Structure, Governance and Management

Governing Document and Constitution

The Society is an unincorporated association governed by a Constitution adopted August 1996 and last amended February 2004.

The Society is run entirely by its members who pay an annual membership subscription and are not eligible for reimbursement of any out-of-pocket expenses. As of March 31^st 2009 the Society had a membership of 46.

Trustee Selection

The Society is managed by an Executive Committee (the Charity Trustees) who are elected annually by and from amongst the membership.

Additional Management Information

The Executive Committee meet once per month and decisions are made on a simple majority basis unless Constitutional or legal requirements mandate a greater majority.

The Executive Committee members also have powers and spending limits within their specific areas of responsibility which they may exercise without prior consultation; however all actions and spending must be reported to the next meeting of the trustees.

The Society has appointed a Finance sub-committee which meets on an ad hoc basis to advise on budget and financial management matters.

Further ad hoc meetings are called if required, for example to plan and manage special events or projects, such meetings are typically open to all Society members not just the trustees.

Related Organisations

The Society is a member of the Federation of Astronomical Societies (FAS), a national body established to promote co-operation between astronomical societies and provide information and advice to its members; for further information see the FAS website.

Two trustees of Mexborough & Swinton Astronomical Society, Mr O'Dell and Mr Gawthrope, serve on the Council of the FAS; Mr O'Dell as Secretary and Mr Gawthrope as Website Co-ordinator; all FAS Council members are drawn from the Federation's member societies.

The Society made a subscription payment to the FAS of £57.00 in the year and also purchased additional Public Liability cover, to cover events held away from the Observatory and meeting room, as part of a group scheme at a cost of £40.00.

Tony Morris, trustee and Curator of Instruments and Observatory, serves on the Council of the British Astronomical Association.

The Society's meeting room is a rented room in the Swinton Working Men's Club & Institute (SWMC). It is a requirement of the SWMC that all adult members of the Mexborough & Swinton Astronomical Society will be members of the SWMC. SWMC membership of Society members is managed by the Society and subscription payments totalling £41 were made to SWMC, in addition room rent was paid in the amount of £600.

The J.A. Jones Hoober Observatory is built on land rented from Yorkshire Water Services Ltd. for an annual rent of £50.

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