CONSTITUTION OF THE YOUTH BRANCH OF THE ROYAL SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCE SOCIETY

I. THE LOCAL ASSOCIATION

The name of the Local Association shall be ‘The Youth Branch of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society’ (hereinafter called ‘the YB’).

The Youth Branch is an association of Royal Scottish Country Dance Society (hereinafter called ‘the RSCDS’) members intended for those who are between the age of 12 and 35.

The YB shall be governed in accordance with this Constitution determined by members of the YB in General Meeting, with Rules laid down by its governing body, the Management Committee (hereinafter called ‘the Committee’).

The YB shall be based in Scotland, and conduct its affairs according to Scottish law.

Its official address will be designated by the Committee.

II. ASSOCIATION WITH THE ROYAL SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCE SOCIETY

The YB is an autonomous body consisting of:

(a) members of the RSCDS who are within the Youth age group of 12 – 35.

(b) members of the RSCDS who do not meet the age qualification shall be able to observe affairs of the branch as a Supporter but will have no voting rights.

III. OBJECTIVES

The charitable objectives of the YB will be:

To advance education, particularly in the field of Scottish Country Dancing and related activities.
To advance arts, heritage and culture, particularly related to Scottish traditional activities.
To organise recreational activities, which can improve conditions of life through social engagement and physical and mental well-being.

The YB will undertake to achieve these charitable objectives by:

Encouraging youth membership.
Developing a communication vehicle specific to age group.
Being worldwide, flexible and not location-based.
increasing influence of Youth within the society
Giving young dancers an increased sense of identity and community.
Being represented at AGM by delegates.

IV. MEMBERSHIP AND SUBSCRIPTIONS

Membership of the YB shall be open to persons of age 12-35 interested in its objectives.

The rates of subscription for Members shall be determined by the YB at a General Meeting.

YB members shall pay their RSCDS subscription to the YB annually, unless they are already recognised by the RSCDS as life members or as current long-term members or choose to pay their subscription through another identified Branch.

Dancers outside that age range will be able to join as a Supporter for a subscription fee determined by the YB at a General Meeting. Supporters will have no voting rights.

V. MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

(a) Memberships/Meetings

The affairs of the YB shall be administered by a Management Committee composed of the Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, any other Officers appointed (other than the Honourary President and Honourary Vice-Presidents) and up to four ordinary members.

The Committee members shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting (hereinafter called the AGM) of the YB and may serve for up to four years. They shall not be eligible for re-election for a period of one year. The Committee shall have the power to fill a vacancy among the ordinary members of Committee by co-option from outside the Committee but any member so co-opted will serve only until the next following AGM when he/she/they may stand for election. On completion of his/her year of office an ordinary member shall be eligible for re-election to the Committee.

All members of the Committee must be members of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society and members of the YB and all Officers must be at least 18 years of age but under the age of 36 at time of election.

No more than two individuals may join the YB committee at any one time, who are also members of the same RSCDS committee, same RSCDS Branch Committee or same Affiliated Group committee.

(b) Powers and Duties of the Committee

A Quorum of the Committee shall be the higher of four members or a third of the Committee.

The Committee shall have power to constitute Sub-Committees on an ad hoc basis either from its own membership or by co-opting other members of the YB and 3 entrusting them with such duties as it considers necessary for the efficient working of YB affairs. Such co-opted members shall not have voting powers.

Members of the Committee will follow the requirements of all YB policies and procedures, including the YB Safeguarding policy and YB Conflicts of Interest policy.

Where evidence has demonstrated that a member of the Committee has not followed the YB policies and procedures, the other members of the Committee may choose to suspend temporarily or terminate the position of any person whose conduct is in their opinion prejudicial to the interests of the YB. Suspension or termination of their committee role shall not alter the rights or status of the person concerned as a member of the RSCDS or the YB.

Before suspending or terminating any committee member’s role, the Committee shall notify in writing the person concerned stating the reasons for the proposed suspension or termination and giving that person the opportunity of replying and of appearing before the rest of the Committee, if the member so wishes, to seek revocation of the suspension or termination.

A two-thirds majority of the Committee members entitled to vote shall be necessary to confirm the suspension or termination. No further appeal will be considered after that point.

VI. OFFICERS

The Officers of the YB shall consist of the Chairperson, the Secretary and the Treasurer.

The Chairperson shall hold office for two years and on completion of his/her term of office shall be eligible for re-election for a further term of two years. Thereafter he/she/they shall not be eligible for re-election for a period of one year.

The Secretary and Treasurer shall hold office for up to four years, except that the first Treasurer so appointed shall serve a reduced term of up to three years in order to ensure that the two positions are not normally vacated at the same time.

The Committee shall have power to appoint an Interim Chairperson, Secretary and/or Treasurer from outside the Committee to fill any vacancies occurring between AGM but any Officers so appointed shall serve only until the next AGM when he/she/they shall be eligible for election to the Committee.

The Committee may appoint an Honorary President and Honorary Vice-Presidents.

VII. DUTIES OF OFFICERS

Chairperson – The YB Chairperson is the executive officer of the YB. He/She/They shall preside at YB Meetings and at meetings of the Committee. In the absence of the Chairperson from a meeting a chairperson shall be appointed from among those present in person or electronically. The chairperson of any meeting, whether a YB or Committee meeting, shall have a casting as well as a deliberative vote.

Secretary – It shall be the duty of the Secretary to see that regular meetings are held, to conduct the correspondence of the YB and to keep proper minutes of such meetings. Additionally the Secretary shall:

(a) prepare an annual report of the activities of the YB during the preceding year;

(b) keep a register of members of the YB.

Treasurer – It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to oversee and ensure that all monies collected by whatever agency from members of the YB or from other sources are received, banked and accounted for and that monies due to various agencies, including appropriate transfers to the RSCDS, are paid in a timely fashion. Additionally the Treasurer shall:

(a) cause proper account books to be kept and ensure that the annual accounts of the YB are properly examined;

(b) make the annual YB accounts available for inspection at reasonable times and present the accounts for adoption by the YB at the AGM.
VIII. MEETINGS OF THE YB

(a) The AGM of the members of the YB shall be held within six months of the end of its financial year at such place and at such time as may be determined by the Committee. Members shall be able to express their views by post or e-mail if they are not able to be present at the meeting. Meetings may be held entirely by post or e-mail if necessary.

(b) All members shall be given a minimum of 28 days written notice of the AGM. Members shall be given a minimum of 14 days written notice of any other meeting. Every notice shall contain a statement of the business to be discussed at the meeting.

(c) Members may vote at a General Meeting in person, by proxy or by postal or electronic means.

The order of business at an AGM shall, as closely as possible, be the following:

(a) Minutes of the last AGM and of Special General Meetings, if any, held in the course of the past year.

(b) Secretary’s Report on the previous year’s working of the YB.

(c) Treasurer’ s Report and Accounts.

(d) Election of Committee.

(e) Motions.

(f) Any other competent business.

A Special General Meeting may be called by the Chairperson or shall be called within 28 days of the receipt of a valid requisition calling a Special General Meeting from members. A requisition shall be valid if signed by 50 members or ten percent of the YB membership entitled to vote, whichever is lower.

One-quarter of the members of the YB entitled to vote or 25 members, whichever is lower, shall constitute a quorum, regardless of voting method used. Members shall be deemed to be present for e-mail or postal voting if their vote has been received by the stated deadline.

The Committee may enact such Rules as it may determine for the proper working of the YB.

Voting in General Meeting shall be in person, by proxy or by postal or electronic means; the methods for voting shall be defined by the Committee.

IX. FINANCE

The branch shall be ran as not for profit and all monies raised by, or on behalf of, the YB shall be applied to further the objectives of the YB and for no other purpose; provided that nothing herein contained shall prevent the payment in good faith of reasonable and proper remuneration to any person and fees to professional and technical advisers; or the repayment to members of the Committee of reasonable out-of-pocket expenses.

None of the association’s assets may be distributed or otherwise applied (on being wound up or any other time) except to further its charitable purposes.

X. SUSPENSION OR TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP

The Committee may suspend temporarily or terminate the membership of any person whose conduct is in their opinion prejudicial to the interests of the YB. Suspension or termination shall not alter the rights or status of the person concerned as a member of the RSCDS.

Before suspending or terminating any person¡¦s membership, the Committee shall notify in writing the person concerned stating the reasons for the proposed suspension or termination and giving that person the opportunity of replying and of appearing before the Committee, if the member so wishes, to seek revocation of the suspension or termination.

The person whose membership has been suspended or terminated shall have the right of appeal at a YB General Meeting when a two-thirds majority of the members entitled to vote who are present or voting by proxy or by postal or electronic means shall be necessary to confirm the suspension or termination.

Where suspension or termination has occurred or, where appropriate, has been confirmed as in 3 above, the matter shall be notified to the RSCDS.

XI. DISSOLUTION

Notice of intention to dissolve the YB shall be given to the Secretary of the RSCDS at least two months before the date proposed for such dissolution.

The YB shall only be dissolved by resolution passed by the YB at a General Meeting and only after receiving the votes of not less than two-thirds of the members entitled to vote who are present or voting by proxy or by postal or electronic means.

All physical and realisable assets of the YB including the balance of the monies owned, shall be transferred to the RSCDS, unless the General Meeting at which dissolution is authorised decides otherwise.

XII. REPRESENTATION IN THE RSCDS

Subject to any restrictions on numbers and any procedures including any delegate qualification criteria contained in the RSCDS’s constitution, the Committee will appoint a delegate or delegates to attend a general meeting of the RSCDS and represent the YB at such meeting. The appointment shall be made on the basis of nominations by the members of the YB and of any other names that the Committee considers suitable.

XIII. ALTERATION OF CONSTITUTION

The Constitution of the YB shall only be altered by Resolution passed by the YB at a General Meeting and only after receiving the votes of not less than two-thirds of the members entitled to vote who are present or voting by proxy or by postal or electronic means.

Members shall be deemed to be present for e-mail or postal voting if their vote has been received by the stated deadline.