Constitution
1. Introduction
The name of the organisation shall be ‘Museums in Somerset’ (‘the group’).
2. Area of Benefit
The work of the group shall be conducted within the area of the administrative areas of
Somerset and North Somerset.
3. Purposes
The purposes of the group shall be:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
To promote and represent the interests of museums within Somerset.
To encourage co-operation among members.
To promote public access to collections and to associated information.
To encourage liaison with and support from statutory authorities.
To develop partnerships between local authority and independent museums.
To promote improvement in standards of collections care.
To promote consistency in the acquisition and disposal policies of member
museums.
h) To assist in the identification of funding opportunities for the benefit of members.
To attain the purposes set out above, but not further or otherwise, the group shall have the
following powers:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
To bring together representatives of independent museums, statutory authorities
and individuals engaged in the provision and support of museums in Somerset
and to provide them with a corporate voice.
To arrange and/or promote, either alone or with others, exhibitions, meetings,
lectures, classes, seminars or training courses.
To collect and disseminate information on all matters relating to its purposes and
to exchange such information with other bodies having similar purposes.
To raise, hold and disburse monies on behalf of the membership of the group.
To do all such other lawful things as shall further the purposes of the group.
4. Membership of the Group
Membership of the group is open to all organisations whose purposes include the provision
of museums (see note 1) accessible to the public in Somerset and North Somerset
(‘institutional members’).
An up-to-date list of all institutional members of the group shall be kept by the Secretary (see
note 2).
5. Associates of the Group
Organisations which are not eligible for membership of the group and individuals who
support its objects shall be eligible to become associates of the group subject to such
conditions as the group may from time to time determine.
An up-to-date list of all associates of the group shall be kept by the Secretary.
6. General Meetings of the Group
(a) General Meetings shall be open to:
All staff and volunteers (including members of governing bodies) who work in
member museums in a paid or voluntary capacity.
Associates
Voting rights shall be in accordance with Clause 9.
The General Meeting may co-opt, as advisers without power to vote, persons
having special knowledge or experience.
General Meetings shall be convened at least three times a year, one of which
meetings shall be the Annual General Meeting as referred to below. At least 14
days notice of General Meetings shall be given by the Secretary to members and
associates.
(b) Annual General Meeting
Once in each year an Annual General Meeting of the group shall be held, being
not more than 15 months after the holding of the preceding Annual General
Meeting or the adoption of this constitution. At least 28 days notice shall be
given by the Secretary to members and associates.
The business of each Annual General Meeting shall be:
(i)
To consider the annual report of the group on its activities during the
preceding year.
(ii) To elect the Honorary Officers of the group in accordance with Clause 8.
(iii) To consider and vote on proposals to alter this constitution in accordance
with Clause 11 below
(iv) To consider any other business of which due notice has been given.
(c) Special General Meeting
The Chair of the group may at any time at his or her discretion, and the Secretary
shall within 35 days of receiving a written request so to do, signed on behalf of
not less than five institutional members and giving reasons for the request, call a
Special General Meeting of the group to consider the business specified on the
notice of meeting and for no other purpose. Such notice shall be given in writing
to all institutional members and associates at least 28 days in advance of the
Special General Meeting.
7. Honorary Officers
a) The Honorary Officers of the group shall consist of a Chair, a Vice Chair
Secretary and Treasurer and such other officers as a General Meeting may from
time to time determine. Candidates for election as Honorary Officers must be
authorised representatives of institutional members. Nomination of such
candidates shall be received in writing by the Secretary at least 14 days before
the Annual General Meeting. In the event of no nomination being received for
one or more offices, the person presiding at the Annual General Meeting shall call
for nominations from the floor.
Nominations may be made by institutional members and associate members.
b) The Honorary Officers of the group shall serve in their respective capacities as
officers of the Standing Committee.
c) Honorary Officers will hold office for a year and be eligible for re-election, up to a
maximum of three years in succession, after which they must step down for at
least a year before standing again for office.
d) Vacancies among the Honorary Officers which occur during the year may be filled
until the next Annual General Meeting by decision of a General Meeting.
8. Standing Committee
A Standing Committee shall be approved by the Annual General Meeting to transact
essential business of the group between general meetings. All decisions of the Standing
Committee shall be subject to ratification by and report to the next general meeting of the
group.
The Standing Committee shall comprise the honorary officers of the group and up to three
further persons (‘general officers’), being representatives of institutional members or
associates of the group, one of whom will always be a representative of Somerset County
Museums. In addition the Museum Development Officer shall be a member of the Standing
Committee ex officio.
Nominations for general officers shall be received in writing by the Secretary at least 14 days
before the Annual General Meeting. In the event of no nominations being received for one or
more offices, the person presiding at the Annual General Meeting shall call for nominations
from the floor.
9. Rules of Procedure at all Meetings
(a) Voting
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
At general meetings each institutional member shall have one vote.
At general meetings associate members will not have a vote except for
the election of the honorary officers and the general officers of the
Standing Committee.
Co-opted advisers will not have a vote.
In the case of an equality of votes the Chair shall have a second or
casting vote.
It is the responsibility of each institutional member to nominate a representative to vote on its
behalf at each meeting.
(b) Quorum
General Meetings: A quorum at general meetings shall be when at least 20% of the
institutional membership is represented or six members whichever is the smaller. In
the event that no quorum is present at an Annual General Meeting the meeting shall
stand adjourned and be reconvened 14 days later and those representatives of
institutional members at that meeting shall be deemed to form a quorum.
(c) Minutes
Minute shall be kept by the General Meeting and the Standing Committee and the
appropriate Secretary shall create a record of all proceedings and resolutions.
10. Dissolution
The group may at any time be dissolved by a resolution passed by a two thirds majority of
those representatives of institutional members present at a meeting of the group of which
meeting at least 28 days notice shall have been sent to all members and associates of the
group.
A meeting to consider the dissolution of the group shall normally be convened by its officers,
but in the event that the group ceases to have functioning officers, such a meeting may be
convened by any of the institutional members.
Any assets held by or in the name of the group after the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities
shall be transferred to the institutional members in equal proportions and shall be applied
towards purposes similar to those of the group for the benefit of the inhabitants of the area of
benefit.
11. Alterations to the Constitution
A resolution proposing to alter this constitution shall be received by the Secretary of the
group at least 28 days before the Annual or other General Meeting at which it is to be
considered. Twenty-eight days notice of the General Meeting shall be given in writing by the
Secretary to all institutional members and associates of the group, and such notice shall
specify the alteration or alterations proposed. An alteration shall require the approval of a
two thirds majority of those representatives of institutional members present and voting at a
General Meeting.
Notes
Note 1. The Museums Association definition of a museum is as follows:
‘Museums enable people to explore collections for inspiration, learning and enjoyment. They
are institutions that collect, safeguard and make accessible artefacts and specimens that
they hold in trust for society.’
Note 2. The organisation is promoted by Somerset County Council who will provide
administrative services to the group as negotiated and agreed with the Standing Committee.