Constitution :: Polish Saturday School

CONSTITUTION OF THE POLISH SATURDAY SCHOOL

in Peterborough

1. NAME

The name of the organisation shall be the POLISH SATURDAY SCHOOL in Peterborough (hereinafter called "PSS").

2. OBJECTS

The objects of the PSS are to:

To advance education in Polish language, history, geography and Polish affairs for the public benefit;
To promote Polish culture to the wider community by participating in and organising cultural and social events integrating wider communities in Peterborough and surrounding area;
To support existing and newly arrived Polish and bilingual children and their parents by providing them with the advice about British Education System, the Curriculum as well as other aspect of life in Britain

to promote community cohesion and understanding between communities in Peterborough

to work in partnership with other agencies and organisations with the similar objectives

to promote such other charitable purposes as may from time to time be determined.

The PSS shall be non‑party in politics and non‑sectarian in religion. The area of benefit shall be Peterborough and surrounding area within 20 miles radius.

3. POWERS

In furtherance of the said objects, but not otherwise, the PSS shall have power to:

co-operate with other voluntary organisations, statutory authorities and individuals;

establish or support a local forum of representatives of community groups, voluntary organisations; statutory authorities and individuals involved in community work;

promote and develop or to assist in the promotion and development of community organisations and community social enterprises in the area of benefit;

acquire and distribute funds and to assist in the provision of grants to community organisations in the area of benefit;

arrange and provide for, either alone or with others, the holding of exhibitions, meetings, lectures, classes, seminars or training courses, and all forms of recreational and other leisure‑time activities;

collect and disseminate information on all matters relating to its objects, and to exchange such information with other bodies having similar objects whether in the United Kingdom or elsewhere;

write, print or publish, in whatever form, such papers, books, periodicals, pamphlets or other documents, including films and recorded material, as shall further its objects, and to issue or circulate the same whether for payment or otherwise;

purchase, take on lease or in exchange, hire or otherwise lawfully acquire such property or other rights and privileges as may be necessary for the promotion of its objects, and to construct, maintain or alter the same, SUBJECT TO the provisions of Clause 17 hereof;

make regulations for the proper supervision, control and management of any property which may be so acquired;

sell, let, dispose of or turn to account all or any of its property or assets SUBJECT TO such consents as may be required by law;

raise funds and invite or receive donations and contributions, whether by subscription or otherwise, PROVIDED THAT the PSS shall not undertake any substantial trading activities except as allowed under current charity law and shall take all reasonable steps to ensure that no trading income is liable to tax;

support any charitable trusts, PSSs or institutions formed for all or any of the objects;

receive money on deposit or loan or overdraft, in such manner as the PSS may think fit, SUBJECT TO such consents or on such conditions as may be required by law;

invest money not immediately required for its objects in or upon such investments, securities or property as the PSS may think fit, SUBJECT NEVERTHELESS to such conditions (if any) as may for the time being be imposed by law;

borrow money, and SUBJECT TO such consents as may be required by law, to charge all or any of the property of the PSS with the repayment of money so borrowed;

subject to clause 13 hereof, employ such persons as are necessary for the proper pursuit of the objects and make all reasonable and necessary provision for the payment of pensions and superannuation for staff and their dependants;

remunerate any member of the Management Committee for services rendered to the PSS PROVIDED THAT:

such member shall not be present at or take part in any discussions or decision relating to such remuneration;

any decision to remunerate such member shall be taken unanimously by the other members present and voting at the meeting at which the decision is made;

the other members are satisfied that the level of remuneration is reasonable and proper having regard to the services rendered by such members to the PSS;

the other members are satisfied that the services rendered to the PSS are of special value to the PSS having regard to such member’s ability, qualifications, or experience and/or to the level of remuneration for which he/she has agreed to provide them;

the number of such members for the time being in receipt of remuneration shall not exceed a minority of members of the Management Committee.

insure and arrange insurance cover and to indemnify its employees and voluntary workers from and against all such risks incurred in the course of the performance of their duties as may be thought fit;

provide indemnity insurance for the members of the Management Committee (or any of them) out of the funds of the PSS PROVIDED any such insurance shall not extend to any claim arising from any act or omission which the members of the Management Committee (or any of them) knew to be a breach of duty or breach of trust or which was committed by members of the Management Committee (or any of them) in reckless disregard of whether it was a breach of duty or breach of trust or not;

affiliate to the National Federation of Community Organisations (Community Matters) and to any local federation or other organisations with similar charitable objects;

do all such other lawful things as shall further the charitable objects of the PSS.

4. MEMBERSHIP

(a) Membership shall be open, irrespective of sex, sexual orientation, nationality, age, disability and race or of political, religious or other opinions to:

(i) individuals aged eighteen years or over:

Parents of children attending Polish Saturday School in Peterborough , all volunteers and staff members who shall be known as Individual Members;

who live outside the area of benefit, who shall be known as Associate Members, and who may attend as observers but who shall not have the right to vote at General Meetings of the PSS, PROVIDED THAT they shall have power to elect TWO of their number to vote on their behalf at General Meetings.

(ii) individuals aged under eighteen years, whether living within or outside the area of benefit, who shall be known as Junior Members and who may be admitted to membership subject to such conditions as the Management Committee may decide. They shall have the power to elect two of their number to represent them, without the right to vote, at meetings of the Management Committee. Any Junior Member may attend General Meetings as observers but shall not have the right to vote.

(iii) PSSs and organisations, whether corporate or unincorporated, (and including branches of national or international organisations) which operate solely or in part within the area of benefit, are voluntary or non‑profit‑distributing, and which wish to support the objects of the PSS, which shall be known as Affiliated Groups;

(b) Each member organisation as set out in Clause 4 (a) (iii) and (iv) above and each Section established in accordance with Clause 6 below shall nominate one individual person being a member thereof to vote on its behalf at General Meetings of the PSS; and may nominate an alternate being a member thereof to replace him/her at such meetings if the nominee is unable to attend. In the event of such individual person resigning or leaving the member organisation he or she shall forthwith cease to be the nominee thereof. The member organisation concerned shall have the right to nominate a replacement, informing the Secretary in writing.

(c) individual members admitted under Clause 4(a) (i) (a) or nominated under Clause (a) (i) (b), and Clause 4 (b) shall hereinafter referred to as ‘members with power to vote’

5. SECTIONS

Groups of individuals, being Individual, Junior or Associate members, may, with the permission of the Management Committee, form themselves into Sections for the furtherance of activities that support the objects of the PSS. The following provisions apply to Sections:

the Management Committee shall determine the terms of reference and functions of each such Section and the duration of its activities;

no Section may disregard any instruction of the Management Committee or carry on any activity that may, in the Management Committee’s opinion, conflict with the PSS’s objects, the Standing Orders or any decision made by the Management Committee;

Sections may fundraise for their activities utilising, with the permission of the Management Committee, the charity registration number of the PSS but all funds so raised or property acquired with such funds shall belong to the PSS and, subject to Clause 6 (d) shall be paid to the PSS immediately following receipt;

Sections may hold such funds as shall be agreed from time to time with the Management Committee;

Sections and members thereof shall have no power of management or control over any part of the PSS’s assets.

6. RESIGNATION AND TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP

Any member of the PSS may resign his/her membership and any representative of a member organisation or Section may resign such position, by giving to the Secretary of the PSS written notice to that effect.

The Management Committee may, by resolution passed at a meeting thereof, terminate or suspend the membership of any member, if in its opinion, his/her conduct is prejudicial to the interests and objects of the PSS, PROVIDED THAT the individual member or representative of the member organisation (as the case may be) shall have the right to be heard by the Management Committee before the final decision is made. There shall be a right of appeal to an independent arbitrator appointed by mutual agreement.

7. GENERAL MEETINGS OF THE PSS

(a) Annual General Meetings:

Once in each calendar year an Annual General Meeting of the PSS shall be held at such time and place as the Management Committee shall determine, being not more

Than fifteen months after the adoption of this constitution and thereafter the holding of the preceding Annual General Meeting. The Secretary shall give at least twenty-one clear days notice of the Annual General Meeting shall be given individually to members or posted in a conspicuous place or places in the area of benefit and/or advertised in a newspaper circulating in the area of benefit.

The Chair of the Management Committee shall be the chair of the Annual General Meeting but if he or she is not present, before any business is transacted, the persons present shall appoint a chair of the meeting.

The business of each Annual General Meeting shall be:

to receive the Annual Report of the Management Committee, which shall incorporate the accounts of the PSS referred to below, and give an account of the work of the PSS and its activities during the preceding year;

to receive the accounts of the PSS for the preceding financial year;

to elect the Honorary Officers of the PSS in accordance with Clause 9 hereof;

to elect members to serve on the Management Committee, in accordance with Clause 10 (a) (ii) hereof;

to appoint one or more qualified auditors or independent examiners for the coming year to audit or examine the accounts of the PSS in accordance with the Charities Act 1993(or any statutory modification or re-enactment of that Act);

to consider any other business of which due notice has to be given.

(b) Special General Meetings:

The Chair of the Management Committee may at any time at his/her discretion and the Secretary shall within twenty one days of receiving a written request so to do signed by not less than 20 members with power to vote and giving reasons for the request, call a Special General Meeting of the PSS to consider the business specified on the notice of meeting and for no other purpose. The Secretary shall give at least fourteen clear days notice of the Special General Meeting individually to members or posted in a conspicuous place or places in the area of benefit and/or advertised in a newspaper circulating in the area of benefit.

The Chair of the Management Committee shall act as chair of the Special Meeting. If both the Chair and the Vice Chair are absent from any meeting, the members present shall choose one of their number to chair of the meeting before any other business is transacted.

(i) In addition to Annual General Meetings the Management Committee shall convene at least one open meeting in each calendar year as a consultative forum of representatives of all groups/organisations/agencies which use the Polish Saturday School or are active in the area of benefit (including non-member organisations) (hereinafter called “Stakeholders”). The Management Committee shall, except in the case of emergency, give not less than seven clear days notice of such open meeting to Stakeholders which notice shall be posted in a conspicuous place or places in the area of benefit.

(ii) Stakeholders attending any such meeting shall constitute the forum (“Forum”). The Forum is the process by which Stakeholders may raise and discuss amongst themselves and members of the PSS issues that affect the area of benefit and/or the running or use of the Polish Saturday School. The Forum may also be used for the giving of a report from the Management Committee on policies and procedures connected with the use of the Polish Saturday School and reports from Stakeholders. Any proposal arising from discussion at the meeting concerning the use of the Polish Saturday School shall be referred to the next meeting of the Management Committee;

(iii) The Chair of the Management Committee shall normally chair the meeting but in his/her absence or if the Forum decides otherwise those present shall elect one of their number to take the chair.

8. HONORARY OFFICERS

Only members of the PSS aged eighteen years and over shall be eligible to serve as Honorary Officers.

(b) The members with the power to vote present at the Annual General Meeting shall elect a Treasurer and Secretary of the PSS and such other Honorary Officers as the PSS may from time to time decide who shall serve in their respective capacities as Honorary Officers of the Management Committee. Such Honorary Officers may be appointed as members of any sub-committee established in accordance with Clause 11 hereof.

(c) At its first meeting after the Annual General Meeting the Management Committee shall elect from among its members a Chair and Vice Chair. Such Honorary Officers may be appointed as members of any sub-committee established in accordance with Clause 11 hereof.

(d) An Honorary Officer shall cease to hold office if he/she notifies the Secretary of the PSS in writing of his/her resignation.

(e) If a vacancy occurs by death, resignation or disqualification among the Honorary Officers of the PSS, the Management Committee shall have the power to fill it from among its members.

(f) Subject to sub-clause (d) of this clause, all Honorary Officers shall hold office until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting of the PSS and shall be eligible for re-election.

9. THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

The policy and general management of the affairs of the PSS shall be directed by the Management Committee which shall hold at least four ordinary meetings each year. A special meeting may be called at any time by the Chair or by any two members of the Management Committee upon not less than four clear days notice being given to the other members of the Management Committee of the matters to be discussed but if the matters include an appointment of a co-opted member then not less than twenty one clear days notice must be given. As the charity trustees, the Management Committee shall have power to enter into contracts for the purposes of the PSS on behalf of all members and may exercise on behalf of the PSS any or all of the powers enumerated in Clause 3 hereof.

(a) The Management Committee shall consist of:

the Honorary Officers elected under Clause 9 hereof;

up to 2 representatives from the Polish Saturday School parents PSS
up to 2 representatives from the Staff Board
persons co-opted individually by the Management Committee who shall serve on the Management Committee until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting PROVIDED THAT the number of co-opted members shall not exceed one quarter of the total number of members elected and appointed to the Management Committee in accordance with the provisions of this sub-clause and enumerated above.

(b) The Chair of the Management Committee shall act as chair at meetings of the Management

Committee. If both the Chair and the Vice Chair are absent from the meeting, the members

present shall choose one of their number to be chair of the meeting before any other

business is transacted.

c) All members of the Management Committee shall retire from office at the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting next after the date at which they came into office but they may be re-elected or re-appointed.

(d) If casual vacancies occur among the elected members of the Management Committee it shall have power to fill these from among the members of the PSS.

(e) The proceedings of the Management Committee shall not be invalidated by any failure to elect or any defect in the election, co-option or qualification of any member.

(f) A member of the Management Committee shall cease to hold office if he or she:-

is disqualified from holding office by virtue of section 72 of the Charities Act 1993 (or any statutory modification or re-enactment of that provision) or

becomes incapable by reason of mental disorder, illness or injury of managing his or her own affairs, or

is absent without the permission of the Management Committee from all its meetings held within a period of six months and the Management Committee resolves that he/she shall cease to hold office, or

notifies the Management Committee in writing of his/her resignation (PROVIDED THAT at least three members of the Management Committee will remain in office when the notice of resignation is to take effect).

The provisions of paragraphs (i) and (ii) of this sub-clause also apply to any individual holding trustee who may be appointed in accordance with Clause 17(a) below.

(g) Each member of the Management Committee, upon election or co-option to the Management Committee, shall receive a copy of the PSS's constitution. No person shall be entitled to act as a member of the Management Committee, following election, re-election or co-option, until they have signed in the minute book of the Management Committee or otherwise a declaration of acceptance and willingness to act as a charity trustee of the PSS.

No persons under the age of eighteen shall be members of the Management Committee but such persons may be invited to attend meetings without the right to vote.

11. SUB-COMMITTEES

The Management Committee may appoint one or more sub-committees for supervising or performing any activity or service. In each such case:-

(a) the Management Committee shall define the terms and reference of the sub-committee and may also determine its composition and the duration of its activities;

(b) all acts and proceedings of the sub-committees shall be reported as soon as possible to the Management Committee.

12. MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEMBERS NOT TO BE PERSONALLY INTERESTED

Except as provided in sub-clauses 3 (q) and 3 (s):

no member of the Management Committee (otherwise than as a trustee for the PSS) shall acquire any interest in property belonging to the PSS;

no member of the Management Committee (otherwise than as a members of the Management Committee) shall be interested in any contract entered into by the Management Committee;

no member of the Management Committee shall receive remuneration.

13. PAID EMPLOYEES

Management Committee shall have the sole right in exercise of the power conferred by Clause 3 (p) hereof of appointing, dismissing, and determining the terms and conditions of service of all employees of the PSS;

An employee of the PSS staff shall not be eligible to be a member of the Management Committee, any section committee or any sub-committee of the PSS, but may be invited to attend such committees as a non-voting adviser

14. RULES OF PROCEDURE AT ALL MEETINGS

(a) Voting:

Subject to the provisions of Clause 22, all questions arising at a meeting of the PSS, the Management Committee or one of its sub-committees shall be decided by a simple majority of those present and voting. Each member shall have one vote and in case of an equality of votes the chair shall have a casting vote in addition to any other vote he or she may have.

(b) Quorum:

Committee Meetings: one third of the members shall form a quorum at meetings of the Management Committee and sub-committees of the PSS.

General Meetings: fifteen members with power to vote or one third of the members with power to vote, whichever is the less, shall form a quorum at General Meetings of the PSS. In the event that no quorum is present at n Annual General Meeting of the PSS, or the meeting has to be abandoned, the meeting shall stand adjourned and be reconvened fourteen days later, and those members with power to vote present at that meeting shall be deemed to form a quorum.

Signed minutes shall be kept by the PSS and all its committees and the respective Secretary shall enter therein a record of all proceedings and resolutions.

15. STANDING ORDERS AND RULES FOR THE USE OF THE POLISH SATURDAY SCHOOL

The Management Committee shall have power to adopt and issue Standing Orders and/or Rules for the conduct of PSS business and/or Rules for the use of the Polish Saturday School. Such Standing Orders and Rules shall come into operation immediately, provided always that they shall be subject to review by the Annual General Meeting and shall be consistent with the provisions of this constitution.

16. FINANCE

All money raised by or on behalf of the PSS shall be applied to further the objects of the PSS and for no other purpose, PROVIDED THAT nothing herein contained shall prevent the payment in good faith of reasonable and proper remuneration to any employee of the PSS or the repayment of reasonable out‑of‑pocket expenses incurred on behalf of the PSS by employees and volunteers.

An account shall be opened in the name of the PSS at such a bank or such other financial institution as the Management Committee shall from time to time decide. The Management Committee shall authorise in writing the Treasurer, the Secretary of the PSS and two member of the Management Committee to sign cheques on behalf of the PSS. All cheques must be signed by not less than two of the four authorised signatories.

The Honorary Treasurer shall keep proper accounts of the finances of the PSS.

17. TRUST PROPERTY

(a) Land and Buildings:

Subject to the provisions of sub-clause (b) of this clause, the Management Committee shall cause the title of all land (which is not vested in the Official Custodian for Charities) and all investments held by or in trust for the PSS to be vested in either a corporation entitled to act as custodian trustee or in not less than three nor more than four named individuals (not being members of the Management Committee) appointed by the Management Committee as holding trustees. Holding trustees shall act in accordance with the lawful directions of the Management Committee. PROVIDED THAT they act only in accordance with such lawful directions, holding trustees shall not be liable for the acts and defaults of the members of the Management Committee. Holding trustees may be removed by the Management Committee at its pleasure and shall otherwise cease to hold office in accordance with the provisions of Clause 10(f) above.

(b) Investments:

If a corporation entitled to act as custodian trustee has not been appointed to hold the property of the PSS, the Management Committee may permit any investments held by or in trust for the PSS to be held in the name of a clearing bank, trust corporation or any stockbroking company which is a members of the International Stock Exchange (or any subsidiary of any stockbroking company) as nominee for the Management Committee and may pay such nominee reasonable and proper remuneration for acting as such.

18. ACCOUNTS

The Management Committee shall comply with its obligations under the Charities Act 1993 (or any statutory modification or re-enactment of that Act) with respect to:

(a) The keeping of accounting records for the PSS;

(b) the preparation of annual statements of the accounts for the PSS;

(d) the transmission of the statements of accounts to the Charity Commission for England and Wales.

19. ANNUAL REPORT AND RETURNS

The Management Committee shall comply with its obligations under the Charities Act 1993 (or any statutory modification or re-enactment of that Act) with respect to the preparation of an annual report and an annual return and their transmission to the Charity Commissioners for England and Wales.

20. LIABILITY AND INDEMNITY

(a) In the execution of the trusts hereof no member of the Management Committee shall be liable:

for any loss to the property of the PSS by reason of any improper investment made in good faith (so long as he/she shall have sought professional advice before making such investment); or

for the negligence or fraud of any agent employed by him/her or by any other members of the Management Committee in good faith (provided reasonable supervision shall have been exercised); and

no member of the Management Committee shall be liable by reason of any mistake or omission made in good faith by any member of the Management Committee other than wilful and individual fraud, wrongdoing or wrongful omission on the part of the member who is sought to be made liable.

(b) Every member of the Management Committee and other officer, auditor or Independent Examiner of the PSS shall be indemnified out of the assets of the PSS against any liability incurred by him or her in that capacity in defending any proceedings, whether civil or criminal, in which judgement in given in his or her favour or in which he or she is acquitted or in connection with any application in which relief is granted to him or her by the court from liability for negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust in relation to the affairs of the PSS.

21. DISSOLUTION

If the Management Committee by a simple majority decides at any time that on the ground of expense or otherwise it is necessary or advisable to dissolve the PSS it shall call a meeting of all members with power to vote and of the inhabitants of the area of benefit of the age of eighteen years and upwards of which meeting not less than twenty one clear days notice (stating the terms of the resolution to be proposed thereat) shall be posted in a conspicuous place or places in the area of benefit and advertised in a newspaper circulating in

the area of benefit and given in writing to the Director of the National Federation of Community Organisations (Community Matters). If such decision shall be confirmed by a simple majority vote of those present at such meeting the Management Committee shall have power to dispose of any assets held by or in the name of the PSS.

Any assets remaining after the satisfaction of any proper debts and liabilities shall be transferred to any charity or charities with similar charitable purposes to those of the PSS to be used for the benefit of the inhabitants of the area of benefit as the Management Committee may decide subject to the prior approval in writing of the Charity Commission for England and Wales, or other authority having charitable jurisdiction. The Management Committee shall notify the Charity Commission promptly of the decision to dissolve the PSS and, if obliged to do so, send to it a copy of the PSS’s final accounts.

22. ALTERATIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION

Any proposal to alter this constitution must be delivered in writing to the Secretary of the PSS not less than twenty eight days before the date of the meeting at which it is first to be considered. Any alteration will require the approval of both:

(a) a simple majority of members of the Management Committee present and voting at a Management Committee meeting.

b) a two‑thirds majority of invited members with power to vote present and voting at a General Meeting.

At least fourteen clear days notice shall be posted in a conspicuous place in the area of benefit and advertised in a newspaper circulating in the area of benefit, stating the wording of the proposed alteration.

No alteration should be made to this constitution which would cause the PSS to cease to be a charity at law. No alteration to Clause 1 (Name), Clause 2 (Objects), Clause 12 (Personal Interests), Clause 21 (Dissolution) or to this Clause shall take effect until the approval in writing of the Charity Commissioners or other authority having charitable jurisdiction shall have been obtained.