THE CONSTITUTION OF KINGSTON PHILOSOPHY CAFÉ
- THE NAME OF THE ORGANISATION is Kingston Philosophy Café.
- ITS PURPOSES AND AIMS are to advance public understanding of philosophy and promote philosophical discussions in Kingston upon Thames.
- THE ACTIVITIES BY WHICH KINGSTON PHILOSOPHY CAFÉ WILL CARRY OUT ITS AIMS AND PURPOSES are by
3.1 The provision of regular philosophy discussions and talks in Kingston, open to anyone interested in discussing a range of philosophical ideas and topics seriously and rigorously, and held in accessible and sociable spaces.
4.1 Raising funds and donations to be used for these purposes.
- MEMBERSHIP
4.1. Any adult who attends Kingston Philosophy Café meetings shall be considered a member.
4.2. Members will be asked to contribute what they can when they can, towards Kingston Philosophy Café running costs, at each meeting they attend.
4.3. There will be no discrimination in membership or practices on grounds of age, sex or sexuality, race, religion or belief, disability, political affiliation or ability to pay.
4.4. Every member shall have one vote at Annual General Meetings.
4.5. The Committee may refuse to admit to meetings anyone whose conduct is, in its opinion, inconsistent with the objects or policies of Kingston Philosophy Cafe, or to publish content on the Kingston Philosophy Café website inconsistent with the objects or policies of Kingston Philosophy Café, as determined by the Committee.
- THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
5.1. The general business of Kingston Philosophy Café shall be administered by a management Committee. The Committee's main function will be to plan and organise a programme of philosophical talks and discussions, and to ensure that Kingston Philosophy Café funds are spent solely on administering and providing this programme.
5.2. The Committee will decide how many meetings it will hold, with a minimum of one planning meeting and one Annual General Meeting per year.
5.3. Decisions shall be taken by a majority of votes of the members of the Committee present and voting. If the votes are equal the Chair shall have a casting vote. A quorum shall be three Committee members of whom at least two shall be honorary officers.
5.4. No member of the Committee shall benefit from the work of Kingston Philosophy Café other than as any ordinary member of the organisation might benefit, allowance being made however for out of pocket expenses.
5.5. Members of the Committee will take all due care to deal with money and relate to members and participants with integrity, openness and transparency.
5.6. The Committee shall keep Minutes of its meetings.
5.7. At the Annual General Meeting of the organisation the members shall elect Honorary Officers of the Committee: Chair, Treasurer, Secretary / Co-ordinator and up to four other members of the Committee.
5.8. All members of the Committee shall retire from office together at the end of the AGM next after the date on which they came into office, though they may be re-elected or reappointed.
5.9. Any vacancy may be filled by co-option to the Committee, subject to confirmation at the next Annual General Meeting.
- FINANCE
6.1. The funds of Kingston Philosophy Café may only be used to achieve its purposes and aims.
6.2. Honorary Officers and Members of the Committee may not receive payment for their services to the Group.
6.3. In the event of Kingston Philosophy Café having to wind up, after payment of liabilities all remaining funds shall go to a local community group with similar aims and purposes.
6.4. Kingston Philosophy Café funds and income shall be paid in to an account operated by the Committee and overseen by the Treasurer. There shall be two signatures on any of the organisation’s cheques. The organisation shall keep accounts of its financial transactions. The accounts shall be examined by a competent person outside the Committee before the AGM.
- ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS
7.1. There shall be an Annual General Meeting of which 14 days notice shall be given to participants, telling them what is on the agenda.
7.2. Nominations for election to the Committee, with seconders, must be in the hands of the Committee before the Annual General Meeting begins. Should nominations be greater than the number of places available there shall be a vote.
7.3. At the Annual General Meeting the Committee will present an annual report on the activities of Kingston Philosophy Café and accounts.
7.4. The Constitution of Kingston Philosophy Café may be altered when two thirds of the members present and voting at a general meeting pass a resolution, which should be submitted and will be sent out with the invitation to attend the meeting 21 days before the AGM.
7.7. Minutes of the Annual General Meeting shall be kept.
- SPECIAL GENERAL MEETINGS
8.1. A Special General Meeting may be called when a significant number of people as judged by the Committee believe there should be such a meeting.
8.2. If the Committee decides that Kingston Philosophy Café should be dissolved it should call a Special General Meeting of all the members, giving 21 days notice. If the proposal to dissolve is confirmed by a two thirds majority of those present and voting the Committee shall pass any assets held by the organisation to a local like-minded body (see 6.3).
- AFFILIATIONS
9.1. The Committee may affiliate Kingston Philosophy Café to other local arts or voluntary group organisations relevant to its aims and activities.
- SUB-COMMITTEES
10.1. Sub-Committees may be formed ad hoc to plan and administer other events and excursions relevant to the aims and purposes of Kingston Philosophy Café.
10.2. For example, it would be the responsibility of a Think in Kingston Sub-Committee, with its own Chair, to plan and organise Kingston's annual festival of ideas, to administer and account for any funds set aside for this purpose, and to make decisions on the future and content of Think in Kingston. Kingston Philosophy Café would hold any funds accumulated by Think in Kingston and account for them separately. In the event of Think in Kingston transferring to another organisation or setting up independently, any funds previously ring-fenced for its purposes would be transferred to this new organisation. In the event of Think in Kinston winding up, its funds would be kept by Kingston Philosophy Café and used for its purposes as set down above.