Our Policies & Procedures
As a member, you have the right to have access to all of our policies and procedures. This page has the latest versions of all our documentation.
All documents are in PDF format. Most browers will be able to open them but you can also download a free PDF viewer here.
We know that sometimes it can be difficult to talk about your concerns but we will always actively encourage you to speak up - we'll listen to you in a safe and confiential manner. If you need support, you can contact the safeguarding officer or a member of the committee that you trust.
If you're in need of mental health support, you can always call The Samaritans on 116 123 or text 'SHOUT' to 85258 if you'd prefer to talk by text message instead. If you're in crisis, you should call 111 (Option 2) or, if you or someone you know is in immediate danger, it's 999.
If you're under 19, you can also call Childline on 0800 1111.
Other organisations and services can be found on Hub Of Hope.
About Our Policies
Generally, in these policies:
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Bishop Auckland Theatre Society is also referred to as 'BATS' or 'the society'.
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AGM refers to the formal Annual General Meeting of society members.
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Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) is the legal framework we use for our charitable status.
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Committee refers to the society of members who are elected to manage the society on behalf of the membership. ‘Committee member’ and ‘trustee’ are used interchangeably in this document as they are one and the same in BATS.
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[The] Constitution means the governing document that is legally binding and enforceable – it is part of our CIO legal framework and can only be altered with the approval of the Charity Commission.
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DBS is the abbreviation for the Disclosure & Barring Service.
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Paid-up Member refers to a member that is up to date with their membership subscription fee (often known as subs) and does not owe any money to the society.
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Policy refers to the rules of Bishop Auckland Theatre Society that are created by its members and enforced by the Committee without need for approval from the Charity Commission. In older, now outdated documents, these may have been referred to as byelaws.
Committee Perogative
Section 26 of our constitution allows the committee, from time to time, to make reasonable and proper rules as they deem necessary or expedient for the proper conduct and management of Bishop Auckland Theatre Society. No rule made by the committee can supersede any clause in the constitution of the CIO or the law.
For the proper management of Bishop Auckland Theatre Society, the committee can vote, at a properly convened meeting, to add, alter, or suspend any policy.
If any issue is not directly addressed by a policy or the constitution, any rulings will be left to the sole discretion of the committee.