Name

The name of the Society shall be THE HADLEIGH SOCIETY

Aims

The Society is established for the public benefit with the following aims.

  • To raise public awareness of the rich history and heritage of Hadleigh and its surrounding area.
  • To support and promote high standards in planning, conservation, regeneration and development of features within the Hadleigh district deemed to be of historical or environmental significance.
  • To contribute to the preservation and protection of Hadleigh’s historical documents, artefacts and buildings.

The Hadleigh Society realises these aims by:

  • arranging meetings, lectures and visits;
  • the publication and distribution of regular newsletters and occasional papers and reports;
  • liaising with local authorities and planning, heritage and other relevant committees;
  • maintaining close links with the town archive;
  • active involvement in relevant debates/activities/organizations with the potential to protect and enhance Hadleigh’s heritage and environment;
  • supporting and disseminating research into aspects of Hadleigh’s history and heritage;
  • responding to requests for historical information from the public and also from organisations;
  • maintaining links with other historical & heritage societies.

Membership

Membership shall be open to all who are interested in actively furthering the aims of the Society.

No member shall have power to vote at any meeting of the Society if his or her subscription is in arrears at the time.

Student members shall be those in full time education at the time their subscription is due; and they shall not be entitled to vote at any meeting of the Society

Internet members will not be entitled to vote, nor will they have free access to meetings. They will not be sent printed copies of Newsletters but will be notified by e-mail of new issues which may then be read on the Society’s website.

Subscriptions

From 1st July 2018 the subscription shall be:-

  • Life members £150.
    • The joint life subscription of a couple shall be £250
  • Full members per annum £12.
    • The joint annual subscription for full membership for a couple at the same address shall be £20
  • Student and Junior members per annum £1
  • Internet membership is free 
  • Concessions (Senior citizens) £10.
    • The joint annual subscription for full membership for a couple shall be £15

Or such other reasonable sums as the Executive committee shall from time to time determine, and it shall be payable on becoming a member and thereafter on the anniversary of that date. Membership shall lapse if the subscription is unpaid six months after it is due.

Meetings

  • An Annual General Meeting shall be held in or about June of each year
    • to receive the Executive Committee’s report and audited accounts and
    • to elect Officers and Members of the Committee.
  • The Committee shall decide when ordinary meetings of the Society shall be held.
  • Special General Meetings of the Society shall be held at the written request of fifteen or more members whose subscriptions are fully paid-up.
  • 20% of members personally present shall constitute a quorum for a Meeting of the Society.

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee shall be responsible for the management and administration of the Society doing all such other things as are necessary for the attainment and furtherance of the Society’s aims, at all times working in the best interests of the Society.

The Executive Committee shall consist of the Officers:

  • Chairman,
  • Vice Chairman,
  • Honorary Secretary,
  • Honorary Treasurer,

study group representatives and other members making a group of not less than SIX and not more than EIGHT members.

The Executive Committee shall have the power to fill casual vacancies occurring among the Officers of the Society and up to three casual vacancies occurring among the members of the Executive Committee between General Meetings.

The Committee shall have power to co-opt further members (who shall attend in an advisory and non-voting capacity).

Officers and Members of the Executive Committee shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting of the Society, and out going members may be re-elected, except that any member who has served for a period of five consecutive years shall not be so eligible for a period of at least one year unless no other candidate is proposed for that position.

Nominations for election to the Executive Committee shall be made in writing to the Honorary Secretary at least 14 days 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 determined. The elections of Officers shall be completed prior to the election of further Committee members.

Nominees for election as Officers or Committee members shall declare at the Annual General Meeting at which their election is to be considered any financial or professional interest known or likely to be of concern to the Society.

It shall be the duty of every Officer or member of the Executive Committee or Sub-Committee who is in any way directly or indirectly interested financially or professionally in any item discussed at any Committee meeting at which he or she is present to declare such interest and he/she shall not discuss such item (except by invitation of the Chairman) or vote thereon.

The Officers and members of the Committee shall normally be resident or work in the area of benefit but the Committee shall have power to co-opt additional members from outside the area of benefit.

A President and Vice-President may also be elected at a General Meeting of the Society, for periods to be decided at such a meeting.

The President and Vice-Presidents may attend any meeting of the Executive Committee but shall not vote at any such meeting.

The executive committee shall meet not less than 6 times a year at intervals of not more than two 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 third of the members of the Executive Committee. In the event of an equality in the votes cast, the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote.

Sub Committees

The Executive Committee may constitute such sub-committees from time to time as shall be thought fit.

The Chairman and Secretary of each sub-committee shall be appointed by the Executive Committee and all actions and proceedings of each sub-committee shall be reported to and be confirmed by the Executive Committee as soon as possible.

Members of the Executive Committee may be members of any sub-committee and membership of a sub- committee shall be no bar to appointment to membership of the Executive Committee.

Sub-Committees shall be subordinate to and may be regulated or dissolved by the Executive Committee.

Study Groups

The Executive Committee may form and disband such study groups as may be considered necessary.

Each study group shall elect a representative to the Executive Committee whose name shall be notified to the Society’s Secretary at least fourteen days before the Annual General Meeting of the Society and their election ratified at the Annual General Meeting.

Membership of study groups shall be open to all members of the Society.

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 reserve 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.

Investment

All moneys at any time belonging to the Society and not required for immediate application for its purposes shall be invested by the Executive Committee in or upon such investments, securities or property as it may think fit,

Trustees

Any freehold and leasehold property acquired by the Society shall, and if the Executive Committee so directs any other property belonging to the Society, be vested in trustees who shall deal with such property as the Executive Committee may from time to time direct.

Any trustees shall be at least three in number or a trust corporation. The Power or appointment of new trustees shall be vested in the Executive Committee. A trustee need not be a member of the Society but no person whose membership lapses by virtue of unpaid subscription shall thereafter be qualified to act as a trustee unless and until re-appointed as such by the Executive Committee.

The Honorary Secretary shall from time to time notify the trustees in writing of any amendment hereto and the trustees shall not be bound by any such amendments in their duties as trustees unless such notice has been given.

The Society shall be bound to indemnify the trustees in their duties (including the proper charge of a trustee being a trust corporation) and liability under such indemnity shall be a proper administrative expense.

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 28 days’ notice of the proposed amendment has been given to all members.

Notices

Any notice required to be given by these Rules shall be deemed to be duly given if left at or sent by pre-paid post or email addressed to the address of that member last notified to the Secretary.

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 14 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 aims similar or reasonably similar to those herein before declared as shall be chosen by the Executive Committee and approved by the 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 Hadleigh Archive.