Our Constitution

 


Constitution of Chipping Norton Horticultural Association


1)  The name of the Association

The name of the Association shall be Chipping Norton Horticultural Association.


2)   Objective of the Association

The objective of the Association shall be to promote good horticultural practices among its members by:


Holding regular meetings for lectures, discussions and demonstrations


Holding horticultural shows and competitions occasionally

Arranging visits to gardens and other sites to observe gardening in practice


3)   Membership

Membership of the Association shall be open to anyone interested in gardening.

The Committee may, from time to time, confer honorary membership on individuals considered worthy of special recognition by the Association.


4)   Conduct of the Association’s affairs

The affairs of the Association shall be conducted by a Committee comprising the Officers of the Association and at least 10% of paid up members.

This Committee may appoint one or more sub-committees comprising elected members of the Committee and/or other members of the Association to perform specific tasks.


5)   Officers of the Association

The officers of the Association shall be a Chairman/person, Treasurer and Secretary and such other officers as shall be deemed necessary; no one individual shall hold more than one office at a time.


6)   Election of officers

The officers shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Association and shall hold office until the end of the next Annual General Meeting (1 year)


7)   Ordinary members of the Committee

Ordinary members of the Committee elected to the Association shall be elected each year.


8)   Resignation or death of Committee members

If any Committee member should die or resign before the expiration of their term of office, the Committee may fill the vacancy if they see fit, but the person so appointed shall retire at the next AGM and be eligible for election.


9)   Appointment of Deputy Chairman/person

The Committee shall appoint one of its number as Deputy-Chairman/person.


10)   Absence of the Chairman/person

Meetings of the Committee shall be chaired by the Chairman/person of the Association. In the event that the Chairman/person is absent at any meeting of the Committee, the Deputy-Chairman/person  shall take the chair. In the event that neither Chairman/person nor Deputy-Chairman/person is able to attend a meeting, the Committee members present shall elect one of their number to take the chair for that meeting.


11)   Co-opted members

The Committee may co-opt up to 2 members to serve as full Committee members until the next Annual General Meeting.


12)   Honorary President, Patrons and Vice-Presidents

The Committee may appoint distinguished individuals to the honorary position of President, Patrons or non-executive Vice-Presidents.


13)   Dates of Committee meetings

The Committee shall meet in accordance with the dates agreed by the Committee prior to the start of each financial year or on such dates as may be agreed by the Chairman/person or Deputy-Chairman/person of the Committee.


14)   Ordinary meetings of the Association

The ordinary meetings of the Association shall be held in accordance with a programme for the year which shall be drawn up by the Committee and/or its sub-committees and issued to all members of the Association at or before its Annual General Meeting. No matters of policy shall be agreed at an ordinary meeting of the Association.


15)   Annual General Meeting

An Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held within two months of the financial year end for the purpose of:


Approving the Committee’s Annual Report on the work of the Association during the preceding financial year.


Electing officers for the forthcoming year and Committee Members to replace those who have retired.


Approving financial statements signed by an Auditor/Examiner


Electing an Auditor/Examiner for the next year


Considering any motion which has been notified to the Secretary of the Association at least 28 calendar days prior to the date of the AGM and which has been circulated to all members


Noting any other matters for consideration by the Committee.


16)   Extraordinary General Meetings

The Committee has the power to convene an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Society at any time and must do so within 28 calendar days of receiving a written request signed by any 2 members. Notice in writing must be sent to all members not fewer than 14 calendar days before such a meeting, informing them of the date, time, venue and purpose of the meeting. No business other than that detailed in the notice shall be transacted at an EGM.


17)   Chairman/person of an ordinary, Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting

The President of the Association or, in his absence, the Chairman/person of the Association or, in the absence of both of them, the Deputy-Chairman/person of the Committee shall act as Chairman/person at any ordinary, Annual or Extraordinary General meeting of the Society. In the event of none of these being available the Committee members present shall elect one of their number to chair the meeting.


18)   Quorum

No matters of policy shall be agreed at an Annual or Extraordinary General meeting or at a Committee Meeting unless a quorum is present. The quorum of a General Meeting shall be 1/3 of the membership (unless otherwise required by these rules) and the quorum of a Committee Meeting shall consist of 50% Members. The quorum of any sub-committee shall be decided by the Committee when appointing it.  In the event of a quorum not being present, the meeting shall be adjourned to a day, time and place decided by the Chairman/person of the meeting.


19)   Entitlement to vote

Only members whose subscription is fully paid or those holding honorary membership of the Association shall be entitled to vote at an Annual General Meeting, Extraordinary General Meeting or meeting of any Committee or Sub-Committee.


20)  Method of voting

Voting at all meetings shall be by a show of hands unless the Chairman/person directs that a secret ballot be taken.

All matters shall be decided by a simple majority of those present and voting.


21)   Chairman’s/person’s casting vote

The chairman/person of an Annual General Meeting, Extraordinary General Meeting or any meeting of the Committee may not participate in the initial voting at any meeting but, in the event of a tie, shall have a casting vote.


22)   Subscription

The annual subscription for each “membership period” (the 12 months to the 28th day following the day of the AGM) shall be decided by the Committee and notified to all members at least 14 calendar days in advance of the Annual General Meeting.  Members joining the Association after the due date shall pay their annual subscription on joining except that members joining after February shall pay as visitors until the subscriptions due date.


23)   Privileges of membership

Membership privileges shall be decided by the Committee and shall be reviewed in advance of each Annual General Meeting.


24)   The Association’s funds

All subscriptions and other moneys received by the Association shall be passed to the Treasurer, who shall be responsible for all of the Association’s funds, for keeping accounting records thereof and presenting the accounts for audit/examination at the end of the financial year. All sums received by the Treasurer on the Association’s behalf shall be paid into the Association’s bank account and all cheques drawn on that account shall be signed by any two nominated officers, one of whom shall be the Treasurer. The funds of the Association shall be used solely to further the objectives of the Association and only in ways approved by the Committee.


25)   Appointment of an Auditor/Examiner

An Auditor/Examiner shall be elected at every Annual General Meeting to serve until the end of the next Annual General Meeting and shall be eligible for re-election. No Committee Member shall be eligible to act as Auditor/Examiner.


26)   Financial year

The Association’s financial year shall end on 30th September.


27)   Alteration of constitution

This constitution may only be amended at an Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting and then only if notice of the proposed amendment has been notified to all members not fewer than 14 calendar days before the meeting.


28)   Winding-up the Association

A decision to wind-up the Association shall only be taken at an Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting that is attended by a minimum of half of the total membership. There must be a majority vote in favour of the proposal to wind-up the Association by those attending the meeting. In the event that the decision to wind-up the Association is agreed, the meeting shall then go on to appoint a Committee of not fewer than three and not more than seven individuals to oversee the disposal of the Association’s assets. The meeting shall give a clear indication to that Committee of the use to which any remaining funds should be put. The Committee appointed to oversee the disposal of the Association’s assets shall abide as closely as possible to the wishes expressed at the meeting which appointed it.


29)   Other matters

Any matters for which provision is not made in this constitution shall be decided by the Committee at its discretion and shall be reported to the next Annual General Meeting for endorsement or further direction.


 

Signed and adopted 20th April 2011