Standing Orders

  1. The Society shall be called the “Poynton Gilbert and Sullivan Society”
  2. The objects of the Society are: -
  • that the members should further the popularity of this music by meeting weekly and performing works in public.
  • that members should visit other productions of Gilbert and Sullivan music as a group.
  • to do all things which will further the development of the Society.

  1. Officers of the Society: -

    The Society shall be managed by a Committee consisting of the following officers: -

  • Elected every alternate year (i.e. every odd year):-

    • Chairman
    • Secretary/Patrons
    • Social Secretary

  • Elected every alternate year (i.e. every even year):-

    • Treasurer

    • Publicity Officer

    • Web Manager

      The elected Committee shall have the power to co-opt additional members to undertake specified duties.

    In the event that there is more than one nomination for the position of

  • Chairman

  • Secretary

  • Treasurer

    then there will be a secret ballot. Before the ballot is taken, the candidates will be expected to speak on their own behalf, or their proposer will be expected to speak on his/her behalf

  • On the election of a new Chairman, he/she will not take office until the conclusion of the meeting.

  1. The Committee, at its first meeting in each year, shall appoint a Vice-Chairman.
  2. Membership shall be open to anyone in sympathy with the objects of the Society and shall be divided into five categories: -
  • Life members
  • Adult playing members
  • Junior playing members
  • Non-playing members
  • Affiliates

Life members are nominated by the Committee (as defined in Standing Order no 14). Life members, Adult playing members and Junior playing members may take part in stage productions and/or concerts, but Non-playing members will not take part in either. A Junior playing member is one who is still receiving full-time education. The Affiliates category is included (primarily for insurance purposes) to cover those invited to join the Society on a temporary basis (such as players in an orchestra or guest performers or those assisting backstage/front of house). All categories of membership, except Affiliates, shall be eligible to attend and shall be eligible to vote at the Annual General Meeting or any Extraordinary General Meeting. Anyone in sympathy with the objects of the Society shall be eligible to attend the meeting as an observer, but not to vote or speak

  1. The Annual Subscription to the Society shall be recommended by the Committee, on the basis of the latest financial information available: this will be advised to the members at the Annual General Meeting and followed by a vote.
  • Junior playing members and Non-playing members shall pay one third of the full subscription. Neither Life members nor Affiliates shall be expected to pay subscriptions.
  • The annual subscription shall become due on the 1st February.
  • Members wishing to participate in the stage production, or its equivalent performance, shall pay the annual subscription in full to the Treasurer before the spring concert or 31st May if sooner. Members may pay by instalments e.g. by standing order, providing that the final instalment is paid to the Treasurer before the spring concert or 31st May if sooner.
  • Members wishing to only participate in the concerts shall pay a reduced subscription of two thirds of the full subscription or such other proportion determined by the Committee, payable before the spring concert or 31st May if sooner.
  • New or returning members (who did not pay any subscription to the society during the previous calendar year) wishing to participate in one or more concerts, but not in the stage production, or its equivalent performance:
  • Who join the Society before the spring concert or 31st May if sooner, shall pay two thirds of the annual subscription, which shall be paid to the Treasurer before the spring concert or 31st May if sooner.
  • Who join the Society after the spring concert shall pay one third of the annual subscription, which shall be paid to the Treasurer within one month of joining.
  • New members wishing to participate in the stage production, or its equivalent performance, shall pay a pro-rata proportion of the annual subscription in full to the Treasurer within one month of joining.
  • The Committee shall have the power to suspend any member whose subscription remains unpaid by the deadline specified.
  1. The financial year shall end on 31st December and a financial statement shall be prepared by the Treasurer for the Annual General Meeting. The Treasurer shall be solely responsible for all monies belonging to the Society which shall be paid into a banking account in the name of the Society. All cheques drawn on the banking account shall be signed by two of the following authorised signatories – the Treasurer, the Chairman, the Secretary, the President. The funds of the Society shall be applied to the stated objects of the Society and no members shall receive payment directly or indirectly for services to the Society for other than legitimate expenses occurred in its work.
  2. The Annual General Meeting shall be held during January and shall be convened by the Secretary by not less than 14 days’ notice in writing to members. At such meeting, only items of business submitted in writing to the Secretary not less than 4 days prior to the meeting shall be discussed. Nominations for Committee members must be submitted at least 3 days prior to the meeting. Only in the event of there having been no nominations received prior to the meeting will nominations be accepted at the meeting. A quorum consisting of not less than one third of the members who are defined as eligible to vote must be present before a general meeting can come to order.
  3. A record of attendances shall be kept by the Secretary, or a nominee and the Committee shall have power to prevent any member whose attendances at rehearsals have been irregular from taking part in a stage production or concert.
  4. Prospective members may, at the discretion of the Committee, be required to undertake a simple audition before being accepted for membership. At the producer’s discretion it may also be necessary to audition all playing members for some productions.
  5. The Committee shall select the works to be performed. The casting of these works shall be made by a Casting Committee of 5 persons appointed by the general Committee and shall observe the following procedures: -
  • Only fully paid-up members of six months standing are eligible for audition.
  • When auditioning, members may be asked to consider playing an alternative part. They have the right to refuse or accept this.
  • In the event that all members auditioning for a particular part are found to be unsuitable, the part can be offered to any other member who has auditioned.
  • If, in the opinion of the Casting Committee, a part is unlikely to be cast from current Society members, a guest artist(e) may be approached before actual audition dates but only on a provisional basis.
  • Under certain circumstances it may be necessary to re-audition a particular part: in these circumstances any member may audition.
  • Unless members of the Casting Committee have been advised otherwise, they will assume that anyone not appearing at the auditions is not interested in being considered for a part in the show for which auditions are being held.
  1. No alterations to the Standing Orders shall be made except at a general meeting of the Society. Written notice of the proposed alteration shall be given to the Secretary not less than 30 days prior to such meeting.
  2. An Extraordinary General Meeting may be convened by the Committee at any time on 14 days’ notice in writing to the members or on a written request of 12 members. Only business stated in the written notice or request shall be transacted at any such meeting.
  3. Life members may, on the nomination of the Committee only, be elected on such terms as the members of the Society at an Annual General Meeting may decide.
  4. A President shall be chosen by the Committee and shall be presented to the members at the Annual General Meeting.
  5. Dissolution - The Society shall only be dissolved by a resolution passed by two thirds of the members present and voting at a special general meeting called for the purpose of considering such a resolution. In the event of dissolution, any balance of cash remaining in hand – after realisation of assets and payment of debts – shall be distributed among charitable organisations as the Committee, with the consent of the meeting, shall decide.

Version: agreed at the AGM held on 22nd January 2025