Rochford District Council Constitution for Tenants and Leaseholders Associations and Forums

Recycled Teenagers Forum Group

Constitution

Introduction

A constitution is a formal document, adopted by most Forums, which states the aims and objectives of the Forum and how it will run.

Many informal groups can work well without a constitution, but if groups want to be more formal or want to apply for grants and funding, then a constitution is necessary.

Groups who wish to apply for lottery funding or other types of grant fundingneed to show in their constitution that they are set up for ‘charitable, benevolent or philanthropic purposes’. This does not mean they need to be registered as a charity.

1.Name of the Organisation

Recycled Teenager Forum Group

2.Aims and Objectives

To promote the interests of people that are 50 years of age or older.
To assist in maintaining good relations between all members of the community.
To promote social activities for all members in the community.
To work towards the elimination of all forms of discrimination within the community by encouraging all members of usually excluded groups to participate in the Forum.
To work with organisations for the benefit of all residents.
The Group shall be non-political.
To raise such funds as are necessary to make these aims viable.
To promote facilities for recreation and amenities and to encourage a community spirit.

3.Equalities and Diversity:-

To ensure equal access to services for the community
The Group will actively promote equality of opportunity and seek to celebrate diversity in delivery of their activities and consultation with the community.
To promote accessibility to the groups activities.
All members should actively seek to represent the various needs of the area and must not discriminate on the grounds of: -

Age, disability, colour, ethnic origin, national origin, race, religion

gender, sexuality, gender re-alignment, martial status, faith, caring- responsibilities for dependants, Trade Union membership and

unrelated criminal convictions

To treat each member of the group as an individual
To introduce, promote and participate in initiatives, which promote equal opportunities and diversity.
The group shall be free from physical and verbal abuse, bullying and harassment.

4.Membership

Membership shall be open to anyone in the community who meet the criteria of 50+. It will be possible, however, to elect Committee Members who are aged under 50 and who have experience in running committees and community groups, in accordance with normal election procedures.
All members shall have an equal vote.
Members shall at all times conduct themselves in a reasonable manner when attending meetings or any other functions in connection with the Forum Group.
There will be an annual fee of £15.00 for each member to pay.
Any funds that are secured through external sources will be available for all the group members to benefit from.
All members will receive voting rights on decision making within the group.
All members shall agree to abide by the rules of this group.

5.The Committee

A committee of no less than five persons and no more than ten persons shall manage the Recycled Teenagers Forum.
The committee will be elected from its members with up to three independents places if required, who can be under the age of 50.
The committee shall be made up of a Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary, Social Secretary, Treasurer,and up to fiveGeneral members.
The committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting, which takes place in April each year.
In order to ensure continuity the Chairperson will be elected in the first instance for a total of a three year period. The positions of vice-chair, treasurer and secretary will be for two year period and they shall be those who receive the highest number of votes by the elected committee, other members will serve for a one year period unless re-elected at the AGM.
All members must stand down from the committee after 6 years and cannot be re-elected until one year later.
The committee will meet as required, provided that they meet at least 6 times each year, with open meetings being held 3 times a year.
Minutes of the committee meetings shall be available to all members.
Vacancies arising during the year can be filled by an election at a general meeting.
Any Committee Member that does not attend three main meetings, the committee can make a resolution for the member to be removed from the group.

6.Finance

All money raised by or on behalf of the Forum is to be used only to further the aims of the Forum group.
The Chairperson, Vice-Chair, Secretary and Treasurer for the time being of the committee, shall be responsible for the Forum’s assets and any two shall be empowered to sign cheques in the Forum’s banking account. These will include cheques and instructions to the Forums bankers. Signatories should not be from the same household or the same family.
The treasurer shall open a bank account in the name of the Recycled Teenager Forum.

A Statement of Accounts for the last year past shall be submitted by the Committee to the Annual General Meeting.
Committee members required to attend meetings, that requires use of their car, will be entitled to claim back their mileage. The current rate is £0.40p per mile.
Committee members will be entitled to re-claim out of pocket expenses for all telephone calls made for Forum work.

7.Annual General Meeting

Once a year, in April, the Committee shall convene such a meeting which all residents of the Recycled Teenager Forum may attend for the purpose of: -

receiving an Annual report of the Committee, written or verbal
the Statement of Accounts,
accepting the resignations of the Committee - who shall be eligible for re-election,
electing replacements for the retiring Members of the Committee and
for voting whenever necessary on proposals to amend this constitution.

A period of 28 days notice will be given to the Recycled Teenagers Forum Members, by the Secretary, prior to an Annual General Meeting (AGM).

8.Standing Orders and Rules

Voting:-

Any member may make a proposal. In order for it to be voted on by other members it must be seconded or supported by someone else.
Only members present at the meeting may vote.
No member shall exercise more than one vote.
In the event of an equal vote, the chair shall have the casting vote.

Quorum:-

No General Meeting or Annual General Meeting shall take place if less than 4 members of the committee are present.

Minutes:-

Minute books shall be kept in respect of the Committee Meetings, General Meetings, and Annual General Meetings of the committee and the Secretary shall enter therein a record of all proceedings and resolutions.

Code of Conduct:-

All members shall agree to abide by the group’s code of conduct and failure to do so will result in the member being asked to resign. All members will be asked to sign for a copy of the group’s code of conduct. Any alterations to the code of conduct shall require the approval of a majority of the Committee present and voting at the meeting where discussed. The same rules apply to alterations to Code of Conduct as do to the constitution changes listed below.

9.Changes to the Constitution

An alteration to this constitution shall require the approval of a majority of the Committee present and voting at the meeting where it is discussed, and shall subsequently require the approval of a two-thirds majority present and voting at a General Meeting of the Recycled Teenagers Forum.

Any resolution for the alteration of the Constitution shall require at least twenty-eight days notice before the meeting at which the resolution is to be brought forward.

Seven days notice of such a meeting shall be given to the Members of the Committee, the method of such notice being determined by the Committee.

10.Dissolution

The group may be dissolved by a resolution passed by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting at a special meeting convened for that purpose, of which 21 days notice shall be given (to the members). Such a resolution will give instructions that after the satisfaction of all debts, liabilities, any assets accrued in the year of dissolution shall be given or transferred to such other organisation having aims and objectives similar to those of the Group as can be determined, or to a charitable organisation. The benefactor of these assets would be agreed by vote at the same special general meeting. Any funds that have been given to the Group from External Source’s, that have not been used will be returned. Any remaining assets shall not be paid to or distributed among other members of the Group.

Agreed and Signed by:-

Chair :Ray StylesSign

Vice Chair:Derrick BrookSign

Secretary:Margaret CooperSign

Treasurer: Sarah SchofieldSign

Social Secretary:Joy LawrenceSign

PR and Marketing:Soo ColemanSign

General:Barbara BarfootSign

General:Jill ParrSign

Date:Reviewed : 6th May 2011 to update new committee