Constitution

1. Name

The name of the group shall be the Plumpton Wildlife and Habitat Group (hereafter called ‘the Group’).

2. Objectives

The Group shall be concerned with the Parish’s fauna and flora and their habitats, with the aims of promoting their understanding, appreciation and conservation.

Activities will include: surveys, recording, monitoring, conservation management and education.

The Group shall:

Carry out surveys, prepare maps and record information in relation to wildlife and its habitats in the area.
Organize and carry out habitat maintenance and enhancement as appropriate.
Promote study into subjects directly connected with the objects of the Group.
Encourage participation of all residents of the parish.
Consider the interests and activities of other groups and persons within the parish.
Co-operate with the local authorities, planning committees and all other statutory authorities, voluntary organisations, charities and persons having aims relevant to those of the Group.
Publish reports and other literature in relation to its work.
Hold meetings, lectures and exhibitions.
Raise funds, and invite and receive contributions from any person or persons within the parishes of Plumpton and East Chiltington by way of subscriptions, donations and otherwise.

3. Management

The Group shall be managed by a Committee.

The Committee shall consist of: a Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer as the Officers of the Committee, plus as many ordinary members as required to perform the aims/objectives of the Group, all of which must be paid up members of the Group.

All Officers and ordinary Committee members shall be elected at each AGM. Existing Committee members may stand for re-election. Officers shall stand down for at least one year after three years in post.

The Officers and ordinary Committee members shall be nominated and seconded by individual members and elected by a simple majority of those attending the AGM. Nominations to be received by the Secretary 10 days before the meeting.

The Committee may co-opt members for specific functions.

4. Membership

Membership shall be limited initially to residents of the parishes of Plumpton and East Chiltington who are interested in furthering the objectives of the Group.

Membership shall lapse if the annual subscription is unpaid three months after it is due.

Contact details of all members shall be held by the Group Secretary.

5. Subscriptions

Subscriptions shall be payable annually on 1 January. The subscription of a member joining the Group in the three months preceding 1 January in any year shall be regarded as covering membership for the Group’s year commencing 1January.

Junior subscriptions shall be for people aged under 16 years of age.

6. Finance

Any income obtained by the Group shall be used only in support of the group’s objectives as approved by the Committee.

All funds collected are the property of the Group and shall be kept by the Treasurer in a dedicated bank or building society account. The Treasurer shall ensure that all Officers and Committee members understand the funds available and nature of planned expenses at all times.

All transactions shall be recorded by the Treasurer and shall be open to scrutiny by any member, with the Treasurer ensuring that the complete accounts for the previous year are available at the AGM. The ‘financial year’ shall end on the last day of September and the Treasurer shall issue a Statement of Accounts to members prior to the AGM.

Payments require the signatures of two (of three) nominated officers.

7. Meetings

The AGM shall be held in November each year.

Notice of the AGM shall be published to all members along with the Statement of Accounts, at least three weeks before the date of the AGM. Only business so notified to all members shall be dealt with by the AGM.

A quorum shall be 10 members.

If deemed necessary an Extraordinary General Meeting can be called, subject to notice of the business of that meeting being advised to all members of the Group seven days in advance of the date of the meeting.

There shall be at least three committee meetings in any calendar year at which all members shall be welcome and allowed to vote on any issue. All ordinary members have one vote. The Chairman shall also have an additional casting vote, which he or she may (but is not required to) use to resolve any balanced vote. A quorum for Committee meetings shall be four.

8. Amendments To The Constitution

Any proposed change to the constitution shall be notified in writing to the committee at least 20 days before the last committee meeting preceding the AGM. This notice must be endorsed by at least five fully paid up members of the Group. Proposed changes will be published to all members and added to the AGM agenda to be discussed and voted on by a simple majority of those attending the next AGM.

9. Dissolution

If Officers of the Group decide that the Group is no longer viable, then the committee shall call an Extraordinary General meeting (EGM). Twenty-one days notice must be given to all members. A dissolution resolution shall be voted on at the EGM and shall be deemed to be carried by a two thirds majority of those members attending the EGM.

The Group’s assets, if any, shall be sold, all accounts closed, and the proceeds donated to a nature conservation organization, the precise organization to be agreed by a vote at the EGM.

10. General

The Officers shall be indemnified by the membership against any and all claims against the Group while carrying out the duties required by the membership.

NOTE: Arrangements prior to first AGM

This constitution shall take effect as if references contained relating to the Officers are references to the persons whose signatures appear below.

CERTIFICATION

This is certified to be a true copy of the Plumpton Wildlife and Habitat Group’s constitution, as adopted at the open meeting of the founding committee on 4 February, 2009.

Role

Name

Signed

Dated

Chairman

Mike Barnard

Vice-Chairman

Tony Hutson

Secretary

Jacqui Morris