Constitution approved 19th November 2009


THE RAMBLERS’ ASSOCIATION

[IPSWICH & DISTRICT GROUP]

 

1. NAME AND DEFINITION
The organisation is part of the Rambler’s Association (a registered charity number 1093577 and a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales number 4458492), being a local group as defined in clause 6.1 of the Association’s Articles of Association.  The name of the organisation shall be The Ramblers’ Association, Ipswich & District Group, and it shall be within the Association’s Suffolk Area.   The above bodies are hereafter referred to as “the Association”, “the Area” and “the Group”.

2. OBJECTS
The objects of the Group are to further within its territory (see succeeding clause) the objects of the Association in such ways as the Area governing body may from time to time decide and subject to the overriding control of the Board of Trustees.

3. TERRITORY
The Group shall function in the Ipswich & District area or such other territory as may be agreed with the governing body of the Area from time to time.

4. MEMBERSHIP
Membership of the Group shall consist of individual members of the Area as are allocated to the group by the Board of Trustees in accordance with the RA’s Memorandum and Articles of Association, as laid down in Clause 5 of the RA’s Articles of Association and standing orders.

5. RELATIONS WITH THE AREA AND THE ASSOCIATION
The Group shall act in agreement with the Area Council and the Board of Trustees of the Association, as laid down in Clause 6 of the RA’s Articles of Association.

6. MANAGEMENT

  1. Subject to the directions of any Group Annual or Special General Meeting as to the exercise of its powers, the management and control of the Group shall be vested in the Committee which shall consist of the Honorary Officers and as many members of the Group as the Annual Meeting shall from time to time decide, subject to a minimum overall membership of six. All members shall retire annually but shall be eligible for re-election. 
  2. The Committee shall decide when and where it shall meet.
  3. Four members of the Committee shall form a quorum.
  4. It shall have the power to co-opt additional members.
  5. It shall have the power to fill casual vacancies.
  6. The committee shall receive regular reports from any sub-committee established under clause 8.
  7. A special meeting of the Committee shall be called by the Secretary as soon as possible at the request of the Chairman or, of not less than five members of the Committee.

7. OFFICERS

  1. The Honorary Officers of the Group shall be a Chairman, a Secretary, a Treasurer and such other officers as the Group in General Meeting may determine, to be elected at the General Meeting.
  2. They shall retire at the Annual Meeting following their election, but shall be eligible for re-election. 
  3. The Committee shall have the power to fill vacancies.

8. SUB-COMMITTEES
    The Committee shall have the power to appoint members to sub-committees and determine the chairmanship, their powers and terms of reference.  Any such committee will report directly back to the Committee.

9. RESIGNATION OR RETIREMENT
     Any member of the Committee shall vacate their office if:

  1. he/she gives notice of his intention to resign and his/her resignation is accepted.
  2. he/she fails to attend three consecutive meetings of the Committee as may be convened unless, the failure to attend was due to some reason approved by the Committee.

10. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
      In the first quarter of each financial year the Committee shall convene an Annual General Meeting of the Group, of which not less than 14 days’ notice shall be given in writing to each member of the Group, and which all members of the Group shall be entitled to attend, to:

  1. Consider the Annual Report of the Committee.
  2. Consider the Group income and expenditure accounts for the preceding Association financial year, a balance sheet showing the assets and liabilities at the end of that year and the Independent Examiner’s certificate.
  3. Receive the report from the Footpath Secretary.
  4. Appoint the Honorary Officers.
  5. Elect the Committee. [see (x) below]
  6. Appoint two representatives to the governing body of the Area.
  7. Appoint an Independent Examiner.
  8. Discuss and consider motions, notice of which shall have been given in writing to the Secretary.
  9. Vote on any proposals to amend this constitution in accordance with clause 14 thereof.
  10. Any resolutions, except those affecting the constitution [see paragraph 14(i)], shall be decided on a simple majority of those members present and voting.  No member shall exercise more than one vote, except that in the case of equality of votes the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote.
  11. Nominations for new Officers and Committee Members must be notified in writing to the Group Secretary at least twenty one days prior to the AGM taking place.

11. SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING
The Chairman or the Secretary may at any time, and shall within 21 days of receiving a request to do so, signed by not less than 5% or 10 members, [whichever is the greater] of the members of the Group and giving reasons for the request, call a Special General Meeting, of which 14 days notice shall be given.  The notice of the meeting shall contain notice of the matters to be discussed and the terms of any motions, which it is intended to move.

12. FINANCE
      (i)   All monies raised by and on behalf of the Group, including any funding received from the Area, shall be applied to the furtherance of the Objects of the Association.
      (ii)  The Hon. Treasurer shall keep proper financial records and shall report regularly to the Committee.   If required by the Area, he/she shall be responsible for the preparation of the annual budget for the Group and its submission to the Area Treasurer for approval.  He/she shall also be responsible for the preparation annually of Group income and expenditure accounts for the preceding Association financial year, a balance sheet showing the assets and liabilities at the end of that year, and for their submission to the Group’s independent examiner.
       (iii) All accounts in the name of the Group shall be opened at such bank as the Board of Trustees may approve.   All monies received shall be paid into the bank and all payments, other than petty cash payments, shall be made by cheque or appropriate form of electronic submission subject to appropriate controls.  Cheques shall be signed by the Honorary Treasurer and /or other officers as decided by the Committee.  To enable petty cash expenses to be paid, an advance shall be made to the Honorary Treasurer when necessary.
        (iv) The independent examiner’s report shall be addressed to the members of the Group and to the Area Treasurer.

13. DISSOLUTION
      If, in the event of the dissolution of the Group, confirmed by the majority of those present and voting at a General Meeting of the Group, there remains after the satisfaction of its debts and liabilities, any property whatever, it shall be transferred to the Area.

14. ALTERATIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION

  1. Insofar as any alteration or amendment is not inconsistent with the RA’s Memorandum and Articles of Association and standing orders, this Constitution may be amended, subject to prior approval by the Area governing body, at any General Meeting, in accordance with the approval of a two-thirds majority of members present and voting.
  2. Any proposal for such alteration must be delivered in writing to the Secretary of the Group not less than twenty eight days before the meeting of the Group at which it is to be discussed and not less than fourteen days’ notice of this meeting, giving the terms of the proposed alteration, shall be given to the members of the Group.

15. NOTICE
      The accidental omission to give notice of a meeting or the non-receipt of a notice of meeting by any member shall not invalidate any proceedings or resolutions at any meeting of the Group or any Committee.
                                                                                                             
                                ENDORSEMENT
I certify that the above is a true copy of the constitution of the Rambler’ Association, Suffolk Area, Ipswich & District Group as adopted at its Annual General Meeting on 19th November 2009.                                                            
                  
Chair of the meeting

 

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