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Constitution

Name

The organisation shall be Whetstone Good Neighbour Scheme hereafter called the Scheme.

Purpose

  1. The purpose of the Scheme shall be to provide short term help to the residents of Whetstone Village hereafter called the Community. This will include transport, befriending, domestic support and household assistance with the help of local volunteers. The Scheme shall also endeavour to encourage self-help, friendship and neighbourliness within the Community.
  2. The Scheme will ensure that as far as possible, projects are carried out in line with the wishes of the Community and in conjunction with other groups and statutory services.

Membership and Officers

  1. Membership of the Scheme shall be open to anyone resident in the Community.
  2. A Management Group will be formed to carry out the legal, financial and operational business of the Scheme.
  3. The Principal Officers (Chair, Treasurer and Secretary and/or Safeguarding Lead) shall be unrelated and elected annually from the Management Group. The Principal Officers shall also act as signatories in respect of any bank mandate requirements.
  4. A quorum shall be constituted by two-thirds of the Management Group, including at least one (1) Principal Officer.
  5. The Management Group may also invite key local groups such as churches, Parish Council and Doctor’s surgeries to help steer the Scheme by periodically attending meetings, in particular the Annual General Meeting.

Meetings

  1. Meetings shall be held on a regular basis and will be well advertised and open to the whole Community.
  2. There will be an Annual General Meeting, which will be well advertised and open to the whole Community.
  3. Only members of the Management Group shall be entitled to vote on specific resolutions at meetings and a quorum shall be necessary for any such resolution to be accepted. The Chair of the meeting shall have a casting vote.
  4. Minutes will be taken at all meetings, circulated to the Management Group, and made available to Scheme members and the wider Community on request.

Changes to the constitution

  1. Proposed changes to the Constitution shall be submitted to the Management Group for consideration. Such proposals shall be supported by four (4) unrelated Scheme Members.
  2. Appropriate proposals shall be considered by a Special General Meeting at which a quorum of the Management Group is present including at least one (1) Principal Officer.

Finance

The Treasurer shall:

  1. Open a bank account in the name of the Scheme with three (3) unrelated signatories who will be the Principal Officers.
  2. Maintain accurate records of transactions and provide such records for annual audit as required.
  3. Make financial accounts available to the Community in public places on an annual basis.

Dissolution

  1. The scheme will be dissolved with a two-thirds majority of the Management Group following an application by at least four (4) unrelated members of the Community.
  2. The Management Group will at their discretion take the application for dissolution to a vote at a special General Meeting open to all members of the Community. A two-thirds majority vote will be used to carry the motion in this instance.
  3. On dissolution any outstanding funds shall be returned to the funders from whom they came or, with their agreement, used for charitable work within the Community