Articles of constitution

REVISED 2016 ALL PREVIOUS DOCUMENTS RESCINDED

THE ROBIN HOOD ALLOTMENTS ASSOCIATION

Cavendish Road, Carlton, Nottingham, NG4 3SA

Affiliated to the NSALG Ltd.

ARTICLES OF CONSTITUTION

1. The name of the Association is:-

The Robin Hood Allotments Association (RHAA)

And the principal aim of the Association is to properly manage the site at Cavendish Road, Carlton, Nottingham, for the benefit of all without any discrimination.

2. The Association was founded as and continues to be a non-profit making organisation to create and promote allotments on the above site and to encourage the proper cultivation of plots by members of the Association. No member shall be entitled to any personal financial gain arising from his/her membership. Any surplus Association funds shall be used solely to benefit the Members of the Association and/or the local community.

3. The name of the Association shall be prominently displayed at the site gate and shall be mentioned in all correspondence, notices, invoices, advertisements and the like.

4. The Association may arrange or join with others in the holding of meetings, classes, demonstrations and seminars to encourage further the interest of allotment and leisure gardening amongst both its members and the local community as a local community learning service.

5. Postal ballots shall be carried out when considered necessary by the Management Committee.

OFFICERS, TRUSTEES AND MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

1. The Association shall have 4 Trustees appointed by the Management Committee to be elected for a period of 5 years and approved at the AGM. Trustees may stand for re-election.

2. The Association shall have the following elected Officers:-

President, Vice President, Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer, and six Committee Members unless otherwise agreed at an AGM.

3. The Management Committee shall consist of the Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer and the Committee Members, plus any other members co-opted to serve, at the request of the Chairman and Committee.

4. Officers of the Association and Committee Members shall be elected by members at the Annual General Meeting or by postal ballot if deemed necessary.

5. An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called at the request of over 50% of voting members. To request for such a meeting, 21 days notice must be given in writing to the Secretary or Assistant Secretary.

6. The Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer shall be elected for a period of five years and elections for these posts shall be rotated so that the Chairman is elected at the AGM of year 1, the Secretary at year 2, the Treasurer year 3, the Assistant Secretary by year 4 and the Vice Chairman by year 5.

7. Nominations for any Officer position must be made in writing to the Secretary 21 days prior to the AGM. All nominations must be properly proposed and seconded and the nominee must sign that they are willing to stand. Proposal forms can be obtained from the Secretary.

8. Committee Members shall be elected at each AGM for a period of one year or until the following AGM and may be eligible for re-election.

9. Any extra duties required of the elected Officers shall be determined by the Management Committee if not defined by these Rules.

10. Any elected Trustee, Officer or Committee Member may be removed from office at any time by a resolution by 75% of voting members present at any Extraordinary General Meeting called for that purpose and any vacancy may be filled at that meeting.

DUTIES OF THE TRUSTEES AND ASSOCIATION’S OFFICERS

1. The Trustees are members of the Management Committee but do not have to be from the elected membership of the Committee and shall be informed of all Committee Meetings and are eligible to attend all meetings and must be sent all Minutes of meetings whether attending or not.

2. The Trustees have ultimate responsibility and are responsible for negotiations with the Council in consultation with the rest of the Management Committee and members.

3. The Trustees shall take control of the management of the site in the event of the remaining members of the Management Committee resigning or the Management Committee being dissolved.

4. The Trustees shall act as arbitrators in disputes between members on allotment matters.

5. The Chairman/Vice Chairman shall chair all General and Extraordinary Meetings of Members and of the Management Committee and be involved together with the Secretary in forming policies for the benefit of members and lead Officers and Members in any meetings with outside bodies.

6. The Secretary or Assistant Secretary, shall convene all meetings of the Committee and Members, send out agendas and ensure minutes are taken and sent out to Committee Members . Minutes should be made available to any member on request.

6. The Secretary will conduct correspondence and communications on behalf of the Association and the Management Committee and shall represent the Association at external meetings related to these matters.

7. Register of Members allocated plots, home addresses, waiting lists, etc. will be created and maintained by the Secretary, who will be responsible for Notices to Quit where necessary at the direction of the Management Committee, in compliance with Allotment Statutory Law /Local Council Law and shall be the data protection keeper.

8. The Treasurer shall be responsible for all accounts of income and expenditure and investments of the Association, all payments, invoices, cash collection and banking related to these accounts.

9. Balance sheets of income and expenditure during the previous year will be prepared by the Treasurer and presented, after auditing, to the Annual General Meeting of the Association and interim financial reports at the request of the Management Committee.

10. In conjunction with the Secretary, the Treasurer shall be responsible for the collection of annual rents from all Members and the payment to Gedling Borough Council of relevant dues for the allotment site.

11. Signatories to the account shall be any two of Chairman , Secretary, Treasurer and Assistant Secretary all of which are registered with the Bank.

THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

1. Acceptance as elected Officers and members of the Committee place a duty on the member to attend and participate in meetings and discussions of the Committee unless unavoidably unavailable when an apology will be sent to the Secretary in advance of the meeting. Non-attendance at two consecutive meetings without apology will render the member removed from the Committee.

2. Committee meetings will be held at quarterly intervals plus any more meetings that are deemed necessary and agreed by the Management Committee.

3. The Management Committee shall have full powers to conduct the business of the Association according to its rules and constitution.

4. Unless otherwise determined by an Annual General Meeting, a quorum for management meetings will be no less than 7 members two of which must be Officers of the Association.

5. A Special Meeting of the Committee may be held at the request of at least five Committee Members, one of which must be an Officer of the Association. The Secretary shall be informed and send out the venue, time and agenda within 7 days of the request, the meeting to take place within 21 days of the request . The reason for the meeting will be the only item discussed and voted on at the meeting.

5. At all meetings of the Management Committee, every question shall be decided by a majority of votes and if equal the Chairman of that meeting shall have the casting vote.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING AND EXTRA ORDINARY GENERAL MEETINGS

1. An AGM will be held no earlier than 12 months and no later than 14 months after the previous year’s AGM.

2. All members will be informed of the date, venue, time and Agenda.

3. A quorum at any AGM shall be no less than 30 voting members.

4. An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called by no less than 50% of voting members by written request to the Management Committee stating the reason for the meeting. The Secretary shall within 21 days of receiving the request arrange a venue, date and time for the meeting and notify members by email and/or the site notice board. The item on the Agenda will be the only item discussed and voted on at the meeting.

Voting at General Meetings

1. May be by a show of hands or ballot. Voting slips will be given to voting members only. Voting members are tenants or joint tenants of RHAA.

2. In case of more than one nominee for a position on the Committee it is recommended to have a ballot. The votes to be counted by two Trustees.

ANY MATTERS NOT PROVIDED FOR

May be dealt with at the discretion of the Management Committee after discussion and reported in the Minutes and at the following AGM.

DISSOLUTION OF THE ASSOCIATION

Should there be a proposal from the Management Committee or not less than 50% of the voting members for the Association to be dissolved an Extra Ordinary General Meeting will be convened by the Secretary to debate the matter fully before a resolution is put before the members. The meeting will make the final decision. Any properties belonging to Gedling Borough Council will be returned to the Council. All other properties and remaining money will go to a charity to be decided by an AGM and not to any individual member/members.