Constitution
1. Name and Area
1.1 The name of the Association is: Lebanon Gardens and Lebanon Road Residents’ Association and it will represent the residents of: Lebanon Gardens and Lebanon Road, London SW18
2. Aims
The aims of the Association are to:
2.1 Promote membership to all people eligible to join the Association.
2.2 Promote equal opportunities within the community.
2.4 Be non-party political
2.5 Promote social, welfare, recreational and training activities for the benefit of members of the Association.
2.6 Represent the view of the majority of members affected by issues relating to their local environment.
2.7 Build a partnership and improve communication between Wandsworth Council and the membership.
2.8 Provide regular information to all members
2.9 Regularly consult all members
2.10 Monitor the Association, its work, finances and membership.
3. Equal Opportunities
3.1 The Association shall uphold equal opportunities and work for good relations among the community, specifically prohibiting any conduct that discriminates or harasses on the grounds of race/ethnicity, gender, age, sexuality, disability, religion or belief.
4. Membership
4.1 Membership is open to each household in the area of the Association, irrespective of race, colour, ethnic or national origins, nationality, gender, marital status, age, sexuality, religion, disability, political or religious beliefs to all persons 16 years or over living in the area of the Association, (including all, tenants, leaseholders, sub-tenants of absentee leaseholders and freeholders). As far as possible the membership should reflect the local population.
4.2 A record of all members in the current year shall be kept by the Secretary of the Association. Every member shall give consent by e-mail or in writing to become a member.
4.3 Any membership fee shall be determined by the Annual General Meeting. All payments shall be recorded in an appropriate manner and a receipt given.
5. Ending Membership
5.1 Membership shall end when a member dies or resigns, or moves away from the area covered by the Association.
5.2 Membership may be suspended in the event of non-payment of such dues as shall be determined the General Meeting.
5.3 In the event of a breach of the Association’s Code of Conduct (clause 14.1) membership can be suspended or ended by a two-thirds majority vote of the Committee.
5.4 A member whose membership has been suspended in accordance with clause 5.2 shall be entitled to have that suspension reviewed at the next General Meeting.
5.5 In the event of membership being ended by the Committee under the provision of clause 5.2, membership can be re-instated by a two-thirds majority vote of those present at a quorate General Meeting providing notice has been given of this proposal at the time the General Meeting is called by the Secretary.
6. Annual General Meeting
6.1 The Association shall hold an Annual General Meeting (AGM) once each calendar year, and not more than 15 months shall pass between the date of one AGM and the next.
6.2 The AGM shall: –
Receive an annual report from the Committee.
Present audited accounts to members.
Appoint an independent auditor.
Elect the Committee.
Agree the annual rate of subscription.
Consider any resolutions put forward by members.
Vote on any amendments to the constitution.
6.3 All members shall be given 14 calendar days e-mail or written notice of the AGM.
6.4 Any proposed changes to the constitution or nominations to the Committee must notified and sent to the Secretary in writing at least 14 calendar days before the AGM.
6.5 The agenda, minutes of the last AGM, details of nominations to the Committee and any resolutions to be considered (which includes any proposed changes to the constitution) must be sent to all members at least 14 calendar days prior to the AGM.
7. General Meetings
7.1 Each year the Association may hold General Meetings in addition to the AGM which shall be open to all members.
7.2 All members of the Association shall receive at least 14 calendar days notice of General Meetings.
7.3 The General Meetings shall be minuted.
7.4 The quorum for all General Meetings shall be 5 members.
8. Special General Meetings
8.1 A Special General Meeting may be called by the Committee and must be called by the Committee if requested by at least 10 members. The Secretary must send to each member e-mail or written notice of a Special General Meeting at least 7 calendar days in advance of the meeting.
9. Voting
9.1 Each member as defined in 4.1 shall have one vote on any resolution put before an AGM, General Meeting or Special General Meeting.
9.2 All voting that takes place at an AGM, Special General Meeting, General Meeting and Committee Meeting, shall be counted and included in the minutes.
10. Minutes
10.1 All formal meetings such as Committee Meetings, General Meetings, Special General Meetings and AGMs must be minuted and the minutes formally approved by the next meeting of the Committee or General Meeting.
10.2 All minutes shall be sent to all residents in the area of the Association on request and be available for inspection by members of the Association
11. The Committee
11.1 Only Lebanon Gardens residents members over the age of 18 shall be entitled to stand for election to the Committee.
11.2 The Committee shall stand down at each AGM and may be re-elected.
11.3 There shall be at least 3 committee members.
11.4 There shall be no more than two committee members from the same household
11.5 There shall be at least 1 Committee meeting each year. The quorum for Committee meetings is 3 members.
11.6 All Committee members shall be given not less than 7 calendar days notice of each Committee Meeting.
11.7 The Committee may from time to time as necessary create any sub-committees and/or working parties on a permanent or temporary basis. The members of any such sub-committee or working party shall be selected by the Committee and shall include at least one Committee member. Any such sub-committees or working parties shall report to the Committee for decision-making.
11.8 The Committee shall monitor the work, finances and membership of the Association.
11.9 The Committee shall report to each General Meeting on the work done by the Committee since the last General Meeting.
12. Officers Of The Committee
12.1 The Association shall have a Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer.
12.2 The Chairperson shall chair General Meetings and Committee Meetings. The duties of the officers shall be defined in the Standing Orders of the Association.
12.3 The officers shall report to each Committee Meeting and General Meeting on their work.
13. Co-optees
13.1 The Committee may co-opt members onto the Committee in order to fill vacancies that occur during the year to ensure appropriate representation of all people in the community.
14. Code of Conduct
14.1 All members shall agree to abide by the Association’s Code of Conduct and failure to do so will result in that member being asked to resign their membership or action being taken under clause 5.2.
15. Finance
15.1 All money raised by or on behalf of the Association will be used only in accordance with the Aims of the Association detailed in clause 2.
15.2 The Treasurer may open a bank or building society account in the name of the Association or keep a balance in cash and keep records of the Association’s income and expenditure. The Treasurer shall report the balance in the account to the Committee at each Committee Meeting.
15.3 If a bank account is opened, the Committee shall appoint three authorised signatories for any cheques and cheques shall be signed by at least two signatories. The signatories should be from different households and not related to each other.
15.4 The Association’s accounts shall be kept up to date and annual accounts for each year shall be independently audited and shall be presented to the AGM.
15.5 The accounts of the Association shall be made available for inspection by any member of the Association who requires to see them, within 14 calendar days. The request for inspection must be made in writing to the Treasurer. The accounts shall be made available to an officer of the Council, upon written request, within 48 hours or such other time as is deemed reasonable by both parties.
15.6 The Treasurer is authorised to pay from petty cash travel and other expenses to representatives of the Association undertaking the Association’s work providing that each payment is supported by a receipt, ticket or voucher. A receipt for each such payment of petty cash shall be signed by the receiver. The Treasurer shall provide a list of petty cash payments to the Committee at each Committee Meeting.
16. Standing Orders
16.1 The Committee of the Association has the power to adopt and issue Standing Orders and/or rules for the Association provided that they are:
Subject to review at a General Meeting
Consistent with the terms of the constitution.
17. Information
17.1 The Association shall provide information to all its members on matters that effect the Association and its members.
17.2 Every member of the Association shall be given or e-mailed a copy of the constitution when they join. Members shall be given or e-mailed copies of any changes to the constitution.
17.3 Minutes of all General Meetings and Committee Meetings shall be available from the Secretary for all residents in the area of the Association.
18. Dissolution of the Association
18.1 The Association can only be dissolved by a Special General Meeting called specifically to consider a motion to dissolve the Association.
18.2 All members shall be given 21 calendar days written notice of such a meeting, which shall contain the wording of the resolution.
18.3 The Association can only be dissolved if two-thirds of members present at a Special General meeting vote for a motion to dissolve the Association.
18.4 The Special General Meeting shall decide on disposal of assets, funds and equipment.