The Grove Park Group Constitution

1. NAME
The name of the Society is the Grove Park Group, hereinafter referred to as the Group.

2. OBJECTS

The The Group is established for the public benefit for the following purposes in the area between:

  • The south-side of Great West Road / Cedars Road / Ellesmere Road / Hogarth Lane (A4) / Church Street;  
  • the River Thames from Church Street to Thames Road; and
  • the east of the railway line running from the Great West Road to the River Thames, but excluding: Loraine Road, Magnolia Road, Ernest Gardens, Herbert Gardens, Bailey Mews and all properties on Thames Road and between Thames Road and the River Thames.

which total area shall hereinafter be referred to as the Area.

Its activities shall support the following Objectives:

  1. To help to maintain and improve the character of the Area by giving attention to the built and natural environment, features, or items of historic or public interest.
  2. To liaise, in furtherance of these Objectives, inter alia with the local Council administration, Councillors, planning committees, drainage and all other local and statutory authorities, voluntary organisations, charities and persons.
  3. To foster the wellbeing of the local community in the Area by coordinating events and activities that support the building and deepening of mutually beneficial relationships
  4. To inform residents of the Area in relation to any issues or topics of shared interest and concern related to the items above.  
  5. To increase knowledge and appreciation of the Area, both within and outside its borders.

In line with the Objectives of the Group, its Committee shall have the following powers:

  1. To act as a communicating body, liaising inter alia with local councillors, the local authority, planning committees, sanitary, drainage and all other local and statutory authorities, voluntary organisations, charities and other persons, and communicate information throughout the Area.
  2. To publish newsletters, reports and other literature to inform the Area’s residents about current or proposed events in the Area.
  3. To provide information to residents of the Area.
  4. To collect information in relation to any relevant subject within the Area.
  5. To raise funds and to invite and receive contributions from any person or persons by way of subscription, donation and otherwise.
  6. To coordinate events and activities in line with the delivery of the Objectives.
  7. To carry out any other actions deemed reasonably necessary for the attainment of the Objectives of the Group.
 3. MEMBERSHIP

Membership shall be open to all who are interested in actively furthering the purposes of the Group.  No Member shall have power to vote at any meeting of the Group if their subscription is in arrears at the time.  Members must either be resident or work in the Area.

A Member may nominate up to four further Household Members residing at the same address who will have no voting rights, but can elect to join the Group’s mailing list and benefit from all other membership rights.

The Committee may introduce new classes of membership from time to time as it sees fit, provided that any such class of membership (i) giving power to vote to members of that class or (ii) with a duration of longer than 3 years, must be approved in advance by the current voting Membership at the AGM or via an Ordinary Meeting.  The Committee will provide a Membership Report on different classes of membership that have been active during the reporting period at the AGM providing details of all pertinent differences between the different classes.

4. SUBSCRIPTIONS

The subscription rates for each class of membership shall be set by the Committee, and reviewed annually each year.

Subscriptions are to be made for a household, and thus can include up to four Household Members in addition to the subscribing Member.  

Membership payments are due on the annual anniversary of the Members joining date, and shall cover the period until the next such anniversary.  Membership shall lapse, along with any associated Household Members, if the subscribing Member’s subscription is unpaid two months after its payment is requested.  Payment of Membership renewals, or renewed subscriptions to the Group within 6 months of the lapse date, will be deemed to cover the period from the current renewal date to the next renewal date, rather than for a calendar year from the date on which payment was made.

5. GROUP MEETINGS

The The Officers of the Committee shall arrange for the Annual General Meeting to be held as promptly as is reasonably practicable following the end of the accounting period taking into account the need to prepare the accounts for approval.  The accounting year currently runs to 30th April each year.   

The business of the Annual General Meeting is to: 

  • receive the Committee’s report; 
  • to approve the accounts; 
  • to consider any other proposals that the Committee wishes to bring to the membership for vote at that time; and finally to
  • to accept the resignation of the outgoing committee, and elect Officers and Members of the incoming Committee.

Papers for the AGM, including the accounts and Membership Report will be made available electronically to all members at least seven days in advance of the meeting.

Outside of the AGM, the Officers of the Committee shall decide when Ordinary Meetings of the Group shall be held and shall give at least seven days’ notice of such meetings to all members.

Members may call meetings by calling for a Members’ General Meetings of the Group. Such Members’ General Meetings shall be held at the written request of members (the Requesting Members) representing not less than 10 percent of the existing membership of the Group and whose subscriptions are fully paid-up.  Such written notice shall include an agenda which must clearly specify the matters to be addressed and motions to be voted on and the name of the chairperson (the Members’ Chairperson) elected to conduct the meeting by the Requesting Members.  On receipt of a qualifying request for a Members’ General Meeting, the Officers of the Committee will arrange for such meeting to be held, and at the latest within 90 days of such request being received and shall give at least seven days’ notice of such meetings to all members.  The meeting will be chaired by the Members’ Chairperson.  Members representing not less than 10 percent of the existing members and including the Members’ Chairperson must be personally present to constitute a quorum for a meeting of the Group.  The Members’ Chairperson will have the casting vote in the case of a tie on any motion that is voted for at the meeting.

All Meetings may be held in person, or via electronic medium at the discretion of the Committee, acting reasonably.

6. ELECTION OF OFFICERS
The nominations for the election of officers shall be made to the Secretary at least fourteen days before the Annual General Meeting. Such nominations shall be supported by a seconder and the consent of the proposed nominee must first have been obtained.  Applicants and seconders must be fully paid up Members, and must provide the relevant information set out below in order to be included on the ballot as candidates.  Details of applicants who have met the application criteria for the roles shall be circulated to members by the Committee at least seven days before the Annual General Meeting.  These details shall include:
 
  • Name and criteria of membership (whether member is resident or works in the Area)
  • The Officer position for which the individual is nominated – nominees may only nominate for one role, not multiple roles, and omission of any particular role will qualify the applicant for consideration as an Ordinary Committee Member
  • A concise description of the nominees’ skills and relevance for the role
  • A list of any potential conflicts of interest, membership of other interest groups or political parties
Officers and Ordinary Committee Members who are currently serving will automatically be nominated to remain in their current roles unless they request otherwise.
 
The elections of Officers shall be completed at the Annual General Meeting prior to the election of Ordinary Committee Members.  Officer roles noted as optional below shall also include an option on the ballot for ‘No candidate’. 
 
Officer roles and Ordinary Committee roles are unpaid, although reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of their duties shall be reimbursed.
 
7. OFFICERS

The Officers of the Group may consist of:

  • Chairperson
  • Vice Chairperson (optional)
  • Group Treasurer
  • Group Secretary
  • Membership Secretary (optional)
  • Communications Secretary (optional)
  • Social Secretary (optional)
  • Webmaster (optional)

There is no requirement for roles marked as optional to be filled, and a single person may hold multiple roles where there is good reason for them to do so.

The Committee shall have the power to fill casual vacancies occurring among the Officers of the Group subject to those new Committee members being fully paid up members, and having skills relevant to the role.  Such committee members will need to stand for re-election in the ordinary way at the next AGM.

Committee Meetings will be chaired by the first Officer on the list to be present, and in the absence of any Officer a chairperson will be selected by those Ordinary Members present.

A description of the responsibilities attaching to each role is to be maintained by the Committee and made available to members seeking election to the Committee.

8. THE COMMITTEE

The Committee shall be responsible for the management and administration of the Group. The Committee shall consist of a maximum of ten members including Officers and not more than five Ordinary Members. The committee shall have power to co-opt further members (who shall attend in an advisory and non-voting capacity). The Officers and members of the committee shall normally be resident or work in the Area of benefit but the Committee shall have power to co-opt additional members from outside the Area of benefit where there is credible reason to do so.

In the event of an equality in the votes cast on any motion, the Chairperson shall have a second or casting vote. 

All Committee members, including Officers, shall relinquish their office every year and shall be eligible for re-election at the Annual General Meeting.  Outgoing members may be re-appointed. The Committee shall meet not less than six times a year at intervals of not more than two months and the Group Secretary shall give all Committee members no less than seven days’ notice of such meeting.

A quorum shall comprise three members of the Committee.  Committee members holding more than one Officer role will not benefit from multiple votes by virtue of that fact.

9. SUB-COMMITTEES
The Committee may institute sub-committees from time to time for purposes as shall be thought fit. The chairperson and secretary of each sub-committee shall be appointed by the Committee and all actions and proceedings of each sub-committee shall be reported to and be confirmed by the Committee within the agreed timescale. Members of the Committee may be members of any sub-committee and membership of a sub-committee shall be no bar to appointment of membership of the Committee. Sub-committees shall be subordinate to the Committee and may be relegated or dissolved by the Committee.

10. EXPENSES OF ADMINSTRATION AND APPLICATION OF FUNDS
The Committee shall, out of the funds of the Group, pay all proper expenses of administration and management of the Group. After the payment of the administration and management expenses and the setting aside of reserve sums as may be deemed expedient, the remaining funds of the Group shall be applied by the Committee to further the aims of the Group.

In approving or making payments through any account operated in the name of the Group, or on its behalf, it shall be that the transaction is approved by the signature of two of the Committee, both being designated signatories of that account.

The Treasurer will arrange an independent examination or audit of the accounts where that can be secured at a price less than or equal to 5% of the annual revenues (assessed on an accruals basis) of the Group in the period.

Adopted at the Grove Park Group AGM on 1st July 2024