Constitution

Name:

The name of the Association is the Devon Twinning Circle (DTC)

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 and to maintain contact with the Local Authority Administration on matters of Twinning.

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 five officers, six other persons, each of whom shall belong to a member Association of the Circle, the immediate past Chairman and the County Twinning Officer or one such similar officer representing Devon. Seven members of the Committee shall form a quorum.

(b) No member Association shall have more than one person serving as its representative on the Committee but in the event of that person being an Officer an additional member from his/her Association may serve on the Committee.

(d) At least four Committee meetings shall 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, if he/she is not a Committee member, shall be invited to attend Committee meetings "with full voting rights".

(f) The Committee shall be authorised to pay agreed out-of-pocket 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 three other members of the Committee who shall hold office for two years in such a way that three members shall retire annually in rotation.

(b) Any casual vacancy may be filled by election at the next General Meeting. Not less than 28 days notice of the election shall be given to all members, requesting nominations.

Attendance:

Any member failing to attend three consecutive meetings shall cease to be a member of the Committee. Absence from a meeting may be excused by application to the Committee.

A casual vacancy shall otherwise arise.

General Meetings:

At least four General meetings, including the A.G.M., shall 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 shall 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 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.