NB: During 2023, GCG will be transitioning from the structure defined in the constitution below to a new Charitable Incorporated Organisation. When complete, the old charity (No. 296050) will be dissolved. The new CIO has the registration number 1198339 and the constitution may be seen here.
Geological Curators Group
Charity Registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales No. 296050
The constitution sets out the aims and objectives of the committee. It also dictates how the committee is made up, and it's accountability to the membership. This version of the constitution was passed on 12th January 2021.
1. Name
1.1: The name of the Group shall be the Geological Curators' Group.
1.2: The Geological Curators' Group is affiliated to the Geological Society of London.
2. Definitions
2.1: In this Constitution:
"The Group” means “the Geological Curators' Group”.
“The Committee” means “the Committee of the Geological Curators' Group”.
“Individual Member” means any person who has requested to be a Member of the Geological Curators’ Group and who has paid the annual subscription.
“Institutional Member” means any organisation which pays a subscription to receive the Group’s journal.
3. Aims
3.1: The purpose of the Group shall be to advance the education of the public in geology in particular by improving the standard of geological curation and by improving displays and information in public museums and other institutions.
3.2: In furtherance of the above objectives but not further or otherwise the Group shall have the following powers:-
3.2.1 to hold meetings of persons and bodies concerned with the subject for the exchange of advice and information;
3.2.2 to survey collections and draw up a code of practice to ensure that they are maintained and presented to the best advantage;
3.2.3 to further the documentation and conservation of geological sites;
3.2.4 to conduct surveys for the promotion of the aims of the Group;
3.2.5 to do such other lawful things as may from time to time be necessary.
4. Membership
4.1: Membership of the Group is open to all with an interest in, or responsibility for, the collection, conservation and interpretation of geological specimens and information and/or the conservation of geological sites.
4.2: All members, with the exception of Honorary Members, shall pay an annual subscription.
4.3: Honorary Membership of the Group may be conferred at the discretion of the Committee with the approval of the Annual General Meeting.
5. Committee
5.1: The management of the Group shall be vested in a Committee consisting of a Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Secretary, Programme Secretary, Minutes Secretary, Editor of the journal, Editor of the newsletter, Collections Officer, Web Officer, and three Committee Members. The Committee may in addition co-opt for a specified period, up to four non-voting members, one of whom shall normally be nominated by the Natural Science Curators’ Association (NatSCA) as their representative.
5.2: Officers and Members of Committee shall be elected annually. The Chairman will serve for not more than three consecutive years in that capacity and Members of Committee for not more than three consecutive years.
5.3: Officers and Members of Committee for the ensuing year shall be elected at the A.G.M. of the Group, when those present shall vote by means of a ballot on a list of candidates each of which shall have been nominated by at least two members of the Group; such nomination having been received by the then Secretary, in writing, at least 21 days prior to the A.G.M.
5.4: A member of the Committee shall represent the Group on the Science Committee of the Geological Society.
5.5: The Committee shall have the power to fill casual vacancies as they occur.
5.6: The Committee, of whom four or one-third of the members, whichever is the greater shall form a quorum, shall meet when summoned by either the Chairman, the Secretary, or the Treasurer, or any three members of the Committee, three weeks notice in writing being given.
5.7: The Committee shall have the power to make Bye-Laws and Regulations consistent with the Constitution.
6. Annual General Meeting
6.1: The Annual General Meeting (at which ten shall be a quorum) shall be held in the period of November to January.
6.2: The right to vote at an Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting shall be restricted to Individual Members and Honorary Members.
6.3: Institutional Members shall not be entitled to vote.
7. Finance
7.1: The Group shall incur no financial obligation chargeable to the Geological Society.
7.2: The Treasurer of the Group will be responsible for the keeping of proper accounts and at least once a year, normally at the Annual General Meeting, will present a Balance Sheet for the inspection of Members. This Balance Sheet will have been examined and its correctness ascertained by two Auditors appointed at the A.G.M.
7.3: All cheques drawn on the Group's account must be signed by at least two members of the Committee.
8. General
8.1: The Group shall not take any action which may conflict with the terms of the Charter and Bye-Laws of the Geological Society.
9. Amendments to the Constitution
9.1: The Group may amend any provision in this constitution provided that no amendment may be made that would have the effect of making the charity cease to be a charity at law; no amendment may be made to alter the objects if the change would undermine or work against the previous objects of the charity; amendments to the Constitution can be made only at an Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary General Meeting specifically convened for this purpose. Members must be notified of the proposed changes, in writing, at least 21 days prior to the date of the meeting. Changes to be approved by a simple majority. A copy of any resolution amending this Constitution shall be sent to the Charity Commission within twenty-one days of it being passed.
10. Dissolution
10.1: If the members resolve to dissolve the charity the trustees will remain in office as charity trustees and be responsible for winding up the affairs of the charity in accordance with this clause.
10.2: The trustees must collect in all the assets of the charity and must pay or make provision for all the liabilities of the charity.
10.3: The trustees must apply any remaining property or money:-
10.3.1 directly for the objects;
10.3.2 by transfer to any charity or charities for purposes the same as or similar to the charity;
10.3.3 in such other manner as the Charity Commission for England and Wales (‘the Commission’) may approve in writing in advance.
10.4: The members may pass a resolution before or at the same time as the resolution to dissolve the charity specifying the manner in which the trustees are to apply the remaining property or assets of the charity and the trustees must comply with the resolution if it is consistent with paragraphs (10.3.1) - (10.3.3) inclusive in sub-clause (10.3) above.
10.5: In no circumstances shall the net assets of the charity be paid to or distributed among the members of the charity (except to a member that is itself a charity).
10.6: The trustees must notify the Commission promptly that the charity has been dissolved. If the trustees are obliged to send the charity’s accounts to the Commission for the accounting period which ended before its dissolution, they must send the Commission the charity’s final accounts.
Passed 12th January 2021