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Churchgate Street

Churchgate Street
Aerial View

Thursday 1 April 2010

Open Meeting Thursday 29 April 2010

CHURCHGATE STREET RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION The new Churchgate Street Residents’ Association will hold its first meeting open to all residents on Thursday 29th April 2010 in St Mary’s Church Hall at 7.30pm. The purpose of the meeting will be to agree the geographical boundaries of the Association, formally adopt the Constitution, elect an ongoing Committee (we currently have an interim one) and agree the aims and purpose of the Association. The draft Constitution is available to consult at the shop and on the Association’s website at http://cgsra.blogspot.com/ . Residents will be asked to raise any matters which they feel the new Association should look into in the future. While all residents are welcome and can speak at the meeting, only members have a right to vote. Registration as a member of the Association is easy. Simply fill in the form below and hand it into the shop by Thursday 22rd April. Membership Form I/We wish to register as a Member of the Churchgate Street Residents’ Association: Mr/Mrs/Miss/Other:............................. 1st and 2nd Name: ............................................................................... Hse No and St:.................................................................................... Tel no:................................................... Email.................................................................................................. Date:………………………………………………….. Mr/Mrs/Miss/Other:............................. 1st and 2nd Name: ............................................................................... Hse No and St:.................................................................................... Tel no :.................................................. Email:.................................................................................................. Date:……………………………………………………

Constitution

Churchgate Street Residents’ Association Constitution 27 March 2010 Name and Area 1. The name of the Association is Churchgate Street Residents’ Association. 2. Churchgate Street is located to the north east in Harlow, Essex. The boundaries of the Area covered by the Association are: • Gilden Way to the northwest • Moor Hall Road to the northeast • the M11 motorway to the southeast • the perimeter of the developments of Church Langley and Newhall to the southwest. 3. In the interest of clarity: • Hubbard’s Hall and the converted farm buildings associated with it and Sheering Drive are within the Area • The lane from Sheering Road to Moor Hall Road known as Chalk Lane is part of the northeastern boundary. Aims 4 To represent the common interests of residents of the Area with respect to the local environment, amenities, facilities and the quality of life. 5 To promote community, social, educational, and other such activities of value to the residents of the Area. 6 To encourage a sense of community, mutual respect and tolerance, and to work to overcome any form of discrimination, intolerance or harassment in the Area. 7 To help build a good relationship between the residents of the Area and Harlow District Council and Essex County Council. 8 To consult all residents of the Area on matters of common interest and encourage them to join the Association. Membership 9 Members are those residents of the Area who are on the register of members. 10 To join, residents should apply in writing, stating their desire to join, with their name, address, and date of application. Membership will date from when a member of the committee of the Association, normally the secretary, enters the resident’s name on the membership register. 11 All residents living in the Area have the right to join the Association. Membership is restricted to the residents of the Area covered by the Association. 12 Membership confers the right to full participation in the Association and in particular, it confers office‐holding, nominating, seconding, and voting rights at all meetings of the Association. 13 The Association’s committee may suspend and subsequently reinstate a member should it consider his or her actions incompatible with the Association’s aims. A suspended member may apply in writing at any time to the committee to be reinstated. A suspension or reinstatement requires a 1 simple majority vote of the committee. A suspended member may also apply for reinstatement at an Annual General Meeting by means of a resolution requiring a simple majority vote of members. Officers and Committee 14 The Committee will conduct the business of the Association and will be made up of the following: • chair • vice chair • secretary • treasurer • up to four other members. 15 The committee will be elected at the first open meeting of the Association and at each annual general meeting after that. Candidates must be members of the Association and be proposed and seconded by members of the Association and may be elected on a simple majority of members present. 16 The committee may temporarily co‐opt members of the Association and fill any vacancy arising among the officers from elected committee members until the next Annual General Meeting at which time an election will take place. 17 Committee meetings must have a quorum of at least four members present including one from the chair, vice chair, secretary, or treasurer. 18 The chair shall conduct the meetings of the Association. The vice chair shall carry out the duties of the chair, in his or her absence. 19 The treasurer will maintain a bank account in the Association’s name. She or he will keep a proper record of the money received and spent by the Association, will prepare regular reports for committee meetings, and present annual accounts, that have been independently audited, at the Annual General Meeting for the approval of the members. 20 The committee will formally approve by vote all expenditure other than items of petty cash. Two members of the committee are required to sign cheques. 21 The secretary will give notice of meetings, keep minutes ‐ recording decisions made ‐ of the Association’s meetings, and maintain a list of the Association’s members. He or she will make available any minutes to any member on written request. 22 The Committee may appoint sub‐committees to carry out specified activities such as to complete a particular project or deal with a problem. Sub‐committees will keep records of their spending, if any, and of their meetings and will report as required to the committee. Open Meetings 23 Open Meetings are the normal method for the Association to consult residents of the Area. 24 Open Meetings may be attended by both members of the Association and any residents of the Area who are not members. 25 The committee will arrange a minimum of four Open Meetings each year and will publicise dates, times and venues widely in the Area at least fourteen days beforehand. 26 Open Meetings must have a quorum, which will include at least eight members of the Association who are not members of the committee. 27 Only members registered at least seven days in advance may propose and second resolutions and vote at the meeting. A simple majority is required. 28 Resolutions to change the constitution may be proposed and seconded at an Open Meeting for voting at the following Open Meeting. Only members registered at least seven days in advance may 2 propose and second resolutions to change the constitution and vote at the meeting. A two‐thirds majority is required. Annual General Meetings 29 Annual General Meetings are the Association’s normal method of governance when the committee will report on the past year’s activities and finances. AGMs will normally take place at one of the four Open Meetings. 30 AGMs may be attended by both members of the Association and any residents of the Area who are not members. 31 The committee will arrange Annual General Meetings and will publicise dates, times and venues widely in the Area at least fourteen days beforehand. 32 AGMs must have a quorum, which will include at least eight members of the Association who are not members of the committee. 33 At the AGM, members will elect a committee to serve in the year following. 34 Only members registered at least seven days in advance may propose and second resolutions and vote at the meeting. A simple majority is required. Special Meetings 35 Special Meetings are the Association’s method of dealing with urgent matters of concern to members or the committee and may be called either by three members of the committee or a quarter of the members of the Association. 36 Special Meetings may be attended by both members of the Association and any residents of the Area who are not members. 37 When members of the Association call a special meeting, they must do so in writing, with their reason(s), to a member of the committee. All members calling the meeting must sign the request. 38 The committee will promptly arrange a Special Meeting and will publicise dates, times and venues widely in the Area at least fourteen days beforehand. 39 Special Meetings must have a quorum, which will include at least eight members of the Association who are not members of the committee. 40 Only members registered at least seven days in advance may propose and second resolutions and vote at the meeting. A simple majority is required. Dissolution 41 Resolutions to dissolve the Association may be made by three members of the committee or a quarter of the members of the Association. 42 When members propose dissolution they must do so in writing, with their reason(s), to a member of the committee if one still exists. All members proposing dissolution must sign the request. 43 Resolutions to dissolve the Association may be proposed and seconded at an Open Meeting for voting at the following Open Meeting to take place not less than seven days later. A two‐thirds majority is required. 44 For the purpose of dissolution, a quorum is not required at the meeting. 45 In the event of dissolution, the meeting will decide how to use any remaining assets for the benefit of the community. Ends 27 March 2010 3

Wednesday 10 March 2010

CGSRA Interim Committee Meeting, 2 March 2010

Churchgate Street Residents’ Association

Minutes of a meeting held on Tuesday 2nd March 2010, St. Hugh’s Room, St Marys Church

Present: Colin Black, Dave Bracey, Margaret Chalk, Simon Cooper, Robin McCartney, Paul

McLintic, Sandra Rose, Louise Tasker

Apologies: Doreen Goodall

After the public meeting on 16th February, this interim committee met to form a Residents’ Association for the Churchgate Street neighbourhood.

1 Introductions

The interim committee membership list and contact details were updated.

It was agreed that Paul would act as Chairman, Sandra as Vice Chairman, Colin as Treasurer and Margaret as Secretary for the three month period prior to a public meeting when a permanent committee would be voted in.

(The meeting was interrupted at this point by a local resident who queried the efficiency of the publicity of meetings!)

2 Terms of Reference

The role of the interim committee was agreed to be as set out on the notice summarising the public meeting on 16 February.

3 Constitution

The advice received by email from Christine Selby of Harlow Council was noted, in particular that by appointing interim officers (as above) we were effectively “up and running”.

The following points were agreed:

1. Area covered by the Association This would be Gilden Way to the North, the boundary of Harlow District Council to the East and South and a footpath running from Gilden Way to the M11 – including Hubbards Hall. Robin agreed to produce a map with the agreed area marked. This area will be within the Harlow designated boundaries (of Churchgate Street) and will be verified by Harlow Council.

2. Constitution Discussion took place regarding aims, membership requirement, voting rights, meetings, subscriptions, balance of committee members, etc., and these will be drawn up into a constitution document by Paul, Robin and Simon.

A key point was that the RA is a membership organisation and anyone living in the RA’s area is eligible to join and to speak at open meetings. Only members, however, should be able to vote or become officers or committee members and only members can call, attend and vote at a special meeting.

Concerning the nomination and election of the ongoing committee it was agreed to take Christine’s advice and publicise the next open meeting widely ensuring all have an opportunity to get involved but not to designate certain streets or groups of streets to be separately represented on the committee. (An email from Alan Bell of Drakes Meadow refers.)

3. Council recognition Paul will submit the necessary forms once the constitution was finalised.

4. Name It was agreed that we will be known as “Churchgate Street Residents’ Association” and a possible website “savechurchgatestreet.org”

4 Action Plan

A draft plan was reviewed and tasks were allocated. Paul will circulate an update showing who does what.

The following points were agreed:

1. Nominations It was not practical to seek nominations for the committee and officers before the next open meeting but that it was important that, as we are a membership organisation, as many residents as possible should register as members before that meeting in order to vote. This meant that item 6 on the plan was deleted as it was about seeking nominations. It also meant that the publicity and the leaflet about the next open meeting should encourage and enable residents to register as members of the association.

2. Electoral role We obtain an electoral roll so that we have all names and addresses available for circularisation of publicity.

3. Publicity Colin will put an entry in CM17 magazine and will produce a leaflet (with membership application form and explanation of the purpose of the Residents’ Association and date of next open meeting) to be delivered to all properties in the area. Committee members to help with distribution before the next public meeting.

4. Posters Posters to be put in local shop, pub, church in addition to leaflets through doors

5. Invited guests Muriel Jolles (local councillor) can be invited to committee meetings if it was felt to be helpful.

6. Public meeting Date of next public meeting will be during week beginning 26th April (Paul to check that hall is available)

Date of next committee meeting – 22nd March, 7.30 p.m. St. Hugh’s Room, St. Mary’s Church

Public Meeting 16 February 2010

Summary of Public Meeting to form

Churchgate Street Residents’ Association

Tuesday 16 February 2010 at 7.30 pm

1) 56 residents attended this meeting as follows:

Hobbs Cross Road – 2, Elmbridge – 5, Churchgate Street – 5, Mill Lane – 28 (includes Fitzwilliam Court), Cobbins Way – 7, Burnside Terrace – 1, Staffords – 3, Not identified - 5

Also attending were: Councillor Muriel Jolles and Christine Selby (Harlow Council)

2) After discussion it was agreed that:

1. A Residents’ Association (RA) should be formed to benefit the whole area

2. The RA committee election should be as representative as possible

3. As the meeting attendance was unbalanced we should not elect a committee

4. An interim committee should be formed for a period of 3 months

5. The interim committee should:

· Define the area covered and agree a constitution

· Seek recognition for the RA from the Council

· Apply for any immediate funding available from the Council

· Propose a method of election of the RA ongoing committee

· Deal with any immediate RA business as necessary

· Publicise widely and hold a further public meeting within 3 months to report back and elect the ongoing committee.

3) The following volunteers to the interim committee were approved:

Doreen Goodall - Mill Lane; Sandra Rose, Robin McCartney, Louise Tasker, David Bracey – CGS; Colin Black, Simon Cooper – Churchmill Grange; Margaret Chalk – Elmbridge; Paul McLintic (Interim Chair) – Staffords.

This interim committee will meet at 7.30 pm, Tues 2 March 2010, St Hugh’s Room, St Mary’s Church.