Constitution of Centre Stage

  1. Definitions
  2. Where ‘the Company’ is used this shall be read to mean the organisation named in 2 below.
  3. Where ‘the Executive’ is used this shall be read to mean the group of people in 6 below.
  1. Title and Emblem
  2. The name of the Company shall be Centre Stage
  3. The society emblem shall be shown in Appendix 1 to this constitution.
  4. The emblem shall be used in all appropriate public notices, letters and production posters.
  1. Aims of the Society
  2. To advance the education of children and young people in music and the performing arts and to promote, improve, develop and maintain public education and appreciation of music and the Performing Arts and for such other purposes, as shall be exclusively charitable as the trustees decide.
  3. To provide or assist in the provision of facilities in the interest of social welfare for recreation or other leisure time occupation of individuals who have need of such facilities by reason of their youth, age, infirmity or disability, financial hardship or social circumstances with the object of improving their conditions of life.
  1. Membership and Structure
  2. ‘Members’ are eligible to join the Company from the first year of secondary education and are eligible for membership as long as they are aged twenty or under on the first night of the main production. Members leaving under this rule are eligible to attend subsequent social functions directly connected with this production as a non-member.
  3. New members will be selected through an audition process.
  4. New member auditions will be advertised at least seven days prior to the event.
  5. The Company is fully inclusive and no member will be denied a place due to reasons such as race, religion, disability, sexuality or academic ability.
  6. Members will be expected to pay a joining fee and annual fees, determined by the Executive each year at the AGM.
  7. Membership of the Company shall be governed by the ‘Rules for Members’ which will be reviewed annually by the Executive.
  8. The executive will ensure appropriate policies for safeguarding, Health and Safety etc. will be kept up to date.
  1. Friends of Centre Stage
  2. ‘Friends’ are eligible to join Centre Stage in an associate capacity as long as they are not a serving member.
  3. Friends join the Company by means of an application form and an annual minimum membership fee, set by the Executive each year. The Friends scheme will be managed by the Executive.
  4. Friend’s membership is annual. If a renewal fee is not received within three months of the end of the previous year, membership will cease.
  1. The Executive Committee (Election and Terms of Office)
  2. The Executive of the Company will be elected by the Members and Friends of at least one years standing, at the Annual General Meetings (AGM).
  3. The Executive will propose an Honorary President at the AGM. Unless other nominations have been received within 7 days of the meeting, this proposal will be accepted. The President will serve for a three year period
  4. Executive members will be taken from the Friends of Centre Stage.
  5. The Executive will consist of 5 elected members.
  6. Executive Members will need to nominate themselves for a committee position. Nominations will be invited 21 days in advance of the AGM by the company Communications Director and must be received 7 days before the AGM.
  7. An election will be held for each position at the AGM.
  8. A vote will be required for each Executive Position, even if there is only one nomination.
  9. All Members and Friends who have been associated with the Company for a minimum of twelve months shall have one vote for each committee position.
  10. To vote, Members and Friends must be present at the AGM.
  11. An Executive member will be elected once they have received at least 50% of the available votes at the AGM. If this is not achieved in the first round of voting, a second round will be held. The person receiving the lowest number of votes will not be eligible for the second round. If 50% of votes are not achieved during the second round, a third round will be held and so on until 50% is achieved.
  12. Where there is only one nomination for a position, the member must secure at least 50% of the vote. If this is not achieved, or there were no nominations, the position will remain unfilled and Executive Committee will invite further nominations for the position within 28 days of the AGM. The Executive Committee will then have the power to elect a member from the new nominations; a successful candidate will achieve at least 50% of the votes.
  13. The President will act as the Returning Officer for all elections
  14. Membership of the Executive Committee will normally be for one year.
  15. Each year at the AGM, all Executive Committee members will be required to stand down. They are eligible to offer themselves for re-election if they wish.
  16. The Executive will have the power to fill any casual vacancies that may arise during the course of a year. Any casual members will be required to stand for election at the next AGM.
  17. The Executive Committee will have the power to co-opt up to 2 additional voting associate members onto the committee if necessary.
  18. Officers
  19. The Executive will be made up of five elected officers:
  20. Executive Chairman
  21. Deputy Executive Chairman
  22. Finance Director
  23. Communications Director
  24. Artistic Director
  25. The Executive is able to co-opt not more than two additional voting associate members to support any particular projects.
  26. The Executive may make one non-voting, non-Executive appointment to fulfil the role of:
  27. Clerk to the Executive
  28. The Executive Chairman will be responsible for all meetings of the Executive. In the absence of the Executive Chairman, the Deputy will assume this role.
  29. In the event it is necessary for the Executive Chairman to resign, the Deputy will assume the role of Chair until the next AGM, where an election for new Executive Chairman will be held. If both the Executive Chairman and Deputy were to resign, the Finance Director will assume responsibility of the Company, ensuring an Extraordinary General Meeting is called within 28 days to invite nominations for Executive Chairman and Deputy.
  30. The Executive Committee may appoint management teams if necessary. Any management team must directly report to a member of the Executive.
  31. A member, usually the Chair, of the Members Committee will be invited to attend Executive meetings. Members will be entitled to one collective vote at Executive meetings.
  1. Meetings
  2. The Executive Chairman shall conduct all meetings of the Executive except that in his/her absence the meeting shall be taken by the Deputy. If both are absent from a meeting the Executive shall elect a chair for that meeting.
  3. The Executive Chairman shall have the casting vote.
  4. The Annual General Meeting of the Company shall be held in February each year. 21 days’ notice must be given to all members and friends of such a meeting.
  5. The Executive shall meet at least 6 times a year to run the affairs of the Company.
  6. Individual members of the Executive are expected to attend at least 75% of the Company’s Executive Meetings during the course of the year (Jan-Dec). Members of the Executive attending less than 75% will be asked to stand down from the Executive.
  7. The Executive shall be quorate when at least 3 of the elected officers are present.
  8. Minutes will be taken of all meetings and decisions.
  9. Decisions may be taken outside of meetings by means of email or letter. Any decision taken this way must have a clear written record of Executive Committee’s agreement.
  10. An Extraordinary Meeting of the Company may be called by written request to the Chair by three Executive members or one third of the Company’s eligible Friends.
  11. The constitution shall only be altered or amended at an AGM or at a Special General Meeting (SGM) convened for the purpose following 21 days’ notice or the proposed alterations or amendments and accepted by two thirds of those present and voting.
  1. Financial Arrangements
  2. The financial year of the Company for accounting purposes shall run from 1st January to 31st December each year
  3. The financial affairs of the Company will be managed by the Finance Director.
  4. The Company may receive donations by way of gifts, monies or goods.
  5. The Company is a registered Charity and all financial affairs will be run in line with the Charity Commission regulations.
  6. Each cheque must be signed by 2 out of 3 of the authorised signatories.
  7. The Finance Director will ensure the Executive receive an interim financial report at least 6 times a year.
  8. All accounts shall be audited annually and the full financial report shall be prepared annually and be available for inspection at the AGM.
  9. The Executive shall appoint an auditor on an annual basis.
  10. Members of the Executive may receive by way of fees monies from the Company where:
  11. The remaining four members of the Executive have unanimously agreed this to be relevant and appropriate
  12. A contract of appointment (e.g. director, MD) is in place, detailing the fee to be paid.
  13. All other fees, expenses claims and payments must be supported by a valid receipt or invoice.
  1. Members’ Committee
  2. There shall be a Member’s Committee, elected from the current membership, constituted as per the Members’ Committee Constitution.
  3. The Members shall appoint one member, usually the chair, to attend Executive Committee meetings. The members will have one collective vote at these meetings.
  1. Productions
  2. The Artistic Director shall propose a list of productions to the Executive and a production is to be selected by majority vote.
  3. The Executive shall appoint a Production Team, managed by the Production Supervisor.
  4. The Executive will appoint a Director, Musical Director and Choreographer (‘the employees’) as appropriate for all productions. The Executive will agree any fees that will be payable, before the employees start work. An offer will be made in writing to all employees in the form of a contract.
  5. The Executive will prepare and agree a budget for each production including estimated expenditure balanced against estimated income.
  6. Once agreed, the production budget cannot be changed without authorisation from the Executive.
  7. The production budget will be managed by the Finance Director
  1. Dissolution
  2. The affairs of the Company shall not be wound-up except at an EGM especially convened for the purpose, following 21 days’ notice of the proposal (by Public Notice) to wind up the affairs of the Company and accepted by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting. Surplus funds and assets shall be released and donated to a youth organisation or organisations as decided upon by the Executive Committee.