Bricket Wood Residents' Association

CONSTITUTION OF THE BRICKET WOOD RESIDENTS' ASSOCIATION
Approved by the Annual General Meeting held on 15^th March 2005
Amended by the Annual General Meeting held on 22^nd March 2018
Amended by the Annual General Meeting held on 18^th March 2021
Amended by the Annual General Meeting held on 7^th April 2022

Rule 1. The title of the Association shall be BRICKET WOOD RESIDENTS^’ ASSOCIATION.

Rule2. The objects of the Association shall be:-

a) To safeguard the interests of members as residents and to preserve the amenities and the rural character of the village, and its immediate surroundings, wherever possible;

b) To make known the views of the members and generally to effect liaison with local government councillors and officers;

c) To encourage interest on the part of residents in local matters and in the local environment and its uses;

d) To maintain a constructive interest in the local administration, and, with due regard for the effective use of local government resources, to aim for the improvement of local services.

e) To collaborate with other local organisations/associations where it may be deemed to be of mutual benefit to the Community.

Rule 3. The Association shall be entirely non-party-political, and no discussion of any specifically party-political issue or opinion shall be permitted at any meeting of the Association.

Rule 4. Membership shall be open to all residents of the Bricket Wood Electoral Wards, and to any person wishing to be closely associated, subject to the approval of the Management Committee. For the purpose of this Rule "residents" shall be defined as occupiers of any dwelling or business property. Honorary Life Membership may be accorded by the Management Committee to persons who have, in its opinion, given outstanding service to the Association over a period of years.

Rule 5. The membership subscription shall be on the basis of one subscription payable per property for each calendar year. The amount of the subscription shall be recommended by the Honorary Treasurer early in that year. The Management Committee shall unanimously (of those present at the meeting) agree the recommendation, otherwise it shall be referred for decision by the Annual General Meeting for that year.

Discretion in cases of hardship shall be left to the Road Stewards, and ratified by the Management Committee.

Rule 6. The Officers of the Association shall consist of a President (optional), Chair, Vice-Chair, Honorary Secretary, and Honorary Treasurer.

All Officers elected by an Annual General Meeting shall remain in office until the next Annual General Meeting unless removed by vote of a Extraordinary General Meeting (which shall then elect a successor) or by resignation. In the event of the resignation of an Officer other than the President or Chair it shall be competent for the Management Committee to appoint a successor for the remainder of the current term of office, but the election of a President or Chair shall be by vote of a General Meeting only. An Officer appointed by the Management Committee under this rule shall be removable by vote of that Committee.

Rule 7. A Management Committee shall be elected at each Annual General Meeting. The Management Committee shall consist of the Chair, Vice-Chair, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, and at least four other Members.

The Management Committee shall have the power of co-option of additional Members to that Committee, each with full voting rights. The Committee shall meet at least six times a year on dates of its own choice. Six Members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum. Minutes shall be taken and circulated to Members before the next Committee Meeting, when they shall be approved.

Decisions on any matter can be taken between meetings using digital means, for example email. Where practicable any question for decision shall be circulated for a minimum of three working days for discussion before a decision is recorded. Such decisions shall be noted in the Minutes of the next meeting of the Management Committee meeting but do not need to be ratified by the meeting.

The Management Committee shall have the power of decision as to action in all other than major issues and shall exercise discretion as to matters appropriate for submission to a General Meeting, or, if the latter is not considered justified, for circulation to members of the Association.

Rule 8. The Management Committee may sponsor members as candidates for election to the Councils of local authorities, subject to informing the members of the Association. Such candidates, if elected, will not be mandated, but will be expected to consult with the Management Committee on all major issues, and will maintain non-party participation in the Council concerned, while representing the Association.

Rule 9. At its first meeting after the Annual General Meeting the Management Committee may appoint standing sub-committees to assist in the conduct of the Association's business. Officers shall be ex-officio members of all standing sub-committees, which shall meet as often as is necessary. Ad hoc sub-committees or working-parties shall be appointed for specific purposes as required, the Members of which may be drawn from outside the Membership of the Management Committee. These ad hoc sub­committees or working-parties shall be represented on the Management Committee, if necessary by co-option, and shall be limited to their terms of reference.

Rule 10. All matters of substance considered by sub-committees shall be brought to the Management Committee for a decision. No member of the Association nor any Committee or sub-committee Member or Officer shall communicate with the press or with any other organisation or individual in such terms as to imply that he/she does so on behalf of, or with the authority of the Association other than the Chair, the Honorary Secretary, or a person designated by the Management Committee.

Rule 11. No member or sub-committee shall commit the Association to any form of contract without the prior sanction of the Management Committee,

Rule 12. The Management Committee shall publish a minimum of two magazines a year reporting on the activities of the Association, together with such other material of interest to members as the Editor shall determine.

Rule 13. An Open Forum shall be held at least twice a year, on dates to be determined by the Management Committee, to provide opportunities for discussion by members of the Association on matters of concern to the village. For the purpose of this rule the Annual General Meeting in March will be regarded as an Open Forum. The opinions of any Open Meeting shall be advisory only, as far as the Management Committee is concerned, except where a vote is taken, as specified in other Rules within this Constitution.

Rule 14. The Honorary Treasurer shall inform the Honorary Secretary should the total cash balance fall below the sum required to fulfil the commitments of the Association for the current financial year; and the Honorary Secretary shall then notify the Management Committee at its next meeting.

All expenditure or commitments exceeding £200 shall be authorised by the Management Committee.

The Honorary Treasurer shall produce an audited Balance Sheet at each Annual General Meeting for ratification.

If the Management Committee considers that the Association has funds in excess of all anticipated requirements, the Management Committee can, at its sole discretion, gift an agreed reasonable sum to a needy local cause. In the event that a sum of money greater than that considered reasonable is proposed to be donated for any purpose, or if the needy cause is not deemed to be local, then the unanimous vote of the Management Committee will be required for its approval of the proposal. If agreed, notice of any such intention must be notified to the members for approval at a General Meeting.

Rule 15. An Annual General Meeting shall be held in the month of March each year, unless in the opinion of the Management Committee this is inappropriate, in which event it will choose an alternative date and arrange for members of the Association to be advised of the change at least fourteen days before the meeting takes place. Minutes of every Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting shall be taken and approved at the next Annual General Meeting. Twenty members present at such a Meeting shall constitute a quorum.

An Extraordinary General Meeting shall be convened:-

a) If, in the opinion of the Management Committee, any matter of business is of sufficient importance to warrant it; or

b) On written application, signed by not less than twenty members, and addressed to the Management Committee through the Honorary Secretary.

The Extraordinary General Meeting shall then be convened within one month of a) or b), whichever is relevant. The Honorary Secretary shall advise members of the date of the Meeting in any manner deemed appropriate by the Management Committee.

Rule 16. Every motion put to any meeting of the Association or to any Committee or sub-committee shall be carried by a simple majority of Members present, including the Chair, in the event of a tie, the Chair of the meeting shall have an additional, casting, vote.

Decisions taken digitally by the Management Committee shall be agreed by a simple majority of all the members of the Management Committee including the Chair. In the event of a tie, the Chair shall have an additional, casting, vote.

Rule 17. In the event of the dissolution of the Association, which shall be by vote of a General Meeting only, the Management Committee shall realise all assets and shall pay all outstanding debts. The total cash balance then remaining shall be devoted to one or more local charitable objects. For the purpose of this Rule "local" shall mean an organisation whose activities normally or mainly cover the Bricket Wood Electoral Wards.

Rule 18. These Rules shall only be rescinded or amended by vote of a General Meeting. Proposed amendments shall be submitted in writing to the Honorary Secretary. This shall be done at least one calendar month before a General Meeting takes place, to enable the Honorary Secretary to advise members of the Association, in any manner deemed appropriate by the Management Committee, of the proposed amendments.

Rule 19. Any dispute or uncertainty as to the interpretation of any of the foregoing Rules shall be referred to the Management Committee for decision.