Constitution

The Constitution of Chinnor Allotment and Garden Association
12 Oct 2016  

1. Name

Chinnor Allotment & Garden Association (referred to as CAGA)

 

2. Aims & Objectives

The Association shall be known as the Chinnor Allotment and Garden Association and its aims are:-

i) To control, manage and maintain the allotment within the terms and conditions of the Tenancy & Agreement, and to promote the good cultivation of its members' allotments and gardens

ii) To promote the interests of all members in their horticultural activities, including co-operating with other horticultural and allotment associations in matters of mutual interest

iii) To offer for sale suitable products in the Association shop, all profits being re-invested in the Association.

iv) To undertake projects to improve the facilities and/or attractions of CAGA, this shall be discussed and agreed at a properly convened committee meeting.

v) To share among Association members the responsibility for all common tasks.

vi) To make best efforts to involve the local community via for example, open days, special events and regular weekly opening of the distribution centre.

vii) To maintain good communications with members by means of notice-boards, newsletters or other suitable means.

 

3. Membership

Membership of the Association shall be open to:-

a) All persons 18 years old and over who are allotment holders on the CAGA site are called Full Members.
b) Well-wishers anywhere, may become Associate Members. Associate Members shall not have the right to vote at Members’ meetings. Persons under the age of 18 may be admitted as junior members free of charge.

 

4. Termination of Membership

The General Committee shall have the right, for good and sufficient reason, which includes non payment of any subscription to terminate an individual’s membership, - and to exclude from meetings an individual member, provided that the individual member shall have the right to be heard by the General Committee before a decision is made. Any subsequent application of membership for an individual who has had their membership terminated must be approved by the committee which in any event will not be considered within a 12 month period following termination.

 

5. Subscriptions

All individual members and affiliated groups shall pay such subscriptions as the general committee may from time to time determine.

 

6. General Committee

The general Committee shall comprise up to 10 Ordinary Members, plus Honorary Officers elected from Full Members of the Association at the Annual General Meeting.

Additional Co-opted Members may be voted onto the General Committee at general Committee meetings, up to the maximum numbers above and subject to the limitations noted elsewhere in the Constitution.

The General Committee may determine the powers and terms of reference of any Sub Committee and duration of its activities.

The policy and general management of the affairs of the Association shall be conducted by a General Committee, which shall be responsible to the General Meeting of the Association.

The General Committee shall consist of the Honorary Officers elected under clause 8 and individual members elected by and at the Annual General Meeting.

If vacancies occur among its members, the General Committee shall have the power to fill these from amongst the members of the Association.

The General Committee may co-opt further members, either Full or Associate Members, who shall not exceed one third of the total membership of the General Committee at that time and as defined above.

Without prejudice to Clause 3b above, Co-opted Association members, be they Full or Associate Members will for the purposes of this Constitution be considered as members of the General Committee and will have full voting rights at General Committee meetings and at the annual general Meeting, in keeping with Full Members.

Any Committee Member or Auditor who fails to fulfil the obligations of their office shall be required to resign at the instruction of the Committee.

The Committee of the Association shall meet regularly and the lower of five Committee Members or two-thirds of the Committee shall constitute a quorum.

The Committee meeting dates are to be published in advance.

The Committee may invite other Members to attend regularly or to attend specific meetings, and any Member may attend as an observer.

Only Committee Members shall be entitled to vote at Committee meetings.

A summary of any relevant Minutes of Committee Meetings will be displayed at the Clubhouse within one week of the date of the next meeting.

 

7. Management Committee

In order to liaise with the Parish Council, a Management committee will be appointed which will normally consist of two Parish Council members and two general Committee members (Chairman and one other Committee member). Other committee members may be elected onto the Management committee as the General Committee sees fit.

 

8. Honorary Officers

The Annual General Meeting shall elect the following Honorary Officers of the Association from amongst those eligible and willing to stand for election to the General Committee - a Chairman, a Secretary and a Treasurer. The Honorary Officers shall serve in their respective capacities as Officers of the General Committee until the following Annual General Meeting.

In the event of a vacancy occurring among the Honorary Officers, the General Committee shall have the power to fill such a vacancy from its own members or other Full Members of the Association.
For the purpose of administering the Rules and the running of the Association; the following OFFICERS and COMMITTEE shall be elected annually at the Annual General meeting and be empowered to effect such decisions as may be required to maintain and uphold the conditions of the Tenancy Agreement held with Chinnor Parish Council and such Rules democratically prescribed by the membership.

  • CHAIRMAN - To be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting. Nominations to be received by the Secretary prior to the Meeting and decided by ballot conducted at the AGM.
  • SECRETARY - As for Chairman.
  • TREASURER - As for Chairman.
  • AUDITORS – The Accounts are to be externally and independently audited annually, said accounts being available at the AGM.
  • MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE - Two members shall be elected annually by AGM nominations to the Secretary prior to the AGM and put to ballot at the AGM.
  • PRESIDENT and VICE PRESIDENT – The association may at their discretion, elect one president and one vice-president of the association. Candidates are to be proposed and elected at the A.G.M. If no longer acting in the interest of the association, the committee may relieve the person of the title, subject to that person’s right to be heard by the General Committee before a decision is made.

DUTIES

CHAIRMAN

  • To call and chair ALL MEETINGS - whose ruling on all matters must be accepted and obeyed by all concerned.
    • Holds the Casting Vote.
    • To ensure that the Association's Rules and Objectives are followed.
    • To keep in mind the interests of the members and be prepared to initiate changes in policy to meet changing circumstances.
    • Get things done by consent and with the help of members.

SECRETARY

  • Carry out the decisions of the Committee. Be responsible ONLY to the Committee. Act always in accordance with the decisions taken or where an emergency arises, between Committee meetings, then with the Chairman's agreement.
  • Deal with all correspondence and other matters promptly.
  • Ensure an up to date list of the names and addresses of all Full and Associated members is maintained. 
  • Ensure a register is kept in strict rotation of all applicants for plots.
  • Prepare Agenda in consultation with the Chairman.
  • Maintain up to date records of the association and an Attendance Record for committee meetings.
  • Be the expert in the affairs of the Association.
  • Keep the Chairman and Committee informed and up to date on all matters.

TREASURER

  • Take charge of all monies paid to the Association.
  • Pay all bills as they fall due.
  • Maintain a Bank Account in the Association's name.
  • Ensure that there is enough money available to pay bills and other sundries as they arise.
  • All cash collections to be suitably recorded by the giving and taking of receipts.
  • All transactions must be recorded and traceable to the person responsible.
  • Keep proper accounts and produce a Statement of Income and Expenditure for Auditors to approve for AGM.

PRESIDENT/VICE-PRESIDENT

  • Promote the aims and activities of the association.

 

9. Annual General Meeting

Once in each year, in the month of October, the General Committee shall convene an Annual General Meeting of the Association for the purpose of receiving the Annual Report of the General Committee and the audited or independently examined Statement of Accounts; of electing the Honorary Officers; of electing the representatives of individual members to serve on the General Committee; of appointing auditors or independent examiners; and of considering, whenever necessary, proposals to amend this Constitution and other business of which due notice has been received. At least 14 days notice of this meeting will be given in writing to members.

 

10. Special or Extra-Ordinary General Meeting

The Chair of the Association or the Secretary may at any time at their discretion, and shall within 21 days of receiving a written request to do so, signed by not less than Twenty members or one-third of the Full Members, whichever is the less having the power to vote and giving reasons for the request, call a Special General Meeting of the Association for the purposes of altering the Constitution in accordance with Clause 13 hereof or of considering any other matter which may be referred to it by the General Committee or for any other purpose. The quorum for an Extra-Ordinary General Meeting shall be Twenty Members or one-third of the Full Members, whichever is the less

 

11. Rules of Procedure

Voting: Subject to the provisions of clause 13, 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 casting vote.

Quorums:
General Committee Meetings – Two-thirds or five, whichever is the lower of the General Committee Members, excluding the Chairman shall form a quorum.

Annual/Extraordinary General Meeting – Twenty or one-third of the Full Members of the Association, whichever is the lower shall form a quorum.

Minutes: Minute shall be kept by the General Committee and any sub-committees which may have been established, and the appropriate Secretary shall enter therein a record of all proceedings and resolutions.

 

12. Finance

All monies raised by or on behalf of the Association shall be applied to further the objects of the Association or for such charitable causes as agreed by committee.

The Treasurer shall keep proper account of the finances of the Association and maintain a bank account in the name of the Association.
All monies received by the Association shall be banked by the Treasurer or the Secretary in accounts which shall be maintained in the name of the Association and shall be withdrawn by the Treasurer and the Secretary or one of two approved committee members conjointly (any two from three).

The accounts shall be audited or independently examined at least once a year by auditors/independent examiners appointed by the Annual General Meeting.

 

13. Dissolution

If the General Committee, by a simple majority, decides at any time on the ground of expense or otherwise it is necessary or advisable to dissolve the Association it shall call a meeting of all members of the Association who have the power to vote, of which meeting not less than 21 days notice stating the terms of the resolution to be proposed thereat shall be posted in a conspicuous place or places in the area and given in writing to the Charity Commissioners for England and Wales and any National body to which the Association is affiliated. If such a resolution shall be confirmed by a simple majority of those present and voting at such meeting the General Committee shall have the power to dispose of any assets held by or in the name of the Association. Any assets remaining after the satisfaction of any proper debts and liabilities shall be applied towards charitable or other purposes as the General Committee may decide.

 

14. Alterations to the constitution

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 first to be considered.

An alteration will require the approval of a two-thirds majority of individual members of the Association present and voting at a General Meeting. Notice of each such meeting must have been given in accordance with normal procedure, but not less than 14 days prior to the meeting in question and giving the wording of the proposed alteration.

THIS CONSTITUTION was adopted as the constitution of the Chinnor Garden and Allotment Association at the 2016 Annual General Meeting held at The Village Centre, Chinnor 12 October 2016