NAME
The Association shall be called THE HERBERT COLLINS ESTATES RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION
OBJECTS
(a) To advance and protect the interests of the Residents and preserve the amenities of the district.
(b) To ascertain the opinions of the Residents and to lay such opinions before the appropriate authority when desirable.
(c) To promote such cultural and social activities as may from time to time be deemed desirable.
(d) To co-operate with other organisations in any of the forgoing objects.
SCOPE
The Association shall cover the following roads and houses therein (“the Estate”):- Stoneham Lane, Ethelburt Avenue, Leaside Way, Field Close, Bassett Green Road, Summerfield Gardens.
THE ASSOCIATION
shall be non-party and non-sectarian
MEMBERSHIP AND SUBSCRIPTION
(a) All adult residents of the Estate shall be eligible for membership.
(b) All individual members shall pay such subscriptions as the General Committee may from time to time determine. ( One subscription shall cover all members of the same family unit at the same address). Such subscriptions are due on the first day of March each year and payment thereof shall constitute membership.
HONORARY OFFICERS
(a) Only members of the Association shall be eligible to serve as Honorary Officers or members of the Committee.
(b) At the AGM hereinafter mentioned, the Association shall elect a Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary and such other Honorary Officers as the Association shall from time to time decide.
(c) The Chairman and the other Honorary Officers shall be ex-officio members of the Association, the Committee and of any other committee.
(d) If vacancies occur among the Honorary Officers, the Committee shall have the power to fill these from amongst its members. Any person appointed to fill such a casual vacancy shall hold office until conclusion of the next AGM of the Association and shall be eligible for election at that meeting.
THE GENERAL COMMITTEE
Subject as hereinafter mentioned the policy and general management of the affairs of the Association shall be directed by a General Committee (“the Committee”) which shall meet not less than three times a year. The Committee shall consist of:
(i) The Honorary Officers elected under clause 6.
(ii) It is to be desired without creating any obligation that there be one representative from each road in the Estate. Such representative may be an Honorary Officer or an individual member.
(iii) In addition to the members so elected and those serving by virtue of clause 7 hereof the Committee may co-opt up to five further members who shall be members of the Association who shall serve until the conclusion of the next AGM after individual co-options PROVIDED THAT THE NUMBER OF CO-OPTED MEMBERS SHALL NOT EXCEED ONE THIRD of the total number of members of the elected and appointed Committee in accordance with clause 7(i) and (ii) hereof.
(iv) The proceedings of the Committee shall not be invalidated by the failure to elect or any defect in the election, appointment, co-option or qualification of any member.
(v) The Committee may appoint such special or standing committees as may be deemed necessary by the Committee and shall determine their terms of reference, powers, duration and composition. All acts and proceedings of such special or standing committees shall be reported back to the Committee as soon as possible.
NOMINATIONS
Any nominations for officers, other members and honorary auditors made before the AGM must be in the hands of the Honorary Secretary in writing 7 clear days prior to the date of that meeting.
MEETINGS
(a) The first General Meeting of the Association shall be held not later that the 31st October 1990 and once in each year thereafter, an AGM of the Association shall be held at such time (not being more than 15 months after the holding of the preceding AGM) and place as the Committee shall determine. At least 14 clear days notice shall be given in writing by the Secretary to each member. The business shall include:
(i) Consideration of the annual report of work done by or under the auspices of the Committee and of the audited accounts.
(ii) Election of Honorary Officers in accordance with clause 6 hereof.
(iii) Election of individual members to serve on the Committee in accordance with clause 7 hereof.
(iv) Appointment of an auditor or auditors.
(v) Consideration of any business of which due notice has been given.
(vi) Whenever necessary consideration of and voting on proposals to alter this Constitution in accordance with clause 13 hereof.
(b) The Chairman of the Committee may at anytime at his/her discretion and the Secretary shall within 21 days of receiving a written request to do so signed by not less than 25 members giving reasons for the request, call a special General Meeting of the Association. No business other than that stated on the Agenda shall be dealt with at the meeting.
RULES OF PROCEDURE AT ALL MEETINGS.
(a) VOTING Subject to the provisions of clause 13, questions arising at any meeting shall be decided by a simple majority of those present and entitled to vote thereat. No member shall exercise more one vote notwithstanding that he may have been appointed to represent two or more interests but in case of an equality of votes the Chairman shall have the second or casting vote. Voting shall be by a show of hands unless a ballot is demanded by at least a third of the members present.
(b) QUORUM One third of the members shall form a quorum at meetings of the Committee and all other committees. Twenty five members or one third of the members whichever is the less shall form a quorum at a General Meeting of the Association.
(c) MINUTES A minute book shall be kept by the Association, the Committee and all other committees and the appropriate secretary shall enter therein a record of all proceeding and resolutions.
FINANCE
(a) All monies raised by or on behalf of the Association shall be applied to further the objects of the Association and for no other purpose provided that nothing herein contained shall prevent the payment in good faith of reasonable and proper remuneration to any employee of the Association or the repayment of reasonable out of pocket expenses.
(b) The Honorary Treasurer shall keep proper accounts of the finances or the Association.
(c) The accounts shall be audited at least once a year by the auditor or auditors appointed at the AGM.
(d) An audited statement of accounts for the last financial year shall be submitted by the Committee to the AG M as aforesaid.
(e) A Bank account shall be opened in the name of the Association with Barclays Bank of 70 University Road, Southampton or with such other bank or building society as the Committee shall from time to time decide. The Committee shall authorise in writing the Treasurer, the Secretary of the Association and two members of the Committee to sign cheques on behalf of the Association. All cheques must be signed by not less that two of the four authorised signatories
DISSOLUTION
If the Committee by a simple majority decides at anytime that on the ground of expense or otherwise it is necessary or advisable to dissolve the Association it shall call a General Meeting on the agenda of which shall appear the question of dissolution and the Association shall not be dissolved except by the vote of two thirds of the members present and voting.
ALTERATION OF RULES
No alterations to these Rules shall be made except by a two thirds majority of those present and voting at a General Meeting on the agenda of which shall appear the proposed alterations. No Rule shall be amended within twelve months of a previous decision to amend such Rule except upon the recommendation of the General Committee and all notices of suggested alteration shall be sent to the Honorary Secretary in writing.