Ingatestone Allotment Association
CONSTITUTION
October 2014
- Title
1.1. The Association shall be known as Ingatestone Allotment Association.
- Aims and Objectives
2.1. To promote and assist the interests of all members in the pursuit of allotment gardening as a leisure activity and to foster the well-being, flow of information and community fellowship among the Members of the Association irrespective of race, gender, age, marital status, ethnic origin, disability or sexual orientation.
2.2. To protect members’ property from damage, trespass and theft where possible.
2.3. To arrange competitions and social events, if so desired.
2.4. To co-operate, as far as the Association is able, with any Committee, Local Authority, Local or National body or Association set up to:
*) Protect and further the interests of allotment holders
*) Provide seeds, potatoes, tools, etc. for allotment holders – opportunity to purchase
*) Co-operate in matters of mutual concern and for the benefit of allotment holders.
2.5. To take whatever reasonable steps required with the Local Authority for the good cultivation and management of allotment gardens.
- Powers and Governance
3.1. Governance of the Association shall be vested in the General Meetings by means of which the Members of the Association shall have full power to do all things necessary or expedient for the accomplishment of the aims and objectives of the Association.
3.2. The Committee of Management (referred to as “the Committee” in the remainder of this Constitution) shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting and shall supervise and manage the day to day work of the Association according to the Constitution, Rules and decisions made at General Meetings.
- Members
Membership of the Association shall consist of:
4.1. Allotment garden holding tenants.
4.2. Associate members who wish to further the aims and objectives of the Association.
4.3. The Association shall maintain a Membership list. All members may see the Membership list entry in respect of themselves.
4.4. Any change of address, telephone number or email address by a member shall be notified to the Membership Secretary.
- Rental
5.1. Every member shall pay an allotment rental fee as advised by the Committee at the Annual General Meeting. Rental fees shall be payable annually in advance.
- Trustees, Officers and Committee
6.1.1. The Honorary Officers of the Association shall be drawn from the Membership and shall comprise Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and Membership Secretary, each of whom will be elected at the Annual General Meeting.
6.1.2. The Committee shall have the power to fill any vacancy for an Honorary Office that may occur between Annual General Meetings. If, for any reason, the Treasurer ceases to hold office the Committee appoint an Acting Treasurer and ask the independent Financial Examiner to carry out an interim examination in preparation for the new Treasurer taking up office.
6.2.1. The Chairman shall take the Chair at all meetings of the Association and of Committee and be responsible for the day to day running of the Association.
6.3.1. The Secretary shall have charge of all documents relating to the current business of the Association.
6.3.2. The Membership Secretary shall keep the Membership List only for the internal use of the Association.
6.3.3. The Secretary shall be responsible for ensuring that the Association keeps minutes of General Meetings and Committee meetings of the Association.
6.3.4. The Secretary shall normally receive and sign on behalf of the Association official communications and correspondence. The name of the Association shall be mentioned in all business letters and publicity of the Association.
6.4.1. The Honorary Treasurer shall be responsible for seeing that the financial requirements of the Constitution and Rules of the Association are adhered to. The Treasurer shall disburse from the Association’s funds in accordance with instructions given by the Committee.
6.5.1. In addition to the Honorary Officers up to 5 other Members of the Association shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting to form a Committee totaling no more than 10 Members.
6.6. At meetings of the Committee 5 shall form a quorum.
- General Meetings
7.1. Members will be given notice of the Annual General Meeting.
7.2. A Special General Meeting may be called at any time throughout the year.
7.3. At General Meetings not fewer than 20 Members or one third of the Membership, whichever is the lesser, shall form a quorum.
7.4. Voting will be on the basis of one vote per allotment (no additional votes for multi-site holders).
7.5. Motions will be carried or defeated by a simple majority vote of those present.
7.6. The Chairman shall have a second and casting vote at all General Meetings in the event of a tied vote.
- Discussion at Meetings.
8.1. No party political or sectarian discussions shall be raised or resolutions proposed at either a Committee or a General Meeting.
- Funds
9.1. The Committee shall open banking accounts in the name of the Association and all monies received from any source on behalf of the Association shall be paid directly into such accounts.
9.2. Cheques shall be signed by two out of three signatories, all of whom shall be Officers of the Committee. The name of the Association shall be mentioned in all payments, cheques and orders for money or goods, bills, invoices and receipts signed by or on behalf of the Association.
9.3. The Association is a non-profit making organisation and its funds will be spent only for the benefit of the Association and/or its Members or to meet reasonable expenses incurred solely on behalf of the Association.
- Financial Examination
10.1. An independent Financial Examiner who is neither an Officer nor a member of the Committee will be appointed at the Annual General Meeting to examine the accounts of the Association and submit a written or oral Report to the Annual General Meeting.
10.2. Independent Financial Examiners shall be appointed every two years by Members at the Annual General Meeting.
10.3. The Treasurer shall close the annual account on 31 September each year and prepare a statement of income and expenditure and a balance sheet for presentation to the independent Financial Examiner within fifteen days at the end of the accounting year. The statement should identify the main terms of income and expenditure including Membership, rent, lease, water insurance. Other activities of the Association to be presented separately by separate simple sub-accounts with the agreement of the Committee.
10.4.The independent financial Examiner shall receive the draft accounts, payments and receipts files, bank statements and all financial records from the Treasurer and will examine them and, based on the documents, agree final accounts as an accurate and fair record of the Association’s financial transactions for the year.
10.5.The examined accounts shall be circulated as part of the Agenda for the Association’s Annual General Meeting signed by the Independent Examiner and Treasurer.
10.6. Members will be asked to adopt the accounts at the Annual General Meeting.
10.7. Any member may request a copy of the adopted examined account accounts from the Secretary who will provide a copy within two weeks of the request.
10.8. If, for any reason, an independent Financial Examiner ceases to hold office during the term for which he or she has been elected the Committee will appoint a replacement as soon as practicable and record the action in the Minutes.
- Winding Up of the Association
11.1 In the event of the necessity of winding up the Association a Special General Meeting shall be called for that purpose and the distribution of the Association’s assets approved at that meeting.