Space for Men
SMALL COMMUNITY GROUP CONSTITUTION
1 NAME
The Community Group’s name is Space for Men
2 THE PURPOSES OF the COMMUNITY GROUP ARE:-
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3 TRUSTEES
(1) The community group shall be managed by a committee of trustees who are appointed at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the charity.
(2) Committee members may cease to hold office if they resign, are absent without permission for 2 or more meetings, are disqualified by virtue of sections 178-180 of Charities Act 2011 or are declared medically unfit.
(3) A Committee member can be removed following a vote of no confidence by a resolution passed by a two thirds majority of all the charity committee members at a properly convened meeting after inviting the views of the committee member concerned and considering the matter in the light of any such views.
4 CARRYING OUT THE PURPOSES
In order to carry out the charitable purposes, the trustees have the power to:
(1) raise funds, receive grants and donations
(2) apply funds to carry out the work of the charity
(3) co-operate with and support other charities with similar purposes
(4) do anything which is lawful and necessary to achieve the purposes
5 MEMBERSHIP
The community group shall have a membership. People who support the work of the charity and are aged 18 or over, can apply to the trustees to become a member. Once accepted by the trustees, membership lasts for 3 years and may be renewed. The trustees will keep an up-to-date membership list.
The trustees may remove a person’s membership if they believe it is in the best interests of the charity. The member has the right to be heard by the trustees before the decision is made and can be accompanied by a friend.
6 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING - AGM
(1) The AGM must be held every year, with 14 days notice given to all members telling them what is on the agenda. Minutes must be kept of the AGM.
(2) There must be at least ___ members present at the AGM
(3) Every member has one vote.
(4) The trustees shall present the annual report and accounts.
(5) Any member may stand for election as a trustee.
(6) Members shall elect between 3 and 10 trustees to serve for the next year. They will retire at the next AGM but may stand for re-election.
7 TRUSTEE MEETINGS
(1) Trustees must hold at least 3 meetings each year. At their first meeting after the AGM they will elect a chair, treasurer and secretary. Trustees may act by majority decision.
(2) At least 3 trustees must be present at the meeting to be able to take decisions. Minutes shall be kept for every meeting.
(3) If trustees have a conflict of interest they must declare it and leave the meeting while this matter is being discussed or decided.
(4) During the year, the trustees may appoint up to 2 additional trustees. They will stand down at the next AGM.
(5) The trustees may make reasonable additional rules to help run the community group. These rules must not conflict with this constitution or the law.
(6) Meetings may be held by suitable electronic means agreed by the Committee by which each participant may communicate with all the other participants.
(7) The trustees may arrange their own and meetings of the membership in person, online or via teleconferencing.
Space for Men may allow members to vote by post or electronic mail. The Committee must appoint at least 2 independent people to act a scrutineers to supervise the ballot and counting of votes. Members are to be given 21 days notice of all information related to the vote with a specified closing date. Emails and postal votes are returned to an address only accessed by a scrutineer. Scrutineers must make a list of members casting valid votes and submit these to the committee member overseeing the meeting.
8 MONEY AND PROPERTY
(1) Money and property must only be used for the community group’s purposes.
(2) Trustees must keep accounts. The most recent annual accounts can be seen by anybody on request.
(3) Trustees cannot receive any money or property from the community group, except to refund reasonable out of pocket expenses.
(4) Money must be held in the community groups’s bank account. All cheques must be signed by 2 trustees.
9 GENERAL MEETINGS
If the Trustees consider it is necessary to change the constitution, or wind up the community group, they must call a General Meeting so that the membership can make the decision. Trustees must also call a General Meeting if they receive a written request from the majority of members. All members must be given 14 days notice and told the reason for the meeting. All decisions require a two thirds majority. Minutes must be kept.
(1) Winding up - any money or property remaining after payment of debts must be given to a charity with similar purposes to this one.
(2) Changes to the Constitution - can be made at AGMs or General Meetings. No change can be made that would make the organisation no longer a community group.
(3) General Meeting - called on written request from a majority of members.
(4) Trustees may also call a General Meeting to consult the membership
10 SETTING UP THE COMMUNITY GROUP
This constitution was adopted on _____________ 20___ by the people whose signatures appear below. They are the first members of the charity and will be the trustees until the AGM, which must be held within one year of this date.
Signed Print name and address
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