Dundee Alexandria Twinning Association

Constitution For The Dundee Alexandria Twinning Association.

1.    Name.

The Association shall be called the Dundee Alexandria Twinning Association hereinafter called the "Association".

2. Aims/Objectives of the Association.

• To promote the enhancement of education through encouragement of visits to and from the Twinned Cities of Dundee and Alexandria, Virginia U.S.A.

• To improve the communication links between the Twinned Cities and their citizens.

• To develop and broaden mutual understanding in the following sectors of activity, Medical, Social, Cultural, Recreational, Religious, Commercial and matters of Heritage to benefit the citizens of the Twinned Cities.

• To use these connections to improve the quality of life for people of all ages to enjoy greater access to Learning and Development opportunities.

• As the Association is a non-profit making body of Charitable and Philanthropic aims, fundraising activities are organised to benefit its aims and objectives.

3. Powers.

To further the above Aims/Objectives, the Association may:

• Bring together in meetings and to work in liaison with representatives of voluntary bodies, religions, local statutory bodies and individuals.

• Collect and disseminate information on all matters affecting the aims/objectives and exchange such information with other bodies having similar objectives in the Twinned Cities.

• Arrange and provide for or join in arranging and providing for the holding of meetings.

• Printed or reproduced material to be collated, such information, papers, books, periodicals,
  pamphlets films or recorded tapes as shall further the aims/objectives.

• Do all such lawful things as are included or conducive to the attainment of the
  aims/objectives

4. Membership.

4.1 Membership of the Association shall be open to all persons,(Young and Old), Groups and organisations, interested in promoting the aims of the Association. There shall be three main categories of membership:

• Individual membership

• Family Membership

• Corporate Membership.

Family membership will be open to all members of a family which includes siblings under the Age of 18 years. Those above that age will be included in the Individual Category.

Corporate Membership entitles not more than 2 members of the Organisation to the rights conferred on individual or family membership.

4.2 All members of the Association shall pay an Annual subscription as shall be decided from time to time by the Management Committee and shall fall due at the Annual General Meeting in each year.

4,3. Any member/members whose subscription is/are three months in arrears after two reminders shall automatically cease to be a member/members of the Association.

• Management Committee.

• The Management Committee shall consist of a minimum of 9 members and they shall administer the affairs, financial and otherwise of the Association.

1. Nominations to the Management Committee shall be made verbally or in writing at the Annual General Meeting. In the event of there being more nominations than vacancies, members of the Management Committee shall be elected by show of hands.

2. Members of the Management Committee shall take office at the end of the Annual General Meeting and shall hold office until the next Annual General Meeting.

3. At the Annual General Meeting the members shall elect the following:
   A Chairman,

A Vice-Chairman

Honorary Secretary

Honorary Treasurer

Honorary President The Lord Provost City of Dundee

And a minimum of four members.

5.5 The Management Committee shall have powers to fill casual vacancies and they shall

be eligible for re-election at the Annual General Meeting.

1. The Management Committee shall have the power to appoint sub-committees as and
   when required.

2. The Management Committee shall have the power to co-opt to the membership of the
   Management Committee or any sub-committees such persons whether or not
   members of the Association as they consider desirable but any person so co-opted
   shall not be entitled to a vote in the event of a division at any meeting of the
   Committee or Sub-Committee.

3. Subject to the terms of this Constitution the Management Committee shall have full authority to take any action that they consider desirable to further the aims/ objectives of the Association after consulting the membership.

The Management Committee shall also have the power to withdraw membership, from any member of the Association.

Any proposal to withdraw membership shall be dealt with at a Special Meeting of the Management Committee called for that purpose and a Notice calling the meeting shall specify The member concerned. The member shall have the right to be heard at the meeting and any Motion to withdraw membership shall be effective if there is a two-thirds majority of those Present and voting at the meeting in favour of the motion.

5.9. Quorum at the Management Meetings shall be five members, and for the meeting of any Sub-Committee shall be three members.

5.10 The Honorary President (Lord Provost), the Chairman of the Management Committee, the Honorary Secretary and honorary Treasurer shall be ex-officio members of all sub-committees.

5.11 Only the Management Committee has the authority to sanction visits to the Twinned City. The Person/s, Groups, or Organisations will be required to work to a given remit as instructed by the Management Committee. On return from the visit a written report will be required to be submitted for discussion at the first Management Committee Meeting, thereafter to the Lord Provost, and to any member expressing an interest The Management Committee should be notified of all communications between Dundee and Alexandria and vice versa.

5.12 Meetings of the Management Committee shall be held on such dates as may from time to time be approved by the Committee or Chairman. The Honorary Secretary shall inform all members of the Management Committee not less than seven clear days notice in writing of the date, time and place of the meeting, along with the minutes of the previous meeting and the Agenda for the meeting.

5.13 The Chair at a meeting of the Association or Management Committee shall be taken by theChairman, whom failing by the Vice-Chairman, whom failing by such a member of the Management Committee as may be elected by the members present at the meeting, shall take the chair at that particular meeting of the Association or Management Committee.

5.14 In the event of an equality of votes at any meeting the Chairman of the meeting shall have a casting vote as well as a deliberative vote.

5.15 The Honorary Secretary shall ensure that minutes are kept of all Meetings of the Association and they must be proposed and seconded at the next succeeding meeting.

6.0. Meetings.

General Meetings.

6.1   The Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held on a date during the Second Week of May each year or on such other date as may from time to time be agreed by the Management Committee.

6.2 The Honorary Secretary shall give 21 days notice prior to the date, and issue to all
members, notice of such meeting specifying the date, time and place and the items of
business to be placed before the meeting.

At the Annual General Meeting the business shall include:

Apologies

Minutes of the previous A.GM.

Chairman's Report

Secretary's Report

Treasurer's Report along with the presentation and adoption of audited accounts.

Election of office bearers

Appointment of Auditor

Any submitted motions. 

Any other business

6.3 An Extraordinary General Meeting of the Association shall be called by the 

Honorary Secretary on the instruction of the Management Committee, or on a requisition to that effect signed by no fewer than twenty-five Per Cent of the members of the Association and specifying the matter/s to be considered at such a meeting.

6.5. An Extraordinary General Meeting of the Association shall take place within 28 days of such an instruction being given or such requisition being made and shall be called on not less than 21 days notice in writing which notice shall specify the matters to be discussed at the Extraordinary General Meeting.

7.0 Voting.

1. Only members present at the meeting shall be entitled to vote.

2. Each individual member shall be entitled to one vote, and each family or corporate member shall be entitled to two votes provided that two members of such family or organization are present at the meeting

8.0. Finance

1. The Financial Year of the Association shall be from the first day of April to the
   thirty- first day of March of the following year.

2. The Honorary Treasurer shall keep all monies received on behalf of the Association
   in safe custody, and all cheques drawn on the Association's Account shall be signed
   by any two of the following, Chairman, Honorary Treasurer or Honorary Secretary.

3. The Honorary Treasurer shall open such account/s with the Bank or Banks approved by the Management Committee, as the Committee may consider necessary or desirable.

4. The Honorary Treasurer shall report on the finances of the Association at each
   Management Committee meeting.

8.5. The Management Committee at their discretion from time to time may invest surplus funds available.

8.6. The Management Committee shall have no power to borrow money or to incur a

Bank Overdraft without the authority of the Association members at a General Meeting.

8.7. The Audited Accounts must be forwarded to the Director of Finance of the Council within 21 days following the Annual General Meeting for approval, and a request for a Grant as agreed by the Finance Committee of the Council.

9.0. Amendment of the Constitution.

9.1 A General Meeting of the Association shall have the power to amend this

Constitution provided that the nature of the amendment is specified in a notice to all members setting out the date, time, and place of the meeting, and issued not less than 21 days prior to such date, that the amendment is approved by a majority of not less than two thirds of the votes recorded by members present at the meeting.

10.0. Dissolution of the Association.

10.1 A proposal to dissolve the Association shall be submitted to a General Meeting only on a motion by the Management Committee or in pursuance of a requisition submitted to the Honorary Secretary signed by two thirds of the existing members of the Association whichever shall be the lesser.

10.2 Such General Meeting of the Association shall have the power to dissolve the Association provided that the proposal to dissolve is specified hi a notice to all members setting out the date, time and place of the meeting and issued not less than 21 days prior to such date and that such dissolution is approved by a majority of not less than two thirds of the votes recorded at the meeting including postal or delivered votes as hereinafter provided.

10.3 Members who are unable to attend such a meeting shall be entitled to record their votes by notice bearing the name and address of, and signed by the member/s posted or delivered to the Honorary Secretary so as not to reach him/her not later than the time of commencement of the meeting as specified in the notice calling the same.

10.4 If the motion to dissolve the Association is carried, the whole funds and assets of the Association, and after settlement of outstanding obligations, shall be paid to an organisation with charitable purposes decided upon at the special meeting which dissolves the Association.