Copy of Cole Park Allotments Association Constitution

CONSTITUTION
COLE PARK ALLOTMENTS’ ASSOCIATION

APPROVED at the inaugural meeting on 28 October 2006 in All Souls Church Hall, Northcote Rd. at 2.00 pm

1. Overall purpose and guiding principle
To establish a friendly, mutually supportive and loosely controlled group of members cultivating leisure gardens and allotments for pleasure and non-commercial profit, this being for the better management of the land and as a respite from the pressures of the modern world.

2. The Name
The name of the Association shall be the Cole Park Allotments’ Association, and CPAA shall be an acceptable abbreviation for it.

3. The Association
The Association shall be an unincorporated association.

4. Definitions
Allotment Area That area of allotments known as the Cole Park Allotments, situated within the London Borough of Hounslow, together with any other adjoining or nearby areas which might conveniently be aggregated with the Cole Park Allotments
Plotholder Any person who rents an allotment plot or plots within the Allotment Area and in the event of more than one person being named as tenant the first named in the records of the Allotment Authority.
Plot Any plot or part of a plot let to a Plotholder by anyone other than a Plotholder.
Other Users Any person who is not a Plotholder but with the permission of a Plotholder assists in the cultivation or management of any Plot.
Allotment Facilities Any facility, construction, building, arrangement or contract which is capable of benefiting or being enjoyed by the Plotholders and Other Users or a substantial number of them
Allotment Authority The London Borough of Hounslow or any of its agencies or any body which is a successor to them.
Association Website www.coleparkallotments.co.uk
Tenancy Terms The provisions of the letting agreements or licences by which the Plotholders hold their Plots.

5. Purposes
Subject to the overall purpose and guiding principle:
5.1. To promote and represent the interests of Plotholders and Other Users relating to any allotment within the Allotment Area.
5.2. To provide by any lawful means any Allotment Facilities.
5.3. To deal with and negotiate with any Allotment Authority to secure the future of and advantages for the Plotholders and Other Users in relation to any allotment within the Allotment Area.
5.4. To provide a medium for the exchange of information, expertise and materials between Plotholders and Other Users to encourage:
5.4.1. the proper cultivation of the Plots;
5.4.2. the independence and self-reliance of the Plotholders and Other Users;
5.4.3. The cultivation of abandoned or neglected plots.
5.4.4. The restoration and improvement of parts of the Allotment Area which are unsuitable for allotment use so as to encourage the good management of any wooded areas, wildlife areas, ponds and wetland areas, and to promote green waste management, recycling, composting and leaf mould production

6. Powers
To do such things (including applying for grants and other funding)as the Association shall resolve in support of the Purposes having regard to the overall purpose and guiding principle of the Association.

7. Membership

7.1. There shall be two classes of Membership:
7.1.1. Plotholder membership; and
7.1.2. User membership
7.2. Any person who is a Plotholder shall be a Plotholder Member by virtue of attending any of the meetings of the Association or by applying for membership in writing or by email;
7.3. Any person who is an Other User shall be a User Member by virtue of attending any of the meetings of the Association or by applying for membership in writing or by email;
7.4. At any meeting of the Association a User Member may represent the absent Plotholder. By virtue of the Plotholder they are an Other User and for the purposes of that meeting shall be treated as a Plotholder.
7.5. Unless the Association decides otherwise there shall be no subscription for membership.
7.6. Membership shall continue without any requirement for renewal until the first of the following events:
7.6.1. The termination of the letting of the plot in relation to which the Plotholder of Other User is eligible for membership.
7.6.2. The resignation of the member.
7.7. The death or mental incapacity of the member.
7.8. In their conduct of the Association’s affairs the Members and Officers of the Association shall assume (so far as is reasonable or consistent with the proper running of the Association) that all persons who are entitled to be Members of the Association are members of the Association and shall have regard to their interests accordingly.

8. Management Committee

8.1. The affairs of the Association shall be conducted by a Management Committee comprising a minimum of a Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer. Additional officers may be elected if considered appropriate by a General Meeting.
8.2. The tenure of any post on the Committee shall be voluntary and open only to Members of the Association.
8.3. Officers shall be elected for the ensuing year by majority vote at each Annual General Meeting on the Association.
8.4. Officers shall be eligible for re-election each year but shall serve for no more than two consecutive years in any post.
8.5. In exceptional circumstances, following the tabling of a specific agenda item to the effect, Officers may be dismissed by a majority vote at a General Meeting
8.6. The Committee may by unanimous resolution co-opt such other Members to add to their number as they shall determine.
8.7. The Committee shall meet as required and at least once per quarter
8.8. Any member of the Association may attend any meeting of the Committee
8.9. There shall be no smoking at any of the Association’s meetings or any meeting of the Committee.
8.10. The Secretary, Treasurer and other members of the Committee shall keep accurate records of the dealings on behalf of the Association which shall be available for inspection by Members
8.11. The Chairman shall ensure the affairs and the General Meetings of the Association are conducted fairly, openly and without discrimination against any group or individual

9. The AGM and other meetings of the Association
9.1. The AGM shall be held once a year on a date to be determined by the Secretary in an accessible public place within 1 kilometre of the Allotment Area between 1 October and 30 November.
9.2. Notice of the date, time and place of the Meeting shall be given as follows:
9.2.1. Not less than 30 days’ notice on the home page of the Association Website; and
9.2.2. Not less than 30 days’ notice in written form prominently displayed on the inside of all of the gates to the Allotment Area; and
9.2.3. On the Association Noticeboard;
9.2.4. If the Association Website shall be unavailable then notice shall be valid providing they are displayed in accordance with paragraphs 9.2.2 and 9.2.3 of this Constitution.
9.3. At the AGM the following business will be transacted:
9.3.1. The election of Officers of the Association.
9.3.2. The perusal and (if thought fit) the approval of the Accounts of the Association.
9.3.3. Reports of the activities of the Officers of the Association for the preceding year.
9.3.4. Any matters raised by the Committee (other than Weighted Resolution)
9.3.5. Any matters raised by Members of the Association (other than Weighted Resolution);
9.3.6. Any Weighted Resolution of which proper notice shall have been given.
9.4. Any eight Members (each entitled to membership by virtue of a different Plot) may by requisition in writing, or email delivered to the Secretary, or (in the absence of any person holding that office) the Chair of the Association, request a Special General Meeting of the Association at which any business within the competence of the Association may be transacted; and
9.4.1. Within 7 days of receipt of such notice the Chair shall ensure that not more than 35 days or less than 21 days notice of that Special General Meeting shall be published by the same means as those required for an AGM.
9.4.2. Such notice shall contain details of the matters for which the Special General Meeting is called.
9.4.3. No Special General Meeting shall be held in the month of August or between 12 December and 9 January.
9.4.4. In the event of the Association Website being unavailable then Notice of any meeting may properly be posted on the inside of all of the gates to the Allotment Area and shall be treated as valid.
9.5. At any meeting of the Association:
9.5.1. Any Member may attend;
9.5.2. Any Plotholder Member may vote on any Resolution.
9.5.3. Any User Member may vote if the Plotholder, by virtue of whose tenancy they are entitled to be a User Member, is not present.
9.5.4. If there are two or more User Members present who might qualify to vote were Paragraph 9.4.3 of this Constitution to apply then they may jointly (and without any formality) appoint one of their number to vote on their behalf for some or all of the meeting and in the case of a dispute between them the Chair shall determine which of them shall exercise such voting rights for the meeting.
9.5.5. The quorum for any meeting shall be 8 Members who are each by reason of this paragraph entitled to vote but:
9.5.5.1. If a meeting is inquorate it shall be postponed to such date, not being less than 35 or more than 60 days after the date on which it was intended to be held and due notice of the date and place of the meeting shall posted in conformity with paragraph 9.1 of this Constitution; and
9.5.5.2. The quorum for such postponed meeting shall be 5 Members who are each by reason of this paragraph entitled to vote.

10. Weighted and Non-Weighted Resolutions

10.1. The Association shall transact its business at its meetings and make decisions by majority vote except for matters wholly or partly within the scope of a Weighted Resolution.
10.2. Weighted Resolutions will require at least 80% of the Members attending an Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting to vote in their favour to be passed.
10.3. The following matters shall require Weighted Resolutions to be adopted by the Association:
10.3.1. Any alteration to this Constitution;
10.3.2. Any proposal to assent to the removal of any part of the Allotment Area from the Allotment Area;
10.3.3. Any proposal to enter into any binding contract which has a term of more than two years;
10.3.4. Any proposal which would have the effect of depriving any person of their Plot;
10.3.5. Any proposal to transfer any funds or assets of the Association out of the control of the Association for a nil consideration.
10.3.6. The Winding Up of the Association.
10.4. No Weighted Resolution shall be considered by the Association at one of its meetings unless its import has been notified to Members in the Notice given to Members calling the Meeting at which it is sought to be considered.
10.5. If the Association is wound up any funds remaining shall be donated to a charity determined by the Association at the time of its resolving to be wound up.

11. Money and funds

11.1. The Treasurer will procure that the Association has a bank account in the name of the Association at a UK clearing bank with at least 3 signatories (being Members) of whom any two may sign cheques and other mandates or orders on the account.
11.2. The Treasurer will operate the bank account and:
11.2.1. ensure that any funds received on account of the Association are paid into that account without undue delay;
11.2.2. procure that any debts are settled promptly by cheque;
11.2.3. procure that all transactions are recorded;
11.2.4. keep proper accounts, retain vouchers, and produce draft accounts annually for auditing by the Auditors in good time for the AGM;
11.3. The Association’s financial year will end on 31 March in each year;

Adoption of the inaugural Constitution
This Constitution was adopted at an Annual General Meeting held on 28 October 2006 in All Souls Church Hall, Northcote Road, St Margaret’s, Twickenham.

Signed: ___________________________
Chair (Name: ………………..………..….)

Signed: ___________________________
Secretary (Name: …………..……………)
For Cole Park Allotment Association. www.coleparkallotments.org.uk