Go Greener in East Renfrewshire

CONSTITUTION　OF GO GREENER

Rule 1 - Name and Location　

The Organisation shall be known as "Go Greener", hereinafter known as "the Organisation", and shall be located within East Renfrewshire.

Rule 2 - Aims and Objectives

The Organisation is not-for-profit and, the aims and objectives of the Organisation are to:-

- promote sustainable living to our local community in East Renfrewshire through our actions and our website, to encourage sustained changes in behaviour that will make a difference,

- raise the awareness of the impact of Climate Change/Global Warming,

- be imaginative, innovative and forward thinking in developing new approaches and ideas,

- reach out to engage and involve every person, living, working or involved in the East Renfrewshire Council area and,

- raise funds towards such aims.

Rule 3 - Equal Opportunities

The Organisation shall uphold equal opportunities and work for good relations amongst all, specifically prohibiting any conduct which discriminates or harasses on the grounds of race, nationality, colour, gender, disability, age, sexuality, religion or political beliefs.

Rule 4 - Membership

A Friend of the Organisation is defined as any person who has communicated an interest in the aims and work of the Organisation, and who wishes from time to time to be informed about the Organisation's activities.

A Member of the Organisation is defined as any person who can commit to taking part regularly in the activities of the Organisation. Any person wishing to become a Member of the Organisation must be nominated and seconded by 2 existing Members, and membership must be approved at the next available Committee Meeting.

Members may be categorised as Volunteers, Campaigners, Mentors and Office Bearers (a Member may fall into more than one category). Members shall be eligible to serve on the Committee of the Organisation, shall be eligible to attend the Annual General Meeting, and shall be eligible to vote at the AGM. Friends shall not be eligible to serve on the Committee of the Organisation, shall not be eligible to vote at the AGM, but shall be eligible to attend the AGM.

Friendship or Membership of the Organisation shall be open to every person, living or working in the East Renfrewshire Council area.
　 　　　 　
Friends and Members must conduct themselves in a reasonable manner at all meetings or events of the Organisation.

Friendship and Membership can be suspended or ended at a Committee Meeting, for conduct that contravenes the objects of the Organisation, by a majority of those present and voting at the Meeting. 　

A Friend or Member whose friendship or membership has been suspended shall be entitled to have that suspension reviewed at the next Committee Meeting of the Organisation.

The Organisation shall have the power to affiliate to any other appropriate body whose objects may be of benefit to the work of the Organisation. Affiliation must be approved at a quorate Committee Meeting of the Organisation.

Rule 5 - Structure

The structure of the Organisation shall be its Friends and Members, as defined under Rule 4, and an organising Committee, as defined under Rule 6.

Rule 6 - The Committee

The business of the Organisation shall be conducted by a Committee elected at each Annual General Meeting.

The Committee shall consist of 8 Members comprising the 4 Office Bearers, as defined under Rule 7, and 4 others.

The composition of the Committee shall as far as possible represent the character of the overall membership.

The Committee Members shall stand down at each Annual General Meeting and may be re-elected.

There shall be at least 4 Committee Meetings each year. 　
　
Casual vacancies on the Committee may be filled as required by co-option. Such co-opted member(s)' appointment(s) must be approved at a Committee Meeting.

The Committee can in addition co-opt up to an additional 3 members. The criteria for co-option is to be a matter for the Committee to decide but should in the first instance be to fill gaps in skills not present within the Committee.

Any Member of the Organisation who wishes to attend a Committee meeting is entitled to do so provided they contact the Secretary in advance, but only Committee Members have the right to vote at Committee Meetings.

If there is disagreement at a Committee Meeting on a course of action, those attending the meeting with the right to vote may vote on the issue. Votes will be conducted by the Chair of the Committee (or delegated substitute), who will impart a casting vote if required.

Rule 7 - Officers of the Committee

The Committee shall appoint from their Members officers to take on the roles of Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer.

The Chairperson shall lead the Organisation, and conduct all the meetings of the Organisation or delegate this responsibility.

The Vice Chairperson shall lead the Organisation, and conduct all the meetings of the Organisation (or delegate this responsibility), if the Chairperson is absent. In the absence of the Vice Chairperson, he/she will nominate a substitute, or if unable to do so, remaining Committee Members will decide who will temporarily lead the organisation, by vote if necessary.

The Secretary (or other Committee Member delegated by the other Officers of the Organisation) shall be responsible for:

- convening all meetings and giving prescribed notice to Committee Members,

- ensuring that minuted records are kept of all Committee Meetings of the Organisation and that the minutes are available to all Committee Members

- maintaining a register of the Friends and Members of the Organisation.

　　 　
The Treasurer (or other Committee Member delegated by the other Officers of the Organisation) shall:

- open and maintain a banking account in the name of the Organisation,

- keep records of the Organisation's income and expenditure,

- present a financial report at each Committee Meeting.

The accounts shall be examined by an independent person thought capable of carrying out a sufficiently thorough assessment. Should legal or operational requirements deem that an audit be carried out then the Organisation shall appoint an Auditor at any time and at each subsequent Annual General Meeting when required. Annual accounts shall be prepared in accordance law and set before each Annual General Meeting.

All cheques shall be signed by the Treasurer and one other Committee Member nominated by the Committee as signatories. 　

Additional Appointments

The Committee shall have the power to appoint additional officers as required.

Sub-Groups

The Committee may appoint sub-groups as may be required to carry out specific tasks for the Organisation.　 Such sub-groups shall be directly accountable to the Committee.

The Committee shall agree in advance the terms of reference of any sub-group, which may then act and apply any finance raised by itself or on its behalf only within those terms.

Where any sub-group is to continue in existence beyond the Annual General Meeting following its appointment, its members shall submit themselves for re-election at that meeting and annually thereafter.

All sub-groups shall keep proper accounts of income and expenditure, and a proper record of all meetings, and shall report on them or deliver as required by the Committee.

The Committee may dissolve any sub-group whereupon the accounts, records and assets, financial and otherwise of the sub-group shall pass into the hands of the Committee.

Any Member(s) or Officer(s) delegated to represent the Organisation in consultation with any other body shall act on the instructions of the Organisation and shall report back to the following Committee Meeting.

Rule 8 - Annual General Meetings

The Committee shall call an Annual General Meeting every year in the month　of October. At this meeting:

- the Committee shall present an annual report of the Organisation,

- sub-groups shall present an annual report and accounts of their activities,

- the Committee shall present audited accounts of the Organisation for the previous year,

- the Committee and Officers of the Committee will be elected,

- an independent auditor will be appointed,

- any resolutions put forward by Members will be considered,

- any amendments to the constitution will be voted on.

All Friends and Members of the Organisation, as defined under Rule 4, shall be given not less than 14 days notice of the Annual General Meeting.

Any resolutions for consideration must be submitted to the Secretary not less than 7 days before the Annual General Meeting, or 14 days if it is a proposal to amend the Constitution (see Rule 12).
　

If there is disagreement at an Annual General Meeting on a course of action, those attending the meeting with the right to vote (as defined under Rule 4) may vote on the issue. Votes will be conducted by the Chairperson of the Organisation (or delegated substitute), who will impart a casting vote if required.

Rule 9 - Special General Meetings

The Secretary shall call a Special General Meeting on receipt of a written petition by not less than10 Members of the Organisation giving reasons for their request.　 The Secretary shall give not less than 7 days notice of holding of a Special General Meeting, which shall take place within 21 days of the receipt of the request or petition.

Rule 10 - Quorum

The quorum for Committee meetings of the Organisation shall be at least 3 of its member- ship, including at least one officer. A quorum does not apply to the Annual General Meeting.

Rule 11 - Notice of Meetings

Notice of all meetings where required shall be advertised and shall include the date, time and place of the meeting and an Agenda of matters to be discussed.

Rule 12 - Alterations to the Constitution

Any proposal to alter this Constitution must be considered and agreed at an Annual General Meeting, and should be submitted to the Secretary of the Organisation not less than 21 days before the Annual General Meeting. Any alteration shall require the approval of two-thirds of those present and voting at the meeting.

Rule 13 – Dissolution of the Organisation

If the Committee, or if a Committee no longer exists any 6 Members of the Organisation, decides that the Organisation should be dissolved, they shall give at least 14 days notice to all Friends and Members of the Organisation (as defined under Rule 4) of a meeting at which the matter shall be discussed. 　

For the sole purpose of dissolution a quorum need not apply, and the Organisation may be dissolved by a two-thirds majority of those present.　 The assets, financial and otherwise, remaining when the Organisation has satisfied its liabilities, shall be transferred to such other community based not-for-profit organisations as hold similar objects to those detailed above.

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