Constitution
1. Name
The name of the organisation is the Radlett Society and Green Belt Association (herein called the Society)
2. Objects
The aims and objects of the Society are:
(a) to improve, protect and preserve for the benefit of the public
the countryside and the country around the village of Radlett, the
village of Radlett and the green belt around Radlett,
(b) to stimulate public interest in the area of benefit,
(c) to promote high standards of planning and architecture in the
area of benefit,
(d) to secure the preservation, protection, development and improvement
of features of historic or public Interest in the area of benefit.
in furtherance of the said purposes but not otherwise the Society
shall have the following powers:
(i) to act as a coordinating body and to cooperate with the local
authority planning committees, sanitary, drainage and all other local
and statutory authorities, voluntary organisations, charities and
persons having aims similar to those of the Society,
(ii) to promote or assist in promoting activities of a charitable
nature throughout the area of benefit,
(iii) to publish papers, reports and other literature,
(iv) to hold meetings, lectures and exhibitions,
(v) to educate public opinion and to give advice and information,
(vi) to raise funds and to invite and receive contributions from any
person or persons whatsoever by way of subscription, donation or otherwise
- provided that the Society shall undertake no permanent trading activities
in raising funds for its primary purpose,
(vii) to do all such other things as are necessary for the attainment
of the said purposes.
3. Membership and Subscriptions
(a) All persons who are interested in actively furthering the purposes
of the Society shall be eligible for membership.
(b) A member shall cease to be a member
(i) upon giving written notice of resignation,
(ii) if such member's subscription shall be unpaid six months after
the end of any financial year.
(c) All members shall be bound by these rules and any amendments thereto
for the time being in force.
(d) The annual subscription for individuals or for husband and wife
jointly and the life membership subscription shall be such sums as
are from time to time recommended by the Committee and determined
by the members present and voting at a general meeting.
4. Management
(a) The management and assets of the Society shall be vested in a
Committee consisting of not more than 15 members of the Society elected
at the annual general meeting.
(b) The officers of the Society shall consist of:
a Chairman
a Vice-Chairman
an Honorary Secretary
an Honorary Treasurer
an Honorary Membership Secretary
all of whom shall be members of the Committee and be appointed by
the annual general meeting.
(c) The officers and members of the Committee shall relinquish office
every year and shall be eligible for re-election at the annual general
meeting. Nominations for officers and members of the Committee shall
be made in writing signed by the proposer and seconder and bearing
the consenting signature of the nominee and shall be received by the
Secretary not less than 24 hours before the time fixed for the meeting.
(d) In the event that an officer is unable to continue in office for
any reason whatsoever, the Committee shall have power to appoint one
of Its number, either elected or co-opted, to fill the office until
the next annual general meeting.
(e) The Committee shall have power to co-opt not more than five additional
members of the Society to serve thereon as it may from time to time
appoint and to appoint from amongst members of the Committee (whether
elected or co-opted) sub-committees to whom it may delegate such powers
as it deems necessary.
(f) The Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Hon Secretary shall be ex officio
members of all sub-committees.
(g) The financial year of the Society shall end on 30 June in each
year.
5. The Committee and its sub-committees
(a) The Committee shall meet not less than four times in each period
between one annual general meeting and the next at such intervals
as it shall from time to time determine.
(b) The Committee shall meet at any time at the request of the Chairman
or in his absence the Vice-Chairman and shall meet on notice by not
less than one quarter of its elected members given in writing at least
seven days in advance of the meeting to which such notice relates.
(c) The quorum for meetings of the Committee shall be five elected
members. It shall be three members in the case of sub-committees.
(d) (i) The powers and duties of the Committee shall include:
- the admission or refusal of applicants for membership,
- the making of standing orders which shall be binding on itself and
on all sub-committees provided they are not inconsistent with these
rules,
- the filling of casual vacancies.
(ii) The Committee shall have power to make appeals, solicit donations
and canvas monies for carrying out the objects of the Society - provided
that the Society shall not undertake any permanent trading activities
in raising funds for such purposes.
(iii) The Committee shall, out of the funds of the Society, pay all
proper expenses of administration and management of the Society. After
the payment of the administration and management expenses and the
setting aside to reserve of such sums as may be deemed expedient,
the remaining funds of the Society shall be applied by the Committee
in furtherance of the purposes of the Society.
(iv) All monies at any time belonging to the Society and not required
for immediate application for its purposes shall be invested by the
Committee in or upon such investments, securities or property as it
may think fit subject nevertheless to such authority, approval or
consent (whether by the Charity Commissioners or the Secretary of
State for Education and Science) as may for the time being be required
by law or by the special trusts affecting any property in the hands
of the Committee
(v) The Committee may borrow for the objects of the Society such monies
at such rate of interest and in such a manner as it may think fit.
(vi) It shall be the duty of every officer or member of the Committee
or sub-committee who is any way directly or indirectly interested
financially or professionally in any item discussed at any meeting
at which he or she is present to declare such interest, and he/she
shall not discuss such item or vote thereon.
(e) The Committee's delegation of powers to sub-committees shall not
include those referred to In the preceding clause 5(d) of these rules.
6. General meetings
(a) An annual general meeting shall be held in each calendar year
for the purpose of electing officers and members of the Committee
and of receiving the annual report and financial statement for the
previous year, and of transacting any business placed upon the agenda
by the Committee.
(b) General meetings shall be held on such dates as fixed by the Committee
but further general meetings shall be called upon the written request
of not legs than 20 members of the Society, which request shall state
the object of the proposed meeting.
(c) The Chairman, or in his absence the Vice-Chairman, shall preside
at all general meetings. In the absence of them both the meeting shall
appoint a chairman to preside. 20 members shall form a quorum.
(d) In the case of an equality of votes the chairman of the meeting
shall be entitled to a further or casting vote in addition to the
vote to which he may be entitled as a member.
(e) Not less than 14 days' notice shall be given of all general meetings.
(f) At each annual general meeting the members
(i) may elect a President and a Vice-President to serve for the ensuing
year but the President shall not serve for more than five consecutive
terms of office, and
(ii) shall appoint an auditor to examine and report upon the financial
statement for the year then next ensuing.
7.
This constitution may be amended by a two-thirds majority of members present at an annual general meeting or special general meeting of the Society, provided that 14 days' notice of the proposed amendment has been given to all members, and provided that nothing herein contained shall authorise any amendment the effect of which would be to cause the Society at anytime to cease to be a charity in law.
8. Notices
(a) Any formal notice by members of the Society shall be addressed
to the Secretary.
(b) Any notice required to be given by these rules shall be deemed
to be duly given if left at or sent by prepaid post addressed to the
address of that member last notified to the Secretary.
(c) The accidental omission to give notice to, or the non-receipt
of such notice by, any individual entitled to receive the same shall
not invalidate any resolution passed at any meeting.
9. Winding up
The Society maybe dissolved by a two-thirds majority of members voting at an annual general meeting or special general meeting of the Society confirmed by a simple majority of members voting at a further special general meeting held not less than 14 days after the previous meeting. If a motion for the dissolution of the Society is to be proposed at an annual general meeting or a special general meeting this motion shall be referred to specifically when notice of the meeting is given. In the event of the dissolution of the Society its available funds shall be transferred to such one or more charitable institutions having objects similar or reasonably similar to those herein before declared as shall be chosen by the Committee and approved by the meeting of the Society at which the decision to dissolve the Society is confirmed. On dissolution the minute books and other records of the Society shall be deposited with the Civic Trust,
The original constitution was approved at an inaugural general meeting on 29 March 1978.
This document incorporates amendments approved at a special general meeting on 29 May 1980.
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