CONSTITUTION OF THE PERSHORE
AND DISTRICT UNIVERSITY OF THE THIRD AGE (U3A)
A MEMBER OF THE THIRD AGE TRUST AS AN UNINCORPORATED ASSOCIATION
(Established 31 July 2001 Constitution
revised January 2013)
Registered Charity No. 1093328
1. NAME
The
name shall be THE PERSHORE AND DISTRICT
U3A (In this constitution called ‘The U3A’)
2.
OBJECTS & POWERS
2.1
OBJECTS
The Objects of the U3A are:
[i] to advance the
education of the public and in particular the education of middle aged and older
people who are not in full time gainful employment in Pershore and its
surrounding locality.
[ii] the provision of facilities for leisure time and
recreational activities with the object of improving the conditions of life for
the above persons in the interests of their social welfare.
2.2 POWERS
[i] In furtherance
of the above the U3A may purchase, take on lease or in exchange hire and
otherwise acquire and sell or dispose of real or personal property and any
rights and privileges which the U3A may think necessary for the promotion of
the objects, subject to such consents as may be required by law.
[ii] Publish books,
pamphlets, reports, leaflets, journals, films, videos and instructional matter.
[iii] Found and
carry on schools and training courses and run lectures, seminars, conferences
and courses.
[iv] Encourage and
assist in the formation and operation of area and regional groupings of other
U3As.
[v] Receive
donations, endowments, sponsorship fees, subscriptions and legacies from
persons desiring to promote the Objects of the U3A or any of them and to hold
funds in trust for the same.
[vi] Do all such
other lawful things as may be necessary for the attainment of the above Objects
or any of them.
3.
MEMBERSHIP
3.1 All persons interested in supporting
the Objects of The Third Age Trust shall be admitted to membership at the
approval of the Committee and upon payment of the annual subscription as
determined by the Committee and confirmed by the membership at the Annual
General Meeting provided that they agree to abide by this constitution and any
conditions properly imposed by the Committee.
3.2 The Committee may terminate membership
of any member if:
[i] there is any money owed to the U3A in
respect of membership or other fees after the time lapse of two (2) months and
approved by the Committee;
[ii] that member acts in a way, which is
prejudicial to the U3A or brings it into disrepute;
PROVIDED THAT the
individual concerned shall have the right to be heard by the Committee before a
final decision is made.
4.
MANAGEMENT
The
management of the U3A shall be vested in a Committee consisting of the members
whose duty it shall be to carry out its general policy and to provide for the
administration, management and control of the affairs and property of the U3A.
4.1 [i] The
Committee shall consist of at least five and not more than ten members
[excluding those who are co-opted] including the principal officers [Chairman,
Vice-Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer].
The principal officers shall be elected at
an Annual General Meeting. The four
persons who are elected to Principal Officer posts shall act as Trustees (as
defined by the Charity Commissioners) of Pershore and District University
of the Third Age for the duration of their appointment.
[ii] Not more than two (2) ordinary
members may be co-opted to the Committee: they shall have full voting rights
and their term of office shall expire at the next following Annual General
Meeting.
[iii]
Persons who need not be members may be invited by the Committee to serve because
of their special expertise: they shall not have voting rights and their term of
service shall expire at the next following Annual General Meeting.
4.2 The election of members of the
Committee shall be held at the Annual General Meeting of the U3A.
[i] Nominations to the Committee duly
agreed by the nominee shall be proposed and seconded and delivered in writing
to the Secretary at a date specified by the Committee.
[ii] The newly elected Committee shall
take office at the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting.
[iii] There shall be no less than four [4]
Committee meetings a year.
[iv] No member may serve more than 9
consecutive years on the committee. Retiring officers may stand for re-election
provided that no one may hold the office of Chairman or Vice-Chairman for more
than 3 consecutive years without an intervening period of at least one year,
except that a retiring Vice-Chairman may stand immediately for the post of
Chairman.
[v] Committee members may resign office by
giving not less than twenty-one (21) days notice in writing to the Secretary or
the Chairman. The Committee has power to fill casual vacancies from the
membership. Such an appointee shall complete the term of service of the member
he or she is replacing and shall be eligible for re-election.
[vi] At Committee meetings matters shall
be decided by a simple majority of votes of Committee members present. In the case of an equality of votes the
Chairman shall have a second or casting vote.
[vii]
The quorum for any Committee meeting shall be three (3) or one third of the
Committee whichever is the greater.
4.3
Special Committee meetings may be called at any time by the Chairman or by any
two (2) members of the Committee upon seven (7) clear days notice being given
to all the Committee members of all the matters to be discussed.
4.4
The Committee may appoint sub-committees to which it may from time to time, and
for such time as it determines, delegate the transaction of such matters and
the performance of such acts as it thinks fit and the Committee shall exercise
supervision over the proceedings and acts of such sub-committees.
Sub-committees shall report back to the Committee as soon as possible on
actions taken under delegated powers.
4.5
The proceedings of the Committee shall not be invalidated by any defect in the
appointment, election or cooption of any member of any committee or
sub-committee.
4.6 The Secretary shall ensure that
minutes are kept of all sub-committee, Committee, and General Meetings.
5.
ANNUAL AND SPECIAL GENERAL MEETINGS
5.1 The Annual General
Meeting shall be held once in each year and not later than 15 months after the
preceding Annual General Meeting. At least 21 days’ notice shall be given in
writing to all members. A quorum shall be 15% of the paid up members. The
business of the Annual General Meeting shall include
[i] Receiving and approving the Annual
Report
[ii] Receiving and approving the examined
accounts
[iii] Electing a Chairman, Vice Chairman,
Secretary, Treasurer and the members of the Committee
[iv] Appointing an examiner for the
accounts.
[v] Considering proposals to alter the
constitution subject to the requirements of Clause 9.
[vi]
Considering any other business, which has been published in the Agenda.
5.2
A special General Meeting of the U3A may be convened at any time by a
resolution of the Committee or upon a requisition signed by one-fifth or more
of the members stating the object of the meeting. A meeting held on such a
requisition shall be called by the Secretary of the U3A giving the other members
14 days’ notice of such a meeting. There shall be a quorum when 20% of members
are present.
5.3
The Chairman of the U3A shall be the Chairman of any Committee or General
Meeting at which he/she is present. In his/her absence the members shall elect
a Chairman for the meeting. The Chairman of the meeting shall have a casting
vote.
5.4 Accidental omission to give notice to
any member shall not invalidate the proceedings of any General Meeting.
6. FINANCE
6.1 All the income and property of the U3A
shall be applied solely towards the Objects of the said U3A and none of it
shall be paid or transferred in any way to its Committee members provided that
nothing herein shall prevent the payment in good faith of reasonable and proper
remuneration to any officer or servant of the said U3A (other than a Committee
member) and repayment of reasonable and proper out-of-pocket expenses to
members or Committee members incurred in the course of the work of the U3A..
A
bank or building society account shall be opened in the name of the U3A and
withdrawals shall be made on the signature of two Committee members, one of
whom is a principal officer.
6.2
The U3A shall have power to collect and accept donations and to issue appeals
for donations and to raise money by bequest and otherwise. Any money raised and
received may be retained by the U3A and be used at the discretion of the
Committee. No form of permanent trading shall be undertaken in the raising of
funds.
6.3
The financial year of the U3A shall end on 30th September in each
year and not more than eight (8) weeks later the Annual General Meeting shall
be convened for the purpose of receiving the Annual Report and examined
accounts.
6.4
The Committee may appoint employees either permanently or on a fixed term
contract, who are not members of the Committee, as may from time to time be
necessary for carrying out the work of the U3A and may fix their terms and
conditions of employment. For purposes of employment law the Committee shall be
the employer.
6.5
All proper costs, charges and expenses incidental to the management of the U3A
and membership of the Third Age Trust may be defrayed from the funds of the
U3A.
6.6 The Treasurer shall keep
accounts of all the monies received and expended on behalf of the U3A and shall
prepare and publish such accounts duly examined at the Annual General Meeting.
All monetary transactions shall be made through properly authorised accounts in
accordance with the directives of the Committee.
6.7 No Committee member shall be
chargeable or responsible for loss caused by any thing or act done or omitted
to be done by him/her or any agent employed by him/her or by any other
Committee member, provided reasonable supervision be exercised over any such
agent, or by reason of any mistake or omission made in good faith by any
Committee member or by reason of any other matter or thing other than wilful
and individual fraud or wrongdoing or wrongful omission on the part of the
Committee member who is sought to be made liable.
7.
PROPERTY
Any property of the Pershore and District
U3A shall be vested in Trustees appointed for this purpose or where the
appointment of Trustees is not appropriate shall be deemed to be held jointly
by all members of the Committee.
8.
POWERS OF THE COMMITTEE
All matters not
provided for in this constitution relating to the U3A and not involving an
amendment to this constitution shall be dealt with by the Committee
9. ALTERATION TO THE CONSTITUTION
The provisions of this constitution other
than Clause 2 & 10 and this clause may be amended with the assent of not
less than two-thirds of the members of the U3A present and voting at a General
Meeting of the U3A. 21 clear days’
notice shall be given to the members stating the intention to put forward such
a resolution. [No amendment shall be made which would cause the U3A to cease to
be a charity.]
10
DISSOLUTION
The U3A may at any time be dissolved by a resolution
passed by a three-quarters majority of those present and voting at any meeting
of the said U3A of which at least twenty-one [21] clear days’ notice stating
the intention to put forward such a resolution shall have been sent to all
members of the U3A. If any assets remain after the satisfaction of all debts
and other liabilities, such assets held by or in the name of the U3A shall be transferred
to The Third Age Trust Registered Charity No. 288007.
