1. Name
The name of the group shall be the Plumpton Wildlife and Habitat Group (hereafter called ‘the Group’).
2. Objectives
The Group shall be concerned with the Parish’s fauna and flora and their habitats, with the aims of promoting their understanding, appreciation and conservation.
Activities will include: surveys, recording, monitoring, conservation management and education.
The Group shall:
- Carry out surveys, prepare maps and record information in relation to wildlife and its habitats in the area.
- Organize and carry out habitat maintenance and enhancement as appropriate.
- Promote study into subjects directly connected with the objects of the Group.
- Encourage participation of all residents of the parish.
- Consider the interests and activities of other groups and persons within the parish.
- Co-operate with the local authorities, planning committees and all other statutory authorities, voluntary organisations, charities and persons having aims relevant to those of the Group.
- Publish reports and other literature in relation to its work.
- Hold meetings, lectures and exhibitions.
- Raise funds, and invite and receive contributions from any person or persons within the parishes of Plumpton and East Chiltington by way of subscriptions, donations and otherwise.
3. Management
The Group shall be managed by a Committee.
The Committee shall consist of: a Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer as the Officers of the Committee, plus as many ordinary members as required to perform the aims/objectives of the Group, all of which must be paid up members of the Group.
All Officers and ordinary Committee members shall be
elected at each
The Officers and ordinary Committee members shall be
nominated and seconded by individual members and elected by a simple majority
of those attending the
The Committee may co-opt members for specific functions.
4. Membership
Membership shall be limited initially to residents of the parishes of Plumpton and East Chiltington who are interested in furthering the objectives of the Group.
Membership shall lapse if the annual subscription is unpaid three months after it is due.
Contact details of all members shall be held by the Group Secretary.
5. Subscriptions
Subscriptions shall be payable annually on 1 January. The subscription of a member joining the Group in the three months preceding 1 January in any year shall be regarded as covering membership for the Group’s year commencing 1 January.
Junior subscriptions shall be for people aged under 16 years of age.
6. Finance
Any income obtained by the Group shall be used only in support of the group’s objectives as approved by the Committee.
All funds collected are the property of the Group and shall be kept by the Treasurer in a dedicated bank or building society account. The Treasurer shall ensure that all Officers and Committee members understand the funds available and nature of planned expenses at all times.
All
transactions shall be recorded by the Treasurer and shall be open to scrutiny
by any member, with the Treasurer ensuring that the complete accounts for the
previous year are available at the
Payments require the signatures of two (of three) nominated officers.
7. Meetings
The
Notice of
the
A quorum shall be 10 members.
If deemed necessary an Extraordinary General Meeting can be called, subject to notice of the business of that meeting being advised to all members of the Group seven days in advance of the date of the meeting.
There shall be at least three committee meetings in any calendar year at which all members shall be welcome and allowed to vote on any issue. All ordinary members have one vote. The Chairman shall also have an additional casting vote, which he or she may (but is not required to) use to resolve any balanced vote. A quorum for Committee meetings shall be four.
8. Amendments To The Constitution
Any
proposed change to the constitution shall be notified in writing to the
committee at least 20 days before the last committee meeting preceding the
9. Dissolution
If Officers of the Group decide that the Group is no longer viable, then the committee shall call an Extraordinary General meeting (EGM). Twenty-one days notice must be given to all members. A dissolution resolution shall be voted on at the EGM and shall be deemed to be carried by a two thirds majority of those members attending the EGM.
The Group’s assets, if any, shall be sold, all accounts closed, and the proceeds donated to a nature conservation organization, the precise organization to be agreed by a vote at the EGM.
10. General
The Officers shall be indemnified by the membership against any and all claims against the Group while carrying out the duties required by the membership.
NOTE: Arrangements
prior to first
This constitution shall take effect as if references contained relating to the Officers are references to the persons whose signatures appear below.
CERTIFICATION
This is
certified to be a true copy of the Plumpton Wildlife and Habitat Group’s constitution,
as adopted at the open meeting of the founding committee on
Role |
Name |
Signed |
Dated |
Chairman |
Mike Barnard |
|
|
Vice-Chairman |
Tony Hutson |
|
|
Secretary |
Jacqui Morris |
|
|