2.Object
2.1 The object of the Society is to promote and sustain both the restoration of the railway link between Alnwick and Alnmouth stations, and the operation of train services on it. In furtherance of this but not otherwise, the Society may do all such lawful acts or things as are incidental to the attainment of the Object, as far as may be necessary or desirable to do such in collaboration with any person, body, institution, authority or otherwise.
In particular, the Society may;
Recruit members, hold meetings for them, issue a regular newsletter, and provide Public Relations material.
2.3 Establish or become a Company, limited by guarantee, for the protection of the membership as a whole, this company being the legally responsible body for all activities constructional, financial, and operational, of or connected with the Railway.
2.4 If considered beneficial, secure the Registration or the Society, or the Company, as a Charity and if necessary to this, set up a wholly-owned subsidiary company for trading activities.
2.5 Seek all necessary Planning and other Approvals, and seek funding by grants or donations from any appropriate source, to facilitate this commission Feasibility Studies, Impact Statements, and other such material.
2.6 At the appropriate time, seek an order under the Transport and Works Act by which to operate the Railway.
3. Membership
3.1 Any person aged 18 or over who supports the object of the Society may apply to become a Member, persons between 14 and 18 may become Junior Members, but are not entitled to vote at meetings of the Society. Family Membership can include Member, spouse, and all children under 14; it entitles the holder(s) to one vote only at meetings.
3.2 The annual subscription for each class of membership may be decided from time to time by the Committee and ratified by the Annual General Meeting; Junior Members, Members eligible for State retirement benefits, and unemployed Members, paying a lower subscription.
3.3 Persons joining before 1st January, 1996 at a subscription of £12 become Founder Members, and their subscription covers until 31st December, 1996. All other subscriptions will cover Twelve Months.
3.4 Any member may terminate his/her membership at any time by written notice to the Secretary.
3.5 The Society may offer Honorary Membership to such persons as are considered worthy by way of their contribution to the object and work of the Society; they will have the same eligibility as ordinary Members in the affairs of the Society. Such members will be elected by their names being proposed and seconded at an Annual General Meeting and endorsed by three-fourths of the members present.
3.6 The Society reserves the right to refuse membership to an applicant whom the Committee considers undesirable. The Committee may, on a resolution passed by three-fourths of its members, discontinue the membership of any Member whose subscription is three months in arrears or for any other reason at the absolute discretion of the Committee, provided that any such member shall have the right to be heard by the Committee before a decision is made.
3.7 It is envisaged that the major input of effort in the restoration and operation of the Railway should be by volunteers, working either as teams or as individuals. Any Member or Junior Member is welcome to volunteer; Junior Members may not work unsupervised. The Committee is empowered to make any rules necessary for the safe and proper deployment of Volunteers.
4. Committee
4.1 The management of the Society shall be vested in a Committee. The first committee was elected by the votes the Founder Members present at the Inaugural Meeting on 27th September, 1995.
4.2 The Committee has a maximum of 12 members; at each Annual General Meeting 4 members retire in rotation and are eligible for re-election. If a vacancy occurs, the Committee may co-opt a Member to fill it until the next A.G.M. when he/she must stand for election.
4.3 The Committee elects one of its number to be Chairman, and others to be Vice-Chairman, Honorary Secretary, and Honorary Treasurer. Other posts to be filled by Committee members include Membership Secretary, Newsletter Editor, Publicity Officer, and Fund-Raising Officer.
4.4 The Committee may set up sub-committees to deal with specific items: it, or the sub-committees, may invite persons who are not themselves members of the Committee to assist them with specialist expertise, and to attend meetings of the Committee. Decisions or actions of a sub-committee must be ratified by the main Committee.
4.5 The Hon. Treasurer shall keep accounts of all monies received and expended on account of the Society, and shall present such accounts at the A.G.M. Banking accounts shall be opened on behalf of the Society and all cheques drawn on them shall require the signatures of at least two Authorised members of the Committee. The Accounts shall be audited by qualified Auditors or independent Examiners before each A.G.M. The Financial Year of the Society shall end on 31st December in each year.
4.6 Decisions of the Committee will be made by majority vote of those present: in the event of a tie, the Chairman has the Casting Vote. Six members shall constitute a quorum.
5. Annual General Meeting
5.1 This is intended to be held each March, and always within 13 months of the previous A.G.M.; fourteen days notice of the Meeting must be sent to all Members. It is called to receive the Report of the Committee, approve the Accounts, elect Committee members, decide the subscriptions, and consider any Resolutions proposed.
5.2 Nominations for election to the Committee must be Proposed and seconded by Members, and countersigned by the nominee as willing to stand; they must be received by the Honorary Secretary at least 7 days before the A.G.M.
5.3 Members may put forward resolutions to be discussed and voted on at an A.G.M.; these must be received by the Secretary at least 7 days before the Meeting, signed by the proposer and seconder.
5.4 Twenty Members present shall constitute a quorum at the A.G.M. In the event of a quorum not being present, the meeting shall be adjourned to such place, date, and time within the ensuing 14 days as the Chairman shall decide, and the members present at such an adjourned meeting shall constitute a quorum.
5.5 An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called at any time by the Committee, or requisitioned by not less than one-tenth of the current members. Such a meeting to be held within 21 days of the Honorary Secretary’s receipt of such requisition, and Members to be given 14 days notice of such a meeting. The quorum shall be the same as a quorum at an A.G.M.
6. Constitution
6.1 Matters not hereinbefore provided for and not involving an amendment to the Constitution may be dealt with by the Committee. The Society in General Meeting may amend this Constitution by a resolution passed by a two-thirds majority of those Members present and voting.
6.2 If the Society decides, by a majority of two-thirds of those members present and voting at a General Meeting, to discontinue the work of the Society, any money or property belonging to the Society, after payment of all expenses and liabilities properly incurred, shall be distributed to charitable institutions having similar objects to the Society.