TEC Constitution

Introduction:

The Tolpuddle Events Committee (TEC) was set up in April 2021 with the support of St John’s Church and Tolpuddle Village Hall to help coordinate, develop, organise and run events in the village primarily to benefit Tolpuddle and Southover, from here on known as the community and its two main institutions (the Church and Hall).

TEC comprises volunteers with a range of different skills and backgrounds. Representation of the Church and Village Hall is included in the Committee. Membership of the Committee is open to anyone resident in the community within the parameters stated in the TEC Constitution.

TEC follows the guidelines of an Unincorporated Association and the following constitution is based on these principles.

1. The name of the group shall be the Tolpuddle Events Committee (TEC).

2. The aims of TEC are:

• to be an inclusive group of volunteers from the community, working in partnership with the Church and Village Hall and other local bodies in organising and delivering events for the community

• to coordinate and deliver a planned calendar of events benefitting the community and raising funds for worthwhile causes, primarily the Village Hall and Church and, at times with mutual agreement, other causes

• to provide support for events benefitting the community through resources, organisation and coordination of activities

• to arrange events sponsored by the Church and/or Village Hall where requested; these organisations may be responsible for pre-funding, payment handling and accounting and supply insurance cover as agreed per event

• to maintain a bank account for events not sponsored by the Church and Village Hall in order to pre-fund and manage payments; accounts to be produced for each event; in some cases financial support or insurance cover may be available from these bodies by prior mutual consent

• prior to an event TEC to agree with village organisations the split of any surplus after expenses together with other distribution to charities and community, making it clear in advance publicity for events who the sponsors are and who the beneficiaries will be to ensure clarity in how any surpluses will be used

• to keep the community informed of forthcoming activities and to encourage participation

• to ensure high standards of transparency and probity

· to consult the Church and/or the Hall in advance on all events involving them

· to distribute committee meeting notes to the Church and Village Hall committees.

3. Membership

There is no formal membership, but Tolpuddle and Southover residents are eligible to vote at AGMs and any Special General Meetings. TEC consists of a committee, with associated Voluntary Helpers and aims to benefit the local community and other worthwhile causes.

4. Equal Opportunities

TEC will not discriminate on the grounds of sex, race (including colour, ethnic or national origin), sexual orientation, disability, gender reassignment, religious or political belief, pregnancy or maternity, marital status or age.

5. Officers and Committee

The business of TEC will be carried out by a committee elected at its Annual General Meetings.

The Committee will consist of a minimum of 8 members and a maximum of 14 including the following roles:

· Chair

· Secretary

· Treasurer

· Village Hall Representative

· St John’s Church Representative

Each committee member may serve a maximum of three years before either standing down or standing for re-election.

In the event of an officer, (Chair/Secretary/Treasurer), standing down during the year, a replacement will be elected by the committee at its next meeting – the elected officer will then stand for formal election at the following AGM.

Committee members may resign at any time in writing to the Secretary. Committee members may be co-opted during the year up to the maximum number with committee agreement. Co-opted members would then stand for election at the following AGM.

The duties of the Chairperson are to:

· chair meetings of the Committee and AGM/SGM

· represent the TEC at functions/meetings

· act as spokesperson for TEC when necessary

The duties of the Secretary are to:

· take and distribute minutes of meetings

· prepare the agenda for meetings of the Committee in consultation with the Chairperson

· maintain committee, volunteer, resource lists / data

· Teams: maintain directories / files

· Village Website: maintain the TEC website page on the Village Website

· collect and circulate any relevant information to TEC

The duties of the Treasurer are to:

· supervise and coordinate the financial affairs of TEC

· keep proper accounts that show all monies collected and paid out

· maintain the bank account

6. Meetings

Committee Meetings

The Committee will meet as necessary and not less than six times a year.

Annual General Meetings

· An Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held within fifteen months of the previous AGM

· Residents will be notified at least 3 weeks before the date of the meeting by a notice posted on both Village Notice Boards giving the venue, date and time

• Agenda items must be submitted to the Secretary at least 7 days in advance of the meeting

· Nominations for any vacant Committee and Officer roles may be made to the Secretary before the meeting, or at the meeting. Each nomination must be seconded

· If the number of nominations exceed the vacancies, an election will be held with a show of hands of those present at the AGM

· The quorum for the AGM will be half of the committee including at least one officer.

At the AGM:-

• The Chairperson will present a report of the work of TEC over the year

• The Treasurer will present the accounts of TEC for the previous year

• Elections for any Officer or Committee Member vacancies will be held.

Special General Meetings

The Secretary will call a Special General Meeting at the request of the majority of the committee or at least eight other residents giving a written request to the Chair or Secretary stating the reason for their request.

The meeting will take place within twenty-one days of the request.

Residents will be given two weeks’ notice of such a meeting, giving the venue, date, time and agenda, and notice will placed on the Village Notice Board.

Rules of Procedure for Meetings

All questions that arise at any meeting will be discussed openly and the meeting will seek to find general agreement that everyone present can agree to.

If a consensus cannot be reached a vote will be taken and a decision will be made by a simple majority of members present. If the number of votes cast on each side is equal, the chair of the meeting shall have an additional casting vote.

7. Finances

A TEC Bank Account will be maintained on behalf of the Committee at a bank agreed by the Committee. Three signatories will be nominated by the Committee (one to be the Treasurer) for payments and bank related matters. The signatories must not be related nor members of the same household.

All payments will be signed by two of the signatories.

• For cheque payments, the signatories will sign the cheque

• For other payments (such as BACS payments, cash withdrawals, debit card payments or cash payments), a requisition note will be signed by two signatories, and held by the Treasurer.

Records of income and expenditure will be maintained by the Treasurer and a financial statement given at each Committee meeting.

The annual accounts will audited and presented at the AGM.

All money raised by or on behalf of TEC is to be distributed as specified in item 2 of this constitution.

8. Amendments to the Constitution

Amendments to the constitution may only be made at the Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting.

Any proposal to amend the constitution must be given to the Secretary in writing. The proposal must then be circulated with the notice of meeting.

Any proposal to amend the constitution will require a two thirds majority of those present and entitled to vote (permanent residents of Tolpuddle and Southover).

9. Dissolution

If a meeting, by simple majority, decides that it is necessary to close down the group it may call a Special General Meeting to do so. The sole business of this meeting will be to dissolve the group.

If it is agreed to dissolve TEC, all remaining money and other assets, once outstanding debts have been paid, will be donated to a local charitable organisation as per item 2. The distribution will be agreed at the meeting which agrees the dissolution.

Agreed 22 March, 2022

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