BACKWELL RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION – CONSTITUTION & RULES
1. NAME:
The Association shall be called Backwell Residents Association (hereafter referred to as BRA or The Association).
2. OBJECTIVES:
BRA will work to safeguard and promote the collective interests of Backwell residents in matters concerning social, economic and community life and the character of the village.
The Association will support or oppose development affecting Backwell having regard to residents’ interests and the local environment.
3. MEMBERSHIP:
Membership of the Association shall be open to any household located within the Civil Parish of Backwell, whose adult occupiers support the objectives of BRA upon payment of a minimum annual subscription, which shall be adopted at the Annual General Meeting. All adult members (over 18) of a household are eligible to vote in General Meetings of the Association.
The Committee may also accept UK householders residing outside of Backwell who demonstrate their strong support to the objectives of BRA, upon the same provisions.
4. MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE:
A committee of not more than TWELVE members not including the Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer shall manage BRA. Members of the Committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting in any year and subject to termination of office by resignation or otherwise, shall remain in office for a period not exceeding the third Annual General Meeting next following their election The Committee shall have power to fill any vacancy that may occur, but any member so appointed to the committee shall remain in office only until the next following Annual General Meeting. In any year when 4 vacancies are not created by those who are standing for re-election by having filled a vacancy in the preceding year a balance of up to 4 vacancies shall be created. These shall be determined by a ballot of those Committee members in three year continuous membership to determine that they resign.
A retiring member of the committee shall be eligible for re-election. FIVE members shall form a quorum.
The Committee shall have power to co-opt not exceeding five members at any one time, as necessary to undertake specific roles. Co-opted members will not have the power to vote on the Committee’s business agenda.
No member of the committee shall be employed by The Association.
The Committee shall at all time conduct business on the basis that BRA is apolitical having no affiliation or allegiance to any political party.
5. OFFICERS:
The Management Committee shall appoint from amongst them a CHAIRMAN and VICE CHAIRMAN. No member shall hold the office of Chairman for a period exceeding three consecutive years.
6. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE:
The Management Committee may appoint an Executive Committee of not less than FOUR members to act as an Executive Committee in times of extreme activity calling for BRA to act swiftly to respond to matters of immediate concern to the future of BRA or in promoting its objectives. The Executive Committee’s actions will be limited to delegated powers from the Management Committee for periods not exceeding 30 days. THREE members shall form a quorum including at least one of Chairman, Honorary Secretary or Honorary Treasurer.
7. ASSETS:
The income and property of BRA whencesoever derived shall be applied solely in advancing the objects of BRA and no portion shall be paid or transferred either directly or indirectly to any member or members except in the payment of reasonable out-of-pocket expenses properly incurred by members of the Management Committee or those authorised by committee minute in advancing the objects of BRA.
8. BANK ACCOUNTS
BRA shall maintain one or more bank accounts in the name of BACKWELL RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION. All cheques shall be signed by not less than two members from four of those members of the Management Committee authorised by minute of the committee in formal meeting.
9. ACCOUNTS:
The Accounting Year of BRA shall run from the 1 January in each year to the next following 31 December inclusive, except that from 1 October 2015 the Accounting Period shall run to 31 December 2016 inclusive. The Management Committee shall cause proper accounts of BRA for each Accounting Year to be kept by the Honorary Treasurer and an AUDITOR shall audit such accounts. The Auditor for any Accounting Year shall be appointed at the Annual General Meeting.
In the event of the duly appointed Auditor not being available for any reason to properly perform their duty the committee shall appoint an adequately qualified person to report to the next following General Meeting if necessary at risk and expense of BRA.
10. UNPAID SUBSCRIPTIONS:
Any member whose annual subscription shall remain unpaid longer than six months after the date on which it falls due shall cease to be a member of BRA without further notice.
11. EXPULSION OF MEMBERS:
The Management Committee shall have the power to request any member to resign or to terminate any membership without explanation but for the purpose of this Rule the vote of not less than two-thirds of the Management Committee present at a meeting where the Agenda includes a specific proposal for such purpose shall be necessary.
12. ALTERATION TO RULES:
The Management Committee shall have power to alter these Rules, but no such alteration shall take effect until the same has been confirmed at an Annual General Meeting, or at a Special /General Meeting convened for the purpose.
13. BYELAWS:
The Management Committee shall have power to make byelaws for regulating the conduct and affairs of BRA providing the same are not inconsistent with these Rules. Such byelaws shall be served on members as for the service of notices of meetings and shall be binding on all members.
14. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING:
A general meeting of BRA shall be held by 30 April in every year to transact the following business:
- to receive and, if approved, to adopt an audited statement of BRA’s accounts for the Accounting Year ended on the previous 31 December;
- to consider and, if approved, sanction any duly made alteration to these rules. Proposals for any alteration to these Rules must lodged in writing, duly proposed and seconded by members and lodged with the Honorary Secretary no later than 1 January prior to the General Meeting;
- to elect the Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer
- to elect the remaining members of the Management Committee;
- to appoint an Auditor for the current Accounting Year;
- to deal with any special matters that the Management Committee desire to bring before the members and to receive suggestions from members for consideration by the Management Committee.
Any member standing for election shall signify their consent to candidature upon being proposed and seconded by members in full membership for not less than 3 months prior to the General Meeting.
Notice convening the general meeting shall be sent in writing or by electronic media to all members at their last registered addresses not less than TEN DAYS before the meeting, and shall specify the matters to be dealt with.
15. SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING:
A Special General Meeting shall be convened within TWENTYEIGHT days from receipt of a requisition in writing signed by registered members from not less than TEN registered households specifying the object of the meeting. A Special General Meeting may be convened at any time by the Management Committee upon service of the requisite notice of meeting.
16. NOTICES:
Notice of Annual or Special General Meetings should be served not less than SEVEN days before the meeting specifying the matters to be dealt with. Service may be by Public Notice, or by hardcopy or by electronic mail served to members last registered addresses.
17. DISSOLUTION:
In the event of the dissolution of BRA any assets held by BRA shall not be divided among members but shall be paid to another charitable organisation with objectives similar to BRA. If this is not possible division shall be paid to other charitable or voluntary organisations within the Civil Parish of Backwell as determined by the Committee.
Adopted 16.05.2012
Amended 12.11.2013
Amended 17.11.2015