1. The society shall be known as The Wychwoods Local History Society
2. The aims of the society shall be;
- to foster interest in the local history of the area.
- to preserve past records.
- to carry out local surveys of buildings, churchyards, fields and hedgerows, to record the memories of people living within the Wychwoods and all other items of historical interest.
- to record preserve and generally make available all work carried out by and on behalf of the society.
- to place copies of such records in the society’s archives and digital storage space including website(s) and in the archives of such county organisations as may be interested.
- to be vigilant for buildings, sites, artefacts or records which may be under threat from whatever cause and organise or support rescue work for their preservation, recording or investigating before the material or knowledge of it is irretrievably lost.
3. Membership shall normally be open to any applicant on receipt of an annual subscription.
4. Subscriptions are due prior to or at the first meeting of the Society’s programme year starting with the September meeting.
5. Where a member joins for the last three meetings of any subscription year his/her subscription will last until the end of the following subscription year.
6. Changes in the subscription rates are to be approved by a majority of the members present and voting at a general meeting.
7. If any member’s subscription be in arrears for six months his/her membership shall cease.
8. Visitors will be welcome to attend speaker meetings but a reasonable charge will be requested. Regular attenders will be expected to join the society.
9. The business of the society shall be conducted by a committee which shall comprise a chairman, deputy chairman, secretary, treasurer and six other members who shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting. The committee shall appoint annually from amongst its members such other officers as it deems fit and shall thereafter fill any casual vacancies arising among the elected officers.
10. The committee shall meet at least four times a year. Five members shall constitute a quorum. The committee shall have the following powers;
– to dispose of or to turn to account any funds or property of the society as may be thought expedient with a view to the promotion of its objects. – to borrow or raise money for the purposes of the society on such terms as may be thought fit up to a maximum to be determined by the society in a general meeting. – to be responsible for summoning and conducting meetings.
11. The chairman or secretary may convene a meeting of the committee at any time and shall convene a meeting on the written request of not less than three members of the committee addressed to the chairman.
12. The committee may at its discretion exclude from membership of the society any member, or refuse to accept any application for membership without assigning any reason for doing so.
13. The committee may co-opt members at their discretion.
14. The committee shall not make any division, dividend or bonus in money to or between members.
15. The accounting year for the society will run from 1 July to 30 June. The Treasurer shall present the accounts for the preceding accounting year for approval by the Annual General Meeting. The accounts shall first be audited by an auditor appointed by the previous Annual General Meeting or failing that by the Committee.
16. Meetings of the society shall be held at dates fixed by the committee.
17. The annual general meeting of the society shall be held at the same time as the October speaker meeting to receive reports of the affairs of the society including the financial statement. Any proposed changes to the Society’s Constitution will be presented at the previous speaker meeting ie in September and voted on at the AGM.
18. An extra-ordinary general meeting of the society may be convened by the chairman at any time but must be summoned by the chairman at the written request of six subscribing members specifying the reasons and business.
19. At general meetings of the society as defined in paragraphs 17 and 18 the chair will normally be taken by the chairman or deputy chairman. In their absence a chairman will be elected for the meeting from committee members present. Twelve society members shall form a quorum
20. A copy of the rules and aims of the society and a list of the members and committee will be available on request.
21. No amendment to the rules may be passed unless notice of the proposed amendment with a proposer and seconder shall have been passed to the secretary at least four weeks before the annual general or an extraordinary general meeting of the society and shall have been inserted in the agenda. Such amendments shall be adopted if approved by two thirds of those members present and voting.
22. DISPOSAL OF FUNDS – In the event of the winding up of the society the whole of the funds and assets of the society shall be placed at the disposal of a committee made up of officers of the society. As far as possible all items of historical value should be offered to the County Museum at Woodstock and all cash offered to the Oxfordshire Local History Society or other appropriate bodies with similar aims.
