(Amended 21 March 2001)
Mission statement:
We aim to assist people with physical or sensory disabilities in the Medway
towns, through improved access, to the people, places and facilities that they
are entitled to.
NAME
1) The name of the Group shall be: Medway Access Group
OBJECTS
2) The objects of the Group shall be to benefit people with disabilities and
in particular to promote accessibility, (as defined in the groups mission statement),
for all such persons and other members of the community in which the Group carries
out its work.
2.1) In carrying out its objects the Group shall promote equality of opportunity
for all sections of the community, both in its own affairs and in society generally.
MEMBERSHIP
3) Membership shall be open to all interested individuals who endorse the mission
statement of the Group and agree to uphold the objects of the constitution.
3.1) All members aged 16 yrs. and over are entitled to vote on all resolutions
in all meetings, open to the general membership of the Group, however they may
be called.
3.2) All members aged 16 yrs. and over are entitled to hold office, if duly
elected to do so, on the Committee. or any working Group set up by the Medway
Access Group
MANAGEMENT & HONORARY OFFICERS
4) The day-to-day activities, co-ordination, and responsibility for the Group,
including the safe keeping of any monies or assets, will be vested in an elected
Group of individuals known as the Committee
4.1) The Committee shall have a maximum membership, in numbers, equal to one
less than half the total number of members in the Group, up to a maximum of
fifteen elected individuals.
4.2) These individuals shall be
elected from the general membership of Medway Access Group at the Annual General
Meeting (AGM).
4.3) All members of the Committee will hold office until the conclusion of the
next AGM following their election
4.4) All members of the Committee will be eligible for re-election.
4.5) The following Officers will be appointed by the general membership of the
Group at each AGM:
Chairman
Vice-Chairman
Secretary
Treasurer
All other Officers shall
be decided and appointed by the Medway Access Group from within its membership.
4.6) The maximum number of consecutive years in office for, Chairman, Secretary
and Treasurer shall be three, with the option of up to a further three years
if agreed by the membership.
4.7) The Committee shall have the authority to co-opt individuals, without voting
rights, and for a specific purpose to serve on the Committee as necessary, up
to a maximum of six co-options at any one time.
MEETINGS
5) The Group shall in each calendar year hold an Open Meeting as its Annual
General Meeting and shall specify the meeting as such in the notices calling
it
5.1) The business of an Annual General Meeting shall comprise:
(a) the consideration of the Report and Accounts presented by the Treasurer
(b) the election of Officers from amongst the Medway Access Group;
(c) the election of members of the Committee
(d) the setting of annual subscriptions;
(e) such other business as may have been specified in the notices calling the meeting.
5.2) All Meetings other than the
Annual General Meetings or Extraordinary General Meetings shall be called Open
Meetings
5.3) The Management Team may whenever they think fit convene an Extraordinary
General Meeting, or an Extraordinary General Meeting may be convened by not
less than ten per cent of the members of the Group
5.4) Decisions at All Meetings shall
be made by passing resolutions
(a) Decisions involving an alteration to the constitution of the Group or to wind up the Group shall be made by a Special Resolution. A Special Resolution is one passed by a majority of not less than three-fourths of votes cast.
(b) All other decisions shall be made by Ordinary Resolution requiring a simple majority of votes cast.
5.5) All Annual General Meetings
shall be called by at least twenty-one clear days notice
5.6) Notice of every Annual General Meeting shall be given in writing, or appropriate
formats, along with nomination papers for Officers and Committee, to every member
of the Group
5.7) On any resolution to be
decided on a show of hands, only members present in person shall be entitled
to cast a vote.
5.8) A member shall declare an interest in, and shall not debate or vote in
respect of, any matter in which s/he has a personal material or financial interest.
5.9) No business shall be transacted at General Meeting unless a quorum is present
in person. Unless and until otherwise decided by an Annual General Meeting or
Extraordinary General Meeting , five members or one-fifth of the total membership,
whichever is the greater, shall be a quorum
5.10) At every Meeting the Chairman
of the Group shall preside, but if s/he is not present the Vice-Chairman shall
preside. If neither are present the members present shall choose a member present
to be Chairman of that meeting.
5.11) In the case of an equality of votes, the Chairman of the meeting shall
not have a second or casting vote and the resolution shall be deemed to be lost.
RECORDS
6) The Medway Access Group shall cause accurate records to be made, in books
provided for that purpose, of.
(a) the name, details and date of appointment of all persons appointed to office;
(b) the names of the members of the Committee, officers, members, representatives and other persons present at all meetings of the Group;
(c) minutes of Medway Access Group all proceedings and resolutions at all meetings of the Group;
6.1) All such records and minutes shall be open to inspection at reasonable times by any member of the Group and by any person authorised by the Group in Open Meeting
FINANCES
7) The Medway Access Group shall be responsible for ensuring proper accounts
are kept, detailing the activities of the Groups finances
7.1) The Treasurer will be responsible for keeping the groups accounts up-to-date
and reporting on the status of accounts to the Medway Access Group, periodically
as agreed
7.2) Annually the finance records of the Group shall be verified for accuracy
and completeness by an independent person of appropriate ability to complete
the task and presented at the A.G.M.
7.3) Withdrawals from the account shall be by cheque on any two signatures from
the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary
DISSOLUTION
8) If upon the winding up or dissolution of the Group there remains after the
satisfaction of its debts and liabilities any property whatsoever, the same
shall not be paid to or distributed among the members of the Group but shall
be given or transferred to some other charitable institution or institutions
having objects similar to the objects of the Group.
This constitution was formally ratified at a meeting of members on 28 February 2000 and as such will remain the governing instrument of Medway Access Group until such time as any amendments are made at a meeting called for that purpose.