Constitution

1. NAME Eastleigh and District Local History Society.
2. OBJECTS The Society is established for the public benefit for the following purposes in the area comprising the Borough of Eastleigh which area shall hereinafter be referred to as ‘the area of benefit’.
a) To promote the study of local history in the area of benefit.
b) To secure the preservation, protection, development and improvement of features of historic or public interest in the area of benefit.
c) To stimulate public interest in the area of benefit.
In furtherance of the said purposes but not otherwise the Society, through its Executive Committee, shall have the following powers:
1) To promote research into subjects directly connected with the objects of the Society and to publish the results of any such research.
2) To act as a coordinating body and to cooperate with all local and statutory authorities, voluntary organisations and persons having aims similar to those of the Society.
3) To promote or assist in promoting activities of a like nature throughout the area of benefit.
4) To publish papers, reports and other literature.
5) To make surveys and prepare maps and plans and collect information in relation to any place, erection or building of historic interest within the area of benefit.
6) To hold meetings, lectures and exhibitions.
7) To educate public opinion and to give advice and information.
8) To raise funds and to invite and receive contributions from any person or persons whatsoever by way of subscription, donation and otherwise; provided that the Society shall not undertake any permanent trading activities in raising funds for its primary purposes.
9) To take and accept any gifts of property, whether subject to any special trusts or not.
10) To sell, let, mortgage, dispose of or turn to account all or any of the property or funds of the Society as shall be necessary.
11) To borrow or raise money for the purposes of the Society on such terms and on such security as the Executive Committee shall think fit, but so that the liability of the individual members of the Society shall in no case extend beyond the amount of their respective annual subscriptions.
12) To do all such things as are necessary for the enhancement of the said purposes.
3. MEMBERSHIP Membership shall be open to all who are interested in actively furthering the purposes of the Society. No member shall have power to vote at any meeting of the Society if his subscription is in arrears at the time. Junior members shall be those aged less than 18 years at the time their subscription is due and they shall not be entitled to vote at any meeting of the Society. The subscriptions of members joining the Society in the four months preceding 1st January in any year shall be regarded as covering membership for the Society’s year commencing on 1st January following the date of joining the Society.
4. SUBSCRIPTIONS Note these are out of date and have been revised at later AGM's. However, there is no charge for the current year.
The annual subscription shall be:
Voting rights
Full Members £0.50 1 Vote
Family Members £1.00 2 Votes
Junior Members £0.10 No vote
Or such other sum as the Executive Committee shall determine from time to time and it shall be payable on 1st January each year. Membership shall lapse if the subscription is unpaid three months after it is due.
5. MEETINGS An Annual General Meeting shall be held in or about April of each year to receive the Executive Committees report and audited accounts and to elect Offices and Members of the Committee. The Committee shall decide when ordinary meetings of the Society shall be held and shall give at lease 14 days notice of such meetings to all Members.
6. OFFICERS Nominations for the election of officers shall be made at or before the Annual General Meeting. Such nominations shall be supported by a seconder and the consent of the proposed nominee must first have been obtained. The elections of Officers shall be completed prior to the election of further Committee Members. The officers of the society shall consist of:
Chair
Vice Chair (optional)
Honorary Secretary
Honorary Treasurer
All of whom shall relinquish their office every year and shall be eligible for re-election at the Annual General Meeting. The Honorary Secretary may combine his duties with that of Honorary Treasurer and the office of Vice Chair may be left vacant if the Members at the Annual General Meeting so decide. The Executive Committee shall have the power to fill casual vacancies occurring among the Officers for the Society.
7. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The Executive Committee shall be responsible for the management and administration of the Society. The Executive Committee shall consist of the Officers and not more than four other Members.
The Committee shall have power to co-opt further Members (who shall attend in an advisory and non-voting capacity). In the event of an equality in the votes cast at any meeting, the Chair shall have a second or casting vote. Nominations for election to the Executive Committee shall be made at or before the Annual General Meeting. They must be supported by a seconder and the consent of the proposed nominee must first have been obtained. If the nominations exceed the number of vacancies a ballot shall take place in such manner as shall be determine. Members of the Executive Committee shall be appointed annually at the Annual General Meeting of the Society. Outgoing members may be re-appointed. The Executive Committee shall meet not less than four times a year at intervals of not more than three months and the Honorary Secretary shall give all members not less than seven days notice of each meeting.
The quorum shall, as near as may be, comprise one half of the Members of the Executive Committee.

8. TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP
The Executive Committee has the power to terminate the membership of any Member who they consider has acted in a manner prejudicial to the best interests of the Society.
9. EXPENSES OF ADMINISTRATION AND APPLICATION OF FUNDS
The Executive Committee shall, out of the funds of the Society, pay all proper expenses of administration and management of the Society. After the payment of the administration and management expenses and the setting aside to reserves of such sums as may be deemed expedient, the remaining funds of the Society shall be applied by the Executive Committee in furtherance of the purposes of the Society.
10. INVESTMENT AND TRUSTEES
The Executive Committee shall have such powers to invest monies belonging to the Society and not required for immediate application for its purposes and to vest in trustees any freehold and leasehold property acquired by the Society as are consistent with securing recognition as a charity in law.
11. AMENDMENTS
This constitution may be amended by a two thirds majority of Members present at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting of the Society, provided that fourteen days notice of the proposed amendment has been given to all Members and provided that nothing herein contained shall authorise any amendment the effect of which would be to preclude the Society from securing recognition as a charity in law.
12. NOTICES Any notice required to be given by these rules shall be deemed to have been duly given if left at or sent by prepaid post addressed to the address of that member last notified to the Secretary.
13. WINDING UP The Society may be dissolved by a two thirds majority of Members voting at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting of the Society confirmed by a simple majority of Members voting at a further Special General Meeting held not less than fourteen days after the previous meeting. If a motion for the dissolution of the Society is to be proposed at an Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting this motion shall be referred to specifically when notice of the meeting is given. In the event of the dissolution of the Society the available funds of the Society shall be transferred to such one or more charitable institutions having objects similar or reasonably similar to those herein before declared as shall be chosen by the Executive Committee and approved by a meeting of the Society at which the decision to dissolve the Society is confirmed. On dissolution the minute books and other records of the Society shall be deposited with the Civic Records Office.