Constitution
ST. JOHN’S PARISH HERITAGE GROUP
The name of the group will be:-
ST. JOHN’S PARISH HERITAGE GROUP
or in Irish:
GRÚPA OIDHREACHTA PHARÓISTE NAOMH EOIN.
AIMS & OBJECTIVES.
The aims of St. John’s Parish Heritage Group are to promote an awareness, knowledge and appreciation of the antiquities, history,genealogy and general heritage of St. John’s Parish and its surrounding districts. A special interest will be the identification, documentation and conservation of our ancient sites and buildings, providing representation on heritage to all relevant statutory and nonstatutory bodies and to publish relevant material where appropriate.
MEMBERSHIP.
St. John’s Parish Heritage Group will be non-political and nonsectarian. Membership, at the discretion of the Executive Committee,is open to all persons with an interest in heritage, especially the heritage of this area. Any person may apply to the Hon. Secretary or to the Hon. Treasurer and pay the relevant subscription. A membership card will be issued.
ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION.
The annual subscription will be €5 per person or such sums as may be fixed from time to time at the Annual General Meeting and fall due on 1st of January each year.
INCOME AND PROPERTY.
The income and property of the trust/body shall be applied solely towards the promotion of main object(s) as set forth in this Deed of Trust /Constitution / Rules. No portion of the trust/body’s income and property shall be paid or transferred directly or indirectly by way of dividend, bonus or otherwise howsoever by way of profit to members of the trust/body. No charity trustee* shall be appointed to any office of the trust/body paid by salary or fees, or receive any remuneration or other benefit in money or money’s worth from the trust/body. However, nothing shall prevent any payment in good faith by the trust/body of:
a) reasonable and proper remuneration to any member or servant of the trust/body (not being a charity trustee) for any services rendered to the trust/body;
b) interest at a rate not exceeding 1% above the Euro Interbank Offered Rate (Euribor) per annum on money lent by charity trustees or other members of the trust/body to the trust/body;
c) reasonable and proper rent for premises demised and let by any member of the trust/body (including any charity trustee) to the trust/body;
d) reasonable and proper out-of-pocket expenses incurred by any charity trustee in connection with their attendance to any matter affecting the trust/body;
e) fees, remuneration or other benefit in money or money’s worth to any Company of which a charity trustee may be a member holding not more than one hundredth part of the issued capital of such Company;
f) Nothing shall prevent any payment by the trust/body to a person pursuant to an agreement entered into in compliance with section 89 of the Charities Act, 2009 (as for the time being amended, extended or replaced). *charity trustee as defined by section 2(1) of the Charities Act, 2009
FUNDRAISING.
St. John’s Parish Heritage Group may undertake fundraising to raise money on it’s own behalf. Fundraising may consist of, but is not limited to, an Annual Church Gate Collection, to raise funds for Cemetery Maintenance and / or for any other purpose within the remit of the objectives of the Group. The Group may also apply to statutory and non-statutory bodies for funding. All moneys received will be used solely to advance the aims and objectives of the Group.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
An Executive Committee will manage St. John’s Parish Heritage Group on behalf of the general membership. The Executive Committee will be composed of a Chairperson, Assistant Chairperson, Honorary Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, Public Relations Officer and five members of the group at large (or more if agreed by the Executive Committee). The Executive Committee will be elected each year at the Annual General Meeting. All meetings of the Executive Committee will be chaired by the Chairperson or, in the event of his/her absence, by the Assistant Chairperson or President. In the event of a member resigning from the Executive Committee, the remaining members of the Executive Committee will have the power to co- opt another member to fill the vacant position. The general management of the affairs of the Group will be vested in the Executive Committee, who will perform all such acts as may be deemed necessary or expedient to further the objects of St. John’s Parish Heritage Group.
PRESIDENT.
The President will be appointed at an AGM and the position will be, unless s/he resigns, for life. The President will automatically become a member of the Executive Committee.
SUB-COMMITTEES.
The Executive Committee will have the power to delegate authorization for specific matters to a Sub-Committee, who will act on the authority of St. John’s Parish Heritage Group in all undertakings of that Sub-Committee. The Executive Committee will specify the powers invested in the Sub-Committee. Sub-Committees will be either standing Sub-Committees or ad-hoc Sub-Committees. Chairpersons of Sub-Committees will automatically become members of the Executive Committee, for the duration of the existence of the Sub-Committee. Sub-Committees will, unless otherwise authorised by the Executive Committee, be self financing, without prejudice to any authority, which may from time to time be given to Sub-Committees in regard to the use of such monies, by the Executive Committee. Authority to make payments will be vested in the Executive Committee. Sub-Committees will only be allowed to authorise payments: (1) With prior permission from the Executive Committee OR (2) With the permission of the Chairperson and one other member of the Executive Committee, under the following conditions:
(a) where money is available in the account,
(b) where the payment is urgent AND (c) when the sum required does not exceed €1000 (one thousand Euro).
BANKING PROCEDURE.
St. John’s Parish Heritage Group will have a banking account into which all monies received will be lodged. All cheques will be signed by the Hon. Treasurer AND co-signed by one other member of the Executive Committee, who has been authorised by the Executive Committee to sign cheques on it’s behalf.
COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
All meetings will be convened by the Hon. Secretary who will give due notice of dates, times and agendas of such meetings to each Executive Committee member. Any six (6) Executive Committee members, by giving written notice to the Hon. Secretary, may call a special meeting. The quorum for Executive Committee meetings will be five (5) members, including at least two (2) officers. The Hon. Secretary will keep minutes of Executive Committee meetings and records of attendance. At each Executive Committee meeting the Hon. Secretary will read aloud the minutes of the last previous meeting and the Chairperson will then sign the minutes book, thereby verifying that the recorded minutes are correct and complete.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING.
The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of St. John’s Parish Heritage Group will be held during the month of January each year. Notice of the AGM will be given to every paid-up member at least seven (7) days prior to the meeting. All members of St. John’s Parish Heritage Group may submit motions for discussion at the AGM. The Hon. Secretary must receive such motions not later than two (2) weeks (14 days) prior to the AGM.
EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING.
An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) may be called by the Executive Committee or by requisition signed by not less than 25% of the members of the group, delivered to the Hon. Secretary, who in turn must call the EGM within two (2) weeks from the date of receipt of such requisition. Only the business stated in the requisition may be debated at the EGM and the details of the said business should be included in the notice of meeting sent to members.
VOTING RIGHTS AND QUORUM – AGM & EGM.
A quorum for an AGM or EGM will be ten (10) members. If a quorum is not reached, the meeting will be re-convened and all members informed of the new date and venue. Those present at any such re-convened meeting will constitute a quorum for that meeting. At an AGM / EGM each member will have one vote only. In the event of a tie the Chairman (or deputy Chair) will have the casting vote. Voting at meetings will be by secret ballot, except when a ballot is demanded by being formally proposed and seconded and a simple majority supports such demand.
DISSOLUTION.
St. John’s Parish Heritage Group may be dissolved only by the vote of not less than 70% of the paid-up members present at an EGM especially convened for that purpose. An audited financial report will be presented at such a meeting. The dissolution will not take affect until all assets are disposed of and all liabilities fully discharged.
WINDING UP.
If upon the winding up or dissolution of the trust/body there remains, after satisfaction of all debts and liabilities, any property whatsoever, it shall not be paid to or distributed among the members of the trust/ body. Instead, such property shall be given or transferred to some other charitable institution or institutions having main objects similar to the main objects of the trust/body. The institution or institutions to which the property is to be given or transferred shall prohibit the distribution of their income and property among their members to an extent at least as great as is imposed on the trust/body under or by virtue of Clause …. hereof. Members of the trust/body shall select the relevant institution or institutions at or before the time of dissolution, and if and so far as effect cannot be given to such provisions, then the property shall be given or transferred to some charitable object with the agreement of the Charities Regulator. Final accounts will be prepared and submitted that will include a section that identifies and values any assets transferred along with the details of the recipients and the terms of the transfer.
INDEMNITY.
The Officers of St. John’s Parish Heritage Group will be indemnified by the Group for any expenses incurred in executing their duties, whether on the direction of the Executive Committee or on behalf of the Executive Committee or any lawfully constituted Sub-Committee of St. John’s Parish Heritage Group.
ACCEPTANCE OF RULES.
Membership of St. John’s Parish Heritage Group will imply the acceptance of each and all of these rules and any additions and/or alterations that may be agreed at a General Meeting.
INTERPRETATION.
The Executive Committee will have full power to decide any question for which these rules have made no provision and will be responsible for proposing the appropriate amendment at the earliest opportune time.
AMENDMENT OF RULES.
These rules will not be amended, added to or otherwise altered in any way, save with the consent of at least 70% of the members present who are qualified as a member to vote at the AGM or EGM called for that purpose in accordance with these rules.
Additions, alterations or amendments
The organisation must ensure that the Charities Regulator has a copy of its most recent governing instrument. If it is proposed to make an amendment to the governing instrument of the organisation which requires the prior approval of the Charities Regulator, advance notice in writing of the proposed changes must be given to the Charities Regulator for approval, and the amendment shall not take effect until such approval is received.
Amendments to Constitution.
Constitution amended after March meeting 2017 where changes were approved.
1. A.G.M changed from March to January.
2. Financial year changes from end of March to December.
Amendments to Constitution August 2017 on recommendations of Charity Regulator.
Standard clauses for constitutions of organisations (other than companies) and trusts
1. Changes to Income and Property.
2. Additions, alterations or amendments.
3. Winding-up
This web site page was updated on 17th. August 2020.