Carbrain Tenants Association.
Constitution.
Of
Association.2003-6.

The name of the Association shall be Carbrain Tenants Association.

1.AIMS OF THE ASSOCIATION

To safeguard and promote the interest of all of the Tenants and residents in the area on matters concerning housing and the environment of the area, recreation, education and promoting a better quality of life.

To uphold equal opportunities and work towards good relations amongst all members of the Community; specifically prohibiting any conduct which discriminates or harasses on the grounds of race, religion, disability, political belief, sex or sexual orientation.

Objectives of the Association:

To work together in partnership with the Landlords or any other authority having influence on all in theTenants, to campaign and negotiate for the rights of all in the Tenants and residents and to represent the people of the Tenants, residents & Community’s interests collectively.

To keep Tenants and Residents fully informed of decisions and such authorities and of the Association as far as possible, by means of the Committee, may from time to time decide.

To safeguard and promote the interests of the Tenants,residents & Community of the local area on matters concerning housing and the environment of the local area and the social community life of the area. Whether those views are individual or collective.

The Committee will be able to affiliate to other bodies with similar aims and objectives.

To promote any charitable purpose for the benefit of the inhabitants of the local area in particular the advancement of education, environmental needs and furtherance of health.

To work in partnership with other agencies operating in the local area by providing, or assisting in, the provision of facilities in the interest of social welfare for recreation and other leisure time pursuit in particular, those who have need of such facilities by virtue of their youth, age, infirmity, disability, unemployed or social and economical circumstances.

To provide or assist in the provision of [where possible] facilities for recreation or other leisure time pursuits /occupation that will enhance the quality of life for all in the Community

To do all other things beneficial to the Community to attain the above purpose.

2. Membership

Membership shall be open to all Tenants & residents in the area irrespective of Tenure.

The area being all of Carbrain plus all adjacent areas,ie:Greenfaulds, Seafar, Kildrum, Ravenswood, Abronhill, Condorrat & Cumbernauld Village. Membership shall be free of charge.

All voting members must be at least 16 years of age.

Membership shall cease immediately upon a person leaving the areas defined in (a).

Affiliated membership of the Association will be accepted by the Association

3. The Committee

A committee shall be elected to carry out the business of the Association.

The committee shall be made up of Chairperson eligible to hold office for 5 yearsbefore standing down and able to apply immediately to hold that office, Vice-Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer to stand down at each AGM with immediate applications acceptable for the posts held, and up to 10 general members.[There will be reserved places on the Committee of 2 from West of Scotland HA: 1 from Link HA:1 from NLC] (This situation being reviewed annually) The committee shall appoint one of their number as minute secretary.  The committee must be made up of 70%tenants & 30% homeowners. All of the four office Bearer positions must be made up of 3 tenants + any one other from the group.

The committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Association. The committee shall elect office bearers from their own number at the first meeting after the AGM.

Should any committee member fail to attend three consecutive committee meetings without tendering apologies, the committee may at its discretion terminate that persons committee membership.

Vacancies on the committee may be filled at a general meeting or at the discretion of the committee.

The committee and office bearers shall carry out the duties given them by a general meeting of the Association.

Councilors may attend committee meetings as and when invited by the committee & any other guest as agreed by the Committee.

The committee shall meet not less than 11 times per year in addition to the AGM.

The quorum at any meetings of the committee shall be 5, inclusive of at least two office bearers.

At any General Meeting all tenant members have one vote and that voting on any matter will be by a show of hands , unless the Chair otherwise directs that a poll be held. In the even of a tie, the Chair will have the casting vote. At all Committee Meetings committee members each have one vote, unless, in the case of a tie when the Chair will have an additional casting vote. No councilor or other attendee or observer or affiliated member  may vote on any matter concerning the association.or hold office.

Committee member can only be removed from the membership by the membership at a general meeting called for that purpose and of which notice has been given to the membership. The Committee Member concerned should have the opportunity to be heard at the meeting and to have a submission in his/her defense sent out with the notice calling the meeting.

In the interest of the Association, any Committee members not acting in the best interest of the Association, nor performing the duties placed before them, will, if decided by a majority of the Committee, relinquish their place on the Committee.

All members must sign up to a ‘code of conduct ‘. To be rude or make derogatory comments to any member of the group/committee on a personal basis will not be tolerated. Co-optees from all Tenants or Residents, willing to join the Committee will be considered on their merits.   

4. Annual General Meeting

There shall be an Annual general Meeting within 14  months of the Association being established, and thereafter an  AGM must take place in every calendar year with no more than 12 months elapsing between each meeting.

The Annual General meeting shall receive a report from the committee on its activities including a statement of accounts fully audited.
 
Accept the resignation of all committee members and elect a new committee.(Excepting the Chairperson until after 5 years in office).

Vote on any recommendations/ motions and any amendments to the constitution; and appoint two competent individuals, not having served on the committee in the preceding twelve months or elected to serve on the new committee, to audit its accounts.

The secretary shall notify all Members of the date of the meeting not less than 21 clear days in advance of that meeting.

The quorum of Annual general meetings shall be of 15 members present. If less than 15 present, 5 will form a quorum.

Should the meeting of the AGM not have a quorum the meeting must be adjourned and take place not more than one week later at the same time and in the same place. If at the adjourned meeting there is still no quorum, this will be noted but the meeting will proceed.

At each AGM all Committee members must stand down but are immediately eligible to stand for re-election.

5. Other General Meetings

A request for a General meeting should be made in writing to the Secretary, carrying the signatures and addresses of 15 of the members. A request for a General meeting should state the reasons for calling it. The Committee may also call a general meeting.

The Secretary will notify all members in writing of the date of the meeting not less than 21 clear days in advance of that meeting, and state it’s purpose in the notice.

6. Changes to the Constitution

The Constitution may be altered at the Annual general meeting or at an EGM called for that purpose.

Proposed changes must be submitted to the Secretary in writing not less than 21 clear days before the AGM.

Changes must be agreed by at least a two-thirds majority of voting members present at the meeting.

7. Finance

All money raised by to on behalf of the Association shall be applied to further the objects of the Association.

The Treasurer shall keep proper accounts of the finances of the Association and make a report available at every committee meeting.

The funds of the Association shall be managed through a bank account.  Cheques written on behalf of the association must bear the signatures of two office bearers.

All cash amounts over £100.00. made on behalf of the association must be cleared by the Committee. Approval for expenditure can be made between meetings by two Committee Members and should be reported at the next meeting held.

All Committee Members expenses in relation to any work, training or otherwise, incurred while on association official duty must be claimed through the formal channels as laid down in the associations expenses policy and all receipts must be presented as proof.

All travel expenses must be accompanied by date/s and a clear indication of mileage. Mileage will be paid from Association funds at 40 pence per mile only if on official Association duties/training.

8. Dissolution of the Association

The Association may only be dissolved by a special     meeting called for that purpose.  Such a meeting shall come about following a proposal in writing signed by a simple majority of those remaining in membership being submitted to the Secretary.

All members shall be informed of such a meeting at least 21 clear days before the date of the meeting.

Dissolution of the Association shall only take effect if agreed by two thirds of the members present and voting at that meeting.

Any assets remaining after meeting liabilities must be distributed among local charities nominated by that meeting.

Any money received via funding bodies should be returned to the funders in relation to the funding criteria.

On dissolution, any documents belonging to the Association shall be disposed of in a manner agreed by that meeting.

9. Adoption

This constitution was adopted by the Committee present at the Committee meeting of C.T.A.

On Tuesday 19th. August 2003. & amended with the Committees approval at the AGM of 2004 & altered on the 10th December 2004 at that First Annual General meeting of the CTA. Alterations to the constitution debated and accepted January 26 2006.