Constitution

ALEXANDRA RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION CONSTITUTION

Alexandra Residents’ Association Rules (Amended September 2016)

 

A) Title: The Association shall be called the Alexandra Residents’ Association.

B) Policy: The Association shall champion the interests of its members but shall remain non party-political.

C) Objects:

  1. To promote and represent the general interests of the Residents of the Alexandra Cottages Conservation Area.
  2. To preserve and encourage enhancement of the unique character and architecture of the Alexandra
    Cottages Conservation Area
  3. To keep residents informed of local issues.
  4. To organise social activities and promote the area.
  5. To raise funds in furtherance of the objectives listed above.

D) Membership:

  1. Membership is open to each household within the Alexandra Cottages Conservation Area.
  2. Each household shall receive a membership card and be referred to the Association’s website for a copy of the rules.
  3. Membership fees will become due at the beginning of each financial year(1 st June -31 st May).

E) Subscriptions and fees:

  1. The membership subscription rate per household shall be recommended by the Association’s Committee and approved by a simple majority of members present at the AGM.
  2. Should the rates be changed at an AGM the new rates shall take effect when membership fees next fall due.
  3. The association may also charge fees necessary to cover costs and maintenance for services and equipment to individual members. The committee has the power to set the rate of these fees as they determine necessary.

F) Management:

  1. The management shall be in the hands of a Committee who shall have power to deal with any contingency or emergency not provided for in these Rules.
  2. The Committee shall comprise a Chair and not less than two other members to a maximum of 12.
  3. A Committee Quorum shall be three members or one third of the membership whichever is the greater.
  4. The Committee shall meet at least every three months, unless cancelled by the Secretary three days in advance.

G) Election of Committee and Committee roles:

    1. The committee shall be elected at the AGM and shall serve for no more than 3 years after which they can be re-elected.
    2. Each candidate must be nominated by another member of the association and seconded by a further member.
    3. Every effort should be made to ensure each road in the conservation area has at least one member on the committee.
    4. In the event of the number of candidates exceeding the number of places, either for each of the street representative places or generally a vote by show of hands shall be taken and the number of votes for each candidate recorded. The candidate with the highest number of votes is elected. The votes will be counted by whoever is in the chair and one other appointed teller.
    5. There are three roles on the Committee:
      1. Chair
      2. Treasurer
      3. Secretary

A lead for neighbourhood watch and an advisory panel on conservation areas representative should be identified. If there are more than 3 members on the committee a vice-chair should also be identified.

  1. All positions will be elected by the Committee at the first Committee Meeting following the AGM.
  2. If vacancies occur for Committee roles, the Committee shall have the power to fill them by means of co-option from the membership without waiting for an AGM.
  3. The Committee also has the power to co-opt members for particular roles and for time-limited periods during their year in office.
  4. Members of the Committee shall be deemed to have resigned following failure to attend three consecutive meetings without good reason.

H) Property and insurance:

  1. The Association, through its Committee, has the power to own and loan equipment to members. Hire of this equipment is at members’ own risk.
  2. The Association has the power to obtain appropriate insurance to protect its committee, and members for its activities, including but not restricted to:
    1. Public liability and occupiers’ liability insurance for events, and the hiring of equipment. and any property and equipment it owns
    2. insurance for loss or damage to any property the Association owns or others own on its behalf

I) Accounts & Independent Examiners:

  1. The Treasurer will prepare regular financial reports for the Committee meetings.
  2. The Treasurer will prepare annual accounts to be examined by two Independent Examiners with appropriate experience. The auditors shall be elected at each AGM and shall be eligible for re-election for a maximum period of two years. They shall not be members of the Committee.
  3. All Bank transactions shall require the signatures of two Committee members.

J) Dissolution:

In a situation that the Association needs to be dissolved:

  1. The Alexandra Residents’ Association can be wound up at a Special General Meeting called for that purpose. The proposal to wind up the Alexandra Residents’ Association must be advertised 14 days before the meeting. The decision to wind up will require the approval of two thirds of members present and voting at the meeting.
  2. Surplus funds will be distributed to repay grants received from trusts or charitable bodies and any other outstanding contractual or legal obligations. Any remaining monies will be paid to members at that time or transferred to an organisation with similar objectives approved by the members at the Special General Meeting.

K) Meetings:

  1. The AGM shall be convened within 15 months of the previous meeting.
  2. A Special Meeting may be called by the Committee.
  3. A Special Meeting shall be called by the Committee within 14 days of receiving a written request signed by not less than 25 members of the Association.

L) Voting:

  1. The direction of Association business shall be determined by a majority vote.
  2. Voting shall be by a show of hands. A ballot may be conducted if a motion to that effect is put and seconded and agreed by at least two thirds of the members present. Membership is by household and entitles every household, to one vote.
  3. The Chairperson shall be entitled to a casting vote.
  4. Notices of motions must be forwarded in writing to the Secretary ten days before a meeting.

M) Alterations of Rules:

  1. No alterations or additions to these Rules shall be made except at the Annual General Meeting.
  2. Notice of such alterations or additions with names of the proposer and seconder shall be sent to the Secretary ten days before the meeting.
  3. Any alteration or addition shall be subject to the approval by two thirds of the voters present.