Constitution

LANGFORD VILLAGE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION CONSTITUTION

1. NAME

The name of the organisation shall be: “Langford Village Community Association”, abbreviated where necessary to “LVCA”.

2. OBJECTIVE

a) To protect and promote the well-being of the residents of the Langford Village Development and adjacent settlements (broadly defined as the area bounded by the A41, A4421 and the railway). To liaise, lobby and collaborate with the local authorities and voluntary organisations in a common effort to advance education, provide facilities for physical and mental training and recreation and social, moral and intellectual development; to further health and foster a community spirit for the achievement of these and other charitable objects.

b) To liaise, lobby and collaborate with the local authorities for the improvement and enhancement of the physical infrastructure of the community for the benefit of all users.

c) To efficiently manage a community centre for activities promoted in the furtherance of the above objects. The Association itself shall be non-party in politics and non-sectarian in religion. The community centre building and the land on which it sits shall remain the property of Cherwell District Council.

d) To furnish such returns and information to any authority as and when required, provided such returns and information is within judicial bounds and/or is in the interests of the Association.

3. DUTIES

In pursuing the objectives listed herein, the Association will undertake various duties, including but not limited to:

a) Addressing environmental matters within the community, including but not limited to street cleaning, maintenance, noise, traffic, planning and proposed developments affecting, or potentially affecting, the community, liaising with the appropriate authorities as necessary.

b) Developing, encouraging and promoting efforts by the Association or other parties (groups or individuals) that are in furtherance of the above objectives.

c) Managing and being responsible for all aspects of the administration, day-to-day running and income generation of the Community Centre.

4. MEMBERSHIP

a) Membership shall be open to:

(i) Individuals of 18 years and over living in the area of benefit.

(ii) Individuals over 18 living outside the area of benefit, who shall be called Associate Members and who shall not have the right to vote at General Meetings of the Association.

(iii) Affiliated groups, which shall be such national, international and local voluntary or non-profit distributing organisations, whether corporate or unincorporated, as are interested in furthering the said work.

(iv) Representatives of local councils in whose administrative area the Association lies.

b) Sections shall be such groups of individual members as may, with the permission of the General Committee (here-in-after mentioned), be formed within the Association for the furtherance of common activities. The General Committee shall determine the terms of reference and powers of each such Sections, and may also determine the duration of its activities.

c) Each member organisation as set out in clause 4 (a) (iii) and (iv) and each Section established in accordance with clause 4 (b) shall appoint one individual person to represent it and vote on its behalf at meetings of the General Committee and at General Meetings of the Associations. In the event of such individual person resigning or otherwise leaving an organisation, he or she shall forthwith cease to be representative thereof. The organisation concerned shall have the right to appoint a new representative, informing the Secretary in writing.

d) Termination of Membership: The General Committee shall have the right for good and sufficient reason to suspend or to terminate the membership of an affiliated group and or an individual representing an affiliated group. The individual and affiliated group shall have the right to be heard by the General Committee before the final decision is made.

5. GENERAL ORGANISATION AND MANAGEMENT

a) The overall management of the Association and Community Centre shall be vested in a General Committee (GC), which will comprise of up to fifteen members including elected officers (see 6).

b) The election of the Committee shall take place annually at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). Nominations shall be accepted from 14 days before the AGM and closed at the beginning of the AGM.

c) The General Committee shall have the power to co-opt members as they feel necessary.

d) The General Committee (of whom one third currently serving shall form a quorum) shall meet monthly, or more frequently if necessary.

e) If an elected committee member by his/her actions or failure to act, is adjudged by the full General Committee to not be fulfilling his/her role or is bringing the Association into disrepute he/she may be removed from office by a majority vote.

f) The General Committee may, from time to time, appoint one or more Sub-Committees to take responsibility for specific matters. Each Sub-Committee will include at least two members of the GC. Each Sub-Committee will report to the GC and seek approval for any matter that may be deemed LVCA policy. Where financial expenditure is required, this shall be provided out of LVCA funds as agreed by the GC.

6. OFFICERS

a) The Association officers shall include a Chairman, a Vice Chairman, a Secretary and a Treasurer. Any of the elected officers are authorized to act as Vice Chairman of the GC in the absence of the Chairman.

b) Election of these officers shall take place annually at the AGM (see 5 and 10).

c) In the event of a vacancy occurring among the officers, a replacement will be nominated from the Committee at the next meeting of the GC or earlier as deemed necessary.

d) At each Committee meeting the principal officers will present reports for their areas of responsibility.

7. FINANCE

a) The financial year of the Association shall be 1st April to 31st March.

b) The bankers of the LVCA shall be Lloyds Banking Group, or any other financial organization approved by the GC, to where all funds and monies of the Association shall be paid. Reimbursement of authorised Committee expenses not exceeding £150 plus payments for regular hall management & maintenance shall be paid via on-line banking by the Treasurer. All other payments shall be made by cheque & shall be signed by two of the officers of the Association; any changes to paragraph (b) can be made by agreement of the General Committee.

c) The Treasurer shall produce a statement of the accounts at each Committee Meeting or whenever requested by the GC, together with all relevant vouchers, documents and books if required or requested.

d) The Annual Statement of the LVCA accounts, having been subject to Independent Examination, shall be presented to the AGM and thereafter be available for inspection.

8. MINUTES

A minute book shall be kept by the Secretary to record all business transacted at:

General Committee Meetings

Annual General Meetings

9. APPOINTMENT OF TRUSTEES

Three Trustees to be responsible for the lease of the land on which the Community Centre is sited shall be nominated, and their names confirmed at the AGM.

10. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

a) The Annual General Meeting shall be held on a date to be determined each year by the General Committee. It shall receive and consider a report and statement of accounts from the General Committee and shall determine the LVCA policy for the ensuing year.

b) Motions for the AGM should be received by the Secretary at least 7 days prior to the date thereof. The agenda for the AGM shall be publicised at least two days prior to the AGM.

c) 25 members shall constitute a quorum at any General meeting.

d) An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called at any time at the written request of 25 members, or at the discretion of the General Committee.

e) Voting on all motions shall be by show of hands, except when a ballot of the meeting is demanded before the question is put. Such a demand must be supported by at least one third of the members present. Two tellers will be appointed before voting commences.

f) For any vote where the ballot is split at equal sides the Chairman will have a casting vote.

g) Non-members of the LVCA may attend the AGM and participate in the discussions, but will not be entitled to vote.

11. DISSOLUTION

If the General Committee at any time decide by a simple majority that on the grounds of expense or otherwise it is necessary or advisable to dissolve the LVCA, it shall call a meeting of all the members of the Association who have the power to vote, including Cherwell District Council as landowner. At least 21 days’ notice of this meeting shall be given, stating the terms of the resolution to be proposed there at. Notices for this meeting shall be posted in a conspicuous place or places in the neighbourhood and advertised in a local newspaper circulating in the area. If the decision to dissolve the LVCA be confirmed by a simple majority of those present and voting at the meeting the committee shall have the power to dispose of any assets held by, or in the name of the LVCA.

12. ALTERATION TO THIS CONSTITUTION

Any alteration to this Constitution shall require the approval of a majority of two thirds of the members present and voting at a General Meeting, providing that the members shall have been given not less than 7 days’ notice of the date of such a meeting and of the wording of the proposed alteration.