Arlesey Community Events Group Constitution
1. Name
The name of the group shall be Arlesey Community Events Group
2. Aims
The aims of the Arlesey Community Events Groups will be:
• To organise and promote Community Events for the Arlesey community
• To use any monies raised to fund future community events
3. Membership
Membership is open to anyone who is a resident in Arlesey and interested
in furthering the aims of the group. The group secretary will keep a list of all members. Any offensive behaviour, including racist, sexist or inflammatory remarks will not be permitted. Anyone behaving in such a way may be asked not to attend further meetings, or to resign from the group.
4. Equal Opportunities
Arlesey Community Events Group will not discriminate on the grounds of gender, race, colour, ethnic or national group, sexuality, disability, religious or political belief, marital status or age.
5. Officers and Steering Committee
The business of the group will be carried out by a Steering Committee elected at the Annual General meeting. The Steering Committee will meet as necessary. The Steering Committee will consist of a minimum of 5 members, at least one of whom should normally be a serving Arlesey Town Councillor. Within the Steering Committee there shall be three officers whose roles are as follows:
• Chair, who shall chair general and other Steering Committee meetings
• Secretary, who shall be responsible for the recording of minutes and keeping records of members
• Treasurer, who shall be responsible for maintaining accounts pertaining to the group
In the event of an officer standing down during a year, the next general meeting of Steering Committee members will elect a replacement.
6. Meetings
The Group shall meet at least twice per year. Meetings will be called by the Chair or by special request of at least two thirds of Steering Committee members. An Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held within 15 months of the previous AGM. All Steering Committee members will be notified in writing at least 2 weeks before the date of the meeting, giving the venue, date and time. At the AGM:
• The Steering Committee will present a report of the work of the Arlesey Community Events Group
• The Steering Committee will present the accounts of the Arlesey Community Events Group for the previous year
• The officers for the next year will be elected
Nominations to join the Steering Committee may be made to the Secretary before any meeting, or at the meeting. To be quorate, a minimum of 3 Steering Committee members will be present at all meetings
Ordinary meetings are open to all members of the group and any other Arlesey residents who wish to attend. The Steering Committee will endeavour to ensure that adequate notice of the date, time and venue for meeting is given.
7. Voting
Steering Committee members shall take decisions relating to the group’s business. All Committee members shall have equal voting rights except where a vote is split – in such cases the Chair or acting Chair shall have the casting vote.
8. Finances
An account will be maintained on behalf of the Arlesey Community Events Group at a bank agreed by the Steering Committee. Three cheque signatories will be nominated by the Steering Committee (one to be the Treasurer). Any two of these must sign every cheque. The signatories authorising any payment must not be related to the recipient of any payment made. Electronic banking transactions may be made on a similar basis i.e. where an instruction is endorsed in writing by two of the signatories prior to the transaction being made. The treasurer must retain such written records. Records of income and expenditure will be maintained by the Treasurer, and a financial statement given at each meeting. All money raised by or on behalf of the Arlesey Community Events Group is only to be used to further the aims of the group, as specified in item 2 of this constitution.
9. Amendments to the constitution
Amendments to the constitution may only be made at the Annual General Meeting or a Special General meeting. Any proposals to amend the constitution must be given to the Secretary in writing. The proposal must then be circulated with the notice of the meeting. Any proposal to amend the constitution will requite a two-thirds majority approval of Steering Committee members present at the meeting.
10. Dissolution
If a meeting of Steering Committee members, by simple majority, decides that it is necessary to wind up the group, it may call a special general meeting to do so. The sole business of this meeting will be to dissolve the group. If it is agreed to dissolve the group all remaining money and other assets, once outstanding debts have been paid, will be transferred to Arlesey Town Council and be designated for funding community activities within Arlesey. This constitution was agreed at the Inaugural General Meeting of the Arlesey Community Events Group on:
Date 15th February 2016
Name and position in group Dr Sam Ward (Chair)
Signed ………………………………. Name and position in group Mrs Kerry Hazelwood (Secretary)
Signed ……………………………….
