Friends Constitution

FRIENDS OF CROMPTON MOOR CONSTITUTION

A. NAME – The name of the group shall be “Friends of Crompton Moor”.

B. OBJECTIVES – The Group’s objectives are, but not limited to, the following: -

1. To promote Crompton Moor as a resource for responsible leisure for all users of the moor, for wildlife, for plants and for forestation,

2. To ensure that all usage of this Compton Moor is in accordance with its legal status as ‘registered common land’,

3. To represent the Group within the community that has an interest in Crompton Moor,

4. To support, co-operate with and, where necessary and required, pressurise the relevant authorities [namely Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council] to further the above interests,

5. To promote responsible dog ownership in the Crompton Moor area and to ensure the freedom of dog owners and dog walkers to exercise their dogs under close control/off lead on the Crompton Moor, and

6. To liaise with other organisations to promote the education of all users of Crompton Moor to the betterment of Crompton Moor.

C. MEMBERSHIP – Membership is open to users of Crompton Moor who support the Group objectives and undertake to support the group in a peaceful and legal manner. Those wishing to become members may apply to the Membership Committee who will consider and, if thought fit, approve the application. The Membership Committee may delegate the approval of applications to the Membership Secretary. Members may be expelled from the Group by the Membership Committee if they bring the Group into disrepute or fail to observe the rules of this constitution.

D. SUBSCRIPTION – The membership fee will be £5 per annum, save that a second or subsequent family member forming part of the same household shall be entitled to membership at a fee of £1. Donations will also be welcome from members of the Group and funds, when required, will also be raised by collection. It is also acknowledged that subscription refunds will only be made within 14 days of payment of same by the Group member, upon application by the Group member and his or her resignation from the Group.

E. MANAGEMENT OF THE GROUP – The management of the Group shall be in the hands of the Committee. This Committee, all being honorary, shall be nominated and elected at the Annual General Meeting [hereinafter referred to as ‘AGM’) and shall comprise of i) Chairperson, ii) Secretary (inc. Membership) and iii) Treasurer. Other officers will be at the discretion of the Committee or by a majority of members present at the AGM and/or Extraordinary and Public Meetings, as referred to below, who shall nominate and elect such officers.

F. The quorum shall be THREE members of the Committee. Committee decisions will be arrived at by a simple majority of those present, and in the event of a tied vote, the Chair shall have an additional casting and final vote. The Committee may delegate its powers as it sees fit, where such delegation is to the benefit of the Group, and its objectives.

G. ELECTION OF THE COMMITTEE – All elections, and expulsions, of Committee members, or members of the Group, shall be decided by simple majority of those voting and present at the relevant committee meeting. In the event of a tied vote, the Chairperson shall have an additional casting and final vote.

H. FINANCIAL YEAR – This will run from 6 April to 5 April. Annual accounts are to be prepared by the Group’s Treasurer and audited by TWO members of the Group, neither of whom holds office on the Committee. Also, it is accepted by all members of the Group that the Group will be non-profit-making.

I. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING – The Group shall hold an AGM for all members of the Group. The date, time and venue for the AGM meeting will be determined by the Committee. The Committee will, as far as practical and possible, give all Group members at least 14 days’ notice of the date, time and venue of the AGM meeting. The purpose of the meeting shall be for the Group Treasurer to report the audited annual accounts to the Group members and for a Committee to be elected for the ensuing year and other Officers, as appropriate. The meeting may also be used for Group members to discuss any other business [A.O.B.] relating to the Group, the Group’s Objectives and Crompton Moor.

J. EXTRAORDINARY AND PUBLIC MEETINGS – These meetings may be called in addition to the AGM. Meetings may be called upon receipt of a request from at least TEN members of the Group, the time, date and venue to be confirmed by the Committee, or for a special purpose by decision of the Committee. A notice and statement of business will be provided to all Group members, by post, fax or e-mail, at least FOURTEEN days before the date of such meetings if practicable.

K. DISSOLUTION – The Group may be dissolved at any time by a resolution passed by not less than EIGHTY % of the members present and voting at an extraordinary meeting called for this specific purpose. As soon as practical after a dissolution has been resolved, accounts for the Group shall be presented and any funds of the Group remaining after the discharge of all liabilities shall be donated equally to the registered Shaw charities known as ‘Dr Kershaw’s Hospice’, ‘Help the Aged’, ‘Children’s Society’, and ‘RSPCA’. No Group member shall be entitled to any payment in respect of his or her Group membership at the time of dissolution.

RULES CHANGE – No rule shall be withdrawn, amended or altered and no new rule made, except by a majority of members present and voting at an Extraordinary or Annual General Meeting. Notice of any such intention shall be advised in writing by the Group Secretary at least FOURTEEN days prior to the date of such meeting.

Any matters not provided for in this Constitution shall be dealt with by the Committee and any other Officers voted in at that time, and whose decision shall be temporarily binding on all members. However, it should be duly pointed out that any such decision arrived at by the Committee [and Officers where applicable] will be subject to further debate and decision at an Extraordinary meeting as outlined in J. above.