Hessle Theatre Company Rules

That the Society be called ‘The Hessle Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society’ trading as ‘Hessle Theatre Company’.

 That the object of the Society shall be to educate the public in the dramatic and operatic arts and to further the development of public appreciation and taste in the said arts; and in furtherance of this object but not otherwise the Society through its Management Committee shall have the following powers:-

a.      To promote plays, drama, comedies, operas, operettas and other dramatic and operatic works of educative value.

b.      To purchase, acquire and obtain interest in the copyright of or the right to perform any such dramatic or operatic works.

c.      To purchase or otherwise acquire plant, machinery, furniture, fixtures, fittings, scenery and all other necessary effects.

d.      To raise funds and invite and receive contributions from any person or persons whatever by way of subscription, donation and otherwise; provided the Society shall not undertake any permanent trading activities in raising funds.

e.      To donate to any charity chosen by the Management Committee all or part of any funds considered to be surplus to the requirements of the Society.

f.        To do all other things as shall further the objects of the Society.

That Senior and Youth (12-18) membership shall be open to all those having sympathy with the objects of the Society and desiring actively to further it and pay the annual subscription as agreed at the annual general meeting.  Youth members shall not be entitled to vote at an annual general or extraordinary meeting.  Annual subscriptions shall become due and be paid to the treasurer on 1^st July each year.  Youth members automatically become senior members on attaining 18 years of age.

That application for membership shall be made in writing, signed by the applicant, to a secretary, who shall submit the same to the Management Committee for its decision.

That the management of the Society shall be vested in a Management Committee of members, consisting of the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Hon. General Secretary, Hon. Treasurer, Hon. Ticket Secretary, Hon. Publicity Manager, Hon. Musical Theatre Secretary, Hon. Drama Secretary, together with six members representing all interest of the Society, all of whom shall be elected by members at the annual general meeting.  No person shall be co-opted to the Management Committee with power to vote.  Seven members shall be required to form a quorum at meetings of the Management Committee.  Two of the six members of the Management Committee not occupying one of the offices mentioned previously in this rule shall retire annually.  They may offer themselves for re-election.

That the Management Committee shall appoint members to accept responsibility for particular aspects of the Society e.g. the concert group.  The members with this responsibility do not necessarily have to be committee members but they are answerable to the Management Committee.

That a casting committee be selected by the Management Committee for all productions.  The casting committee can include non-Management Committee members and they will have the power to vote.  No auditionee shall be empowered to act on a casting committee.

That performers wishing to be accepted as either principal or chorus players in any production must audition for that production.  Auditions for productions will be ‘open’, in that both members and non-members are eligible to audition for any role.   Successful auditionees must become members of the Society by payment of the annual subscription.

That

a.   That :

     (a) any member of the Society who in the opinion of the Management Committee confirmed by an extraordinary general meting of the Society shall be guilt by her/his action of misusing the privileges or of otherwise bringing the Society into contempt or disrepute may be suspended or expelled from the Society.

b.     

     (b) the full Management Committee may, by a majority vote, remove from the list of members the name of any member who has persistently neglected the work undertaken by the society and the name of any member whose conduct they consider likely to endanger the welfare of the Society.

c.   (c) a small group consisting of the Chairman, the Hon. General Secretary, and the Hon. Treasurer will in the first instance investigate any issue that may require the implementation of rule 9a and/or 9b.  In exceptional circumstances one person may be substituted from the Management Committee.

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          That the annual general meeting shall be held during the month of September each year and that the financial year of the Society shall end on 30^th June each year and that any member may, on request, see a copy of the audited balance sheet, at or prior to the annual general meeting.

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          That members must have paid their subscriptions by the first day in October and must obtain their own copies of music and script, these being provided by the Society for audition purposes.

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          That the Hon. General Secretary shall call an extraordinary general meeting of the Society on a petition of not less than twelve members.

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          That an emergency Management Committee meeting may be called at any time but all efforts must be made to inform the Management Committee members of the meeting.  In exceptional circumstance the chairman may take appropriate action in the interest of the Society.

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          That the Management Committee agree for each production the minimum number of rehearsals that members must attend.

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          That members shall notify Section Secretaries of any inability to attend rehearsals.

That in the event of any official resigning or from any cause ceasing to hold office during the year, the Management Committee shall be empowered to co-opt a member they consider qualified to fill such a vacancy.

That the Society shall only be dissolved by resolution passed by a majority of at least five-sixths of the members present and voting at a special general meeting called for the purpose of considering such dissolution.  In the event of dissolution any balance of cash remaining in hand after the realisation of assets and payment of debs shall not be distributed among the members of the Society but shall be applied for such charitable purposes similar to those of the Society or be paid, distributed or transferred to such charitable institutions or institution having objects similar to the objects of the Society as the Management Committee with the consent of the meeting shall determine.

That

a.      No alterations to these rules shall be made except at a general meeting nor unless 21 days prior to such a meeting a written notice of the proposed alteration or one of substantially to the like effect shall have been given to the Hon. General Secretary who shall give 14 days notice thereof to the members and the resolution embodying such proposed alteration shall be carried by a majority of at least two-thirds of the votes recorded theron at the meeting.

b.      No alteration shall be made to rules 2, 17 and 18 without the approval of the Charity Commissioners of England and Wales or other authority having charitable jurisdiction from time to time.

                       That the Society may send or supply documents or information to members by making them available on a website or by sending the documents or information to the members by e-mail.