REDCAR and CLEVELAND TWINNING ASSOCIATION

Constitution

1. THE AIMS OF THE ASSOCIATION

The aims of the Association are:

• To promote international friendship and understanding.
• To strengthen by all possible means existing links and mutual exchanges by people of the twin town and those of other towns with which the Association may form links.
• To organise appropriate activities to support the aims.

2. ORGANISATION

• President

There will be a President of the Association, which office will be by invitation of the Management Committee.

• Officers

The Officers of the Association will be:-

Chairman

Vice chairman

Secretary

Treasurer

• Management Committee

1. The affairs of the Association shall be administered by a Management Committee which will consist of the Officers and not more than six individual members of the Association who will be elected at the Association’s Annual General Meeting, to-gether with up to two representatives from Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council.
2.  The Chair and Vice-Chair may hold office for a period of three successive years, but must then step down for at least one year before holding the same office again.
3. A quorum for a meeting of the Management Committee shall be two Officers and two individual members.
4. The Management Committee shall have power to appoint sub-committees with terms of reference and composition fixed by the Management Committee.
5. The Management Committee may invite any person or persons to meetings of the Management Committee or sub-committees, in a consultative or advisory capacity, and such persons will not be entitled to vote.
6. The Management Committee shall have power to co-opt members onto the Management Committee and such co-optees will have the right to vote. There shall not be more than three co-opted members in total at one time.

3. POWERS

In order to achieve its aims the Group may:

1. Raise money
2. Open bank accounts
3. Take out insurance
4. Employ staff
5. Acquire and manage buildings
6. Organise courses and events
7. Work with other groups and exchange information
8. Do anything that is lawful which will help it to fulfil its aims

4. MEETINGS

1. The Management Committee will meet at least 4 times each calendar year.
2.  The Annual General MeetingThe Annual General meeting shall be held in or about March
3. All full members shall be given 14 days’ notice of the AGM in a manner to be decided by the Management Committee and they shall be entitled to attend and vote in accordance with their membership. A quorum for the AGM shall be ten paid up members of the Association. The agenda for the AGM shall be:
   1. To receive the Management Committee report for the preceding year.
   2. To receive the audited accounts for the preceding financial year, i.e. 1^st January to 31^st December
   3. To appoint auditors for the ensuing year
   4. To approve the rates of membership contributions.
   5. To appoint scrutineers for the ballot for Officers and Committee
   6. To conduct elections where necessary
   7. To transact any other business relating to the Constitution
4.  Minutes shall be kept of all Management meetings, the AGM and any Special meetings and must be available for inspection.The Officers and Management Committee shall be elected annually by the ballot of the members present at the Annual General Meeting. Nominations shall be made and seconded in writing by members of the Association to the Secretary not less than seven days before the date of the Annual General Meeting, indicating each nominee’s willingness to stand.
5.  Special General Meeting

A Special General Meeting may be called by the Management Committee or by one quarter of the members to discuss an urgent matter. The Secretary will organise the special general meeting and shall give all members fourteen days’ notice of any Special Meeting together with notice of the business to be discussed. All members shall be entitled to attend and vote.

A quorum for a Special General Meeting shall be two officers and one quarter of paid up membership.

Voting

Voting will be by simple majority of those present and entitled to vote, unless otherwise specified. In the event of an equality of votes the Chair shall have an additional casting vote.

5. MEMBERSHIP
6. Individual membership is available to anyone associated with the Borough of Redcar & Cleveland and the annual membership shall be £5. An individual member is entitled to one vote.
7. Household membership is available to all the members of a household normally resident at that address; annual membership shall be £7. The household is entitled to one vote.
8. Corporate membership is available to any company, club, school, industry or similar organisation and the annual membership fee shall be £15. Corporate membership entitles the organisation to one vote by accredited representative.
9. Membership fees shall be reviewed at the Annual General Meeting on the proposition by the Treasurer and shall be payable by 31^st January each year.

6. FINANCE

1. All monies of the Association shall be controlled by the Management Committee and shall be handled in the name of the Association by the bank agreed from time to time by the Management Committee.
2.  All money shall be handled by the Treasurer or his nominee and all withdrawals or cheques shall be ratified and signed by any two signatories from the Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary or Treasurer.
3.  The accounts shall be audited at least once a year by the auditors appointed by the AGM.
4.  An audited statement of accounts for the last financial year shall be submitted to the AGM and a copy held for inspection.

7.     CONSTITUTION

1. Amendments to the Constitution shall be made only at the AGM or at a Special General Meeting. Notice of the proposed amendment shall be given in writing to the Secretary at least 21 days before the meeting and details shall be given in the notice convening the meeting.
2.  The amendments shall be carried if supported by two-thirds of the members present and entitled to vote at the meeting voting in favour.

8.   WINDING UP

In the event of the Association being dissolved, any properties or surplus funds remaining after debts and liabilities have been settled shall be donated to some purpose or organisation, the aims and objective of which correspond with those of the Association, or to a charity or charities or as the Management Committee shall in its absolute discretion decide

THIS CONSTITUTION WAS ADOPTED BY THE ASSOCIATION

AT ITS A.G.M. HELD ON THE  19  DAY OF March  2015.