Constitution
Name
The name of the organisation will be Go Folkestone!, abbreviated to GF.
Objects
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To actively encourage the people of Folkestone to regain confidence in our town
by supporting practical proposals for regeneration that will result in an
improved quality of life for all who live here.
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To create an atmosphere and environment in which the younger generation will
look forward to living and working in Folkestone.
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To seek the views of all residents of Folkestone interested in the town’s future
so as to determine a common approach to its role and status in the area, with
consideration being given to all practical ideas leading to real achievement of
these objectives.
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To work closely with the local authorities and all others involved in
development of the town to ensure that there is a common will to achieve the
maximum success in a reasonable period of time at a sustainable cost.
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To promote Folkestone more widely in the “outside world” so as to encourage
increased inward investment in improvements resulting in a greater influx of
both new inhabitants and tourists.
Alignments and Affiliations
GF will be strictly non-political. It may, with members’ approval, seek
affiliations with selected groups or organisations with similar aims. Membership
Membership will be open to all those supporting GF objectives including
businesses, professional practices, hoteliers, leisure interests, schools and
all individual residents. Those wishing to join should submit a completed membership application form,
accompanied by payment of one year’s subscription to the Secretary. Failure to
renew the subscription within one month of the Annual General Meeting will
result in automatic cancellation of the membership. Categories of Membership shall be Individual and Joint (for two partners at the
same address). If in receipt of Income Support, the annual subscription shall be
reduced by fifty percent. Levels of subscription shall be decided by the Main
Committee from time to time, at their discretion. Members joining after 30th June shall be deemed to have paid a subscription for
the following financial year, which commences on 1st September annually. Officers
Officers shall be the Chairman, two Vice Chairmen, Honorary
Treasurer and Honorary Secretary. There was the Creation of Honorary President’s
position at EGM on 22 November ’05. The Officers will be elected at the Annual
General Meeting and will hold office until their voluntary resignation or until
the appointment of new officers at a General Meeting, when they will retire. Main Committee
The Main Committee will manage the affairs of GF and is
empowered to do everything necessary for that purpose and to keep members
informed through the issue of reports to meetings.
The Committee shall consist of the Officers and not fewer than four and not more
than ten other members, elected by vote or co-option. All members shall retire
at each Annual General Meeting when they may offer themselves for re-election.
Nominations for election to any office must be made in writing to the Secretary
not less than twenty-eight days before the meeting at which elections are to be
held.
The Committee will meet at least nine times each year unless fourteen days prior
notice to the contrary is given by the Secretary. Any member who fails to attend
three consecutive meetings without giving adequate reason shall cease
automatically to be a member.
Decisions at Committee meetings will be made by simple majority, the Chairman of
the meeting holding the casting vote in the event of equality. The quorum for a
meeting will be four members. Voting will be by a show of hands unless a secret
ballot is requested by the majority present.
Annual General Meeting
The Annual General Meeting will be held in November.
The business will be:
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To receive the Chairman’s report on the activities of GF in the preceding year.
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To approve the audited accounts for the preceding year.
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To elect or re-elect Officers and Committee members.
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To appoint any Patrons or Honorary Members nominated by the Committee.
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To appoint the auditor.
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To fix the membership subscription for the following year.
Extraordinary General Meetings
An EGM may be convened at any time upon either a resolution of the Committee or
the Membership setting out the resolution or resolutions to be proposed thereat.
The requisition must be signed by not less than one tenth of the Members and
served on the Secretary by personal delivery or recorded delivery post. If the
Secretary does not give notice of the meeting pursuant to the requisition on or
before the expiry of fourteen days from its service the requisitioners or any
one or more of them on behalf of the others may give notice of the meeting. Included in the business which may be concluded at an EGM may be one or more
of:
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Removal of all or any of the Officers, Committee members or Auditor of GF and
filling the vacancies thereby caused
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Altering the Constitution or these rules, or
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Dissolving GF.
Proceedings at Annual General Meetings and Extraordinary General Meetings
Prior notice in writing shall be sent to all Members twenty-one days prior to an
AGM or fourteen days prior to an EGM, enclosing audited accounts for the
preceding year and setting out the resolutions to be proposed at the meeting. The Chairman, or in his absence, the Vice Chairman shall take the chair. If
neither is there, a Chairman for that meeting shall be appointed by those
present to preside. Eight Members shall constitute a quorum. Resolutions at an AGM shall be passed by a simple majority of votes cast by
Members present at the meeting. Resolutions at an EGM must be approved by a
minimum of three quarters of Members at the meeting. In both cases, voting shall
be by a show of hands unless a resolution is passed that a secret ballot should
be taken. In every case, in the event of equality, the Chairman of the meeting
shall have a second or casting vote. Trustees
Trustees will number not fewer than two nor more than four and will be appointed
by a resolution of Members in General Meeting. They will hold office until
death, resignation or removal from office by resolution of Members. There shall be vested in the two Trustees appointed at the AGM all the property
of GF other than cash which will be under the control of the Treasurer. They may
deal with the property in any way as directed by GF by resolution of its
Members. A certificate signed by the Secretary shall be conclusive evidence that
such a direction or directions was/were duly given to the Trustees. Accounts and Audit
The financial year of GF shall end on 31 August. As soon as practical after that
date, statements of income and expenditure and of assets and liabilities for the
year will be drawn up and be audited by the Auditor not later than twenty eight
days before the Annual General Meeting. The Auditor shall be a suitably qualified person and shall not be a member of GF. All monies received by GF shall be paid into an account in the name of GF at a
bank appointed by the Committee. Cheques and other instruments drawn on that
account and all instructions to the bank shall be signed by not less than two
Officers, in accordance with a general authority to be given by the Committee.
Financial transactions outside that authority will require a specific authority
to be given by the Committee. Insurance
GF shall put into effect Public Liability Insurance to cover all its meetings
and activities and will ensure that similar insurance is in place to cover
premises leased or used at any time as offices or meeting places for whatever
purpose. Indemnity
The Members of the Committee and the Trustees shall not be liable otherwise than
as Members for any loss suffered by GF as a result of the discharge of their
respective duties on its behalf except such loss arising from their individual
or collective default and they shall be entitled to an indemnity out of the
assets of GF for all expenses and other liabilities incurred by them in
discharge of their various duties. Dissolution
GF may be dissolved by a resolution passed at an AGM or EGM. The dissolution
shall take effect from the day when it is passed and the Committee shall be
responsible for winding up the assets and liabilities of GF. If any property remains after the discharge of all debts and liabilities of GF,
it shall be distributed equally amongst members of GF at the date of
dissolution. Amended November 2005 |
