CONSTITUTION

1. TITLE

The organisation shall be known as School of Polish Language and Culture (here in after referred to as the organisation).

2. OBJECTS

The charitable objects for which the organisation is established are:

a) To advance the education and health of the Polish community in the Motherwell area

b) To provide facilities for educational and learning purposes

c) To promote good race relations between people of different ethnic groups by endeavouring to eliminate discrimination on grounds of race and encouraging equality of opportunity between persons of different racial groups.

d) To work in partnership with all other agencies operating in the area by providing, or assisting in the provision of facilities in the interest of social welfare for educational, cultural, social and other pursuits; in particular, those who have need of such facilities by virtue of their youth, age, infirmity, disability, unemployment or social and economic circumstances.

e) To preserve and develop the cultural heritage of Poland

3. MEMBERSHIP

Membership of the organisation will be open to all persons who accept the objects of the organisation in the Lanarkshire area. This will be regardless of Race, Colour, Nationality, ethnic or national origins, Religions, Sex, Sexuality, Marital status, Disabilities, or disadvantaged by conditions or requirements, which cannot be shown to be justifiable.

4. OFFICE BEARERS AND MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

a) The office bearers of the organisation shall consist of Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer and other such office bearers as may be deemed necessary by the Committee.

b) The management of the organisation shall be vested in a committee of the office bearers and as many ordinary members as deemed necessary.

c) Members of the Committee shall be appointed at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). They shall be committee members for three year and shall be eligible for re-election. The committee shall elect office bearers (to hold office for one year) at the earliest possible meeting.

d) The committee shall meet a minimum of 4 times annually or when it is felt a meeting is necessary.

e) The committee may co-opt any members or persons for special purposes (unless persons co-opted are members then they will be deemed not to have any voting rights).

f) The committee shall fill any vacancy occurring.

g) The committee shall have all powers necessary for the full and efficient conduct of the affairs of the Organisation (except in so far as these are vested in the interest of the members of the Organisation by this constitution), and for that purpose may do any act or thing they deem appropriate for the fulfillment of the objectives of the organisation.

h) The committee may appoint sub committees to deal with any subject in any which way the Organisation alone may determine.

i) Committee members who do not attend three consecutive meetings without apology will be deemed to have resigned form the committee.

5. POWERS OF THE COMMITTEEE

In pursuance of those objectives (but not otherwise) the organisation shall have the following powers.

a) To encourage the members to become involved in all policy matters which affect the organisation.

b) To acquire and take over the whole or any part of the undertaking and liabilities of any person entitled to any property or rights suitable for and of the objects of the organisation.

c) To purchase, take on fue, lease, hire, take, exchange, and otherwise acquire any property and rights, which may be advantageous for the purposes of the activities of the organisation.

d) To improve, manage, exploit, develop, turn in to account and otherwise deal with all or any part of the undertaking, property an rights of the organisation.

e) To sell, feu, let, hire, license, give in exchange and otherwise dispose of all or any part of the undertaking, property and rights of the organisation.

f) To operate a bank account in the name of the organisation and issue cheques on the said account.

g) To remunerate any individual in the employment of the organisation and to find establish, maintain, and contribute to any pension or superannuation fund for the benefit of, and to give or procure the giving of any donation, pension, allowance or remuneration to, and to make payment for or towards any individual who is or was at any time in the employment of the organisation and the spouse, widower, relatives and dependents of any such individual, to establish, subsidise and subscribe to any institution, organisation, club and fund which may benefit any such person.

h) To oppose or object to any application or proceedings which may prejudice the organisations interest.

i) To enter into any arrangement with any organisation, government or authority which may be advantageous for the purposes of the activities of the organisation and to obtain from any such organisation, government or authority any right privilege or concession.

j) To enter into any arrangement for co-operation or mutual assistance with any charitable body, whether incorporated and unincorporated.

k) To effect insurance against risks of all kind.

l) To invest funds not immediately required for the purposes of any organisations activities in such investments and securities (including land in any part of the world) and that in such a manner as may from time to time be considered advantageous (subject to compliance with any applicable legal requirement) and to dispose of an vary such investments and securities.

m) To establish and support any organisation or other unincorporated body having objects altogether or in part similar to those of the organisation and to promote any company or other incorporated body formed for the purpose of carrying on any activity which the organisation is authorized to carry on.

n) To subscribe and make contributions to or otherwise support charitable bodies whether incorporated or unincorporated and to make donations for any charitable purpose connected with the activities of the organisation or with the furtherance of its objects.

o) To accept subscriptions, grants, donations, gifts, legacies and endowments of all kinds, either absolutely or conditionally or in trust for any of the objects of the organisation.

p) To take such steps (by way of personal or written appeals, public meetings or otherwise) as may be deemed expedient for the purpose of procuring contributions to the funds of the organisation, whether by way of subscriptions, grants, loans, donations or otherwise.

q) To do anything which may be incidental or conducive to the attainment of any of the objects of the organisation.

6. CHAIRING OF MEETINGS

The elected chairperson, or in their absence, a nominated person shall chair the meeting of the organisation.

7. QUORUM

At full committee, 3 full members shall form a quorum, and at a meeting of a sub committee, 3 voting persons shall form a quorum.

8. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Organisation shall be held each year no later than seven months after the end of the financial year, which is 30th June, where and independently examined statement of accounts shall be submitted, the committee appointed and any other competent business transacted. At least 21 days notice of the Annual general meeting shall be given to the membership and public notices will be displayed in prominent places throughout the area.

9. SPECIAL MEETINGS

The Committee shall have the power to call a special general meeting (SGM) of the Organisation at any time for any time for any specific purpose on giving 21 days notice to the members.

10. ACCOUNTS

The committee shall keep such books of accounts as are necessary to exhibit and explain the transaction and financial position of the Organisation in regards to the sums of money received and expended by and on behalf of the Organisation. Independently examined accounts of these transactions shall be made available at each and every Annual General meeting.

11. FINANCE

All monies raised by or on behalf of the Organisation shall be applied to further the objectives of the Organisation and for no other purposes that nothing herein shall prevent the payment in good faith of the reasonable and proper remuneration to any employee of the Organisation and no fees to professional and technical advisers or the repayment to members of the Management Committee and Volunteers of reasonable out of pocket expenses.

12. AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION

Amendments to the Constitution may be made only by a two third majority of the voting members attending the Annual General meeting. Notice of this meeting and the purpose for which it was called shall be circulated to all members of the Organisation 21 days before the date of the meeting.

No amendments shall be made that would have the effect of causing the organisation to cease to be recognized as a charity.

13. DISSOLUTION OF THE ORGANISATION

In the event of winding up or dissolution of the Organisation a Special General Meeting shall beheld to formally dissolve the Organisation. Notice of this meeting and the purpose of which it was called shall be circulated to all members of the Organisation 21 days before the date of the meeting.

After the return of items and assets advanced or on loan to the appropriate granting bodies, any assets remaining after the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities shall not be paid to or distributed among the members of the organization but shall be transferred to a recognized charitable body or bodies having similar objects to those of the organization.

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

14. INTERPRETATION

The expression “charitable purpose” shall mean a charitable purpose under section 7 of the charities and trustee Investment(Scotland) act 2005 which is also regarded as a charitable purpose in relation to the application of the Taxes Acts.

Certified as a true copy of the Constitution as adopted by the Management Committee meeting on 30th August 2014

Chairperson: Katarzyna Meinicke
Secretary: Wiesława Kardasz
Treasurer: Jacek Michniewicz