SHERBORNE DOUZELAGE CONSTITUTION
1) OBJECTS
The following charitable purposes for the public benefit will be furthered in the Sherborne area and in the Douzelage Towns in the European Union (the “area of benefit”):
(a) promoting civic responsibility and good citizenship;
(b) promoting volunteering to achieve any charitable purpose for the benefit of the public (falling within the descriptions o
f purposes set out in Part 1 of the Charities Act 2006);
(c) advancing in life, educating and relieving the needs of young people in particular but not limited to the provision of support and activities which develop their skills capacities and capabilities and which should enable them to participate in society as mature and responsible individuals;
(d) promoting good health and providing recreational, sports and other leisure time activities in the interests of social welfare for the public benefit with the aim of improving the quality of lives of people in the area of benefit; and
(e) promoting such other charitable purposes (charitable under English law) as the Committee sees fit from time to time.
2) PARTICIPATION. All people living in Sherborne and District are eligible to take part in the activities of Sherborne Douzelage
3) TRUSTEES
The Trustee Board shall consist of the Trustees of Sherborne Douzelage. Trustees should serve for a 3 year term and they shall be members of the Sherborne Douzelage Committee, including the Chairman and Treasurer, plus two to four other committee members. They will form the Trustee Board and are collectively responsible as the governing body for the charity. Trustees have, and must accept, ultimate responsibility for directing the affairs of their charity, ensuring that it is solvent and well-run, and delivering the charitable outcomes for the benefit of the public for which it was set up.
4) COMMITTEE. a) Sherborne Douzelage shall be managed by a Committee which shall have all powers conductive or incidental to the attainment of the objects stated above and to the management and control of its affairs. This includes fund raising and promotional activities. b) The Committee shall consist of a maximum of sixteen members, including officers, elected at the Annual General Meeting plus a representative of Sherborne Town Council, who will have an Alternative with the same right to vote, and a representative of the Sherborne Twinning Association. c) In addition the Committee shall have powers to co-opt providing the Committee does not exceed a total of 16 people not counting the President. Co-opted members shall have the right to vote. d) Five members, one of whom must be an Officer of the Committee, shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of the Committee. e) The Committee shall have powers to set up Sub-Committees, which shall have the power to co-opt to their membership (with the power to vote on such Sub-Committees). Sub-Committees shall be fully answerable to the Main Committee. f) The Committee shall manage the Youth Travel Fund of Sherborne Douzelage for the provision of financial assistance to the young people of Sherborne and other Douzelage towns for the advancement of education, sporting, employment and cultural activities. g) The Annual General Meeting shall elect a Chairman who will be eligible to serve for a maximum of three years but will be re-eligible after the interval of a further year). Other officers shall be the President who will be ex officio the Mayor of Sherborne, the Vice-Chairman, the Honorary Treasurer, the Publicity Officer, the Chairman of Sub-Committees and such other officers as the Committee shall from time to time deem necessary. At the end of the second year of the Chairmanship, a Chairman-elect shall be appointed at the Annual General Meeting to take office after the existing Chairman. The Chairman-elect shall serve as Vice-Chairman for that year. An Honorary Examiner should be appointed at the Annual General Meeting who shall not be a member of the Committee. h) Approved Accounts shall be presented for approval at the Annual General Meeting. i) The Committee shall have authority to appoint and remunerate such other persons as it deems necessary for the achievement of its aims but such persons shall not be members of the Committee nor have voting rights. j) Vice-Presidents may be appointed at the discretion of the Committee but shall not have the right to vote.
5) VOTING. a) Any members of the Committee present at a meeting shall be entitled to vote. b) In the event of a tied vote the Chairman (or other person presiding at the meeting in question), shall have a casting vote whether or not he has voted previously.
6) ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING. The Committee shall hold an Annual General Meeting between 1st October and 30th November each year. The date shall be published throughout Sherborne and District at least 14 days prior to the meeting.
7) ANNUAL ACCOUNTS. The financial year shall run from 1st September to 31st August.
8) AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION. Amendments to the Constitution shall only be made at the Annual General Meeting or at an Extraordinary General Meeting called for that purpose (to be held on a date to be published throughout Sherborne and District at least 14 days prior to the meeting) and details shall be given in the Notice of the Meeting. No such amendments shall be carried unless at least two-thirds of the votes of those present and entitled to vote are cast in favour.
9) DISSOLUTION. In the event of the Committee being dissolved, any property or monies remaining after the debts and liabilities have been settled shall be transferred to another charity with similar objects or if no other charity exists the funds shall be applied in furtherance of the objects of the charity.
