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The Constution of The Friends

1. Title

The name of the Association shall be the "Friends of Bedfordshire Youth Music".

2. Objects of The Association

The aims of the Association shall be to promote, improve, develop and maintain public education in and appreciation of the art and science of music and in particular amongst the youth of Bedfordshire.

3. Interpretation Clause

  1. The term the "Youth of Bedfordshire" shall include all persons living in the County of Bedfordshire, Milton Keynes and the Borough of Luton below the age of 23 years who are interested or likely to be interested in the study or performance of music or wish or are likely to wish to increase their appreciation of music of all kinds.
  2. The "Committee" is a group of members elected in accordance with Clause 8.
  3. Executive Office includes the positions of Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary.
  4. "Policies", ratified by the Committee, shall clarify any detail of the “objects” of the Association, in accordance with clause 8.
  5. A "decision" by the Committee shall be a decision reached by a majority of the members of the Committee present unless otherwise stated.
  6. "Voting" at all meetings shall be by a show of hands.
  7. "Members" of the Association, unless otherwise stated, shall include Ordinary Members, Honorary Members, Honorary Life Members and Patrons.

4. Membership of The Association

  1. Ordinary Members
    Ordinary membership shall be open to any person who is desirous of supporting youth music in Bedfordshire.
  2. Honorary Members
    The Committee may offer honorary membership to any person employed by Bedfordshire Music, whether full or part-time.
  3. Honorary President
    The Committee may elect annually an Honorary President of the Association whose connection with the Association shall be considered by the Committee to be beneficial to the objects of the Association.
  4. Honorary Vice-President
    The Committee may elect annually an Honorary Vice-President of the Association whose connection with the Association shall be considered by the Committee to be beneficial to the objects of the Association.
  5. Honorary Life Members
    The Committee may offer Honorary Life Membership to any person who they consider has given particularly notable service to the Association or to youth music in Bedfordshire.
  6. Neither Honorary Members, Honorary Life Members nor Patrons shall be permitted to hold the position of Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Treasurer or Secretary.
  7. Honorary Members and Honorary Life Members shall not be charged any subscription.
  8. Trustees
    The Trustees of the Association must be members of the Association. There must be a minimum of three Trustees who will be elected by the members of the Committee, and will be ratified by the membership of the Association at the Annual General Meeting.
  9. Patrons
    The Committee may appoint Patrons of the Association. These shall be persons or organisations whose connection with the Association shall be considered by the Committee to be beneficial to the objects of the Association.

5. Resignation

Any member of the Association may resign at any time by informing the Membership Secretary of the Association in writing.

6. Expulsion

If the conduct of any member of the Association, or any person holding honorary status, in the opinion of the Committee, shall be considered prejudicial to the objects of the Association, then the Committee shall have the power to request the resignation of that member. If the member so requested does not then resign within one month, that member shall be liable to expulsion from the Association at the discretion of the Committee.

7. Subscriptions

  1. All Ordinary Members of the Association shall pay an annual subscription. The amount of the subscription is at the discretion of each Member but shall be for a minimum sum as recommended by the Committee. Amendment to the minimum amount may be recommended by the Committee for approval at the Annual General Meeting held prior to the commencement of the subscription year.
  2. The subscription year shall commence on 1st January, and annual subscriptions are due and payable on that date.
  3. No refund of any part of the annual subscription shall be made if a Member resigns from the Association for any reason, unless the Committee decides to the contrary.
  4. Any Ordinary Member not paying his or her subscription within six months of its being due shall be deemed to have allowed his or her membership to lapse and must re-apply to the Committee for membership.

8. The Officers and Committee of the Association

  1. The business of the Association shall be transacted by the Committee. The Committee shall consist of the Chairman of the Association and up to fourteen but not less than eight Ordinary Members of the Association who shall be elected annually by the Association at its Annual General Meeting. The Chairman shall be elected annually at the AGM of the Association.
  2. The business of the Association shall be transacted by the Committee and in directing the affairs of the Association the Committee may take into account, at their discretion, the advice and opinion of the Head of Bedfordshire Music (or equivalent post) or members of his staff from time to time.
  3. The members of the Committee shall elect annually other Officers from amongst the Committee to fulfil such special activities as the Committee consider necessary. These Officers shall include a Secretary and a Treasurer.
  4. No member may hold the executive office for more than six consecutive years after which time they may not hold any office until a further two years have elapsed.
  5. Five Committee members shall constitute a quorum. Minutes of the proceedings shall be taken and presented for approval at the next meeting.
  6. If a Committee member resigns for any reason before the Annual General Meeting, the Committee is empowered to co-opt a temporary member to serve until the next Annual General Meeting.
  7. The Head of Bedfordshire Music (or equivalent post) or his nominee shall automatically be an ex-officio member of the Committee.
  8. The Committee shall have the power to co-opt up to three persons who the Committee consider can offer specialist advice to the Committee, two of these places to be available to a student who is a member of one of the Bedfordshire County Youth Music groups.
  9. The Committee shall not agree to any business that compromises the position of the Trustees of the Association under Charity Law.

9. Sub-Committees

The Committee is empowered to appoint sub-committees for any purpose connected with the Association whenever such action may appear desirable. Non-members of the Association, Honorary Members, Honorary Life Members or Patrons may be co-opted onto such a sub-committee, at the discretion of the Committee.

  1. Each sub-committee (group) will have a minimum of 3 members – a simple majority of members will constitute a quorum
  2. Members of the Grants sub-committee should all be trustees of the Association
  3. Each group should meet at least 3 times per year, or more often as circumstances may require
  4. Each group should elect a chairman who will report back to the main Committee of the Association at the quarterly meetings
  5. At the first meeting of a group in a year the members should decide upon their terms of reference for the succeeding period
  6. Minutes of a group’s meeting should be taken and the minutes returned to the Secretary of the Association for safe-keeping
  7. Sub-committees should report back to the Committee on actions taken and decisions made under their delegated powers.

10. The Annual General Meeting (A.G.M.)

  1. The Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held within six months following the end of the financial year at a time and place to be decided by the Committee. A minimum of fourteen days notice of an A.G.M. will be given, such notice to incorporate an agenda.
  2. Those entitled to vote at the A.G.M. shall be:-
    1. All paid-up Ordinary Members of the Association;
    2. Honorary Life Members of the Association.
  3. The business of the A.G.M. shall be to:
    1. receive and approve reports of the year's activities from the Officers of the Association;
    2. receive and pass audited accounts;
    3. elect the Chairman and Committee of the Association;
    4. transact any other business. Any resolutions passed at the meeting must have appeared in substance on the agenda.
  4. Fifteen Members of the Association shall constitute a quorum.

11. Accounts

The Association's financial year shall end on 30th September. A qualified auditor or independent examiner shall be appointed by the Committee and a duly audited balance sheet and accounts for the preceding year shall be submitted for approval at the A.G.M.

12. Extraordinary General Meeting (E.G.M.)

The Chairman of the Association is empowered to call an E.G.M. at any time and shall be bound to do so within 28 days of receiving a notice in writing signed by not less than twenty Ordinary Members of the Association.

A minimum of fourteen days and a maximum of forty-two days notice shall be given of the E.G.M. The notice shall incorporate an agenda of the business to be transacted and no other business shall be discussed at the E.G.M. Those entitled to vote at an E.G.M. shall be all those entitled to vote at the A.G.M.

Thirty members of the Association shall constitute a quorum at the E.G.M.

13. Alteration of Constitution

An amendment or alteration to the constitution of the Association can only be made by a special resolution at the A.G.M. or at an E.G.M. at which it is to be discussed. The resolution must be passed by a two-thirds majority of Members present at that A.G.M. or E.G.M.

No amendment shall be made to the objects of the Association, to this clause or to the dissolution of the Association clause.

No amendment shall be made which would have the effect of causing the Association to cease being a charity in law.

14. Association Funds

All monies belonging to the Association and not invested shall be paid into accounts in the name of the Association at a bank to be named by the Committee.

All cheques must be signed by two nominated Officers of the Committee.

15. Dissolution of The Association

If a special resolution to dissolve the Association shall have been passed by a three-quarters majority of voting Members present at an A.G.M. or at an E.G.M., then the Association shall be dissolved and its affairs wound up. The special resolution must have appeared on the agenda of the A.G.M. or E.G.M. at which it was proposed.

Three Trustees shall be appointed at the meeting by a majority of those present entitled to vote. These Trustees shall use their discretion as to the disposal of the assets of the Association in so far as:-

  1. so much of the assets shall be realised as may be required to discharge any liabilities of the Association;
  2. any remaining assets shall be disposed of to charities having similar objects to those of the Association.