OCPS Constitution
(All amendments included up to 31 December 2003)
1. The Society shall be called the Old Chiswick Protection Society.
Aims
2. a) To secure for the benefit of the public, the preservation, protection,
development and improvement of features of historical, architectural and
artistic interest, including the streets, open spaces and trees in or near Old
Chiswick, in furtherance of, but not otherwise, for the purpose of retaining
or improving the character of that area.
In furtherance of the above objects the Society shall have the following
powers:—
b) To watch and ensure that where new building is undertaken, it shall be
suitably scaled to its surroundings and contribute to a harmonious whole.
c) To give advice and if necessary financial assistance to other charitable
amenity groups or societies in or near Old Chiswick, whose aims are
similar to any of those contained in Clause 2.a).
d) To do all other lawful things necessary to advance the objects.
Membership
3. Anyone interested in the aims and activities of the Society, and not
necessarily resident in Chiswick, may become a member on payment of an
annual subscription, the sum to be changeable at the discretion of the
Executive Committee upon review of the expenses incurred, or likely to be
incurred, by the activities of the Society.
4. The subscription shall be payable to the Hon.Treasurer before January
31st. each year.
Government
5. The Society shall be headed by a President and its affairs shall be
conducted by Officers, these being a Chairman, a Vice-Chairman, an
Honorary Secretary and an Honorary Treasurer, and by an Executive
Committee. The whole Executive Committee, including the four Officers,
shall consist of not less than 9 members and not more than 15, and shall
have the power to co-opt.
6. The President of the Society shall be elected annually, after due
nomination, at the Annual General Meeting by the members, and shall be a
supernumerary member of the Executive Committee ex officio.
The four Officers shall be elected annually as soon as possible after the
Annual General Meeting, by the Executive Committee from amongst their
own number and shall be eligible for re-election except that the
Chairmanship of the Society shall normally be a three year appointment,
but if at the end of that appointment it should appear to the Executive
Committee that it is necessary for the then Chairman’s term of office to be
prolonged he or she may be re-elected for a further year if the Executive
Committee shall think fit.
7. The Members of the Executive Committee shall be elected for a term of
three years. One third of the Executive Committee’s members shall retire at
the end of each year, these being selected by ballot until a rotation is
established. Retiring members shall be eligible for re-election.
Executive Committee
8. All nominations shall be sent to the Hon.Secretary at least a week before
the Annual General Meeting.
9. Members who fail to attend a minimum of one meeting in every three,
unless for a sufficient cause, shall be regarded as having retired from the
Executive Committee.
10. The Executive Committee shall meet as often as is considered necessary
by the Officers, and four members shall constitute a quorum.
11. The minutes of every Committee Meeting shall be kept and read.
12. The minutes of the Annual General Meeting and of any Special Meeting
shall be kept separately.
The Annual General Meeting
13. An Annual General Meeting of the Members of the Society shall be held to
receive the report and accounts for the preceding year, and to elect the
President for the year, and also members to the Executive Committee to fill
vacancies and, for this purpose the Society’s year shall run from February
1st. to January 3lst. Members shall be circularised as to the date and place
of the Meeting not less than three weeks before it is due to take place.
Accounts
14. A bank account or accounts shall be maintained in the name of the Old
Chiswick Protection Society.
15. Any one Officer shall be authorised to sign cheques of £250 or less.
Cheques in excess of £250 shall be signed by two Officers with the
approval of the Committee.
16. At each General Meeting the Committee shall submit to the members for
their approval the accounts for the financial year to which the meeting
relates. The accounts shall be inspected and reported on by a suitably
qualified person whose appointment shall be approved by the Committee.
Special Meeting
17. A Special Meeting shall be called on a requisition in writing, signed by not
less than 15 members, or upon proposal of the Executive Committee, and
specifying the purpose; and such a meeting shall be called within two
months.
Amendments to the Constitution
18. Amendments to this Constitution shall be made only (a) at the Annual
General Meeting by notice of motion signed by two members, specifying
the alteration proposed, and such notice of motion shall be given not less
than one calendar month before the Annual General Meeting; or, (b) at a
Special Meeting to be called in accordance with the provisions of Clause
17.
19. Any such alteration of the Constitution shall be approved by not less than
two thirds of those present and voting.
20. No alteration to the Constitution shall be made which could alter or nullify
the charitable objects declared in Clause 2.
Dissolution
21. Should the Society be dissolved, any remaining assets shall be applied
exclusively to charitable purposes, being similar to those of the Society.
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