WILMSLOW TRUST CONSTITUTION


1.      The name of the Trust shall be The Wilmslow Trust.  

2.      The Objects of the Trust shall be:-
(a)    To promote the study of civic design
(b)   To stimulate public consciousness and appreciation of the beauty, history and character of Wilmslow and its surroundings
(c)    To promote the preservation, development and improvement of features of beauty, general amenity and historic interest
(d)   To pursue these ends by such means as meetings, lectures, study groups, exhibitions and publications.
The Trust shall have no political or religious activities and shall be non-profit- making.

3.      Membership

Membership shall be open to all who are interested in the aims of the  Trust. Membership shall lapse if the subscription is unpaid six months after it is due.

4.      Subscriptions

The membership fee may be altered only by a simple majority of current members present and voting at the Annual General Meeting or at an Extraordinary General Meeting called for that purpose.  

5.      Meetings

The Annual General Meeting shall be held in the month of March to receive reports, to approve the audited accounts and to appoint the Honorary Auditor. At the Annual General Meeting the Officers and members of the Executive Committee shall be elected and any other business may be transacted of which at least fourteen days notice shall have been given to the Secretary in writing. The Executive Committee shall draw up a programme of meetings and/or outings for the year of which there shall be not less than four.An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called by ten members at any time. Members must be given at least fourteen days notice of the topics to be discussed at it. Only topics so notified may be discussed at such an Extraodinary General Meeting.  

6.      Officers

The Officers shall consist of the President, one or more vice-Presidents, the Chairman, the vice-Chairman, the Honorary Secretary and the Honorary Treasurer. All Officers shall relinquish office every year and shall be eligible for re-election at the Annual General Meeting.

7.      Executive Committee

The Executive Committee shall consist of the Officers as defined in Clause 6 above along with six members of the Trust elected at the Annual General Meeting, two Wilmslow representatives on the Macclesfield District Council and nominated by the Council and the Chairmen of the Standing Committees. Nominations for the members of the Executive Committee must be in writing and in the hands of the Secretary not less than seven days before the date of  the Annual General Meeting and must be signed by the proposer, seconder and the nominee. If the number of nominees exceeds the number of vacancies a poll shall be taken. In order to fill vacancies arising among the Officers and its other members the Executive Committee may appoint members to fill the vacancies and such appointments shall be effective until the next Annual General Meeting. The Executive Committee may, if it so wishes, co-opt two members of the Trust to serve on the committee until the next Annual Meeting. All persons accepting nomination for election to the Executive Committee shall be deemed to have agreed to undertake such executive duties as the Committee may from time to time by majority vote decide.

7a  Declaration of Interest

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 Trust. Any Officer or Committee member who is in any way directly or indirectly interested financially or professionally in any item discussed at any Committee meeting must declare such an interest and shall not discuss such item (except by invitation of the chairman) or vote thereon.

8.      Auxiliary Officers

The Executive Committee will appoint the Honorary Solicitor and other officers whom it considers necessary to ensure the efficient operation of the Trust.  

9.      Standing Committees

The Trust acting in General Meeting may from time to timebring into existence such Standing Committees as it may consider desirable in pursuit of its aims and shall appoint a Chairman for each such Committee who shall thereupon become a member of the Executive Committee. Other members of the Standing Committees may be appointed without restriction of number at a General Meeting of the Trust and each Standing Committee  may co-opt additional members at its discretion. Membership of a Standing Committee shall not confer with it membership of the Executive Committee. Chairmen of Standing Committees may  appoint a deputy to represent them at meetings of the Executive Committee.

10.  Patrons

The Executive Committee may at its discretion invite interested persons to become patrons of the Trust.

11.  Quorum

The quorum for the transaction of business at the Annual General Meeting shall be twenty members and for the Executive Committee shall be six members.

12.  Amendments

The Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds majority of members present and voting at an Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting provided that fourteen days notice of the proposed amendment has been sent to all members and provided that nothing herein contained shall authorise any amendment permitting the expenditure of funds of the Trust which is not charitable.

13.  Bank Accounts

The Bank accounts of the Trust may be operated only on the signatures of two of the Officers.

14.   Winding Up

The Trust may be dissolved only by a special meeting called for the purpose, and fourteen days notice of such meeting shall be given to all members clearly stating its purpose. A two-thirds majority of members present and voting is required to approve such dissolution. In the event of the winding up of the trust, the disposal of the funds shall be decided by a majority vote at a meeting of the members and shall be applied solely for charitable purposes. On dissolution the minute books and other records of the Trust shall be deposited with the Civic Trust.