SLU3A NEWS - Michael Milsom

1 SLU3A news newsletter of the South Leicestershire U3A Website: Registered Charity Number 1122153 Issue No. 188 March 2016 NEXT MONTH S MEETING MONDAY APRIL 11TH DAVID GREENHALGH OPERATION RUBY TALE TODAY S MEETING MONDAY MARCH 14TH ANN BIRD ROSES THE MAY AGM: NEW CONSTITUTION, NEW COMMITTTEE Constitutions can be tricky things: apparently bor-ing, thought unimportant, at least until something happens which affects our interest. Constitutions (written and unwritten) are what lay down the rules of the game the way we do our business; run our country, and even establish a local football team or charity.

2 All charities are subject to charity law, overseen by the Charity Commissioners, and SLU3A is no ex-ception. This is why May s AGM is important, as chair Don Collins highlights elsewhere on this page. Putting it bluntly, if SLU3A is to continue to exist and flourish it must amend its constitution to bring it in line with other U3As and the national body, and ensure it meets the law as interpreted by the Charity Commission. Your committee has been working on bringing our existing constitution into line with the new requirements for almost two years and now seeks members approval for the changed constitution at May s AGM.

3 On page 2 of this issue, secretary Eddie Dixon sets out some of the changes and the reasons for them, and the process through which we have gone. Your committee is doing everything it can to make sure that you are all fully informed about the whys and wherefores of our future and what it means. To this end you will shortly be receiving a copy of the new Constitution, the Officers reports and Nomination Forms for the Committee. Please give these the attention that they deserve and play your part in making sure that our Association continues to have a long, happy and successful life. The Editor SOUTH LEICESTERSHIRE U3A:- A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN Dear friends and members of MHSLU3A.

4 AGMs can be very boring and time wasting: few of us really want to attend one. However, as Chairman I am writing to you all to twist your arms to encour-age you to come to our AGM in May. I have very good reasons for doing this and I hope that you will read on and give me the opportunity to explain why. 2016 is a very important year in the life of our asso-ciation. The Third Age Trust and the Charity Commis-sion require all U3As to have a Constitution that is standard across all the groups and meet criteria laid down by these two bodies. We have to conform to these requirements, and you (the members) must approve the new constitution so that we can oper-ate under the new procedures.

5 Without this approv-al, we would no longer be able to operate as part of the national U3A. That cannot be acceptable to you. Part of this new Constitution also lays down the rules for formation of your committee. After this year it and its officers will have to be voted into office each year. Its increased size (15 as against 10) means that there will be a requirement for more members to be put forward or to put themselves forward for election as committee members. And if we are unable to form a committee then the associ-ation will not be able to continue. The future of SLU3A lies in the hands of its members!

6 For it to con-tinue people have to be prepared to participate in the organisation and running of the association. S0 please make sure that it does continue! SLU3A news 2 Our New Constitution (Subject to the consent of the Charity Commission ) The existing constitution, which was approved by the membership in May 2002, defines why our organisation exists and how it is managed. A constitution states the organisation s aims, the rules on how it should be run and eligibility for membership. The main reasons to amend our constitution are that over the years Charity Commission rules on charitable benefit have significantly tightened.

7 As a result the Third Age Trust (TAT) ad-vised all U3As to re-examine their constitution against a best practice model. Its Model Constitution was written with the full involvement at every stage with the TAT charity lawyer, the Charity Commission for Eng-land and Wales and was agreed by them. Your committee decided to revise the Constitution to meet these new criteria. There are amendments to most clauses, but the major change is to the objects clause (now purposes) which details our charitable purpose of being to advance education and to clearly define who is able to join SLU3A . This change does not affect the way that SLU3A operates: learning is involved in everything we do.

8 All of the other clauses in the current constitution have been revised and extended to give greater detail and accountability including the composition of the committee. There is provision to increase the size of the com-mittee from a minimum of five to seven, with the maximum number of ten increasing to fifteen. With a mem-bership now in excess of one thousand, this gives the opportunity to give better representation and will also allow for any future growth. A number of new clauses have been added. They allow for the appointment of an honorary president, defects in appointments, the number of the executive committee and their election, election rules and term limits for office holders and executive committee members, the organisation of meetings and proceedings of the execu-tive committee, and rules concerning notices, communications and procedures at general meetings.

9 Our current constitution allows the membership to approve changes apart from three clauses objects and powers, alteration to the constitution and dissolution. Therefore, the new constitution if approved at the AGM is Subject to the consent of the Charity Commission even though they were fully involved in the TAT model constitution. The committee would urge all members to study the proposed constitution when it will be circulated with the agenda and other documents for the AGM. Eddie Dixon, SLU3A Secretary. _____ EXPLAINING THE NEW CONSTITUION Will it be coffee or tea for you?

10 For indeed, we all love our brew. But if you don't lend a hand we can't continue as planned, so offer your help please do! Please contact Enid Sanders today (details in the newsletter page 12), or any other committee member. Architecture 4th Tuesday pm We meet on the fourth Tuesday of each month at in the Congregational Church Lounge. Please note the change in venue. To date we have 25 mem-bers. Because we have a larger room the annual sub will now be 10. We meet every month except in De-cember. In February, Michael took us along part of the Silk Road in Uzbekistan.