Constitution

Objects

2.       The objects of the Association are:-

           a)       to encourage the preservation, development and improvement of the Estate in keeping with its present character, namely, predominantly detached and semi-detached family houses as intended in the Deed creating it and as it has developed since; but excluding responsibility for the maintenance of the Residential Grounds which reposes in Trustees created for that purpose.

           b)       to encourage high standards of architecture and town planning throughout the Estate and that full advantage is taken of the impending designation as a Conservation Area created under the Civic Amenities Act 1986 in co-operation with the above-mentioned Trustees.

           c)       to take advantage of any other legislation present or future which will assist the achievement of these objects.

           d)       to stimulate public interest in and care for the beauty, history and the character of the area and to prompt and co-ordinate the efforts of all willing individuals in achieving the objects.

           e)       to keep members fully informed of significant matters of interest to them in relation to these objects.

           f)        to take any action which will promote all or any of the above-mentioned objects.

3.       None of the Association’s Objects shall be pursued for any party political purpose, and the Association shall be non-profit making.

Membership

4.       Any person or body subscribing to the objects of the Association may become a member on payment of an annual subscription or for the purposes of the Inaugural Meeting by signifying on the appropriate form of the Association a willingness to join.

Subscriptions

5.       a)       The annual subscription shall be determined in General Meeting and shall be payable to the Hon. Treasurer on 1st January in each year or immediately on becoming a member.

           b)       No reduction shall be made for membership for part of a year.

           c)       The Committee may also appeal for and collect such additional contributions as they estimate to be needed for any purpose in furtherance of the objects of the Association either from members of the Association after obtaining their agreement by individual enquiry or from any other source.

Footprint/Boundary

6.       The area which the Association covers is:

           At the Northern end of Kilmorey Road and Kilmorey Gardens.

           The Eastern border is Ranelagh Drive.

           The Southern end is Cassilis and Heathcote Road (incorporating Norfolk Close and Nicol Close).

           The Western side is the East side of St Margaret’s Road from the roundabout (A316) to Kilmorey Road.

           The Avenue, Ailsa Road, St George’s Road, St Peter’s Road and St Margaret’s Drive are in the centre of the area bounded by these roads.

Patron, President and Vice-Presidents

7.       a)       The affairs of the Association shall be conducted by an Executive Committee (“the Committee”) all of whom shall be Members of the Association.

           b)       The Committee shall consist of a Chairman, a Vice-Chairman, an Hon. Secretary and Hon. Treasurer, who shall be Officers of the Association, and not less than three and not more than seven other Members.

           c)       The Officers shall be elected by the Members at the Annual General Meeting and shall normally serve until the termination of the fourth Annual General Meeting after their election and shall be eligible for re-election for a further period of two years.

           d)       In addition to the members elected as hereinbefore provided, the Trustees of the St. Margaret’s Residential Grounds for the time being shall be entitled to nominate one of their number to attend meetings of the Committee as an observer.  This power of nomination shall not be exercised if any Trustee is already an Officer or member of the Committee by election.

8.       a)       Members of the Committee shall be elected by the members of the Association at the Annual General Meeting for a period of three years and shall not be eligible for re-election until the next Annual General Meeting after their retirement.

           b)       The Chairman may, with the approval of the Committee, co-opt on an annual basis not more than two additional members including those not eligible under Rule 9a.  No member may be co-opted under this rule in two successive years.

           c)       Following the adoption of these rules existing officers and members of the Committee, irrespective of their total length of service in those posts, shall be eligible for re-election for a period of two years for Officers and one year for members on reaching the end of their present tenure of office.

           d)       Nominations for Officers and/or membership of the Committee, signed by a proposer and seconder, must be sent to the Hon. Secretary to arrive not less than 48 hours before the time fixed for the Annual General Meeting.

9.       The Committee shall meet as often as is considered necessary by the Officers and shall have power to regulate its own procedures.  It shall have power to co-opt members or non-members of the Association to serve on such sub-committees as it may decide to appoint.

10.     If a vacancy occurs in the membership of the Committee between Annual General Meetings, the Committee shall have the power to co-opt a member of the Association to the fill the vacancy until the date of the next Annual General Meeting.  At that meeting the co-opted member shall offer himself for election if he desires to continue to serve on the Committee.

General Meetings

11.     a)       An Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held once in each calendar year, at a time and place to be fixed by the Committee provided that the interval between meetings shall not exceed 15 months.  The first such meeting shall be held in 1971.

           b)       The business of the Annual General Meeting shall be to receive the report of the Committee and the accounts for the preceding year, to elect members of the Committee, and to conduct any other business within the scope of the Society’s objects.

           c)       Notice of the Annual General Meeting shall be sent to all members of the Association at least three weeks before the date of the meeting.

12.     A Special General Meeting shall be convened on a requisition in writing, signed by not less than fifteen members of the Association and sent to the Hon. Secretary; or such a Meeting may be convened by the Committee.  In either case the purpose of the Meeting shall be stated in the Notice convening the Meeting.  In the case of a requisition, the Meeting shall be held within 21 days of the requisition.  Notice of any Special General Meeting shall be sent to all members of the Association at least two weeks before the Meeting unless the Committee for the time being are of the opinion that it is imperative that this period be waived and so state in the Notice convening the Meeting.

13.     No business shall be transacted at any General Meeting unless a quorum of members is present when the Meeting proceeds to business.  Fifteen Members present shall be a quorum.

14.     If within half an hour of the time appointed for a Special General Meeting convened by the Committee a quorum is not present the Committee shall have power to act.

15.     The Chairman or Vice-Chairman of the Society shall preside as Chairman of any General Meeting or if neither is present the members of the Committee present shall elect one of their number to be Chairman of the Meeting.

16.     At any General Meeting a Resolution or proposal put to the vote of the Meeting shall be decided on a show of hands, unless a ballot or poll is demanded by:-

           a)       The Chairman of the Meeting, or

           b)       at least three members present.

17.     If a ballot or poll is duly demanded, it shall be taken in such manner as the Chairman of the Meeting directs.

18.     On a poll votes may be given either personally or by proxy.  The instrument appointing a proxy shall be in writing under the hand of the appointer and be lodged with the Chairman prior to the beginning of the Meeting.  A proxy must be a member of the Association.  Suitable forms of proxy are available form the Hon. Secretary.

19.     In the case of equality of votes, whether on a show of hands or on a ballot or poll, The Chairman shall be entitled to a second or casting vote.

Accounts

20.     The Hon. Treasurer shall have charge of the funds of the Association and shall be responsible to the Committee for administering them.  He shall maintain a bank account in the name of the Association.  All members of the Committee shall be eligible to be cheque signatories.  Cheques up to £500 shall be signed by at least one cheque signatory.  Cheques over £500 shall be signed by at least two cheque signatories.  In addition, any cheque over £1,000 shall be approved by the Committee before it is signed.  All instructions to the Association’s bank shall be in writing and shall be signed by two cheque signatories.

21.     An account of all moneys received and expended shall be kept by the Hon. Treasurer.  The accounts of the Association shall be reviewed annually and presented at the Annual General Meeting.

Amendment of the Constitution

22.     a)       Any amendment to this Constitution or proposal to wind up the Association shall be made only by Resolution passed at General Meeting by not less than two thirds of those present in person or by proxy.

           b)       The proposed Resolution shall be signed by a proposer and seconder, and copies of it shall be sent to all members of the Society at least fourteen days before the date of the meeting.

23.     In the event of the winding up of the Association the available funds of the Association shall be transferred to such one or more charitable bodies having objects similar or reasonably similar to those hereinbefore declared as may be chosen by the majority of those members of the Association present at the General Meeting convened for the purpose.

December 1970

Amended April 1990

Amended March 2014

Notes

1.       The reference in Rule 8b to Rule 9a should be a reference to Rule 8a.

2.       The value of cheques that must be signed by two Officers of the Association is not made clear in Rule 20.  The Committee has resolved that all cheques must be signed by two Officers.