1. NAME

The name of the association is

_____________________________________________________

The association represents the following geographical area and properties

(list all the streets and name of properties covered by the association)

2. AIMS

Our association seeks to represent and to promote the interest of all the tenants and residents living in the associations’ geographical area. We will work for improvements to:

· Our homes

· The housing services and other services we receive

· The local environment

To achieve our aims:

a. We will carry out community events and activities that will benefit all tenants and residents who are member of our association.

b. We will promote membership of the association to all existing and new tenants and residents within our geographical area.

c. We will represent the associations’ members in consultation with any other body and regularly inform members of our progress.

d. We will work to foster good relations with One Housing Group, the local authority and other services providers in the area.

e. We will be non party-political.

f. We will ensure that any income raised by or on behalf of the association is used only to further the aims of the association and the community it serves.

g. We will embrace diversity and the elimination of all forms of discriminations.

3. MEMBERSHIP

a. Membership shall be open to all tenants and residents living in the associations geographical area and properties as defined above.

b. Memberships shall be open, irrespective of nationality, race, ethnic origin, age, disability, gender, marital status or religious beliefs to all those legally resident within OHG property and the association geographical area.

c. The membership for voting a purpose is limited to a maximum of two votes per household and voters must be aged 18 years and over. All members will on request be given a copy of the association constitution, code of conduct and equal opportunity statement.

d. All members of the association are welcome to attend all events and meetings organised by the association.

e. Membership of the association will end when a tenant or resident stops living in the associations’ area or ceases to be a tenant or resident of One Housing Group.

f. Because of the possible conflict of interest, OHG employees may not become an active member of the association, hold any executive nor committee officer positions, neither can they represent the association in its dealings with OHG.

g. All members of the association will abide by the associations, code of conduct and equal opportunity statement which form an appendix to this constitution.

4. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

a. The day to day business of the association shall be conducted by a committee which should be democratically elected at each Annual General Meeting (AGM) and where possible reflect the diversity of the community in the association’s area.

b. There must be a minimum of three mandatory executive officer posts namely:

· The Chair

· The Vice Chair (optional)

· The Secretary

· The Treasurer

c. Committee membership for these posts is open only to One Housing Group (OHG) tenants and residents and only one person per household can hold an executive officers post. In addition to the mandatory executive officers the total number of other elected members on the committee will be agreed by the membership. In this instance, the total number of other elected members must be __.

d. The role and responsibilities of the associations Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary and Treasurer are set out separately in appendix ( 1) of this constitution.

5. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETINGS

a. The executive officers and committee members will need to meet separately between General Meetings in order to plan, make and co-ordinate the activities and decisions of the association. The meeting of the committee shall take place not less than -------times in each year.

b. The Secretary and the Chair of the association will meet to agree the agenda and reports for discussions and these will be distributed to all committee members at least seven ( ) days before a meeting.

c. Committee members wishing to place an item on the agenda should contact the Secretary or Chair at least ( ) days before the scheduled meeting date. Items to be tabled at the meeting will be at the discretions of the Chair.

d. Each executive officer and committee member will have the right to vote and will make and carry out decisions in accordance with the aims of the association. Voting on decisions at committee meetings will be by a show of hands.

e. The quorum for voting at committee meetings shall be 50% of the committee membership or not less than four members. If there is a tie in the vote, the Chair of the meeting will have the casting vote. Apart from this the Chair of the meeting will not vote on any resolution or decision.

f. If after 30 minutes of the advertised starting time a quorum is not achieved the meeting shall be closed.

g. Executive officers and committee members must declare any relevant information on a topic that may represents a conflict of interest. Where this is declared the meeting must decide whether that member should withdraw or be allowed to speak but not vote.

h. Committee meetings shall be open to any member of the association who wishes to attend such members may speak but shall not vote at the meetings. Request to attend these meetings must be made in advance and agreed with the secretary.

i. The association may invite OHG staff, councillors or officers from other outside bodies to attend committee meetings.

j. The committee shall have the power to co-opt anyone it considers to have a local interest and/or expertise on to the association’s sub-committee. Such co-optees will not have voting rights.

k. Executive officers or committee members who do not attend three consecutive meetings without giving apologies shall be deemed to have resigned.

l. The election or removal of executive officers or committee members may only be carried out by a General Meeting (GM) of the association. The committee may temporarily fill any vacancy arising among the officer of the association from its general membership until the next General Meeting of all members.

m. Members of the committee wishing to raise a point must speak through the Chair. Meeting will end at the time agreed by the committee unless all those present agreed to an extension. No meeting of the association will go beyond 9.30pm.

n. The Secretary of the association will ensure that the meeting is minuted. The minutes will be formally approved by the next committee meeting.

o. SUB-COMMITTEES: The committee may appoint sub-committees to carry out activities of the association and shall be directly accountable to the executive committee. Where a sub committee is set up the executive committee will agree any terms of reference to govern the activities of the committee.

6. GENERAL MEETINGS (GM)

a. The association will hold at least _ General Meetings (GM) in any year, one of which will be the association Annual General Meeting (AGM).

b. The association’s committee will give not less than fourteen (14) days notice in writing of General Meetings. All notification of the General Meeting will be delivered to each tenant or residents home and where possible displayed on notice boards. The information will include the date, time and place of the meeting and an agenda of matters to be discussed.

c. The meetings will be open to all tenants and residents of the association to attend, speak and vote.

d. Tenants and residents of the association wishing to place an item on the agenda should contact the Secretary or Chair at least 7 days before the scheduled meeting date. Items to be tabled at the meeting will be at the discretions of the Chair.

e. The association may invite OHG staff, councillors or officers from other outside bodies to attend General Meetings.

f. Voting by tenants and residents of the association at General Meetings is limited to a maximum of two votes per household and voters must be aged 18 years and over. Tenants and residents of the association wishing to raise a point must speak through the Chair and agree to abide by the association code of conduct and equal opportunity policy.

g. For the General Meeting to be quorate, the number of residents in attendance that are eligible to vote must exceed the total number of executive and elected committee members. The associations’ total number of elected executive officers and committee members’ is__. The quorate for a General meeting shall be __ or more.

h. If after 30 minutes of the advertised starting time a quorum is not achieved the meeting shall be closed.

i. The main method of voting on decisions at meetings will be by a majority show of hands.

j. If there is a tie in the vote, the Chair of the meeting will have the casting vote. Apart from this the Chair of the meeting will not vote on any resolution or decision. The Committee must abide by the decision of the General Meeting.

k. Executive officers or committee members who do not attend three consecutive General Meeting without giving apologies shall be deemed to have resigned.

l. The election or removal of executive officers or committee members can only be carried out at a General Meeting of the association.

m. Meetings will end at the time notified by the committee unless all those present agrees to an extension. No meeting of the association will go beyond 9.30pm.

n. The Secretary of the association will ensure that the meeting is recorded in the form of minutes and formally approved by the next meeting.

7. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM)

a. The committee shall call an Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Association each year in the month of or within 15 months of the previous AGM.

b. The association’s committee will give not less than __________days notification in writing of the Annual General Meeting. All notifications of the Annual General Meeting will be delivered to each tenant and residents home and where possible displayed on notice boards. The information will include the date, time and place of the meeting and an agenda of matters to be discussed which must include:

· Presentation of annual progress report of the associations activities.

· Presentation of the audited accounts of the association for the previous year.

· Stepping down of the existing committee members.

· Nominations for election to the association’s new committee.

· Proposals received by the Secretary for discussion by tenants and residents.

· Any other business

c. The meetings will be open to all tenants and residents of the association to attend, speak and vote.

d. Tenants and residents of the association wishing to place an item on the agenda should contact the Secretary or Chair at least seven (7) days before the scheduled meeting date. Items to be tabled at the meeting will be at the discretion of the Chair.

e. The association will invite an independent representative to attend and act as presiding Chair over the meeting once the outgoing executive officers and committee vacate their respective roles. The presiding Chair will also have responsibility for presiding over the nominations and election of the associations’ executive officers and committee members.

f. The association will also invite an OHG officer to the AGM as an independent observer. Their role will be to ensure that the meeting was arranged and managed according to the association’s constitution and that the election process was fair, transparent and democratic.

g. Voting by tenants and residents of the association at the AGM is limited to a maximum of two votes per household and voters must be aged 18 years and over.

h. Tenants and residents of the association wishing to raise a point must speak through the Chair and agree to abide by the association code of conduct and equal opportunity policy.

i. For the AGM to be quorate, the number of residents in attendance or that are eligible to vote, must exceed the total number of executive and elected committee members. The association’s total number of elected executive officers and committee members is __. The quorate for AGM shall be ___or more.

j. The main method of voting on decisions and election of officers at the AGM will be by a majority show of hands.

k. If there is a tie in the vote, the presiding Independent Chair of the meeting will have the casting vote. Apart from this the Chair of the meeting will not vote on any resolution or decision. The Committee must abide by the decision of the AGM.

l. The meeting will end at the time notified by the association unless all those present agreed to an extension. No meeting of the association will go beyond 9.30pm.

m. The Secretary of the association will ensure that the AGM is minuted. Copies of the minutes of the AGM are to be made available to all the association members within three (3) months of the meeting taking place or on request. Approval of the minutes will formally take place at the next AGM.

8. SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING (SGM)

a. A Special General Meeting open of all members of the association will be convened if the majority of the committee with voting rights request this in writing, or on receipt of a written petition from tenants and residents giving the reasons for the request.

b. The Secretary of the association on receipt of such request will call a Special General Meeting within twenty eight (28) days of receiving the request and ensure that the meeting is widely publicised.

c. The meetings will be open to all tenants and residents of the association to attend, speak and vote. Tenants and residents of the association wishing to raise a point must speak through the Chair and agree to abide by the association code of conduct and equal opportunity policy.

d. Voting by tenants and residents of the association at Special General Meetings is limited to a maximum of two votes per household and voters must be aged 18 years and over.

e. The main method of voting on decisions at the meetings will be by a majority show of hands.

f. The meeting will end at the time notified by the association unless all those present agreed to an extension. No meeting of the association will go beyond 9.30pm.

g. The Secretary of the association will ensure that the meeting is minuted. The minutes will be formally approved by the next committee meeting or general public meeting. Copies of the minutes of meeting are to be made available to all association members on request.

9. CHANGES TO THE CONSTITUTION

a. This constitution shall only be changed at a General Meeting of the association or at the Annual General Meeting.

b. Proposed changes must be submitted to the associations Secretary in writing stating the changes being proposed and the reasons for the change.

c. The Secretary will notify the association’s members of the proposals and ensure that the matter is included on the next General Public Meeting or Annual General Meeting (which ever is sooner) agenda and any decision will be agreed and minuted.

10. DISSOLUTION OF THE ASSOCIATION

a. If the executive committee members decide that the association should be dissolved, then they will call a Special General Meeting of the association’s tenants and residents to dissolve the association.

b. The meeting will formally propose the dissolution of the association and decide on how best to settle its debts and liabilities and dispose of the association’s assets.

c. For the sole purpose of dissolution a quorum need not apply and the association may be dissolved by a majority vote of those present at the meeting.

d. Assets, financial or property or where the association has a license or lease of a community centre or facility belonging to One Housing Group are not disposable or transferrable under dissolution and must be returned to One Housing Group as set down in any terms or conditions agreed with the association.

e. Assets, financial or property not belonging to the association but remain the property of another funding body or provider must be disposed of as per the conditions agreed with the funding body or provider.

f. Assets, financial or otherwise remaining once the association has fully satisfied its debts and liabilities shall be disposed of in a way that will be of benefit to the community as decided by the meeting.

g. If the association has no executive committee members remaining in post or the association has not met or adhered to this constitution, then One Housing Group can decide that the association be formally dissolved.

h. Where One Housing Group decides that the association should be dissolved then they will consider sending written notices of possible dissolution to all eligible tenants and residents of the associations geographical area. This notice will inform tenants and residents of the dissolution and give a 14 day deadline for residents to confirm their interest in the association continuing. If no response is received from tenants and residents after the deadline date then the association will be deemed to have dissolved.

i. Assets, financial or otherwise remaining once the associations’ debt or liability is settled will be disposed of by OHG in a way that will be of benefit to the community or other associations.

This Constitution its appendices, Role of Executive Officers, Code of Conduct and Equal Opportunity Statement have been adopted at a Public Meeting of the Association.

Date of Meeting:

Name of Association Chair: ______________________________________________________

Signature:

Name of Association Secretary: ___________________________________________________

Signature:

One Housing Group Representative : ______________________________________________

Signature: