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