Stanwell moor residents association

Our Constitution

1. Aims

1. To represent the interests of residents in the borough and County.
2. To promote  or deliver activities that support community engagement and the facilities of the village.
3. To promote the Residents Association to the wider to the community to encourage participation.
4. To work with other organisations, all political parties and individuals that will benefit  the village and its residents.

2. Membership of the Committee

1. Any resident of the village can apply for membership of the committee
2. Members of the committee are required to be resident in the village.
3. Members will have an equal vote. In the case of a tied vote a second vote shall be held. If the vote is still tied, then the Chair shall have a casting vote.
4. Members should actively seek to represent the needs of the area and the aims of the residents’ association.
5. Members should not discriminate on grounds of ethnicity, political opinion, race, religion, gender, age, sexuality or disability.
6. Members shall, always, conduct themselves in a reasonable manner when attending meetings or any functions linked to SMRA.
7. If any members are absent for two consecutive meetings or for two meetings over a year, then the committee will review their membership.

3. The Committee

1. The committee shall consist of up to 10 members and will be composed of four officers and up to six committee members. 
2. The Committee shall have the power to co-opt other residents who have specialist abilities that can help SMRA achieve its aims.
3. The officers’ roles are as follows:
4. Chair shall chair both general and committee meetings
5. Vice Chair  shall deputise for the Chair when necessary
6. Secretary shall be responsible for the taking of minutes and the distribution of all papers
7. Treasurer shall be responsible for maintaining accounts
8. Each committee position will be for a period of one year (January to January) and will be elected at the AGM by majority vote.
9. Every committee members shall carry out the duties given to them at the meetings.
10. The committee shall meet a minimum of four times a year.  A committee meeting will be held in January every year to re-elect the committee and ratify its constitution.
11. Minutes of all meetings shall be made available to committee members via email or other electronic means.
12. The committee may fill any vacancies arising in the committee through a majority vote at the next meeting.
13. The committee shall be responsible for ensuring that all communications to the wider community regarding meetings, voting and the AGM, and any other public activity, shall be communicated via the Association’s noticeboard, website and Facebook page.  When a newsletter is produced known activities shall be included.

4. Finance

1. All money raised by or on behalf of SMRA is to be used only to further the aims of the Association.
2. The treasurer shall open a bank account in the name of SMRA.
3. Cheque signatories will be nominated by the committee (excluding the chair, and including the treasurer). There shall be two signatories. These should not be from the same household or the same family.
4. All cheques and instructions to SMRA’s bankers shall require two of the agreed signatures
5. The treasurer shall have the accounts checked by an independent person with adequate financial experience, for example, a law centre or council for voluntary service, at the end of each financial year.
6. The accounts shall be available to all members at the AGM and reported on at every committee meeting.

5. Annual General Meetings

1. There shall be an AGM held every January at which the committee shall report on its work, present a statement of accounts and resign from their posts. – The committee for the next year shall be elected.
2. At the AGM, members present shall vote on committee nominations, recommendations and any amendments to the constitution.
3. The secretary will notify all members of the date of the meeting not less than 21 days before the AGM.

6. Other general meetings

1. There will be a general meeting open to all members every six months.
2. A Special General Meeting open to all residents will be held if 20 or more residents request such a meeting to the secretary in writing.
3. The secretary shall arrange for this meeting to take place within 28 days.
4. The secretary will publicise all general meetings at least 5 days in advance.
5. The quorum for all general meetings shall be one-third of the committee membership.

7. Changes to the constitution

1. The constitution can only be altered at an AGM or at a General Meeting with agreement of the whole committee. 
2. Any suggested changes to the constitution must be handed to the secretary at least 14 days before the AGM.
3. Changes to the constitution must be agreed by two thirds of the members present at the meeting.

8. Voting

1. Nominations for Committee positions is open for a 7-day period prior to an AGM.
2. Nomination forms should be completed and posted in the designated Nominations Box.
3. Nominations must be received 7-days before the AGM in order for Nominee names to be on the Agenda.
4. In the event of single appropriately proposed and seconded nominations received in the nomination period for any of the four officers (Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer) these will be accepted unchallenged.
5. In the event that the number of nominations for committee members received in the nomination period does not exceed the number of vacancies these will be accepted unchallenged.
6. In the event of multiple appropriately proposed and seconded nominations received in the nomination period for any position – each nominee will address the members for 3-minutes to explain why they are best suited for that particular position and a vote will take place at the AGM.
7. In the event of an equal vote, a second round of voting will take place. If no decision is made then the chair shall have the casting vote.

9. Dissolution

1. SMRA may only be dissolved at a Special General Meeting called for that purpose, which must be advertised 7 days before the meeting.
2. A proposal to dissolve the association shall take effect only if agreed by two thirds of the members present at the meeting.
3. Any assets (financial or otherwise) remaining, after the payment of all debts and liabilities, shall be given to registered charitable organisations, according to a majority vote of the membership of the association.