Friends of Ingrebourne Valley and Hornchurch Country Park
Constitution
1. Name of the Organisation
The name of The Group shall be "Friends of Ingrebourne Valley and Hornchurch Country Park", hereinafter referred to as The Group.
2. Aims and Objectives of The Group
The aims of The Group are:
2.1 To promote the wide and responsible use of the Ingrebourne Valley and Hornchurch Country Park, hereinafter referred to as The Valley (see Appendix 1).
2.2 To enhance The Valley for the benefit of the whole community.
2.3 To improve the recreational and educational facilities of The Valley.
2.4 To enhance, protect and promote the natural environment within The
Valley.
2.5 To protect and promote the heritage and historical artefacts of The Valley.
2.6 To raise funds to support the work of The Group.
The Group will fulfil these aims through the following objectives:
1. Liaising and working with the London Borough of Havering, the Essex Wildlife Trust and other relevant statutory and non-statutory agencies.
2. Assisting the Hornchurch Country Park Rangers with practical maintenance and conservation projects.
3. Receiving donations, raising funds, opening and operating a bank account, and applying for grants and other finance where appropriate in furtherance of the aims of The Group.
4. If appropriate, affiliating with voluntary sector bodies for training and expertise.
5. Organising meetings, training courses and events to further the aims of The Group.
6. Working with similar groups and exchanging information and advice.
7. Taking any action that is lawful and intended to help it to fulfil its aims.
3. The Committee
3.1 Only Members of The Group aged eighteen years and over shall be eligible to serve as a Committee Officer.
3.2 An Executive Committee shall be elected to carry out the business of The Group and shall be made up of a Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer and Secretary.
3.3 The Committee shall comprise a maximum 15 Members in total, including the elected Executive Committee and Committee Officers.
3.4 All Executive Committee and Committee Officers must use The Valley and/or believe in furthering the aims of The Group.
3.5 All Executive Committee and Committee Officers shall be made up of Members who are entitled to voting rights (see membership section).
3.6 The Committee must be elected at an Annual General Meeting (AGM).
3.7 All nominations for Committee posts must be proposed and seconded before being put forward for election.
3.8 Officers shall carry out the duties given to them by The Group.
3.9 The Committee shall meet no less than 6 times a year.
3.10 Minutes of Committee meetings shall be available to all Members.
3.11 All Officers shall hold their post until the conclusion of the next AGM of The Group and shall be eligible for re-election.
3.12 If a vacancy occurs by death, resignation or disqualification among the Committee Officers of The Group, the Committee shall have the power to fill this post from among its Members.
3.13 The Committee has power to set up sub-groups and work parties as deemed necessary and these shall be accountable to the Committee.
4. Membership
Membership of The Group shall be open to:
4.1 Individuals aged eighteen years and over who use The Valley and are interested in supporting the aims of The Group and shall be known as Full Members.
4.2 Clubs, groups and societies which use The Valley and are interested in supporting the aims of The Group. Each club, group or society may appoint one individual person for nomination as a Member to represent it and vote on its behalf at meetings, who shall be known as an Affiliated Group.
4.3 Representatives from statutory bodies, and any person under the age of eighteen years may be invited to join, and shall be known as Associate Members.
5. Members' voting rights
5.1 Individual Full Members shall be entitled to one voting right.
5.2 Affiliated Group Members shall be offered one voting right.
5.3 Associate Members will not have any voting rights.
6. Termination of Membership
6.1 The Committee shall have the right, for good and sufficient reason; to exclude any individual Member from The Group (including any Committee Officer), provided that the Member shall have their case considered by the Committee before a final decision is made. There is no appeal following a final decision.
6.2 Any Member of The Group may resign his/her membership by giving written notice to that effect.
6.3 Any Committee Officer who fails to attend 3 consecutive meetings without sending apologies will be deemed to have stood down from the Committee. The Chair or Secretary of the Executive Committee will send written confirmation to the Member concerned.
7. Equal Opportunities
7.1 The Group will treat all qualifying Members equally, whatever their race, colour, ethnic origin, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, political opinion, state of health, appearance, marital status or family circumstances.
7.2 The Group will apply a commitment to equal opportunities when deciding who serves on the Committee.
8. Finance
8.1 All money raised by or on behalf of The Group is to be used only to further the aims of The Group.
8.2 The Treasurer shall open a bank account in the name of "Friends of Ingrebourne Valley". The Treasurer must have relevant experience or have attended an appropriate training course. Where necessary, training will be given to Committee Officers.
8.3 Cheque signatories will be nominated by the Committee (one to be the Treasurer and three other Officers of the Executive Committee)
8.4 All cheques and instructions to The Group's bankers shall require two of the agreed signatures.
8.5 The Treasurer shall have the accounts audited/checked by a Finance Officer or a Treasurer of a community group, law centre or council for voluntary service at the end of the financial year (31 March).
8.6 The accounts shall be made available to Members at the AGM.
9. Annual General Meeting (AGM)
9.1 There shall be an inaugural meeting held on April 21st 2012 and an AGM within 14 months thereafter at which the Committee will report on its work and present a statement of accounts.
9.2 The AGM shall elect a new Committee for the next year. All nominations must be proposed and seconded before being put forward for election.
9.3 The Secretary will notify all Members of the date of the meeting not less than 28 days before the AGM.
10. Other General Meetings
10.1 There will be a General Meeting open to all people who use The Valley and who also believe in furthering the aims of The Group when required to discuss particular issues.
10.2 A Special General Meeting open to all Members will be held if twelve or more Members entitled to vote submit in writing a request for such a meeting to the Secretary. The Secretary shall arrange for the meeting to take place within fourteen days.
10.3 The Secretary will publicise in advance all General Meetings.
11. Rules and Procedures at all meetings:
11.1 Members shall, at all times, conduct themselves in a reasonable manner at meetings, and will be excluded if they contravene the objectives of The Group, or bring it into disrepute. Exclusion will be by a majority of those present and voting at any Committee or General Meeting.
11.2 Before voting any Member may propose an amendment which must also be seconded.
11.3 All decisions arising from questions raised at any meeting shall be decided by a simple majority of those present and entitled to vote there at.
11.4 Only Members present at the meeting may vote.
11.5 No Member shall exercise more than one vote, but in the case of an equality of votes the Chair shall have a second or casting vote.
12. Minutes
12.1 Minute books shall be kept by The Group of all Committee and General Meetings.
13. Quorum
13.1 No General Meeting or AGM shall take place if less than ten voting Members including two Members of the Committee are present.
13.2 No Committee meeting shall take place if less than four of the Committee including one from the Executive is present.
14. Changes to The Constitution
14.1 The Constitution can be altered at an AGM or at a Special General Meeting called formally for that purpose.
14.2 Any suggested changes to The Constitution must be handed to the Secretary 14 days before the AGM.
14.3 Changes to the Constitution must be agreed by two thirds of the Members present at the meeting.
15. Dissolution
15.1 The Group may only be dissolved at a Special General Meeting called for that purpose and must be advertised 28 before the meeting.
15.2 A proposal to dissolve The Group shall take effect only if agreed by two thirds of the Members present at the meeting.
15.3 Any property or funds remaining after all debts have been paid shall be donated to community groups or charities within the Havering area. No property or funds should be distributed to Members or Affiliated Groups.
15.4 Minutes of the final meeting must be sent to all Members.
16. Adoption of Constitution
This Constitution was adopted as the Constitution of 'Friends of Ingrebourne Valley and Hornchurch Country Park' at a General Meeting held at St. John and St. Matthew Church, South Hornchurch on 21st April 2012.
Signed:*________________________ Signed:*________________________
(Chair) (Secretary)
Name *_________________________ Name *_________________________
(Printed) (Printed)
Dated: ________________