Dated: 08/10/07 Issue 1

                    1: Name.

                    The name of the association will be Newtown Area Community and Residents Association (NACRA).

                    2: Objective.

                    To maintain & improve the living conditions, community facilities & services for residents living or working in the Newtown suburb of Tewkesbury as follows:

                    The area within the following boundaries, west of the M5 Motorway, north of the Tirlebrook, south of Northway Lane and east of Morrisons Supermarket.

                    The Association will at all times operate on an equal opportunities basis.

                    Note: It cannot get involved in disputes between individuals within the Area stated.

                    3: Membership.

                    Membership of the Association shall be open irrespective of nationality, political

                    opinion, race, colour, religion or disability to all residents & those that work within the

                    area stated above.

                    Full members who are 18 years & older will be eligible to vote, however the

                    Association will always encourage & welcome younger persons who wish to be active

                    members.

                    4: Committee.

A Committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Association and shall serve for a 12 month period.

The Committee shall consist of at least 10 members and shall have the power to co-opt other members onto the Committee during the course of the year with agreement of the Membership.

The Committee shall comprise a Chairperson, Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Public Relations Officer and ordinary Committee members. No Committee member shall fill more than one position.

The Committee shall make and carry out decisions in accordance with the Objectives of the Association.

Meetings of the Committee shall be open to any member of the Association who wishes to attend.

There must be at least two-thirds of the Committee members present for decisions to be made at a committee meeting. In the case of a tied vote the chairman will have the casting vote.

Non-voting members may be co-opted onto the Committee to form a specialist working group and may be drawn from outside the Association area.

           (h) Committee members will be voted off if: they have not attended 3 consecutive

meetings, without a valid reason for non attendance or have moved from the

          area,

•           (i) Committee members must declare any interest they may have in the topic under discussion and the Committee will decide if they need to forfeit their right to vote on this occasion,

(j) The Committee will ideally meet once a month, or more regularly as agenda items demand including any emergency items.

(k) Conflict of Interest: No elected Borough, County or Town councillor maybe elected as a member of the committee; however they may attend committee meetings on an advisory/consultative basis.

 

          (a) Members may speak only through the chair.

(b) Decisions will be made by a simple majority, voted in through a show of hands or a secret ballot.

          (c) Meetings will end at a time agreed by the Committee.

(d) Any offensive behaviour, including racist, ageism, sexist or inflammatory remarks will not be permitted. Offenders will not be heard & asked to leave.

(e) Any member who consistently brings the group into disrepute or refuses to comply with the Constitution shall be expelled on a two-thirds majority vote of the full    Committee. Any such member will have the right to appeal within 28 days of the expulsion. The appeal shall be heard by the membership at a Special General Meeting called for that purpose.

          (f) The Secretary shall deal with all correspondence.

(g) Agenda shall be publicised & displayed in a public place at least 7 days before a meeting, i.e. Local Shop/Ward Notice Board.

(h) Copies of Minutes will be made available to members no more than 14 days after a meeting. The existence of Minutes will be advertised to members.

(a) The Chair shall conduct the meetings of the Association and ensure that all items on the agenda are discussed and decisions are made correctly and recorded.

(b) The Secretary shall keep records of all correspondence of the Association and take minutes of all Committee, General and Annual General Meetings. All the Association's letters shall be sent to the Secretary and referred to the Chairperson. The Secretary shall also keep an updated record of the membership and be responsible for ensuring that all members are kept informed of what the Association has and is going to do.

(c) The Treasurer shall open and maintain a bank account in the Association's name The Treasurer shall keep records of income and expenditure and give a report on them to each Committee Meeting and Annual General Meeting. The accounts shall be available for inspection by all members on request.

 

7. Finances

• (a) The Association will charge an annual membership fee of £2.00 per member and may raise funds by obtaining grants from other bodies or by fund-raising schemes.

• (b) All funds shall be kept in a bank account, which shall be opened in the name of the Association.

• (c) The Secretary, Treasurer and the Chairperson shall be signatories on the account and all cheques shall require two of these signatures.

• (d) Accounts shall be kept by the Treasurer, and brought to every Committee meeting where they may be inspected. Failure to bring books to a meeting on 2 consecutive occasions will mean the Treasurer will be asked to resign.

(e) All expenditure shall be agreed and controlled by the Committee.

• (f) All payments over ten pounds shall be made by cheque, not cash. Any exception to these rules shall be discussed and agreed by the Committee.

• (g) No officer shall sign a blank cheque- all cheques to be filled in before signatures are added.

• (h) Once a year accounts will be audited and presented to the Annual General Meeting of the Association. The Auditor will be a non-committee member of the association with the necessary experience.

• 8. Association Meetings

• (a) Association Meetings of the members shall be held to discuss matters of importance and to keep the members fully informed of the Association's activities. A minimum of 2 Meetings per annum must be held. To cover the cost of hiring the Meeting venue etc a modest entry fee will be made.

• (b) Where possible members shall be given 7 days notice of an Association Meeting which shall be advertised locally to members of the Association.

• (c) All votes shall be decided by a simple majority of the members present either by a show of hands or a secret ballot. This applies to all Meetings of the Association.

• (d) Any member having the written support of ten other members may request the Committee to call a Special Association Meeting. The Committee shall call the meeting within 21 days of this written request.

• (e) All non members can attend any Association Meetings where a modest entry fee will be charged.

 

• (a) An Annual General Meeting shall be held to discuss the activities of the Association, to receive the audited accounts and to elect the Committee for the year ahead.

• (b) The Committee shall be elected by a show of hands at the AGM. Each member will have one vote.

• (c) The Annual General Meeting shall be held at a suitable venue to accommodate as many members as possible.

(d) Quorum shall be 12 members.

• (e) A minimum of 7 days notice needs to be given to members of the Annual General Meeting.

• This Constitution shall only be changed at a Special Meeting of the Association or at an Annual General Meeting.

• For decisions to be taken to alter or amend the Constitution there must be at least a 2/3rds majority of the members present in favour of the change. A minimum quorum shall be 12 members.

• All members shall be given 7 days notice of the Meeting and the proposed changes.

• If the Committee wishes to dissolve the Association, a Special Association Meeting shall be called.

• If two-thirds of voting members present at the Special Association Meeting agree to dissolve the Association any remaining funds shall be donated to a neighbouring Residents Association or to a relevant charity after returning unused grants to any funding donors.

                    Approved at the members meeting 29/10/2007