RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION
Useful Numbers & Links | The Committee | Constitution | Disclaimer
|
||||
| 1. | Name | |||
| 1.1 | The name of the Association shall be The Caversham and District Residents' Association. | |||
| 2. | Aim | |||
| 2.1 | The aim of the Association shall be to preserve and enhance the quality of life in Caversham and the surrounding district. | |||
| 3. | Membership | |||
| 3.1 | Membership of the Association shall be open to all individuals residing in Caversham and the surrounding district. | |||
| 3.2 | Any person eligible for membership under Clause 3.1 shall become a member on application to the Association and upon payment of the requisite subscription. Membership shall cease when a member leaves the area defined at Clause 3.1, or when Clause 13.3 (overdue subscription) applies. | |||
| 4. | The Committee | |||
| 4.1 | Any member, having expressed a willingness to carry out an executive task, shall be eligible for election to the Committee at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) next following the first anniversary of membership. | |||
| 4.2 | The Committee shall consist of up to nine elected members and up to three co-opted members. | |||
| 4.3 | One third of the elected members shall retire, in rotation, at each AGM but may stand for re-election and the provisions of Article 11 shall apply to the election process. | |||
| 4.4 | Members co-opted by the Committee must be approved at the AGM following co-option and at each successive AGM so long as the period of co-option continues. | |||
| 4.5 | The Committee shall carry on the business of the Association other than in respect of matters reserved for the decision of the membership of the Association in General Meeting. | |||
| 4.6 | The decisions of the Committee shall be binding on the Officers of the Association and all other executive officeholders, except that the Committee shall not contradict decisions taken by the Chair pursuant to the delegated authority conferred under Clause 6.3 or by the Officers of the Association under Clause 5.1. The Committee may require the Chair to explain the circumstances leading to the use of the authority delegated under Clause 6.3. | |||
| 4.7 | The Committee shall appoint from among its own number of elected members and may remove all Officers of the Association. The Committee shall elect all other executive officeholders from among its number. | |||
| 4.8 | The Committee shall meet at such intervals as it shall determine but the determination shall not be such that more than eight weeks will have passed between meetings. | |||
| 4.9 | The proceedings at a Committee Meeting shall be valid if more than half the members are present and one of the members present is an Officer of the Association. | |||
| 4.10 | Membership of the Committee shall be forfeited, at the discretion of the Committee, if a member misses more than three consecutive Committee Meetings. | |||
| 4.11 | The Committee shall ensure that the agenda for the AGM has regard to items requested by members of the Association in accordance with Clause 10.4. | |||
| 4.12 | The Committee, having received the advice of the Treasurer, shall set the amount and frequency of the membership subscription. This will be reported to the membership at the AGM. | |||
| 5. | The Officers of the Association | |||
| 5.1 | The Officers of the Association shall be the Chair, Secretary and Treasurer. They shall be jointly and severally responsible for upholding the Constitution of the Association and may assume the duties of the Committee if the Committee should disband, fail or refuse to carry on the business of the Association as required by Clause 4.5. | |||
| 6. | The Chair | |||
| 6.1 | Any member appointed to the Chair in accordance with Clause 4.7 shall vacate that Office at the end of three years, or when retirement from the Committee is due in accordance with Clause 4.3, whichever is the earlier. The outgoing Chair, if otherwise eligible, may be re-appointed to that Office but such re-appointment shall be subject to ratification by the membership at the next following AGM. | |||
| 6.2 | The Chair shall be the chief spokesperson for the Association in stating or interpreting Association policy. | |||
| 6.3 | When the Committee cannot be convened and decisions must be made, the Chair shall exercise decision-making authority on behalf of the Committee. | |||
| 6.4 | In dealings with other bodies and organisations, the Chair shall be the representative of the Association. The Chair may delegate this duty to any other member of the Committee, or, but only with the approval of the Committee, to a member of the Association who is not a member of the Committee. | |||
| 6.5 | The Chair shall deliver to the members in AGM a report of the activities of the Association. | |||
| 6.6 | The Chair shall promote membership of the Association. | |||
| 6.7 | The Chair shall chair the AGM, any Extraordinary Meeting (EGM) of the Association and Committee meetings. This duty may be delegated to a Vice-Chair or, if there is no Vice-Chair, to any other Committee member. | |||
| 7. | The Secretary | |||
| 7.1 | The Secretary shall receive and deliver all formal Notices on behalf of the Association. | |||
| 7.2 | The Secretary shall conduct elections provided for in the Constitution. | |||
| 7.3 | The Secretary shall keep safe and available, for seven years, the Minutes of Committee meetings and of the AGM and any EGM. | |||
| 7.4 | The Secretary shall communicate with members and others in accordance with the instructions of the Committee. | |||
| 8. | The Treasurer | |||
| 8.1 | The Treasurer shall arrange for the proper and safe custody of the Association's funds. | |||
| 8.2 | The Treasurer shall diligently maintain the financial books and records of the Association. | |||
| 8.3 | The Treasurer shall deliver a report to the members in AGM and prepare annual accounts of the Association for independent audit prior to presentation to the AGM for adoption. | |||
| 8.5 | In the absence of the Treasurer appointed in accordance with Clause 4.7, the Committee shall appoint any member of the Association to act as Treasurer, such member to hold that office until an appointment in accordance with Clause 4.7 can be made. | |||
| 9. | The President | |||
| 9.1 | On the recommendation of the Committee, the members of the Association, in General Meeting, may appoint any person to the position of President in recognition of outstanding service to the Association but only one person may occupy the position of President at any given time. | |||
| 9.2 | The incumbent shall remain in office sine die and shall be entitled to membership of the Association without payment of any fee or subscription. | |||
| 9.3 | The President may attend all or any General or Extraordinary meetings of the Association with the same rights to speak and vote as attach to any other member of the Association, except that the President shall not have the right or obligation to stand for election to the Committee. | |||
| 9.4 | The President may attend and speak at all or any Committee meetings but shall not be included as a member of the Committee for the purpose of Clause 4.2 (numbers) or Clause 4.9 (quorum). | |||
| 10. | General Meetings | |||
| 10.1 | The Association's Year shall be a period of twelve months beginning 1st March. | |||
| 10.2 | The AGM shall be called for a date as close to 1st March as is practicable. The convening Notice shall be issued by the Secretary not less than twenty-eight days before the date of the AGM. | |||
| 10.3 | With the Notice convening the AGM, nominations for membership of the Committee will be invited as vacancies become due in accordance with Clause 4.3 (retirement by rotation) and to meet the requirements of Clause 4.2 (number of elected members). | |||
| 10.4 | Any member may request the Committee to consider an item for inclusion on the Agenda for the AGM. In order to be considered, such a request must be delivered to the Secretary in writing within 10 days of the issue of Notice of the AGM. | |||
| 10.5 | An application for an EGM may be lodged by written Notice delivered to the Secretary and signed by twelve members of the Association. The Notice shall contain particulars of the reason for the application. Within twenty-eight days of receipt of the application, the Secretary shall convene the EGM by Notice to all members, such EGM to take place within twenty-eight days of the issue of the convening Notice to members. | |||
| 10.6 | Any General Meeting of the Association shall be declared void if fewer than 25 members are present. | |||
| 11. | Election of Committee | |||
| 11.1 | Nomination for election to the Committee must be notified to the Secretary not later than fourteen days before the date of the AGM. | |||
| 11.2 | The nomination must be in writing, signed by the nominee, who must be eligible for nomination in accordance with Clause 4.1, and supported by two other members of the Association. | |||
| 11.3 | In the event that the number of nominations is equal to or fewer than the number of vacant places on the Committee, all persons nominated who receive no fewer than ten votes from members present at the AGM will be regarded as elected. | |||
| 11.4 | In the event that the number of nominations is greater than the number of vacant places, the vacancies will be filled by ballot. | |||
| 12. | Members' Right to Vote | |||
| 12.1 | Subject to Clause 12.2, members entitled to vote on any matter when a vote of the membership is called, shall be those who have paid the subscription by the due date. (Clause 13.2) | |||
| 12.2 | One subscription carries one vote. Where a household consists of more than one adult member, each additional adult member may pay the membership subscription and thereby acquire the right to vote. | |||
| 13. | Subscriptions | |||
| 13.1 | One membership subscription payment will qualify all members of one household for membership of the Association. | |||
| 13.2 | The subscription in respect of any Association Year is due on the date determined by the Committee. The subscription for a person joining the Association during an Association Year is due at the date of joining. | |||
| 13.3 | Any member whose subscription remains unpaid at the end of six months after the due date shall be deemed to have terminated his/her membership of the Association. | |||
| 14. | Winding up of the Association | |||
| 14.1 | On the winding up of the Association, any monetary funds shall be donated to any local community association, project or body chosen by the Committee or, in the absence of a Committee, by the Treasurer. | |||
| 15. | Amendments to the Constitution | |||
| 15.1 | Details of proposals to amend the Constitution must be delivered to the Secretary, in writing and be signed by twenty members of the Association. | |||
| 15.2 | The proposals must be put to the members in AGM or an EGM called for the purpose, the members having been notified of the proposals twenty-eight days before the relevant AGM or EGM. | |||
| 15.3 | The proposed amendments will be carried into effect if three quarters of the voting members attending the AGM or the EGM called for the purpose so agree. ENDS | |||
Useful Numbers & Links | The Committee | Constitution | Disclaimer