Our Constitution

Our Constitution

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1. Company

The name of the company is Production Managers Forum CIC, referred to as ‘the PMF’ throughout this document.

2. Aims/purpose

The PMF is a resource for anyone involved in the production management of theatre or live events and aims to:

  • share ideas and knowledge
  • support and promote best practice within production management
  • connect Production Managers with each other through its website, social media channels, regular forums and social events
  • develop its website to be a vital source of information for production management professionals and students
  • publish a regular newsletter and distribute it to members, supporters and other industry bodies
  • organise regular forums throughout the UK, each one focusing on an issue relevant to production management
  • post videos of its forums, which will also be live-streamed on Facebook, for reference and for those unable to attend the event
  • offer a library of relevant and up to date information, legislation and codes of practice pertinent to theatre and live events
  • encourage employers to advertise relevant job vacancies via the PMF website and social media channels
  • develop a Support Hub of individuals and suppliers, to provide regional support and local knowledge
  • provide mentorship schemes for young and aspiring Production Managers
  • encourage members to play as full a part as possible in the management and running of the PMF
  • seek support from theatre and live events companies and suppliers to enable the PMF to continue and to develop
  • find ways to promote equality and diversity in production management and in the work of the PMF

3. Membership 

  1. Membership is open to anyone who supports the aims of the organisation
  2. Membership is not transferable to anyone else.
  3. Every member shall have one vote.

4. Termination of Membership

Membership is terminated if:

  1. the member dies
  2. the member resigns in writing
  3. the PMF committee, acting reasonably and properly, deems termination of membership is in the best interest of the organisation. The committee can only do this if:
  • the member has been given at least 21 days’ written notice of the committee meeting where the issue will be discussed and decided, including the reasons for the discussion
  • the member, or the member’s representative (who does not have to be a member of the organisation), has been allowed to submit a written statement to the meeting
  • the decision to terminate membership is communicated to the member in writing within seven days of the meeting taking place

Any decision made by the committee to terminate membership is final.

5. Committee Membership

In addition to the membership the PMF will have a Committee of elected or appointed officials.

  1. Any PMF Member can apply to join the committee.
  2. Once accepted by the Committee, committee membership lasts for 3 years and may be renewed.
  3. The Committee will keep an up-to-date Committee membership list.
  4. The Committee may refuse a person membership if they believe it is in the best interests of the PMF; the committee must inform the applicant in writing of the reasons for the refusal within 21 days of the decision; and the committee must consider any appeal in writing the applicant may make about the decision
  5. The committee decision following any written appeal must be notified to the applicant in writing but shall be final. In this clause and throughout this document ‘in writing’ and ‘written’ can include electronic methods of communication.

6. Constitution of the Committee

All aspects of running the PMF will be governed and managed by a committee of no less than three individuals and no more than ten. The organisation will have at least the following officers:

  1. Chair
  2. Secretary
  3. Treasurer

7. Appointment and election of the committee

The first committee were the members decided upon at the committee meeting held on 28th October 2019, where this governing document was adopted. The current committee is listed here and will serve for three years. Those names in bold are also Directors of PMF CIC.

Michael Ager
Ollie Brown
Peter Dean
(Treasurer)
Kat Ellis
Louise Gregory
Mandy Ivory-Castile (Chair)
Ned Lay
Dan Shelley
Suzy Somerville (Secretary)
Ian Taylor

Additional committee members must be elected by a majority vote at a properly convened committee meeting and will serve for a term of three years.

  1. Any PMF member can be appointed to the committee if the existing members deem them to be a fit and proper person for the role with the required skill and experience.
  2. Each of the initial committee members can serve a maximum of two consecutive three year terms after their initial term.
  3. Any committee member not included in the initial members can serve a maximum of two consecutive three year terms.
  4. A member can stand for re-election after a gap of one year after serving their maximum consecutive terms.

8. Removal of committee members

Committee members can be removed if:

  1. they cease to be a member of the PMF
  2. they resign in writing. If the resignation means there will be less than three committee members the remaining committee members may only act to co-opt a third committee member.
  3. they are absent without permission from all committee meetings held within a 12 month period.
  4. a two-thirds majority of the committee, acting reasonably and properly, feel it is in the best interests of the organisation. The committee can only do this if:
  • the committee member has been given at least 21 days’ written notice of the committee meeting where the issue will be discussed and decided, including the reasons for the discussion
  • the committee member, or the committee member’s representative (who does not have to be a member of the PMF), has been allowed to submit a written statement to the meeting
  • the decision to remove the committee member is communicated to that member in writing within seven days of the meeting taking place

Any decision made by the committee to terminate membership is final.

9. Payments to committee members

  1. No committee member will be paid for their role as a committee member of the PMF.
  2. Where it is in the best interests of the PMF committee members can be paid for providing goods and professional services to the PMF.
  3. Any payment made will be no higher than the standard market rate.
  4. Where a payment for goods and services is made to a committee member, that committee member must adhere to the conflict of interest and loyalties clause in this document.

10. Conflicts of interests and conflicts of loyalties

Committee members must declare any conflict between their personal interests and the best interests of the organisation. Conflicts can include but are not limited to:

  1. payments to a committee member to provide goods or services
  2. payments to a relative of a committee member to provide goods or services
  3. payments to a business interest of a committee member to provide goods or services

Where a conflict of interest has been declared the committee member will take no part in the organisations decision-making process relating to the conflict of interest.

11. Powers and Responsibilities

  1. The committee has ultimate legal responsibility for the PMF.
  2. The committee can act in any lawful way to fulfil the aims of the PMF.

12. Meetings and proceedings of the committee

  1. The committee will meet at least two times a year, either physically or on-line.
  2. Any committee member can request a meeting outside of the minimum two per year. If requested to do so a meeting must be called within 30 days of the request.
  3. Three committee members or a third of all committee members (whichever is the greater) will be quorum for committee meetings.
  4. No decision may be made by a meeting of the committee unless a quorum is present.
  5. Decisions shall be made by majority vote of those present at the meeting.
  6. Minutes of all committee meetings will be kept and shared with the committee after the meeting.
  7. Meeting minutes should be available for any PMF member to read.
  8. PMF Members may be invited to attend committee meetings and make suggestions for the group.
  9. The committee may make collective decisions electronically outside of committee meetings. Any such decisions should be reported and minuted at the next committee meeting.

13. Rules

  1. The committee can establish rules and procedures outside of this document to assist with the day to day running of the PMF.
  2. Nothing in any rules or procedures will contradict anything in this document.

14. Finance

  1. The financial year shall end on 31st December
  2. A bank account shall be opened in the name of the PMF, all payments will be authorised by any two committee members and records kept.
  3. The PMF is a not-for-profit organisation and any income and property of the PMF will be applied solely towards promoting the aims of the PMF as set out in this document.
  4. The distribution of profits and assets among its members is expressly prohibited.
  5. Payment of legitimate expenses is allowed.

15. Annual General Meeting (AGM)

  1. The first AGM will be called within 15 months of this governing document taking effect.
  2. All subsequent AGMs will be within 15 months of the previous AGM.
  3. Any normal committee meeting can be designated as the AGM.
  4. All normal procedures for a committee meeting will apply to the AGM.
  5. The AGM will include a report on the year’s activities and the last set of finalised accounts at each AGM.

16. Accounts

  1. The financial accounts will be prepared after each financial year by the treasurer and examined and scrutinised by a person who is independent of the committee.
  2. The accounts will be presented at the AGM.

17. Alterations to the constitution

The constitution may be amended by a two-thirds majority of the voting members present at an AGM.

18. Dissolution

In the event of the PMF being wound up, any assets remaining after the payment of debts and liabilities will be donated to a not-for-profit organisation with similar objectives to the PMF. This will be decided by a vote of remaining committee members. No remaining assets will be distributed to members.