Agreed Constitution Feb 2001

FURZEDOWN COMMUNITY NETWORK

CONSTITUTION (Agreed 11 Feb 2001)

1. Name

The name of the association shall be the Furzedown Community Network (FCN).

2. Vision, aims and objectives

2.1 Vision

Furzedown is a place where people of all ages can feel part of a safe, caring and creative community which values diversity and which takes action to protect and enhance local amenity, safety and character.

2.2 Aims

To promote the benefits of the inhabitants of the Furzedown area without distinction of age, ability, gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, culture, or of political, religious or other opinion by associating the local organisations and inhabitants in a common effort to:

a) generate and foster a spirit of community and neighbourliness amongst residents;

b) advance the education, health, quality of life and human rights of local residents;

c) improve the local environment;

d) ensure the provision of facilities, services and measures which meet the needs of local residents.

2.3 Objectives

The objectives of the FCN will be to:

a) act as an umbrella for other organisations in the Furzedown area;

b) act as a mechanism for improved coordination, consultation, planning and participation within the area;

c) facilitate the exchange of information and resources for local people;

d) campaign on issues of concern to local people;

e) work with statutory and other bodies to influence plans and proposals for the area;

f) ensure the view of Furzedown residents are effectively represented to the local authority and other bodies;

g) organise community and social events, activities, projects and action;

h) raise funds to support the FCN programme of activities and such other community and charitable causes as the FCN may determine;

i) undertake initiatives and projects jointly with other local organisations.

3. Values and principles

The FCN will:

a) be non-party in politics and non-sectarian in religion;

b) support family and community life;

c) actively seek out and listen to the views of all local residents of all ages;

d) value and celebrate diversity;

e) promote mutual understanding, equality and social inclusion;

f) promote the importance of working together to make the most effective use of available resources and expertise.

4. Membership

Membership of the association shall be open, irrespective of age, ability, gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, culture, or political, religious or other opinion providing that they support the aims and objectives, values and principles of the FCN which are set out in this constitution, to:

a) Full members - individuals aged eighteen years and over living in the Furzedown area. Full members shall have the power to vote at FCN meetings.

b) Junior members - individuals aged under eighteen years, whether living within or outside, the Furzedown area. Junior members shall have the power to elect two or more of their number, to represent them and vote on their behalf, at FCN meetings. This means that junior members could have a maximum of two votes on the committee.

c) Affiliated groups - organisations and associations that operate in the Furzedown area and are voluntary/not-for-profit and which wish to support the aims and objectives of the FCN. Each member organisation shall appoint one of its own members to represent it and vote on its behalf at FCN meetings. This means that each affiliated group shall have one vote per group.

d) Associate members - individuals aged eighteen years and over who live outside the Furzedown area and who wish to support the aims and objectives of the FCN. Associate members shall have the right to attend as observers but shall not have the right to vote at meetings of the FCN.

5. Subscriptions

All members shall pay such subscriptions as shall be agreed by the committee from time to time within an overall subscription policy agreed at the FCN’s annual general meetings.

6. Termination of membership

The committee shall have the right, for good and sufficient reason, to exclude from meetings and membership of the FCN any member, provided that the member shall have the right to be heard by the committee before a decision is made.

7. Committee

The policy and general management of the affairs of the FCN shall be conducted by a committee that will be responsible to the general meeting of the FCN.

a) The committee shall consist of the officers and up to 12 representatives of individual members elected by and at the annual general meeting.

b) In addition, the committee may coopt further members, who shall not exceed one-third of the total membership of the committee as defined above.

If vacancies occur among its members, the committee shall have the power to fill these from amongst FCN members.

8. Executive committee

The committee may set up an executive committee to which it may delegate the conduct, in accordance with the general policy of the committee, of such day to day affairs of the FCN as the committee shall decide. The executive committee shall consist of the elected officers and up to 3 other members.

9. Subgroups

The committee may agree to the setting up of one or more subgroups for organising any activity or service which further the aims and objectives of the FCN. In each such case:

a) the committee may determine the powers, terms of reference, composition, work programme and duration of existence of any subgroups of the committee;

b) all acts and proceedings of the subgroups shall be reported regularly to the committee and to the executive committee, as required by those committees.

10. Honorary officers

The annual general meeting shall elect the following honorary officers of FCN from amongst those eligible for election to the committee: a chair, a vice-chair, a secretary, a treasurer and other officers as it may from time to time determine.

The honorary officers shall serve in their respective capacities as officers of the committee. In the event of a vacancy occurring among the honorary officers, the committee shall have power to fill such vacancy from its own members or other members of FCN.

11. Annual general meeting

Once in each year, the committee shall convene an annual general meeting of the FCN. The purpose of the annual general meeting will be to:

a) receive the annual report of the committee;

b) receive the audited or independently examined statement of accounts;

c) elect the honorary officers and the other representatives of individual members to serve on the committee

d) appoint auditors or independent examiners for the accounts;

e) consider, whenever necessary, proposals to amend this constitution and other business of which due notice has been given.

12. Special general meeting

The committee, chair or secretary of the FCN may organise a special general meeting of the FCN at any time at their discretion or at the request of FCN members, within 28 days of the members requesting them to do this. The committee, chair or secretary shall give FCN members not less than 21 days notice of such a meeting stating the terms of the resolution to be proposed thereat.

FCN members requesting a special general meeting shall need to submit to the committee, chair or secretary, a written request to do so, signed by not less than 20 members having the power to vote and giving reasons for the request.

13. Rules of procedure

a) Voting – subject to the provisions of the dissolution clause of this constitution, all questions arising at any meeting shall be decided by a simple majority of those present and entitled to vote thereat. No member shall exercise more than one vote, but in the case of an equality of votes the chair shall have a second or casting vote.

b) Quorum – one-third of the members shall form a quorum at meetings of the committee and the executive committee. Twenty-five members or one-third of the members, whichever is the less, shall form a quorum at general meetings of the FCN.

c) Minutes – minutes shall be kept by the FCN, the committee, the executive committee and any subgroup which may have been set up. The appropriate secretary shall enter therein a record of all proceedings, resolutions and decisions made. The FCN committee shall have the right to receive copies of the minutes of any executive committee and subgroup meetings that it wishes to receive.

14. Finance

a) All monies raised by or on behalf of the FCN shall be applied to further the objects of the FCN and for no other purpose.

b) The treasurer shall keep a proper account of the finances of the FCN and shall open a bank account in the name of the FCN.

c) The accounts shall be audited or examined at least once a year by auditors/or independent examiners appointed by the annual general meeting.

15. Alterations to the constitution

Any proposal to alter this constitution must be delivered in writing to the secretary of the FCN not less than 28 days before the date of the general meeting of members at which it is first to be considered.

An alteration will require the approval of a two-thirds majority of individual members present and voting at a general meeting. Notice of each such meeting must be given in accordance with normal procedure, not less than 21 days prior to the meeting in question and giving the wording of the proposed alteration.

16. Dissolution

If the committee, by a simple majority, decides at any time that on the grounds of expense or otherwise it is necessary or advisable to dissolve the FCN it shall call an extraordinary general meeting of all members of the FCN and of the inhabitants of the Furzedown area.

The committee shall give not less than 21 days notice of such a meeting stating the terms of the resolution to be proposed thereat and the notice shall be posted in conspicuous places in the Furzedown area and any national body to which the FCN is affiliated.

If such a resolution shall be confirmed by a simple majority of those present and voting at such meeting the committee shall have the power to dispose of any assets held by or in the name of the FCN.

Any assets remaining after the satisfaction of any proper debts and liabilities shall be applied towards charitable purposes for the benefit of the inhabitants of Furzedown, as the committee may decide and, if relevant, as may be approved by the Charity Commissioners for England and Wales.

___________________________________________________________________________

This constitution was adopted as the constitution of the FURZEDOWN COMMUNITY NETWORK at a public meeting held:

Signed _____________________________________________Chair

________________________________________________Secretary