ASCCO Extraordinary General Meeting

24 March 2018, 12 noon

Amendment of Draft Constitution

Purpose

  1. The purpose of this paper is to agree amendment of the current draft Constitution to enable Council to complete ASCCO’s incorporation and ensure that the organisation is developing a sufficiently robust infrastructure for any significant increase in membership.

Background and context

  1. ASCCO began the process of becoming a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) in 2014. A CIO is a relatively new form of legal structure (available since 2013) which combines the benefits of limiting the liability of previously only available through a company, with the financial benefits and wider goodwill associated with being a charity.The structure reduces bureaucracy for charities that previously had dual reporting requirements to Companies House and the Charities Commission.
  1. As a charity, the association would be eligible to bid for grants from a range of trusts and other grant-making bodies, and to accept donations from those wishing to support the further development of the Special Constabulary. It would also be able to offer services such as training to further enhance the position of the Special Constabulary.
  1. In 2014 ASCCO agreed a Constitution (subsequently amended in April 2016) to complete its registration as a CIO with the Charity Commission. Since that time, the organisation has developed further its national influence with key policing bodies, increased its current membership, and is now bidding to become a recognised representative organisation for the wider Special Constabulary (working with the Police Federation where beneficial to members).
  1. In order to be in a position to accept this recognition and respond quickly to increases in the finance and membership of the organisation, the process of incorporation now needs to be completed.

Decisions required by members

  1. The Draft Constitution is attached as an annex to this paper. Proposed amendments from the last version agreed by members are detailed using ‘track changes’.
  1. Members are asked to agree the following resolutions:

Resolution 1: In light of our stated intention to become the voice of Special Constables in the United Kingdom, that ASCCO widen eligibility for ordinary membership to all Special Constables in the United Kingdom and if this is agreed adopt the name of the Association of Special Constabulary Officers (ASCO) in our application to become a Charitable Incorporated Organisation.

Resolution 2: That the Association approves the Draft Constitution, with the proposed amendments, to be adopted on successful registration with the Charity Commission.

Dr Hannah Young (ASCCO Associate Member),1 March 2018

Annex: Constitution with proposed amendments

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