A copy of the original constituion is available here
The purpose of this constitution is to enable the formation of an Association of allotment holders to take over the running of the allotment site at Elm Road New Malden.
1 OBJECTIVES of the ASSOCIATION
The objectives of the Association will be to:
- Promote and encourage the cultivation and enjoyment of the allotments providing effective long-term stewardship for the land rented from Kingston Council;
- Provide effective allotment management through a Committee of Management recruited from the membership;
- Provide good access, good security, well maintained pathways and freedom from neglected or misused plots or dumped rubbish;
- Provide fair, open and equitable lettings and ensure fair rents and charges are implemented for people of all backgrounds and abilities
- Promote and encourage the efficient use of water on all the allotment plots and to promote and encourage the management of green waste and materials recycling;
- Promote and develop gardening skills;
2 MEMBERSHIP of the ASSOCIATION
Membership of the Association is through an applicant’s acceptance by the Committee of the Association and timely payment of the going rate for tenancy of a numbered allotment plot on the Elm Road Site (plotholder). If the plotholder wishes to share the plot with another person or persons then these persons too must be made known to and accepted by the Committee.
3 MANAGEMENT of the ASSOCIATION
The management of the Association will be carried out by a Committee recruited from the membership and meeting at least 4 times a year. The Committee to consist of: Chair, Vice Chair, Lettings Officer, Secretary and Treasurer, these roles to be Honorary (i.e. unpaid).
4. SUMMARY OF DUTIES of the OFFICERS of the ASSOCIATION
Chair: To effectively control meetings and to allocate and supervise project work to other committee members. To direct the annual programme of events on the site. To attempt to resolve, with the help of the Committee, any dispute or disagreement that may arise among the membership.
Vice Chair: to be available to deputise in the absence of the Chair and to assist the Chair.
Lettings Officer: To allocate plots which fall vacant to suitable plotholders, whether existing members of the Association or new. To initiate new members into the rules and customs of the site and to supervise physical plot numbering. To be the first point of contact for plotholders who are having difficulty cultivating their plot for whatever reason.
Secretary: to convene meetings of the Committee and general membership (such as the AGM) and to make, and publish to the membership, notes of all the proceedings of the Association. To deal with any correspondence with neighbours of the site. In consultation with the Lettings Officer to issue notices of non-cultivation to plotholders where appropriate.
Treasurer: By maintaining a register of membership to keep track of which member is responsible for which plot. To issue rent demands and collect rents at the appropriate time. To take responsibility for the financial affairs of the Association such as paying suppliers, and management of the Association’s bank accounts, all transactions to be with the knowledge and agreement of the Committee. To deal with the landlord i.e. the Council of the Royal Borough of Kingston.
ELECTION of OFFICERS and TERM OF OFFICE
Officers will ideally serve a year’s term from the Annual General Meeting (AGM). Candidates should be nominated and seconded 7 days in advance of the AGM at which meeting they will be confirmed in post provided there is a quorum of 20 Members. In the event of more than one candidate coming forward for the same post there will be a secret ballot run by the Chair held at the AGM, this also to be subject to a quorum of 20 Members. Proxy votes would not be considered.
REMOVAL of OFFICERS
Once put in place at the AGM Officers can only be dismissed from the Committee by the convening of an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) and a vote of at least 30% of the Membership.
OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Other Members can volunteer and be elected to the Committee up to a total maximum size of 10 people. In the event that there are too many volunteers for committee places the Chair will organize a secret ballot among the officers to determine who joins the committee.
5 GENERAL MEETINGS AND VOTING
Members of the Association will be eligible to attend any General Meeting and vote at the meetings; the Chair of the meeting shall have a casting vote in the event of equal numbers of votes being cast both ‘for’ and ‘against’ the motion under consideration;
An Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held at such time that the Committee decides with at least 14 days notice given in writing to the membership. Items for the agenda of a General Meeting must be passed to the secretary in advance of the meeting and in sufficient time to allow preparation for the meeting. Any items to be raised under the heading of ‘Any Other Business’ must be notified to the Chair before the meeting commences.
Reports by the Chair and Treasurer shall be presented and the accounts for the previous year distributed and discussed.
In the event that there is no quorum (not enough members attending) the published business of the meeting shall proceed, but additional business cannot be introduced.
6 SUBSCRIPTION to the ASSOCIATION
A plot holder becomes a member of the Association by paying their plot rent. Members failing to pay the rent within 45 days from the issue of an invoice will be excluded from the Association and therefore lose their plot. The Committee will take all reasonable steps to collection subscriptions before the exclusion is enforced.
7 TERMINATION AND EXPULSION
A Member shall cease to be a member of the Association in any of the following eventualities:
- The expulsion of the Member as determined by the Committee
- The voluntary withdrawal of the Member from the Association
- Non payment of subscriptions as outlined in Article 6 above
The Committee may expel any Member who does not in its opinion conform to the rules and decisions of the Association provided that at least 28 clear days notice is given in writing to the member of the intention to expel and an opportunity offered for the Member’s case to be stated;
A Member aggrieved of any action of the Committee may appeal to the next Annual General Meeting, whose decision shall be final.
Note: The committee reserves the right to exclude any individual from access to the site
9 ALTERATION of CONSITUTION
The general membership shall have the right to amend, update or delete any of the articles of this Constitution at any General Meeting with a vote of 65% of the membership (to clarify this means 65% of the full membership, not 65% of the meeting attendees)
8 FINAL DISSOLUTION of the ASSOCIATION and DISTRIBUTION of ASSETS
Dissolution of the Association shall be determined upon the recommendation of the Committee at a special meeting of the membership of the Association specifically called for that purpose. Upon voting of 65% of the membership attending such meeting agreeing to accept the recommendation of the Committee of Management the Committee shall have the power to realise all assets held by or on behalf of the Association.
After the satisfaction of all proper debts and liabilities any remaining assets shall be given or transferred to such other similar societies or bodies have the same or similar object as the Association as may be determined by the Association or failing that to some other charitable purpose. A copy of the determining resolution together with the Statement of Accounts for the final accounting period shall be produced and made available to any party as required under law or to any other party on request.