Home Future Events About Past Events Productions

The Jersey Gilbert and Sullivan Society




 PREAMBLE

 

A.         The Society should aim to further the enjoyment of its Membership in operatic and light opera productions with particular emphasis on the works of Gilbert and Sullivan on a friendly, co-operative basis. 

B.         The aim of the Society should be at all times to stage fully-costumed productions and/or concerts of the works of Gilbert and Sullivan and to be as active as possible in acquainting both its Membership and the general public with the greatest possible range of Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, even if this involves the Society in financial loss. 

C.         Although the main emphasis of the Society should be to perform and promote Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, the Committee should be at liberty to authorise performances of other composers and librettists, including those whose works are classified as musicals.  These performances should be regarded as the exception rather than the rule. [2]

D.         The Society should seek to employ as many of its Members as possible in all its activities, with a definite emphasis on the "ensemble" approach to music and the theatre.  Auditions should always be conducted in such a way as to encourage new talent. 

E.         The Society should aim, by careful selection of performers, to maintain the highest possible standard of singing, musicianship, stage craft and acting among its Members.  

F.          The employment of professional musical directors, producers, stage staff, musicians and singers should be at the discretion of the Committee.  As a general guide, the employment of professionals should be a means of raising standards within the Society and not merely a means of earning money.  Fund-raising concerts are a very necessary part of the Society's existence, but the Committee has a responsibility to see that the Society's Members benefit artistically from such activities. 

G.         Should the Society undertake concerts and performances of whatever nature for the benefit of other clubs, organisations, or institutions, the Committee may, in the case of a non-charitable body, request a donation to the Society's funds but not a fee therefor: provided always that it shall be at the absolute discretion of the Committee to withdraw the Society from any such undertakings which it feels will not benefit the Society thereby.

 

RULES 

1.         The name of the Society shall be "The Jersey Gilbert and Sullivan Society", which may be abbreviated to "The Jersey G.& S. Society", referred to hereinafter as the Society. 

2.         The objects of the Society shall be to further musical education and cultural activity in the Island of Jersey by the promotion of the works of Gilbert and Sullivan together with any other musical work which may be classified as light or comic opera or as a musical. [2]

3.          Membership of the Society shall be open to all interested parties, subject to confirmation by the Committee. 

4.         The Membership Fee shall be such annual sum as the Society shall determine upon the proposal of the Committee. 

4A.       The Membership Fee shall be payable within three calendar months of the Annual General Meeting of the Society.  The Committee may, in its discretion, allow a discount from the fee otherwise payable to any member who pays within one calendar month of that meeting.  Where a member, without reasonable excuse, fails to pay the Membership Fee as required by this Rule, his or her membership shall be suspended until the fee is paid. 

(a) Despite Rules 4 and 4A, the Committee may confer Honorary Life Membership of the Society on a member after taking into account:


i) the particular contribution made by the member in the running and functions of the Society in whatever capacity;


ii) any other significant contribution in promoting the works performed by the Society;


iii) any particular circumstances relating to the member which, in the opinion of the Committee, make it  desirable to extend Honorary Life Membership to the Member;

  (b) Where Honorary Life Membership has been conferred under this Rule no Membership Fee is    payable by the member concerned. [3]

4B.          (a)     Where the Committee considers that it is in the interests of the Society for a person to cease to be a member, the Secretary or other officer of the Committee shall write to that person inviting him or her to withdraw from the Society and further stating that if he or she does not withdraw by a date specified in the letter, steps will be taken in accordance with paragraphs (b) and (c) of this Rule to expel him or her from the Society. 

                (b)    If the member concerned does not withdraw from the Society by the date referred to in paragraph (a), the Secretary or other officer shall call a meeting of the Committee (which shall be not less than ten days hence) to determine the question of that member’s expulsion, shall inform the member of the date, time and place of that meeting and the grounds on which expulsion is sought and shall invite him or her to offer such explanation as he or she wishes, either verbally or in writing.  

                (c)     At the meeting the Committee shall take into account any explanation offered by the member concerned and if a majority of Committee members vote for the member’s expulsion he or she shall cease to be a member of the Society with no right to any refund of Membership Fee.][1] 

5.         The Society shall be managed by a Committee consisting of the Chairman of the Society, the Vice-Chairman, the Secretary, the Treasurer and other such number (not exceeding eight) of the Members of the Society, as the Society in General Meeting shall from time to time determine.  The producer and the musical director of each forthcoming performance promoted by the Society shall be ex-officio non-voting members of the Committee and shall cease to hold office after the Committee meeting next following such performance. 

6.                (a)  The Committee may exercise all the powers of the Society, subject to these rules and subject to such regulations as may be prescribed by the Society in General Meeting. 

                   (b)  In particular but without restricting the generality of the power contained in Rule 6 (a) the Committee may do the following things:-  

                                i)  Expend the funds of the Society on any of the purposes for which the Society has been formed. 

                                ii) Invest such of the funds as are not immediately required in any bank or Post Office Savings Account offering interest on deposit, the benefit of which shall accrue to the Society.  

                                iii) Open a bank account or accounts in the name of the Society. 

                                iv) Appoint Sub-Committees to assist in carrying out any activities or purposes of the Society and co-opt such additional persons to serve on such Sub-Committees as the Committee shall think fit. 

                                v)  Fill any casual vacancy in the Committee and co-opt such additional persons as non-voting members of the Committee as it shall think fit. 

(c)      The Committee shall meet at such times as are necessary for the proper conduct of its business, but in any event not less than four times in each year. 

(d)      Not less than four members of the Committee, including the Chairman or Vice-Chairman in person, or the Treasurer and Secretary in person, shall form a quorum. 

(e)      A Committee Meeting may be called at any time at the request either of the Chairman or of not less than four members of the Committee who shall signify their desire in writing to the Secretary. 

(f)       Not less than three days' notice shall be given of every Committee Meeting to each member of the Committee, except in the case that each one of them consent to the holding of a Meeting at shorter notice.  

(g)      The Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and other members of the Committee shall hold office until the Annual General Meeting next following their election, when they shall retire but being eligible may each of them offer himself or herself for re-election. 

7.                (a)  At least once in every year the Society shall hold an Annual General Meeting of which not less than twenty-one days' notice of the place, day and time of the business to be transacted thereat shall be given to all Members of the Society, to be followed by a further notice seven days prior to the date of the Meeting. 

(b)       The Financial Year of the Society shall commence on the first day of August. (NB This is subject to a change to the first day of September- a proposition was passed to this effect at the 2013 AGM but it was subsequently discovered that the required notice of ten days had not been given to the members)

8.                At each Annual General Meeting:- 

   (a)    A report must be presented of the activities of the Society during its preceding year. 

   (b)    A report duly audited must be presented - for adoption - of the receipts and payments of the Society during the preceding year and of the state of its finances at the close of that year. 

   (c)    There shall be elected a Chairman. Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and such other number of Members of the Society as are required to form a Committee, including the election to the posts of Social Secretary and Stage Director. 

   (d)     Auditors, who must not be members of the Committee, shall be appointed for the ensuing year.

(e)      There shall be transacted such other business as the Meeting desires shall be transacted. 

9.            A Special General Meeting of the Society may be convened at any time at the request of not less than ten Members of the Society who shall signify their desire in writing to the Secretary stating the purpose of the Meeting. 

(a) Not less than twenty-one days’ notice of the place, day and time of any General Meeting together with the business to be transacted thereat shall be given to all Members of the Society to be followed by a further notice seven days prior to the date of the Meeting. [2]

9A. Not less than 21 days’ notice of the place, day and time of any General Meeting, together with the  business to be transacted thereat, shall be given to all members of the Society, to be followed by a further notice seven days prior to the date of the meeting.

10.        At every General Meeting of the Society, every Member present in person shall have one vote and the Chairman shall also have a casting vote. 

11.        Not less than ten Members present in person shall form a quorum for the purpose of a General Meeting. 

12.        A Resolution of the Society shall be a Resolution passed by a simple majority of those present in person and voting. 

13.        These Rules may only be amended by the Society in General Meeting.  Notice of any intention to propose a Resolution for any amendment of the Rules must be given to the Secretary of the Society not less than ten days before the holding of any General Meeting at which such a Resolution is to be proposed.

14.        The Society may be dissolved by the Members in General Meeting and in the event of dissolution all and any property remaining after satisfaction of all debts and liabilities of the Society shall be paid to such charitable bodies connected with music in the Island of Jersey as the Members shall determine.  Any Resolution proposed to be submitted for the dissolution of the Society shall be deemed to be a Special Resolution and notice of the intention to propose such Special Resolution must be given to the Secretary of the Society not less than ten days before the holding of any General Meeting at which such Special Resolution is to be proposed and the Secretary of the Society shall, in convening the General Meeting, give notice of the Special Resolution above referred to.


 


[1] Rules 4A and 4B were inserted following a Resolution passed in General Meeting on 12th September 2002.

[2] Preamble C and Rule 2 were amended and Rule 9(a) inserted following a Special General Meeting held on 9th April 2017.

[3] Rules 4A (a) and (b) were inserted following a Resolution passed in General Meeting on 22nd February 2018.


Constitution