CONSTITUTION of Cane Hill Park Residents Association (CHiPRA)
Version: Draft 0.4 Date: 26th January 2020
1. The Association is known as Cane Hill Park Resident’s Association (CHiPRA).
2. The area covered by the Association is the Cane Hill Park estate, currently entered via Cane Hill Drive / Lime Tree Avenue, and defined by the map in Appendix 1.
AIMS
3. The aims of the Association are:
a. To ensure that all members are consulted regularly and that all residents entitled to membership are encouraged to join.
b. To represent the views of members and work towards ensuring that the best interests of members are served.
c. To promote cultural and social activities to encourage a greater sense of community.
d. To co-operate with other Organisations in any of these aims.
MEMBERSHIP
4. Membership is open to all persons 16 years or over living in the area as defined above, who accept the aims of the Association, (including all tenants, leaseholders and freeholders), irrespective of age, race, gender, sexuality, disability, political or religious beliefs, or marital status. As far as possible, the membership should reflect the make-up of the local population.
5. Eligible residents can request membership via the Secretary.
6. All parties privy to personal details of members will not disclose or pass on without the member’s explicit consent.
7. Members shall at all times conduct themselves in a reasonable manner at meetings of or in premises used by the Association. A member may be suspended from the Association for failure to observe this, or for any other conduct not in line with the aims of the Association. Any member so suspended has the right of appeal to the following General Meeting, before permanent suspension from the Association takes place.
8. Racist or sexist behaviour will not be tolerated and will be grounds for suspension.
9. Membership ends when a member moves out from the area covered by the Association.
SUBSCRIPTIONS
10. The Association has agreed not to charge an annual subscription or other form of membership fees at present.
11. Subscriptions or other money raised by or on behalf of the Association may be used only to further the aims of the Association.Cane Hill Park Residents Association – Constitution Ver 0.4 Last updated on 26-Jan-2020 Page 2
CONDUCT OF BUSINESS
12. All Association business will be conducted in accordance with the Code of Conduct, please see Appendix 2
13. The business of the Association will be conducted by a committee normally elected at the Annual General Meeting, which shall consist of a Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, Secretary and not less than two other members. As far as possible, the composition of the committee shall reflect the local population of the area the Association represents.
14. Councillors or employees of the council shall not represent the Association in its dealings with the council or be members of the committee.
15. The election or removal of officers or committee members may take place only at a General Meeting of the Association. The committee may temporarily fill any vacancy arising among the officers of the Association from its other members until the next General Meeting. The committee has the power to suspend a member or committee member by a simple majority vote until the next general meeting.
16. The committee shall the power to appoint sub-committees as may be deemed advisable for special purposes, and if considered necessary, may co-opt on such sub-committees any member or members of the Association. Sub-committees will report to the Chairman or Vice Chairman as necessary.
17. An officer or committee member must declare any relevant personal interest in a matter under discussion. The committee shall have the right to determine whether that member should withdraw, or be allowed to speak but not vote, or be allowed to speak and vote.
DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS
18. The officers of the Association have a duty to further the aims of the Association.
19. The Chair shall guide the meetings of the Association and its committee. If the Chair is absent, the Vice Chair will take over.
20. The Treasurer shall open and/or maintain a bank or building society account in the name of the Association. All cheques must be signed by the Treasurer and at least one other nominated committee member (of up to three from a nominated group) who is from a different household and not related. Unless there are exceptional circumstances, there will be only one bank account for the Association, into which all monies are paid.
21. The Treasurer shall keep proper accounts of income and expenditure and details of subscriptions paid. He/she will also report on them as required by the committee, at General Meetings. The accounts should be available for inspection by any member of the Association.
22. The Secretary is responsible for arranging meetings and giving the relevant notice to members. The Secretary shall ensure that a proper record is kept of all meetings of the Association and its committee in the form of minutes, and make them available as required by the committee. A register of members’ names and addresses will also be kept by the Secretary.
23. A member appointed to represent the Association in discussions or communication with any other body (including the media) shall act on the instructions of the Cane Hill Park Residents Association – Constitution Ver 0.4 Last updated on 26-Jan-2020 Page 3 committee and shall report back to the following committee meeting or General Meeting, whichever is the sooner.
24. No member of the Association will speak on behalf of the Association without the prior approval of the committee.
COMMITTEE MEETINGS
25. The committee shall meet not less than three times a year and shall be open to any members of the Association wishing to attend, who may speak at the discretion of the Chair but not vote.
26. The committee shall monitor the work, finances and membership of the Association.
27. The committee shall report to each General Meeting on its activities since the last General Meeting.
GENERAL MEETINGS
28. General Meetings of the Association, open to all members to speak and vote, shall be held not less than twice a year. Decisions taken at these meetings shall be binding on the committee. Decisions shall be taken by a simple majority of members present and voting. All members shall be given not less than 14 days notice of any General Meeting.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
29. The committee shall call an Annual General Meeting of the Association each May or June. Not less than 21 days notice shall be given of the AGM to all members and to all those eligible for membership. A formal application for membership shall also be distributed at this time. A representative of the council shall also be invited to attend.
30. At this meeting:
a. The committee shall present their annual report.
b. The Treasurer shall present the accounts of the Association for the past year.
c. An independent person or body to audit / check the financial records of the Association for the forthcoming year, shall be appointed.
d. The officers and committee for the next year shall be elected.
e. Any proposals submitted to the Secretary in writing not less than 14 days in advance of the meeting shall be considered.
31. The minutes of the AGM and the audited accounts should be made available to the members, together with the names of the officers and committee members of the Association.
SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING
32. The Secretary shall call a Special General Meeting at the request of a majority of the committee, or on receipt of no fewer than 20 individual written requests from members of the Association. The Secretary must give at least 7 days notice of the Special General Meeting to all members, which shall take place within 21 days of the request.Cane Hill Park Residents Association – Constitution Ver 0.4 Last updated on 26-Jan-2020 Page 4 QUORUM (The minimum number of members who must be present before a meeting may proceed)
33. The quorum for committee meetings of the Association shall be four members or one third of committee members (whichever is greater). The quorum for all General Meetings shall be one fifth of the membership.
VOTING
34. Those attending a meeting where members of the committee are selected, will be informed that any member may stand for any position on the committee. Any member may nominate individuals or volunteer themselves for any such positions.
35. Where there is a contest for officers of the Committee, or where the Association are unable to reach agreement on an issue, voting will be carried out by a written ballot.
36. Each household will have one vote only. The Chair will have only one vote, they will not have an additional or casting vote.
37. Where voting is required and a council officer is in attendance, they may be asked to administer and supervise the voting process.
NOTICE OF MEETINGS
38. Notice of all General Meetings and the Annual General Meeting will include the date, time and place of the meeting and the agenda of matters to be discussed and will be communicated to each member by contact at their home address or their registered email address.
39. In addition, notices, flyers or other forms of electronic communication may be used to ensure all those entitled to participate are made aware of the details of these meetings.
ALTERATION TO THE CONSTITUTION
40. Any proposal to change this Constitution must be given to the Secretary not less than 28 days before the General Meeting at which it is to be discussed. Any change requires the agreement of two thirds of those present and entitled to vote at the meeting.
41. The Association shall not be dissolved except by the vote of two thirds of the members present and eligible to vote at a General Meeting, on the Agenda of which shall appear the question of dissolution. For the sole purpose of dissolution a quorum need not apply.
42. On dissolution any assets remaining when the Association has paid all debts shall be applied for such purposes of benefit to the community or local charity as the meeting shall decide. Cane Hill Park Residents Association – Constitution Ver 0.4 Last updated on 26-Jan-2020 Page 5 EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES COMMITMENT
43. The Association shall positively promote equal opportunities and diversity within the community and within its membership, and work for the elimination of discrimination against persons on the basis of race, gender, marital status, age, sexuality, disability, political and religious beliefs.
DECLARATION
The above constitution was discussed, approved and supported by the Association.