Where and when we meet
The society meet once monthly on the first Tuesday of every month. Please see the events calendar for the next meeting and venue. Guests are welcome.
Constitution of the Society
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ROMFORD CIVIC SOCIETY
CONSTITUTION
1. NAME
The name of the Society shall be the Romford Civic Society.
2. OBJECTS
The Society is established for the public benefit for the following purposes in the area comprising that portion of the London Borough of Havering which is generally known as Romford being the land bounded as follows – in an anti-clockwise direction commencing from the intersection of North Street (Romford) with St. Edward's Way progressing in a south easterly direction along St. Edward's Way to its junction with Mawney Road. It then progresses up Mawney Road in a north-easterly direction to the junction with Marks Road. It turns south along Marks Road and continues to the western end of Cottons Park, following the boundary of the park in a south-westerly direction towards London Road. It crosses London Road to continue along Eastbury Road to the junction with the railway line and follows the railway line towards Romford until the point when the railway crosses Waterloo Road. Here it turns south west, following Waterloo Road to the roundabout at the junction with Rom Valley Way and Thurloe Gardens. It moves west along Thurloe Gardens to the junction with South Street before following South Street to the junction with Brentwood Road and follows Brentwood Road in a north-easterly direction to the junction with George Street. It moves north east along George Street to the boundary with the ring road, following the ring road north the brief distance to the point at which the railway crosses it. It follows the railway line in a north easterly direction as far as the pedestrian bridge across it which links Brentwood Road and Carlton Road. Crossing the bridge it follows the eastern-boundary of Lodge Farm Park to the point at which the park meets Main Road. From here it moves south eastwards along the northern side of Main Road, taking in the well-established trees lining the road. At the war memorial gardens commonly known as Coronation Gardens it turns north west to follow the eastern and northern boundaries of the gardens before following the rear curtilage of the town hall. It crosses Park End Road to continue in a south-easterly direction along Church Lane to the point at which it joins St. Edward's Way. It then follows St. Edward's Way to the commencement point (which area shall hereinafter be called “the area of benefit”):
i. to promote high standards of planning and architecture in or affecting the area of benefit;
ii. to stimulate public interest in and to educate the public about the architecture, history, biodiversity and natural history of the area of benefit;
iii. to secure the preservation, protection and improvement of features of architectural, historic or public interest in the area of benefit.
3. POWERS
In furtherance of the said purposes but not otherwise the Society through its Executive Committee shall have the following powers:-
i. to promote civic pride in the area of benefit;
ii. to promote research into subjects directly connected with the objects of the Society and to publish the results of any such research;
iii. to act as a co-ordinating body and to co-operate with the local authorities, planning committees, and all other statutory authorities, voluntary organisations, charities and persons having aims similar to those of the Society;
iv. To promote or assist in promoting activities of a charitable nature throughout the area of benefit;
v. To publish papers, reports and other literature;
vi. To make surveys and make plans and collect information in relation to any place, erection or building of beauty or historic interest within the area of benefit;
vii. To hold meetings, lectures and exhibitions;
viii. To educate public opinion and to give advice and information;
ix. To raise funds and to invite and receive contributions from any person or persons whatsoever by way of subscription, donation and otherwise; provided that the Society shall not undertake any permanent trading activities in raising funds for its primary purposes;
x. To acquire by purchase, gift or otherwise any property whether subject to any special trust or not;
xi. Subject to such consents as may be required by law, to sell, let, mortgage, dispose of, or turn to account, all or any of the property or funds of the Society as shall be necessary;
xii. Subject to such consents as may be required by law, to borrow or raise money for the purposes of the Society on such terms and on such security as the Executive Committee shall think fit, but so that the liabilityc of individual members of the Society shall in no case extend beyond the amount of their respective annual subscriptions;
xiii. To do all such other lawful things as are necessary for the attainment of the said purposes;
4. MEMBERSHIP
Membership shall be open to all who are interested in actively furthering the purposes of the Society.
There shall be two classes of membership, namely individual and corporate.
No member shall have power to vote at any meeting of the Society if his or her subscription is in arrears at the time.
Corporate members shall be such societies, associations, educational institutions or businesses as are interested in actively furthering the purposes of the Society. A corporate member shall appoint a representative to vote on its behalf at all meetings but before any such representative exercises his or her right to vote the corporate member shall give particulars in writing of such representative to the Honorary Secretary. The subscription of a member joining the Society in the three months preceding the 31st. December in any year shall be regarded as covering membership of the Society for the period from the date of receipt of the subscription up to the 31st. December of the following year. All membership applications to be agreed by the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee may also terminate a membership.
5. SUBSCRIPTIONS
The amount of the annual subscription for each class of membership shall be determined by the Executive Committee from time to time but shall be not less than £2 per individual member and £5 per corporate member.
6. MEETINGS
An Annual General Meeting shall be held in or about February, March or April of each year (1) to receive the Executive Committee’s report and independently examined accounts in respect of the preceding year, and (2) to elect Officers and Members of the Committee.
The Committee shall decide when ordinary general meetings of the Society shall be held.
Special General Meetings shall be held at the written request of 20 or more members whose subscriptions are fully paid-up.
Ten members whose subscriptions are fully paid up and personally present shall constitute a quorum for an Annual General Meeting or an ordinary general meeting of the Society but in the case of a Special General Meeting the quorum shall be 20 such members personally present.
The Committee shall give at least 14 days’ notice to members of all meetings of the Society.
7. OFFICERS
Nominations for the election of officers shall be made in writing to the Honorary Secretary at least 7 days before the Annual General Meeting. Such nominations shall be supported by a seconder and the consent of the proposed nominee must first have been obtained. The elections of Officers shall be completed prior to the election of further Committee members. Nominees for election as Officers or Committee members shall declare at the Annual General Meeting at which their election is to be considered any financial or professional interest known to be or likely to be of concern to the Society.
The Officers of the Society shall consist of:-
- Chairman
- Vice-Chairman (if the Committee from time to time so decides)
- Honorary Secretary
- Honorary Treasurer
all of whom shall relinquish their office every year and shall be eligible for re-election at the Annual General Meeting. A President and Vice-Presidents may also be elected at a General Meeting of the Society, for periods to be decided at such a meeting. The Executive Committee shall have the power to fill casual vacancies occurring among the Officers of the Society.
8. THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The Executive Committee (“the Executive Committee” or “the Committee”) shall be responsible for the management and administration of the Society. The Committee shall consist of the Officers and not more than six other members. The Committee shall have power to co-opt further members. The Committee shall have power to co-opt additional members. Any co-opted member of the Committee shall attend in an advisory and non-voting capacity. The President and Vice-Presidents may attend any meeting of the Executive Committee but shall not vote at any such meeting .
In the event of an equality in the votes cast, the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote.
Nominations for election to the Executive Committee shall be made in writing to the Honorary Secretary at least 7 days before the Annual General Meeting. They must be supported by a seconder and the consent of the proposed nominee must first have been obtained . If the nominations exceed the number of vacancies, a ballot shall take place in such manner as shall be determined. Members of the Executive Committee shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting of the Society , and outgoing members may be re-elected.
The Executive Committee shall meet not less than six times a year at intervals of not more than two months and the Honorary Secretary shall give all members of the Committee not less than 48 hours notice of each meeting.
The quorum shall comprise three members of the Executive Committee.
The Executive Committee shall have the power to fill up to three casual vacancies occurring among the members of the Executive Committee between Annual General Meetings.
9. SUB-COMMITTEES
The Executive Committee may at its discretion constitute such sub-committees, made up of Members of the Society, from time to time as shall be considered necessary for such purposes as shall be thought fit. The Chairman and Secretary of each sub-committee shall be appointed by the Executive Committee and all actions and proceedings of each sub-committee shall be reported to and confirmed by the Executive Committee as soon as possible. Members of the Executive Committee may be members of any sub-committee. Sub-committees shall be subordinate to and may be regulated or dissolved by the Executive Committee.
10. DECLARATION OF INTEREST
It shall be the duty of every member who is in any way whether financially, professionally or otherwise directly or indirectly interested in any item discussed at any meeting of the Society (including any meeting of the Executive Committee or any other committee or sub-committee) at which he or she may be present to declare such interest and he or she shall not discuss such item (except by invitation of the Chairman) or vote thereon.
11. EXPENSES OF ADMINISTRATION AND APPLICATION OF FUNDS
The Executive Committee shall, out of the funds of the Society, pay all proper expenses of administration and management of the Society. After the payment of the administration and management expenses and the setting aside to reserve of such sums as may be deemed expedient, the remaining funds of the Society shall be applied by the Executive Committee in furtherance of the purposes of the Society.
12. INVESTMENT
All moneys at any time belonging to the Society and not required for immediate application for its purposes shall be invested by the Executive Committee in or upon such investments, securities or property as it may at its discretion think fit, subject nevertheless where appropriate, to such authority, approval or consent by the Charity Commissioners as may from time to time be required by law or by the special trusts affecting any property in the hands of the Executive Committee.
13. TRUSTEES
Any freehold or leasehold property acquired by the Society shall, and if the Executive Committee so directs any other property belonging to the Society may, be vested in trustees who shall deal with such property as the Executive Committee may from time to time direct. Any trustees shall be at least three in number or a trust corporation . The power of appointment of new trustees shall be vested in the Executive Committee. A trustee need not be a member of the Society but no person whose membership lapses by virtue of clause 4 hereof shall thereafter be qualified to act as a trustee unless and until re-appointed as such by the Executive Committee. The Honorary Secretary shall from time to time notify the trustees in writing of any amendment hereto and the trustees shall not be bound by any such amendments in their duties as trustees unless such notice has been given. The Society shall be bound to indemnify the trustees in their duties (including the proper charge of a trustee being a trust corporation) and liability under such indemnity shall be a proper administrative expense.
14. ACCOUNTS
In this clause 14 and in the clauses set out below the phrase “the applicable legislation” shall mean the Charities Act 1993 and the Charities Act 2006 (or any statutory re-enactment or modification of the said Acts respectively).
The Executive Committee shall comply with their legal obligations under the applicable legislation with regard to:
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- the keeping of accounting records for the Society
- the preparation of the annual statements for the Society
- the independent examination of the statements of account of the Society; and
- the transmission of the statements of account of the Society to the Charity Commission if or whenever the Commission so requires.
15. ANNUAL REPORT
The Executive Committee shall comply with their legal obligations under the applicable legislation with regard to the preparation of an annual report and its transmission to the Charity Commission if or whenever the Commission so requires.
16. ANNUAL RETURN
The Executive Committee shall comply with their legal obligations under the applicable legislation with regard to the preparation of an annual return and its transmission to the Charity Commission if or whenever the Commission so requires.
17. AMENDMENTS
This Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds majority of members present at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting of the Society, provided that 28 days’ notice of the proposed amendment has been given to all members, and provided that nothing herein contained shall authorise any amendment the effect of which would be to cause the Society at any time to cease to be a charity in law.
18. NOTICES
Any notice required to be given by this Constitution shall be deemed to be duly given if left at or sent by prepaid post addressed to the address of that member last notified to the Secretary or sent by e-mail or other electronic method of communication to the appropriate address of the member last notified to the Secretary for that purpose.
19. WINDING UP
The Society may be dissolved by a two-thirds majority of members voting at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting of the Society confirmed by a simple majority of members voting at a further Special General Meeting held not less than 14 days after the previous Meeting. If a motion for the dissolution of the Society is to be proposed at an Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting this motion shall be referred to specifically when notice of the Meeting is given. In the event of the dissolution of the Society the available funds of the Society shall be transferred to such one or more charitable institutions having objects similar to those hereinbefore declared as shall be chosen by the Executive Committee and approved by the Meeting of the Society at which the decision to dissolve the Society is confirmed . On dissolution the minute books and other records of the Society shall be deposited with such third party as the Executive Committee shall at its discretion deem to be appropriate.
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