Leicester Poetry Society Constitution

     as amended at the Extraordinary General Meeting held January 19 2007

1. The Society shall be known as Leicester Poetry Society.
2. The objectives of the Society shall be to promote the appreciation, understanding and composition of poetry in whatever form.
3. To achieve its objectives the Society through its Committee is empowered to:-
   - organise a regular series of readings and/or lectures by poets or other speakers from outside the Society, which shall be open to the General Public;
   - organise workshops at which members and others have the opportunity to read out and discuss their work;
   - publish such anthologies, pamphlets, magazines or books of the work of members or non members as the Committee shall authorise;
   - hold social events.
4. Leicester Poetry Society welcomes participation by all sections of the community.  The Society is opposed to all racist, ageist and sexist attitudes and behaviour and recognises the importance of ethnic, cultural, linguistic, historical and social diversity and that such diversity enriches both the Society and the wider community within which it exists.   Membership of the Society shall be open to all, regardless of age, sex, sexual orientation, ethnic or national origin, colour, disability or religious belief, upon payment of the annual subscription.
5. There shall be three types of membership:  Full Membership, Associate Membership and Life Membership.   Life Membership is dealt with under paragraph 15 of the Constitution.  Full Members receive a season ticket which gives entry to the season's programme of public events, have a vote at the Annual General Meeting or any Extraordinary General Meeting and are able to attend all social events.  Associate Membership, at reduced costs, allows those members to attend all social events, but they are not entitled to a vote at the A.G.M. or any E.G.M. or to have reduced season ticket admission to public events.
6. The level of annual membership subscription shall be agreed at the A.G.M. by a two-thirds majority vote.   The Chairman of the meeting shall have a casting vote.
7. The Society shall be a self-governing body, managed by a Committee elected at the A.G.M.
8. The Society shall elect at the A.G.M. a President and a Committee to a maximum of nine members who shall fulfil the functions of Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary and Treasurer.
9. The Committee shall have the power to allocate to its members such duties in the Society not otherwise provided for in this Constitution as it may in its discretion resolve.
10. The Committee shall have the power to co-opt other members of the Society to a maximum of two at any one time.
11. The Society shall not be bound to any undertaking or course of action except by a proper resolution approved by the Committee in session or passed by the A.G.M. or an E.G.M.
12. The Committee shall meet at least every quarter and if possible every month.   The quorum for Committee meetings shall be three members.
13. The A.G.M. shall be held in September each year and the Committee shall notify in writing all members of the Society of the date, time and venue of the A.G.M. at least 21 days in advance and shall call for nominations to the Committee.
14. Nominations for election to the Committee shall be made in writing to the Committee at least two days before the A.G.M.   Nominations may also be taken from the floor at the A.G.M.
15. The Society shall be empowered to award Life Membership of the Leicester Poetry Society to:-
    - such members as it may wish to honour for long or outstanding service to the Society;
    - such persons, whether members or otherwise, as it may wish to honour for services to poetry generally.
16. The Society shall maintain a bank account or accounts at such bank as the Committee may in its discretion resolve.   Any withdrawals from such accounts shall be on the signatures of at least two out of three authorised officers, one of whom shall be the Treasurer.   After each A.G.M., the Treasurer shall notify the bank of any change of officer and, where a change occurs, the officer shall sign a new mandate form provided by the bank.   A full  annual audit of the Society's financial records shall be carried out by two auditors who are not members of the Committee, and who are elected annually.
17. An E.G.M. may be called at the A.G.M. by a majority vote, or may be convened at the written request of at least eight members or one-fifth of the membership, whichever is fewer.   The Committee must be given due notice in order to give members 21 days’ notice of the E.G.M.
18. The articles of this Constitution shall be amended or altered only by a two-thirds majority vote at the A.G.M. or at an E.G.M.  The notice of the meeting shall set out any proposed amendments or alterations.