CONSTITUTION OF THE FRIENDS OF IGHTENHILL PARK
1. NAME
The name of the Association shall be The Friends of Ightenhill Park.
2. OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the Association shall be to promote the benefit of the inhabitants of the area, without distinction of sex or political, religious or other opinions, by associating the local authorities, voluntary organisations and inhabitants in a common effort to advance education and to improve the physical and economic conditions of life in the area and to provide facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation and leisure-time occupation with the object of improving the conditions of life for the inhabitants of areas surrounding the Park, Bowling Greens and Tennis Courts.
The Association shall be non-party in politics and non-sectarian in religion. The Association shall have the power to affiliate to Community Matters or to other organisations with similar charitable objects.
3. MEMBERSHIP
Membership of the Association shall be open, irrespective of political party, nationality, religious opinion, race, sex or colour to:
(a) All persons 18 years old and over living in The Area who shall be called Full Members. Persons under the age of 18 may be admitted into junior membership as and when and subject to such conditions as the General Committee may decide.
(b) Well-wishers anywhere, who shall be called Associate Members. Associate Members shall not have the right to vote at Members' meetings.
4. TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP
The General Committee shall have the right, for good and sufficient reason, to exclude from meetings an individual member, provided that the individual member shall have the right to be heard by the General Committee before a decision is made.
5. SECTIONS
Sections shall be such groups as may, with the permission of the General Committee, be formed within the Association from amongst the individual members, for the furtherance of a common activity. Each Section shall be eligible to appoint one representative to the General Committee.
6. GENERAL COMMITTEE
(a) The policy and general management of the affairs of the Association shall be conducted by a General Committee, which shall be responsible to the General Meeting of the Association.
(b) The General Committee shall consist of the Honorary Officers elected under clause 7, Section representatives appointed in accordance with clause 5 and up to 10 representatives of individual members elected by and at the Annual General Meeting.
(c) In addition, the General Committee may co-opt further members, who shall not exceed two-thirds of the total membership of the Committee as defined above.
If vacancies occur among its members, the General Committee shall have the power to fill these from amongst the members of the Association.
The General Committee shall have the power to appoint such sub-committees as it may from time to time determine and may determine their powers and terms of reference.
7. HONORARY OFFICERS
The Annual General Meeting shall elect the following Honorary Officers of the Association from amongst those eligible for election to the General Committee:
A Chair, a Vice-Chair, a Secretary, a Treasurer and other Officers (such as a Publicity Officer) as it may from time to time determine. The Honorary Officers shall serve in their respective capacities as Officers of the General Committee.
In the event of a vacancy occurring among the Honorary Officers, the General Committee shall have power to fill such vacancy from its own members or those of the Association.
8. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Once in each year, in the month of November, the General Committee shall convene an Annual General Meeting of the Association for the purpose of receiving the examined statement of accounts; of electing the Honorary Officers; of electing the representatives of individual members to serve on the GENERAL COMMITTEE; of appointing auditors or independent examiners; and of considering, whenever necessary, proposals to amend this Constitution and other business of which due notice has been received.
9. SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING
The Chair of the Association or the Secretary may at any time at their discretion, and shall within 21 days of receiving a written request to do so, signed by not less than 20 members having the power to vote and giving reasons for the request, call a special General Meeting of the Association for the purposes of altering the Constitution in accordance with Clause 13 hereof or of considering any other matter which may be referred to it by the General Committee or for any other purpose.
10. RULES OF PROCEDURE
(a) Voting: Subject to the provisions of Clause 13, all questions arising at any meeting shall be determined by a simple majority of those present and entitled to vote thereat. 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.
(b) Quorum: One-third of the members of the general committee shall form a quorum at meetings of the General Committee or one-third of the committee together with such members as attending shall form a quorum at General Meetings of the Association.
(c) Minutes: Minute books shall be kept by the Association, the General Committee and any sub-committees which may have been established, and the appropriate Secretary shall enter therein a record of all proceedings and resolutions.
11. FINANCE
(a) All monies raised by or on behalf of the Association shall be applied to further the objects of the Association and for no other purpose.
(b) The Treasurer shall keep proper account of the finances of the Association and shall open a bank account in the name of the Association.
(c) The accounts shall be audited or examined at least once a year by auditors/or independent examiners appointed by the Annual General Meeting.
12. DISSOLUTION
If the General Committee, by a simple majority, decides at any time that on the ground of expense or otherwise it is necessary or advisable to dissolve the Association it shall call a meeting of all members of the Association who have the power to vote and of the inhabitants of the Ightenhill Park area, of which meeting not less than 21 days' notice stating the terms of the resolution to be proposed thereat shall be posted in a conspicuous place or places in the area and given in writing to the Charity Commissioners for England and Wales and any national body to which the Association is affiliated.
If such a resolution shall be confirmed by a simple majority of those present and voting at such meeting the General Committee shall have power to dispose of any assets held by or in the name of the Association. Any assets remaining after the satisfaction of any proper debts and liabilities shall be applied towards charitable purposes for the benefit of the inhabitants of the Ightenhill Park area as the General Committee may decide and, if relevant, as may be approved by the Charity Commissioners for England and Wales.
13. ALTERATIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION
Any proposal to alter the Constitution must be delivered in writing to the Secretary of the Association not less than 28 days before the date of the meeting at which it is first to be considered.
An alteration will require the approval of more than 50% of individual members and representatives of the Sections of the Association present and voting at a General Committee. Notice of each such meeting must have been given in accordance with normal procedure, but not less than 14 days prior to the meeting in question and giving the wording of the proposed alteration.
THIS CONSTITUTION
was adopted as the Constitution of The Friends of Ightenhill Park
at a First Meeting on 16th October 2005
