Community

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Friends Association of Bonneville

Constitution

1.          The name of the Association shall be Friends Association of Bonneville

2.          The object of the association is to advance the education of the pupils in the school. In furtherance of this object the Association may:

(a)    develop more extended relationships between the staff, parents and others associated with the school

(b)    engage in activities which support the school and advance the education of the pupils attending it

(c)    provide and assist in the provision of such facilities or items for education at the school (not provided from statutory funds) as the Committee, in consultation with the Governing Body, shall from time to time determine.

3.          The Association shall be non-party political and non-sectarian.

4.          The Association shall take out Public Liability and Personal Accident Insurance     to cover its meetings, activities, officers and Committee.

5.          The Association's President will be the Headteacher.

6.          The Association may have Vice-presidents if it so wishes. These are usually people the association wish to honour. The nomination of the Vice-presidents shall be submitted at the Annual General Meeting (AGM).           ^l

7.          Membership shall consist of all parents, carers and guardians of pupils attending the school and all staff. Membership will also include past parents, carers and guardian, grandparents, friends of the school and governors.

8.          The management of the Association shall be vested in a Committee consisting of the following Officers: Chair, Vice Chair, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer together with 11 other members. The two posts of Chair and Vice Chair must be held by one parent, carer or guardian and one member of staff. The Chair will be a parent, carer or guardian .

9.          The Officers and Committee shall be elected at the AGM and shall serve until the commencement of the next AGM.

10.      5 members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum. (A quorum must be a third of the members.)

11.      The Committee shall have the power to co-opt a maximum of 2 members.

12.      The Committee may appoint sub committees as it deems necessary and shall prescribe their function provided that all acts and proceedings of any such committee shall be reported to the Committee as soon as possible and provided     further that no such sub committee shall expend funds of the Association  otherwise than in accordance with a budget agreed by the Committee.

13.      Committee meetings shall be held at least once a term.

14.      The AGM will be held in the Autumn Term, as soon after half term as possible. At the AGM the chair shall be taken by the Chair or, in their absence, the Vice Chair of the Committee.

15.      Nominations shall be proposed and seconded by members and should have the consent of the nominee. Nominations may be made at any time prior to the commencement of the AGM.

16.      The Committee may fill casual vacancies by co-option until the next AGM.

17.      The accounts and books of the Association will be audited annually by an auditor who is not a member of the Committee.

18.      Special General Meetings (SGM) may be called at the written request of a minimum of 10 members.

19.      30 days notice shall be given of any SGM to all members of the Association.

20.      The Honorary Treasurer shall be responsible for keeping account of all income and expenditure and shall present a financial report to all Committee meetings, and shall present the accounts duly audited for approval by the members at the AGM.

21.      Bank accounts shall be operated in the name of the Association and withdrawals shall be made on the signature of any two officers of the Association.

22.      The financial year shall commence on 7th November. (The financial year will be for 12 months).

23.      Any matter not provided for in the Constitution and concerning the organisation and activities of the Association shall be dealt with by the Committee whose decision shall be final.

24.      No alteration to this Constitution may be made except at the AGM or SGM called for this purpose. No amendments or alterations shall be made without the prior written permission of the Charity Commission to clauses 2, 24 and 25 and no alterations shall be made which could cause the Association to cease to be a charity in law. Alterations to the Constitution shall receive the assent of two thirds of the members present and voting at an AGM or SGM.

25.      The Association may be dissolved by a resolution presented at a SGM called for this purpose. The resolution must have the assent of two thirds of those present and voting. Such resolution may give instructions for the disposal of any assets remaining after satisfying any outstanding debts and liabilities. These assets shall not be distributed among the members of the Association but will be given to the school for the benefit of the children at the school, or in the event of a school closure to the school to which the majority of the children of the closing school will go, in any manner which is exclusively charitable in law.  If effect cannot be given to this provision then the assets can be given to some other charitable purpose.