MaccPride - Pride in Macclesfield
Our Constitution

Our Constitution

Constitution of Macclesfield Pride

1. Name

The name of the group shall be Macclesfield Pride and this is the registered Charity (1182231).

2. Aims and Objectives

  • To promote equality and celebrate diversity, and create social inclusion for all in the local community.
  • To increase visibility and reduce negativity, as we address discrimination against any difference especially within the LGBTQ+ community.
  • To establish and continue working alongside community groups to prevent isolation of marginalised groups all year round.
  • To support the Committee of Macclesfield Pride to create an annual event in the Macclesfield town centre, plus any other events and groups to meet our aims throughout the year. Use of local businesses and facilities will be prioritised.
  • To use the trademark of Macclesfield Pride in respect of merchandise for the benefit of the local LGBTQ+ community.

3. Membership

  • Is open to anyone who supports the aims of Macclesfield Pride, and includes all members of Macclesfield Pride.
  • Is for everyone over the age of 18 years. Anyone under 18 must have the consent from one parent or Guardian.
  • Is for people who reside locally or in the surrounding areas of Macclesfield, or have local connection to this area as agreed by the Committee.
  • Membership will begin as soon as the membership form has been completed and a nominal, one-off subscription fee of £1 has been paid.
  • Members can vote at an Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) after being a member for at least three (3) months.
  • A list of all members will be kept by the Honorary Secretary and reviewed and updated at each AGM.

3.1 Ceasing to be a member:

Members may resign at any time in writing or email to the Honorary Secretary. A member who has resigned membership of their own volition may become a member again in the future, and will be welcomed with a full understanding of the needs to prioritise other life areas at times, unless issues surrounding offensive behaviour, as detailed below, have arisen.

Any offensive behaviour, including racist, sexist or inflammatory remarks, harassment or bullying of individuals or groups, within or outside Macclesfield Pride, will not be permitted. Anyone behaving in an offensive way, or breaking the equal opportunities policy or safeguarding policy,  may have their membership revoked.

 

3.1.1 Procedure for revoking membership

Any instances of offensive behaviour or breaking any Macclesfield Pride policies, as described above, will be discussed by the Committee and Trustees, as follows:

  • Macclesfield Pride member(s) who wish to complain regarding another member’s behaviour and/or contravention of Macclesfield Pride policies, must submit a written complaint to the Committee and Trustees. Complaint may be submitted via email, or anonymously to one of the three (3) safe people, who will deidentify the complaint and submit it to the Committee and Trustees.
  • Following an investigation and discussion of the matter, the Committee and Trustees will vote whether they agree that the behaviour/action(s) constitutes a contravention of Macclesfield Pride policies.
  • In case of a majority vote of agreement, a formal written warning will be given to the member in question by email, ahead of any revocation of membership, on behalf of the Committee and Trustees, allowing individuals an opportunity to review the actions or behaviours causing offense and to adjust accordingly.
  • Should such actions or behaviours continue after such a warning has been issued, steps will be taken to remove the member. The committee shall be consulted at all steps, including the right to vote on issuance of the warning letter, and the agreement to revoke membership should reasonable requests to adjust the behaviours (which should be stated in the warning) not be met.
  • If any further complaints are submitted against the individual, and are ratified as valid by a majority vote of the Committee and Trustees, the individual’s membership will be revoked.
  • Individuals whose membership has been revoked by the Committee and Trustees may apply to rejoin Macclesfield Pride after a period of no shorter than one (1) year. The application will include a letter of appeal to be reviewed and voted on by the Committee and Trustees. In case of a majority vote, the individual’s membership may be reinstated. The £1 subscription fee will apply.

4. Equal Opportunities

Members will not discriminate on the grounds of sex, race (including colour, ethnic or national origin), sexual orientation, disability, gender, trans status, religious or political belief, pregnancy or maternity, marital status or age.

5. Management

The business of the group will be carried out under the Governance of the Macclesfield Pride Trustees, and implemented by the Macclesfield Pride Committee.

5.1 Macclesfield Pride Trustees

Macclesfield Pride Trustees will consist of five (5) individuals, who can be appointed during an AGM or EGM.

Trustees may also hold positions within the Macclesfield Pride Committee, if they have been a member of Macclesfield Pride for at least three (3) months and there are no objections from the Committee; objections must be voted on by the Committee during a meeting. This clause of the Constitution must be voted on by the membership during every AGM.

Trustees who are not Committee members may attend and speak at Committee meetings but cannot take part in any Committee vote and should not be part of any Committee-specific communications channels such as WhatsApp groups.

5.1.1 Selection of Trustees

When new Trustees are needed, the Social Media team, with guidance from the Secretary of the Trustees, will promote the available positions on social media, inviting interested applicants to submit responses to questions with a deadline of at least four (4) weeks from the first announcement.

  • The questions will be defined by the existing Trustees including those whose tenure will come to an end at the following AGM.
  • Thereafter, new Trustees will be selected from complete applications submitted within the stated deadline, by existing Trustees including those whose tenure will come to an end at the following AGM.
  • The existing Trustees’ selection of new Trustees will be ratified by vote of attending members during the AGM.

Individuals who reside locally or in the surrounding areas of Macclesfield or have local connection to the area are eligible to apply for Trusteeship. Newly selected Trustees do not need to have been a member of Macclesfield Pride at the time of their application but are expected to become a member at their earliest convenience following their appointment.

On the first Trustee meeting following an AGM, the Trustee roles (Chair and Secretary) will be reviewed and discussed and changes in existing roles can be made. Roles can be revisited during any Trustee meeting.

5.1.2 Ceasing to be a Trustee

Trustees may resign their position at any time by giving written email notice to the Committee Honorary Secretary.

Macclesfield Pride Trustees will automatically resign their positions after serving for three (3) years. Trustee resignations will alternate to ensure continuity and stability. Trustees whose tenure has come to an end may apply to be considered for selection for another term.

5.2 Macclesfield Pride Trustee meetings

Trustees recommend meeting four (4) times per year, with a minimum of one (1) meeting per year. Meetings will be called by the Trustee (co-)Chair(s) or Secretary. Trustees must receive notice of at least seven (7) days before the meeting. The quorum for Trustee meetings is three (3) Trustees.

5.3 Macclesfield Pride Committee

Individuals who have been members of Macclesfield Pride for at least three (3) months are eligible for election to the Committee. Committee members may be elected during an AGM or EGM. The Honorary Secretary will call out the available positions on social media, inviting interested applicants to nominate themselves with a deadline of at least four (4) weeks from the first announcement. If there are more applications than available positions, Committee members will be selected by vote during the AGM/EGM.

Committee members will remain in office for one (1) year. Any committee member may resign their role by giving written notice to the Honorary Secretary. Committee Members whose tenure has ended may put their names forward for re-election for the following year.

The officers’ roles are as follows (subject to flexibility as the Committee agree):

  • Honorary Chair – who shall chair both general and committee meetings. Coordinate roles and tasks agreed at meetings.
  • Honorary Vice Chair – will step up and perform the role of Chair in their absence, and take on other designated roles as mutually agreed.
  • Honorary Secretary – who shall be responsible for the taking of minutes and the distribution of all papers. Responsible for keeping records of members
  • Honorary Treasurer – who shall be responsible for maintaining accounts
  • Up to a further seven (7) general Committee members, roles as mutually agreed.

Existing Committee may invite Trustees, those with Consultancy roles, non-Committee members of Macclesfield Pride or the local community to assist with one-off topics or events, as deemed necessary.

5.4 Macclesfield Pride Committee meetings

Committee meetings will be called by the Honorary Chair or Honorary Secretary. Committee members must receive notice of meetings at least seven (7) days before the meeting. The quorum for Committee meetings is four (4) Committee members. No decisions can be made if the quorum is outweighed by a family, relationship or conflict of interest bias. If no decision is able to be made due to tied votes, the discussion will roll over to the next meeting.

A Committee member who is not able to attend a meeting must advise the Honorary Secretary. Any Committee member not attending a meeting without apology for three (3) months will be contacted by the Honorary Secretary and asked if they wish to resign; no more than one (1) follow-up will be sent. If the individual does not respond within four (4) weeks of the initial communication, their officer status will be removed.

In the event of an officer standing down or being removed during the year, a replacement will be elected by the next AGM or Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) of members.

5.5. Conflicts of interest of Trustees and Committee members

Trustees and Committee members must abstain from voting on matters on which they have a potential conflict of interest. Conflicts of interest will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

6. Finances

An account will be maintained on behalf of Macclesfield Pride at a bank agreed by the Committee. Two or more account administrators will be nominated by the Committee (one to be the Honorary Treasurer). The account administrators must not be related nor members of the same household.

  • For all cheque payments, two of the account administrators will sign the cheque.
  • For other payments (such as BACS payments, cash withdrawals, debit card payments or cash payments), a requisition note will be signed by two of the account administrators, and held by the Honorary Treasurer.

All payments from the account will be authorised by the Committee. Payments under £30 can be authorised by just one of the Committee’s officers. All payments over £30 will need to be authorised by two of the Committee’s officers.

Records of income and expenditure will be maintained by the Honorary Treasurer and a financial statement given at each meeting.

All money raised by or on behalf of Macclesfield Pride is only to be used to further the aims of the group, as specified in item 2 of this constitution.

7. Annual General Meeting

An AGM will be held within fifteen (15) months of the previous AGM. All members will be notified in writing or email at least two (2) weeks before the date of the meeting, giving the venue, date and time. Nominations for the Committee may be made to the Honorary Secretary at least one week before the meeting.

The quorum for the AGM will be 10 members, and they must have been a member for the three (3) months) prior to the AGM. At the AGM:-

  • The Trustees and Committee will present a report of the work of Macclesfield Pride for the year.
  • The Honorary Treasurer will present the accounts of Macclesfield Pride for the previous year.
  • The Trustees and Committee for the next year will be confirmed and positions may be changed every year as stated at item 5 of this Constitution.
  • Any proposals given to the Honorary Secretary at least seven (7) days in advance of the meeting will be discussed.

8. Extraordinary General Meetings

The Honorary Secretary will call an EGM at the request of the majority of the Committee or at least eight (8) other members giving a written request to the Chair or Honorary Secretary stating the reason for their request.

The meeting will take place within twenty-one (21) days of the request. All members will be given two (2) weeks’ notice of such a meeting, giving the venue, date, time and agenda, by email.

Election to replace or add Committee members may also be considered at an EGM, and people may be co-opted in to meet any need in the interim.

The quorum for the EGM will be ten (10) members.

9. Amendments to the Constitution

Amendments to the Constitution may only be made at the AGM or an EGM. Any proposal to amend the constitution must be given to the Honorary Secretary in writing. The proposal must then be circulated with the notice of meeting. Any proposal to amend the constitution will require a two-thirds majority of those present and entitled to vote.

10. Rules of procedures for meetings

All questions that arise at any meeting will be discussed openly, and the meeting will seek to find general agreement that everyone present can agree to. If a consensus cannot be reached a vote will be taken and a decision will be made by a simple majority of members present. If the number of votes cast on each side is equal, the chair of that meeting shall have an additional casting vote. There will be at least two ‘Open Forum’ meetings each year, where anyone can attend and discuss ideas to assist meeting the aims and objectives of the charity.

11. Dissolution

If a meeting, by simple majority, decides that it is necessary to close down the group it may call an EGM to do so. The sole business of this meeting will be to dissolve the group; only Trustees and Committee members can vote at this meeting. If it is agreed to dissolve the group, all remaining money and other assets, once outstanding debts have been paid, will be donated to a local charitable organisation. The organisation will be agreed at the meeting which agrees the dissolution.

Adopted at AGM dated 16 November 2022

Updated: 23 November 2023

Updated: 25 February 2025