Constitution

Name:

The name of the Association is the Devon and Somerset Twinning Circle (D&STC)

 

Objects:

The objects of the Circle are to bring together, for the purposes of discussion, mutual help and cooperation, any such Twinning Associations in the county of Devon and neighbouring areas as become members.

 

Officers:

The officers shall be the Chairman, the Vice-Chairman, the Treasurer, the Insurance Officer and the Secretary. The Chairman shall preside at meetings of the Committee and all general meetings and shall have a second or casting vote.  In the absence of the Chairman, or as necessary through any other absence, the Chair shall be taken by the next officer available in the sequence listed above.

 

Committee:

(a) The management shall be vested in a Committee consisting of the officers, four other persons, each of whom shall belong to a member Association of the Circle, and the immediate past Chairman.  Five members of the Committee shall form a quorum.

 

(b) The Chairman shall not normally serve for more than three years but may be re-elected after at least one year.

 

(c) Whenever possible, the nomination and election of Officers and members of the Committee shall reflect a fair representation of all areas of the county of Devon and neighbouring counties.

 

(d) Four Committee meetings shall normally be held in each calendar year.  Not less than 28 days’ notice shall be given to each Committee member.

 

(e) The editor of the DTC Newsletter and webmaster, if not a Committee member, shall be invited to attend Committee meetings with full voting rights. 

 

(f) The Committee can authorise the payment of expenses for services rendered to the DTC.

 

Elections:

          (a) The Annual General Meeting shall elect the Officers, who shall hold office until the next A.G.M., and two other members of the Committee who shall hold office for two years in such a way that two members shall retire annually in rotation.

 

          (b) Any casual vacancy may be filled by co-option by the Committee.

 

 

General Meetings:

Four General meetings, including the A.G.M., shall normally be held in each calendar year. Not less than 28 days’ notice of any general meeting, whether Ordinary, Special or General, shall be given to each member of the Circle.  Five members shall form a quorum.

 

Special General Meetings:

A Special General Meeting may be called by the Committee or, on written request, by not less than ten member Associations.  In the same manner a planned Ordinary General Meeting may be called as a Special General Meeting.  Notice of a Special General Meeting, specifying the business to be transacted therein, shall be given to each member of the Circle.

 

The Annual General Meeting:

The Annual General Meeting shall be held no earlier than July in any year.

 

Subscription:

The annual subscription shall be agreed each year at the A.G.M.

 

Constitution:

The Constitution may be amended at an Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting. Not less than 28 days’ notice of the proposed amendment shall be given to each member of the Circle.

 

Account report:

A competent  person, independent of the Committee, shall review the annual accounts and report as to whether they are in accordance with the records and explanations given to him/her.

 

Monica Saunders Trophy:

The Monica Saunders trophy is awarded annually to the Association which the committee considers to have made made some significant contribution to twinning or the work of Devon Twinning Circle during that year, and the Don Leech tankard to the individual person/persons involved.

 

Dissolution:

In the event of the dissolution of the Devon Twinning Circle any amounts of money remaining after the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities shall be distributed equally among member Associations who have paid a subscription in the financial year preceding dissolution.

 

 

Revised October 2024