The Association shall be called the EFFINGHAM RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION (EFFRA)
2. OBJECTIVES
a) To safeguard and promote the interests of the Ratepayers and Residents of the Parish of Effingham.
b) To assist the just, efficient and economical government of Effingham.
c) To render assistance in all matters for the benefit of the Ratepayers and Residents collectively and individually.
d) To encourage all Ratepayers and Residents to take an active part in local affairs.
e) To investigate reasonable complaints of Members in reference to the affairs of the village of Effingham.
f) To secure the return of Members to the Borough Council and Parish Council who support the aims and objectives of the Association.
g) To communicate directly with Councillors and Councils on a range of village related matters.
3. MEMBERSHIP
a) Any resident of Effingham over the age of 18 years shall be afforded Membership of the Association for the duration of such residency or until such time as the rules governing Membership are revised.
b) A Company (whether it is a Limited Company, a Partnership or a Sole Trader) with premises in Effingham and that pays business rates, shall be entitled to nominate an accredited representative to become a Member of the Association upon application to the Secretary and approval of the Executive Committee.
c) The Executive Committee may withdraw membership from a Member at its sole discretion in the event of actions by such Member are deemed contrary to the objectives of the Association.
d) Subject to the approval of the Executive Committee residents outside the village, with close links to it, may apply for membership of the Association.
4. FUNDING
a) Until such time as the Executive Committee considers it appropriate there shall be no formal subscription but Members may be encouraged to make donations from time to time.
b) The Executive Committee may at its discretion employ suitable methods to raise funds to cover operational expenses, such as but not limited to, carrying advertisements on Newsletters to Members and on its website.
5. CONSTITUTION
a) The Management of the Association shall be vested in an Executive Committee consisting of not more than 12 Members who shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting including the Hon. Secretary and Hon. Treasurer [see b) below].
b) The Hon. Secretary and Hon Treasurer shall be elected in like manner.
c) The method of election to the Executive Committee to the offices of Hon. Secretary and Hon Treasurer shall in the event of a contest be by ballot.
d) Nominations for election to the Executive Committee or to the offices of Hon. Secretary and Hon Treasurer shall be sent in writing together with the name of the proposer and seconder to the Secretary to reach him or her at least 10 days before the annual General Meeting at which the election is to take place.
e) Retiring Members from the Executive Committee shall be eligible for re-election.
6. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
a) The Secretary and Treasurer shall be ex-officio Members of the Executive Committee.
b) Each successive Executive Committee shall appoint a Chairman and Vice-Chairman at its first meeting from amongst the Members of the Executive Committee. The Chairman and Vice-Chairman shall hold office until the next Annual General Meeting of the Members and shall occupy the offices of Chairman and Vice-Chairman respectively at all General Meetings of Members during the year.
c) A quorum of the Executive Committee Meetings shall be four Members including the ex-officio Members. Decisions taken by the Executive Committee whether at meetings of the Committee (which can include proxy votes of members unable to be present) or outside the meetings will be by majority vote, with the Chairman having a casting vote in the event of a tied vote.
d) The Executive Committee shall have power to co-opt Members of the Association to the Executive Committee subject to 5 a) above. The Executive Committee may also co-opt additional non-voting members to the Committee.
e) The Executive Committee shall have power to appoint and delegate Sub-Committees with any matters which it considers necessary and such Sub-Committees may be appointed from Members of the Executive Committee and other Members of the Association. The Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Hon. Secretary shall be ex-officio Members of all Sub-Committees.
f) Any Member of the Executive Committee or Sub-Committee being absent from three consecutive Meetings and not sending any explanation in writing to the Secretary shall be considered to have vacated his or her position on that Committee;
g) Any vacancy occurring on the Executive Committee including the offices of Hon. Secretary or Hon. Treasurer may be filled by appointment of the Executive Committee.
h) All matters, which Members desire to be brought to the notice of the Executive Committee, must be addressed in writing to the Hon. Secretary or raised at a General Meeting.
7. REPRESENTATIVE MEMBERS
a) Members shall be appointed at each Annual General Meeting to be Road Wardens.
b) The duties of a Road Warden shall be to establish personal contact with Members in his or her particular part of the Parish, distribute notices and if reintroduced collect subscriptions etc. As far as possible one or more Road Wardens shall be appointed in respect of each road or area within the Parish.
c) Any vacancy occurring during the current year shall be filled by appointment made by the Executive Committee.
8. GENERAL MEETINGS
a) The Executive Committee shall have power to fix the dates, time and place of meetings and be responsible for giving seven days’ notice to all Members of a General Meeting and 14 days notice of Annual General Meetings.
b) The Executive Committee may convene a General Meeting of the Association at any time giving at least seven days’ notice.
c) The Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held in Januray or February each year when Reports of the Executive Committee, Treasurer’s Report showing audited Income & Expenditure Accounts and Chairman’s Report will be submitted and presented for adoption.
d) Upon receipt of a requisition, signed by at least 12 Members, the Secretary shall convene a General Meeting of the Association. The Meeting must to be held within 21 days after the receipt of any such requisition and the Secretary shall give at least seven days notice to all the Members of the Association of the time, date and place of the General Meeting and details of the resolution to be proposed. Notice shall be deemed to have been given if posted on a village notice board and on the website.
e) The written request shall contain the purpose or purposes for which such Meeting is to be held and no matters shall be considered except those specified in the notice convening the General Meeting.
f) A quorum for all General Meetings including the Annual General Meeting shall be 10 Members.
g) If a quorum is not present within 15 minutes of the time for any Meeting it shall be adjourned until such time, date and place, as the Chairman shall decide.
h) Where there are exceptional circumstances, the Committee will have the authority to defer meetings, including Annual General Meetings, General Meetings and Executive Committee Meetings, beyond the required or notified dates or to hold them by other means such as virtually by using appropriate technology, that is open to all residents without charge or in the case of Executive Committee meetings by email communication.
9. VOTING
Voting at all Meetings shall be by a show of hands or, if so determined by resolution of the Meeting, by ballot. In the case of an equal division of votes, the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote.
10. ACCOUNTS AND EXAMINER
a) The accounts shall run from January to December each year.
b) An Hon. Examiner, who shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting shall audit the Accounts.
11. USE OF THE ASSOCIATION NAME
No Member shall use, or allow to be used, the name of the Association in any advertisement, prospectus or business without the written consent of the Executive Committee.
12. CANDIDATES FOR PARISH OR BOROUGH COUNCIL
The names of the Members of the Association proposed as Candidates shall be submitted to the Secretary, who shall place the same before the Executive Committee for their endorsement or otherwise.
13. INTERPRETATION OF RULES
The Executive Committee shall be the sole authority as to the interpretation and implementation of the Rules governing the Association and its decision will be final.
14. ALTERATION OF MINUTES
The foregoing Rules shall not be altered except at the Annual General Meeting. Any proposed alteration of the Rules shall be notified in writing to Members when giving Notice of the Annual General Meeting.
No resolution making alteration to these Rules shall deem to have been passed at any meeting unless there voted in favour thereof not less than two-thirds of the Members of the Association present and voting.
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This revision was passed at the AGM held on the 28th May 2020 and replaces the previously amended Constitution dated 26th April 2016.