CONSTITUTION
of
PATCHAM COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
1. NAME the name of the Association shall be Patcham Community Association (hereinafter called the Association).
2. OBJECTS of the Association shall be:--
a) To promote the benefit of the inhabitants of Patcham and the neighbourhood (hereinafter called the Area of Benefit) without distinction of sex or of political, religious or other opinions by associating the local authorities, voluntary organisations and inhabitants in a common effort to advance education and to provide facilities in the interests of social welfare and leisure time occupation with the object of improving the conditions of life for the said inhabitants.
b) To establish or to secure the establishment of a Community Centre (hereinafter called the Centre) and to maintain and manage, or to cooperate with any local statutory authority in the maintenance and management of such a centre for activities promoted by the Association in furtherance of the above objects.
The Association shall be non-party in politics and non-sectarian in religion.
The Association shall have power to affiliate to the National Federation of Community Associations and to other organisations with similar charitable objectives.
3. ALTERATIONS to CONSTITUTION
a) No alterations to the Objects of the Association shall be made without the consent of the Charity Commissioners for England and Wales.
b) Any proposal to alter this constitution must be delivered in writing to the Secretary of the Association not less than 28 days before the date of the meeting at which it is to be first considered. An alteration will require the approval of both, (1) a simple majority of the Management Committee voting at a management committee meeting and, (2) a two-thirds majority of individual members and voting representatives of Affiliated Societies present and voting at a general meeting. Notice of such meeting must be given in accordance with normal procedure but not less than 28 days prior to the meeting in question and give the wording of the proposed alteration.
4. MEMBERSHIP of the Association shall be of two kinds:--
a) Individuals, open to all. Individual Members may form ‘sections’ to further a common activity subject to the activity being approved by the Management Committee.
b) Affiliated Societies, duly approved by the Management Committee.
Voting Rights at General Meetings. Each paid up individual member aged 18 or over is entitled to one vote. Each paid up Affiliated Society is entitled to one vote (exercised by the person in possession of the Society’s membership card).
5. MANAGEMENT
a) The Management Committee shall consist of not more than 16 individual members including such Honorary Officers as may be deemed necessary. Its members are subject to election/re-election at the Annual General Meeting.
b) The Committee may co-opt up to four members in any one year to fill vacancies.
c) The Committee may, if deemed necessary, employ/dismiss paid staff but such staff may not be or become a Trustee of the Association.
d) Committee meetings are open to Individual Members and representatives of Affiliated Societies. Seven days prior notice must be given of their wish to attend together with details of any matter they wish to raise. They will not be entitled to vote.
e) A Quorum shall consist of 7 committee members, except [g] see below. In the event of a tied vote the Chair has a casting vote.
f) The Committee shall determine the level of subscriptions, affiliation fees and any other charges levied by the Association.
g) The Committee shall have the right for good and sufficient reason, to terminate the membership of a member provided that such member shall have the right to be heard by the Committee before a final decision is made. The Quorum on such an occasion will be 75% of the Committee members.
h) The Committee shall have the power to adopt and issue Standing Orders and/or Rules for the use of the Centre provided that they are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Constitution. They shall come into force with immediate effect.
6. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING shall take place in May and will:--
a) Receive the Annual Report of the Management Committee and the Annual Accounts.
b) Elect/re-elect a Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer and such Honorary Officers as is deemed necessary and elect the Management Committee members.
c) To appoint, where required under current legislation, an Independent Examiner or Registered Auditor.
d) The lower of one-third of Membership or 25 shall form a Quorum. In the event of a tied vote the Chair has a casting vote.
7. SPECIAL GENERAL MEETINGS the Management Committee may by a simple majority call a Special General Meeting.
In the event of a written request to the Secretary signed by not less than 25 Members having the power to vote giving reasons for a Special General Meeting to be called, the Secretary shall within 21 days of its receipt give at least 21 days notice to all Members as to the date, time, place and purpose of such Meeting. In these circumstances, the cost of calling the meeting will be borne by those members requesting it.
8. GENERAL REGULATIONS
a) All money raised by or on behalf of the Association shall be applied to further the objects of the Association and for no other purposes.
b) The Honorary Treasurer shall keep proper accounts of the finances of the Association.
c) The Honorary Secretary shall keep in the appropriate minute book(s) a record of what transpires at all meetings.
9. DISSOLUTION
if the Management Committee by a two-thirds majority decides at any time that on the grounds of expense or otherwise it is necessary or advisable to dissolve the Association it shall call a meeting of, (1) all Members of the Association who have the power to vote, (2) the inhabitants of the Area of Benefit of the age of 18 or over, not less than 21 days notice (stating the terms of the resolution to be proposed thereat) shall be given by notices in conspicuous places in the Area of Benefit and in writing to the secretary of the National Federation of Community Associations. If such decision be confirmed by a simple majority of those present and voting at such a meeting, the Management Committee shall have the power to dispose of any assets held by or in the name of the Association. Any remaining after the satisfaction of any proper debts and liabilities shall be applied towards charitable purposes for the benefit of the inhabitants of the Area of Benefit as the Management Committee may decide and as may be approved by the Charity Commissioners for England and Wales.
This Constitution was adopted as the constitution of the Patcham Community Association at the Annual General Meeting on the 25th April 1996 at the Patcham Community Centre.
Registered Charity No. 275529
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