Constitution

Constitution of the Belize Church Association

adopted on the 22nd day of June, 2002.

 A Name.
The name of the Association is the Belize Church Association (‘the Association’)

B Administration.
Subject to the matters set out below the Association and its property shall be administered and managed in accordance with this constitution by the members of the Executive Committee, constituted by clause G of this constitution (‘the Executive Committee").

C Objects.
The Association's objects (‘the objects') are:
i. the advancement of the Christian religion particularly in the Anglican Diocese of Belize, Central America

ii. such other charitable purposes as the trustees from time to time determine.

D Powers.
In furtherance of the objects but not otherwise the Executive Committee may exercise the following powers:

i. power to raise funds and to invite and receive contributions provided that in raising funds the Executive Committee shall not undertake any substantial permanent trading activities and shall conform to any relevant requirements of the law;

ii. power to co-operate with other charities, voluntary bodies and statutory authorities operating in furtherance of the objects or of similar charitable purposes and to exchange information and advice with them;

iii. power to establish or support any charitable trusts, associations or institutions formed for all or any of the objects;

iv. power to do all such other lawful things as are necessary for the achievement of the objects.

E Membership.

(1) Membership of the Association shall be open to:

(i) individuals (over the age of 18 years) who are interested in furthering the work of the Association and who have paid any annual subscription laid down from time to time by the Executive Committee, and

(ii) any body corporate or unincorporated association which is interested in furthering the Association's work and has paid any annual subscription (any such body being called in this constitution a “member organisation").

(2) Every member shall have one vote.

(3) Each member organisation shall appoint an individual to represent it and to vote on its behalf at meetings of the Association; and may appoint an alternate to replace its appointed representative at any meeting of the Association if the appointed representative is unable to attend.

(4) Each member organisation shall notify the name of the representative appointed by it and of any alternate to the secretary. If the representative or alternate resigns from or otherwise leaves the member organisation, he or she shall forthwith cease to be the representative of the member organisation.

(5) Each member and each member organisation shall pay an annual subscription, the amount of which shall be agreed at the Annual General Meeting and come into force at the Annual General Meeting of the following year. Any change to the amount shall be notified in the Annual Newsletter for the following year. Any member or member organisation whose subscription remains unpaid for twelve months shall be unable to vote at the AGM.

(6) The Executive Committee may unanimously and for good reason terminate the membership of any individual or member organisation: Provided that the individual concerned or the appointed representative of the member organisation concerned (as the case may be) shall have the right to be heard by the Executive Committee, accompanied by a friend, before a final decision is made.

F Honorary Officers.
At the annual general meeting of the Association the members shall elect from amongst themselves a chairperson, a vice-chairperson, a secretary, an assistant secretary, a treasurer and an assistant treasurer, who shall hold office from the conclusion of that meeting.

G Executive Committee.
(1) The Executive Committee shall consist of not less than 13 members nor more than 16 members being:

(a) the honorary officers specified in the preceding clause;

(b) not less than 5 and not more than 8 members elected at the annual general meeting who shall hold office from the conclusion of that meeting;

(c) two ex officio trustees being:
• the Regional Desk Officer, Latin America and the Caribbean, of the United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel
• the Bishop of Belize’s Commissary in England

 (2) The Executive Committee may in addition appoint not more than 4 co-¬opted members but so that no one may be appointed as a co-opted member if, as a result, more than one third of the members of the Executive Committee would be co-opted members. Each appointment of a co-opted member shall be made at a special meeting of the Executive Committee called under clause J (1) and shall take effect from the end of that meeting unless the appointment is to fill a place which has not then been vacated in which case the appointment shall run from the date when the post becomes vacant.

(3) All the members of the Executive Committee shall retire from office together at the end of the annual general meeting next after the date on which they came into office but they may be re-elected or re-appointed.

(4) The proceedings of the Executive Committee shall not be invalidated by any vacancy among their number or by any failure to appoint or any defect in the appointment or qualification of a member.

(5) Nobody shall be appointed as a member of the Executive Committee who is aged under 18 or who would if appointed be disqualified under the provisions of the following clause.

(6) No person shall be entitled to act as a member of the Executive Committee whether on a first or on any subsequent entry into office until after signing in the minute book of the Executive Committee a declaration of acceptance and of willingness to act in the trusts of the Association.

(7) Membership of the Committee is honorary, but members may be reimbursed for expenses reasonably incurred on the business of the Association.

H Determination of Membership of Executive Committee.

A member of the Executive Committee shall cease to hold office if he or she:

(1) is disqualified from acting as a member of the Executive Committee by virtue of section 72 of the Charities Act 1993 (or any statutory re-enactment or modification of that provision);

(2) becomes incapable by reason of mental disorder, illness or injury of managing and administering his or her own affairs

(3) is absent without the permission of the Executive Committee from all their meetings held within a period of twelve months and the Executive Committee resolve that his or her office be vacated; or

(4) notifies to the Executive Committee a wish to resign (but only if at least three members of the Executive Committee will remain in office when the notice of resignation is to take effect).

I Executive Committee Members not to be personally interested.

(1) No member of the Executive Committee shall acquire any interest in property belonging to the Association (otherwise than as a trustee for the Association) or receive remuneration or be interested (otherwise than as a member of the Executive Committee) in any contract entered into by Executive Committee.

J Meetings and proceedings of the Executive Committee.
(1) The Executive Committee shall hold at least two ordinary meetings each year. A special meeting may be called at any time by the chairperson or by any two members of the Executive Committee upon not less than 4 days' notice being given to the other members of the Executive Committee of the matters to be discussed but if the matters include an appointment of a co-opted member then not less than 21 days' notice must be given.

(2) The chairperson shall act as chairperson at meetings of the Executive Committee. If the chairperson is absent from any meeting, the vice-chairperson shall act as chairperson for the meeting. If both are absent. members of the Executive Committee present shall choose one of their number to be chairperson of the meeting before any other business is transacted.

(3) There shall be a quorum when at least one third of the number of members of the Executive Committee for the time being or four members of the Executive Committee, whichever is the greater, are present at a meeting.

(4) Every matter shall be determined by a majority of votes of the members of the Executive Committee present and voting on the question but in the case of equality of votes the chairperson of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote.

(5) The Executive Committee shall keep minutes, in books kept for the purpose, of the proceedings at meetings of the Executive Committee and any sub-committee.

(6) The Executive Committee may from time to time make and alter rules for the conduct of their business, the summoning and conduct of their meetings and the custody of documents. No rule may be made which is inconsistent with this constitution.

(7) The Executive Committee may appoint one or more sub-committees consisting of three or more members of the Executive Committee for the purpose of making any inquiry or supervising or performing any function or duty which in the opinion of the Executive Committee would be more conveniently undertaken or carried out by a sub-committee: provided that all acts and proceedings of any such sub-committees shall be fully and promptly reported to the Executive Committee.

(8) The chairperson, vice-chairperson, secretary and treasurer shall act as a Standing Committee and be empowered to carry out such ordinary business of the Association as may be necessary between meetings: provided that all acts and proceedings of this committee shall be fully and promptly reported to the Executive Committee.

K Receipts and expenditure.
(1) The funds of the Association, including all donations, contributions and bequests, shall be paid into an account operated by the Executive Committee in the name of the Association at such bank as the Executive Committee shall from time to time decide. All cheques drawn on the account must be signed by at least two members of the Executive Committee.

(2) The funds belonging to the Association shall be applied only in furthering the objects.

L Property.
(1) Subject to the provisions of sub-clause (2) of this clause, the Executive Committee shall cause the title to:

(a) all land held by or in trust for the Association which is not vested in the Official Custodian for Charities; and

(b) all investments held by or on behalf of the Association to be vested either in a corporation entitled to act as custodian trustee or in not less than three individuals appointed by them as holding trustees. Holding trustees may be removed by the Executive Committee at their pleasure and shall act in accordance with the lawful directions of the Executive Committee. Provided they act only in accordance with the lawful directions of the Executive Committee, the holding trustees shall not be liable for the acts and defaults of its members.

(2) If a corporation entitled to act as custodian trustee has not been appointed to hold the property of the Association, the Executive Committee may permit any investments held by or in trust for the Association to be held in the name of a clearing bank, trust corporation or any stockbroking company which is a member of the International Stock Exchange (or any subsidiary of any such stockbroking company) as nominee for the Executive Committee and may pay such a nominee reasonable and proper remuneration for acting as such.

M Accounts.
The Executive Committee shall comply with their obligations under the Charities Act 1993 (or any statutory re-enactment or modification of that Act) with regard to:

(1) the keeping of accounting records for the Association;

(2) the preparation of annual statements of account for the Association;

(3) the auditing or independent examination of the statements of account of the Association; and

(4) the transmission of the statements of account of the Association to the Charity Commission.

N Annual Report.
The Executive Committee shall comply with their obligations under the Charities Act 1993 (or any statutory re-enactment or modification of that Act) with regard to the preparation of an annual report and its transmission to the Commission.

O Annual Return.
The Executive Committee shall comply with their obligations under the Charities Act 1993 (or any statutory re-enactment or modification of that Act) with regard to the preparation of an annual return and its transmission to the Commission.

P Annual Festival
There shall be held annually, normally within the Octave of the Feast of St John the Baptist, a Festival for members of the Association and friends of the Association and of Belize. The Festival shall include a celebration of Holy Communion followed by a meal, the time and place to be announced in the Association’s Newsletter.

Q Annual General Meeting.
(1) There shall be an annual general meeting of the Association which shall be held at the Annual Festival or as soon as practicable thereafter.

(2) Every annual general meeting shall be called by the Executive Committee. The secretary shall give at least 21 days' notice of the annual general meeting to all the members of the Association. All the members of the Association shall be entitled to attend and vote at the meeting.

(3) Before any other business is transacted at the first annual general meeting the persons present shall appoint a chairperson of the meeting. The chairperson shall be the chairperson of subsequent annual general meetings, but if he or she is not present, before any other business is transacted, the persons present shall appoint a chairperson of the meeting.

(4) The Executive Committee shall present to each annual general meeting the report and accounts of the Association for the preceding year.

(5) Nominations for election to the Executive Committee must be made by members of the Association in writing and must be in the hands of the secretary of the Executive Committee at least 14 days before the annual general meeting. Should nominations exceed vacancies, election shall be by ballot.

R Special General Meetings.
The Executive Committee may call a special general meeting of the Association at any time. If at least ten members request such a meeting in writing stating the business to be considered the secretary shall call such a meeting. At least 21 days' notice must be given. The notice must state the business to be discussed.

S Procedure at General Meetings.
(1) The secretary or other person specially appointed by the Executive Committee shall keep a full record of proceedings at every general meeting of the Association.

(2) There shall be a quorum when at least one tenth of the number of members of the Association for the time being or ten members of the Association, whichever is the greater, are present at any general meeting.

T Notices.
Any notice required to be served on any member of the Association shall be in writing and shall be served by the secretary or the Executive Committee on any member either personally or by sending it through the post in a prepaid letter addressed to such member at his or her last known address in the United Kingdom, and any letter so sent shall be deemed to have been received within 10 days of posting.

U Alterations to the Constitution.
(1) Subject to the following provisions of this clause the Constitution may be altered by a resolution passed by not less than two thirds of the members present and voting at a general meeting. The notice of the general meeting
must include notice of the resolution, setting out the terms of the alteration proposed.

(2) No amendment may be made to clause A (the name of Association clause), clause C (the objects clause), clause G (Executive Committee members not to be personally interested clause), clause V (the dissolution clause) or this clause without the prior consent in writing of the Commissioners.

(3) No amendment may be made which would have the effect of making the Association cease to be a charity at law.

(4) The Executive Committee should promptly send to the Commission a copy of any amendment made under this clause.

V Dissolution.
If the Executive Committee decides that it is necessary or advisable to dissolve the Association it shall call a meeting of all members of the Association, of which not less than 21 days' notice (stating the terms of the resolution to be proposed) shall be given. If the proposal is confirmed by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting the Executive Committee shall have power to realise any assets held by or on behalf of the Association. Any assets remaining after the satisfaction of any proper debts and liabilities shall be given or transferred to such other charitable institution or institutions having objects similar to the objects of the Association as the members of the Association may determine or failing that shall be applied for some other charitable purpose. A copy of the statement of accounts, or account and statement, for the final accounting period of the Association must be sent to the Commission.

W Arrangements until first Annual General Meeting.
Until the first annual general meeting takes place this constitution shall take effect as if references in it to the Executive Committee were references to the persons whose signatures appear at the bottom of this document.

This constitution was adopted on the date mentioned above by the persons whose signatures appear at the bottom of this document.

signed
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22 June 2002