Our Constitution

 
Name

The name of the organisation shall be "Supporters of Ashton Gardens" (also known as SOAG)
 

Purpose / Mission Statement

SOAG is a not-for-profit membership organisation that exists to protect, preserve and enhance Ashton Gardens, St Annes.
 

Objectives

Officer Structure

All posts are honorary and unpaid. The Officers of SOAG shall be: President, Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer. 

In addition to Officers, an Executive Committee comprising up to ten additional persons who are members of SOAG may be elected to conduct the business of SOAG.

The Officers and Committee shall be elected at an Annual General Meeting, and shall serve for a term of one year until the following Annual General Meeting.

Nominations for Officers and the Committee must be made in writing, signed by a proposer and seconder (who must also be members of SOAG), and indicating the nominee's willingness to stand. Nominations shall be made to the Honorary Secretary at least four weeks in advance of the date of the Annual General Meeting. 

Existing Officers and Executive Committee Members shall be eligible for re-election without being nominated prior to the Annual General Meeting. 

Any paid up member of SOAG shall be eligible for election to any Officer or Committee post

In the event of vacancies arising during the year, the Executive Committee shall have the power to appoint other members of SOAG to fill such vacancies until the following AGM. The Executive Committee may also temporarily co-opt non-members of SOAG for specific purposes such as specialist or technical advice.
 

Meetings

The principal meeting shall be the Annual General Meeting (AGM) held during April each year. The business shall include:

The Annual General Meeting shall be called by written notice to all members, sent at least four weeks prior to the date of the meeting. Nomination forms for Officers and Committee vacancies will accompany the notice, and bear the date by which they have to be received. The agenda for the AGM will be sent to members two weeks before the date of the meeting

The Chairman may, at any time, but at any event within 21 days of receiving a written request signed by not less than 50% of current members of SOAG, and stating the reasons for the request, call an Extra-ordinary General Meeting of all members

The Executive Committee elected at the AGM shall meet as often as its Chairman deems necessary, but not less than four times each year.

Executive Committee meetings shall be called by written notice to all Officers and Committee Members. Notice of the meeting, together with a copy of the agenda, will be sent to arrive with them at least 48 hours before the date of the meeting.

A calendar of Executive Committee meeting dates for the ensuing year shall be agreed at the first meeting of the Executive Committee following the AGM each year. This list of dates, together with closing dates for agenda items for each ensuing meeting, will be circulated to the Committee and to the wider membership for information. Any subsequent changes to the meeting dates will be notified to Committee Members as soon as practical.

Any member of SOAG may attend any Executive Committee meeting and has the right to speak at the meeting, but may not vote.
 

Quorum

Five members and or Officers of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum.
 

Voting

Voting will be by simple majority show of hands of those eligible to vote.

At Executive Committee meetings, those eligible to vote are Committee Members and Officers. In the event of a tied vote, the Chairman shall have a second and casting vote to determine the matter being voted upon. Ordinary SOAG members and others attending the Executive Committee may not vote, neither may co-opted members.
  

Working Groups

Working, or other sub-groups of the Executive Committee may be formed and disbanded by the Executive Committee from time to time as the need arises.

Such groups will remain under the control of, and report to, the Executive Committee, and shall have at least one member of the Executive Committee amongst their number at every meeting.

The composition of such groups and their terms of reference shall be set by the Executive Committee.
 

Minutes

The minutes of Executive Committee and Annual General Meetings shall be produced by the Secretary to record the decisions taken at the meetings. 

Working Groups may make their own arrangements to record their activity, but one Executive Committee Member shall be appointed to report progress back to the parent committee.

Minutes of the Executive Committee shall be circulated to Committee Members with the agenda for the next meeting.
 

Subscriptions

Subscriptions shall be determined subscriptions shall be determined by the Annual General Meeting on the recommendation of the Executive Committee who will review them each year in time for the AGM
 

Financial Arrangements

The Honorary Treasurer shall keep the accounts and monies of SOAG

The accounts shall be verified by an independent scrutineer appointed at the AGM each year, and a copy of the verified accounts shall be provided to all members attending the AGM.

The Honorary Treasurer shall maintain an account in the name of SOAG at such bank as the Executive Committee may decide from time to time on the advice of the Honorary Treasurer.

Cheques and other transactions requiring authorisation shall be signed by any two of the Treasurer, Chairman and Secretary.

Payments or asset disposals that exceed £100 in value shall be specifically authorised by the Executive Committee.

The Treasurer will report the current financial position to the Executive Committee at any time of his choosing, but not less frequently than once per quarter.
 

Interpretation Of Constitution

In cases of uncertain wording or application of this Constitution, the decision of the Chairman shall be final.
 

Changes To The Constitution

Changes to this Constitution shall be made by approval of the Annual General Meeting or by an Extra-ordinary General Meeting called under powers available in "Meetings" above.
 

Cessation

If the group winds up or passes a resolution to cease to exist, any property and money remaining after payment of proper debts and liabilities shall be given or transferred to such other organisation or organisations having objects similar to SOAG as an Extra-ordinary General Meeting may determine.