove this requirement.
Any amendment requires some formalities including a special resolution at a general meeting, and the committee is taking this opportunity to update our constitution. The benefits of a wholesale change would be to bring the provisions of the document up to date and provide much more detailed procedures than we currently have. The specific changes include:
1. Clarity as to the management – all committee members would need to be trustees (a Charity Commission requirement).
2. All trustees would have a one-year term that could be renewed at each AGM (at present there are different terms for some officers).
3. Specific authority to give notices to members by email and the option to allow trustees to use a telephone conference service for meetings.
4. Defining the role of ‘President’ (and if it is to be without voting rights, the holder should not be a trustee).
5. Removal of the requirement for a fixed quorum at an adjourned general meeting – the adjourned meeting would be quorate with however many attend.
It is proposed that a new constitution be adopted at the TotSoc AGM starting at 6.30pm on Tuesday 21st November 2023 at the REconomy Centre, 13 Leechwell Street, Totnes.
The proposed new constitution can be found from the link below: