Aims and Rules

1. The name of the Society shall be The New Hurst Village Society. 

2.
    i.  to preserve and enhance the rural character of the village as a living community
   ii. to provide an independent focal point for the community 
   iii. to encourage village activities, promote the village’s amenities and maintain supportive links with other village organisations
   iv. to foster communication in the community and encourage neighbourliness 
   v. to be consistently open with members about the activities and finances of the Society 

3. Membership shall be open to all who share the Aims of the Society. The Society will not discriminate on the grounds of gender, race, colour, ethnic or national origin, sexuality, disability, religious or political belief, marital status or age. 

4. The Committee will e-mail members each year to seek comments on its performance, ideas for what else the Society could be doing and seek to refresh the Committee with new Committee members. 

5. The affairs of the Society in all matters not in these Rules reserved for the Society in General Meeting shall be managed by the General Committee of the Society. 

6. 
   i. The General committee shall consist of up to twelve (12) members in good standing who shall elect their own officers. 
ii. There shall be a quorum when 50% of the members of the committee, or four members of the committee, whichever is greater, are present at the meeting. In the case of equality of votes, the chair of the meeting shall have a casting vote in addition to his / her own vote. 
  iii. The General Committee may invite past officers of the Committee and such other members who have served on the Committee as are deemed fit up to a maximum number of FIVE to become Honorary Committee Members. Honorary Committee Members shall be entitled to attend and speak at Meetings of the General Committee but shall not be entitled to vote at such Meetings. 
iv. The Committee shall seek to be reappointed at least annually by way of a vote from the active members. 

7.   The General Committee may appoint one or more sub-committees or sub-groups for such purposes as it may deem appropriate. 

8. 
 i. The Financial Year of the Society shall be from 1st January to 31st December. 
    ii. The annual subscription shall be determined by the Committee to come into effect the following year. Subscriptions shall be valid for the current Financial Year, and be renewable on 1st January.  
iii. Membership of the Society shall be on the basis of a household and each household will be eligible to the benefits of The Society, including the ability to register a single household vote. A household may have additional votes if more than one subscription is taken out. 

9.  The Treasurer shall keep such proper books of account as shall enable him to present at every Annual General Meeting or at any other time on reasonable notice to him by the General Committee an accurate report of the finances of the Society. 

10.    A General Meeting of the Society shall be summoned by the General Committee. 

11.   An Annual General Meeting shall be held at intervals of not more than fifteen months from the preceding Annual General Meeting. 

12.  At any General Meeting of the Society every member of the Society shall be entitled to be present and shall be entitled to vote upon every question asked. In the case of equality of voting the chairman of the Meeting shall have a second or casting vote. 

13.    Material changes to these rules may be revoked, added to or altered by a majority comprising two-thirds or more of the members present and entitled to vote at any General Meeting of the Society of which 4 weeks’ notice has been given specifying the intention to propose the revocation, addition or alteration together with full particulars thereof. 

14.   If the Committee considers that it is necessary or advisable to dissolve the Society, an extraordinary meeting shall be called to allow members to make a collective decision.   The Committee will ensure that those opposing dissolution are given every facility to put their case to the membership, including mailing their views to the membership list, before the date on which proxy votes are accepted. If the Society is dissolved, the Committee shall be responsible for the settling of all debts and commitments, insofar as funds allow, before presenting the remaining funds to a similar local organisation or organisations to be agreed by members of The New Hurst Village Society.