The KRA Constitution
(Approved at the 2005 AGM)

The Name of the Association shall be The Kendal-Rinteln Association.

2) Aims

The aims of the Association shall be to :

• Promote international friendship and understanding between Kendal and Rinteln.
• Stimulate and foster mutual exchanges at all levels, between the peoples of the twinned towns, strengthening links and developing personal contacts and friendships.
• Broaden mutual understanding of life in the twinned towns, districts, counties, regions and countries in which they are situated; through their social, cultural, recreational, educational, commercial, industrial and governing institutions.
• Organise fundraising activities to foster and support the aims of the Association.

3) Membership

Membership shall be open, subject to the discretion of the Executive Committee, to all persons interested in the aims of the Association.

There shall be two classes of membership:

• Individual / Family
• Corporate.

This shall be open to any organisation interested in the aims of the Association, it shall entitle the said organisation to nominate two members to attend and vote at the Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting and to be nominated for, hold office in, or serve on the Executive Committee of the Association.

Only current and paid up members of the Association are eligible to join in Town-Twinning visits.

4)Voting

Each Individual member and each Corporate member shall have the right to exercise a vote at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting.

5) Subscriptions

The annual subscription for membership shall be set by the Annual General Meeting.

All subscriptions shall be due and payable at the beginning of the financial year. Members in arrears have no voting rights.

6) Finance

The Association's financial year shall run from 1st October to the 30th September of the following year.

The income and property of the Association shall be applied solely towards the carrying out of the aims of the Association as set out in this constitution.

An audited statement of account and balance sheet for the previous year shall be presented at each Annual General Meeting.

The Association's bank account shall be at a bank approved by the Executive Committee.

All cheques shall be signed by not less than two of the Officers of the Association, one of whom shall be the Treasurer. The Executive Committee shall have the power to invest any of the funds of the Association in such security or securities as the committee shall decide.

The auditors shall be appointed at each Annual General Meeting.

7) Organisation

(i) Presidents of the Association

The Mayor of Kendal and the Burgermeister of Rinteln shall be invited to be Presidents of the Association.

(ii) Vice-Presidents of the Association

The Association may appoint a Vice-President at the Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting.

(iii) Officers of the Association

The Officers of the Association shall be the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary and such other Officers as the Association may from time to time appoint.

(iv) Executive Committee

The affairs of the Association shall be administered by an Executive Committee. This shall be constituted of the Town Mayor of Kendal, three other members of the Kendal Town Council, the Officers of the Association and not more than ten other members of the Association. These Officers and other members, having been appointed at the Annual General Meeting, make up the Committee which shall have the powers conductive or incidental to the attainment of the aims referred to in this constitution and to the management and control of the affairs of the Association.

The Executive Committee shall be empowered to fill any casual vacancy and to co-opt persons to the Executive Committee as appropriate.

8) Meetings

The Executive Committee shall call an Annual General Meeting in October of each year.

A Special General Meeting may also be convened by:

i) The written application by at least ten members of the Association to the Secretary or,

ii) Request of the Executive Committee.

At least twenty-one days notice shall be given to all members of the date of the Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting.

Notices of the motions for the Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting must be received by the Secretary at least fourteen days before the date of the meeting.

At least seven days notice shall be given to all members of the motions.

The Executive Committee shall meet quarterly or as required and the Secretary shall give all members of the Executive Committee not less than seven clear days notice in writing of the date and place of the meeting and an agenda of the business to be conducted at such a meeting. The Chairman, in consultation with the Secretary, shall be empowered to cancel any such meetings should this be deemed necessary.

The quorum of an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting shall be fifteen members of the Association, including the nominees of corporate members.

The quorum of the Executive Committee shall consist of six voting members. Decisions of the Executive Committee shall be made by the majority of votes of those present at the meeting who are entitled to vote.

In the event of an equality of votes, the Chairman (or other person presiding at the meeting) shall have the casting vote, whether or not they have already voted.

The Executive Committee shall have the power to appoint sub-committees as and when necessary. At least two members of each sub-committee shall be a member of the Executive Committee and the remainder, members of the Association.

The Chairman shall be an ex-officio member of all such sub-committees. Sub-committees may only make recommendations to the Executive Committee. The Chairman and / or Secretary of the Association may invite such persons as they think fit to any meetings of the Executive Committee, in a consultative or advisory capacity. Such persons will not be entitled to vote.

9) Amendments to the Constitution

Amendments to the Constitution may only be made at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting of the Association, by a majority of not less than two thirds of the votes of those present and entitled to vote. Notice of the proposed amendments shall be circulated to all Officers and members not less than seven days before the said meeting.

10) Dissolution of the Association

The Association can only be dissolved at a Special General Meeting of existing members, by a resolution supported by at least two thirds of those present regardless of the meeting being quorate or inquorate.

In the event of the Association being dissolved, any property or monies remaining after its debts and liabilities have been settled shall be applied to the Kendal Town Council.

October 2005