Cascade Constitution
1. Name of organisation.
This organisation will be known as Cascade Social Group.
2. Objectives.
To arrange social and leisure activities for single adults.
3. Ruling body.
The Management Committee will govern the group, which will consist of the following executive officers.
Chairman
Membership secretary
Treasurer
Newsletter Editor
Events co-ordinator
Secretary
The Chairman will have the casting vote.
4 members are required to form a quorum.
One third of Management Committee members will resign in rotation at every Annual General Meeting (AGM) and stand for re-election should they wish to do so.
There is one non-executive officer i.e. not a member of the management committee.
Walks Co-ordinator
The position of the non-executive officer will be voted for on an annual basis.
In the event of the unforeseen sudden departure of a committee member; a new temporary committee member to be voted in by the remaining committee members until the position is filled, for the usual term of office, at the next A.G.M.
3.1 Responsibilities of the Chairman
The role of the Chairman is twofold –
a) Planning and running meetings, being sure everything is covered and decisions are made when required, keeping order, helping the group deal with differences of opinion and conflicts, being sure everyone who wants to has a chance to speak.
b) Ensure the organisation as a whole, set and sticks to its policies and priorities, serving as a spokesperson for the group, making essential or emergency decisions between committee meetings, helping committee members deal with difficulties.
3.2 Responsibilities of the Treasurer.
Maintain a record of financial transactions. Reconcile bank statements. Collecting and banking of membership subscriptions. Prepare monthly financial reports and annual accounts.
3.3 Responsibilities of the Membership Secretary.
To promote CASCADE, recruit and welcome new members. To maintain a list of current members. Enrolment and subscription cheques to be forwarded to the treasurer.
3.4 Responsibilities of the Newsletter Editor
To publish and distribute an events list and simple newsletter in a format and frequency agreed by the Management Committee.
3.5 Responsibilities of the Events Co-ordinator
To promote and co-ordinate events between hosts and the newsletter editor. To maintain a diary of events. To maintain a record of the number of members attending events.
3.6 Responsibilities of the Secretary
To produce minutes of all meetings and be the formal contact of the group.
3.7 Responsibilities of the Walks Co-ordinator
To co-ordinate walks in consultation with other walk leaders and the management committee, if necessary, and as for other events, pass the information onto the Events Co-ordinator and Newsletter Editor for inclusion into the newsletter.
4. Financial Authority
A current account should be opened in the name of the group with the Treasurer and two other committee members as signatories. Two signatories are required for withdrawals. A financial report will be presented at the AGM.A qualified person, approved by the committee will check and approve the accounts prior to presentation at the AGM.
5. Membership
Membership is open to all single adults. Members who join as singles will continue to be eligible should they marry or take partners.
The group operates an Equal Opportunities Policy and membership will not be refused solely on the grounds of sex, age, race, creed or disability.
Members are expected to conduct themselves in an appropriate manner.
The Management Committee reserves the right to terminate membership in cases of nuisance, dishonesty etc. (The committee may request neutral members to assist in reaching a fair decision.)
The Management Committee reserves the right to refuse membership.
6. Membership fees.
New members must pay a non-returnable enrolment fee of £25.00.
Annual subscriptions will fall due on the 1st of April each year.
Committee members will have their membership fees paid for during the duration of their term of office.
New members joining part way through the year will pay a proportion based on the number of months remaining, including the month in which they join.
The membership fee will be reviewed annually. The membership will be notified of the proposed new annual subscription at least two months before the due date.
A record of hosting to be maintained by the committee. Discounts on annual membership fees to be levied at 25% for hosting one event and 50% annually for hosting two or more events in one 'Cascade' year i.e. 1 April to 31 March. This would not apply to a new member’s first year.
7. Expenses
All committee members to be entitled to reasonable expenses incurred by them in pursuance of their activities connected to the effective management of the group.
8. Event organisation
The general ethos of the group is one of mutual benefit and as such each member is expected to assist in arranging one activity per year. The exception to this will be new members in their first year of membership.
Event hosts should arrange the dates and details of their events with the Events Co-ordinator. The co-ordinator will arrange the publication of events in the newsletter.
Hosts are not expected to be out of pocket for large deposits and may claim an advance from the contingency fund via the events co-ordinator.
9. Booking arrangements
Bookings should be made direct to the host of the event, together with payment by the date required. Late applications may be refused. Where possible cancellations will be refunded.
10. Complaints procedure
Complaints should be addressed in writing to the Management Committee. (The committee may request neutral members to assist in reaching a fair decision.) The Management Committee’s decision is final.
11. General meetings
The group will hold an AGM each year, in addition to any other meeting in that year, and will specify the meeting as such in the notices calling it. Not more than fifteen months may elapse between the calling of one annual meeting and the next. The AGM will be held at such times and places as the management committee appoint.
Extraordinary general meetings.
The Members of the management committee may call extraordinary general meetings for a specific purpose or in response to a request from at least one tenth of the total membership. A general meeting called in response to a request from members must be held within eight weeks of the receipt of that request.
Notice of general meetings.
All annual and extraordinary general meetings must be called by at least twenty-one clear days' notice.
The accidental omission to give notice of a meeting to, or the non receipt of notice of a meeting by, any person entitled to receive notice will not invalidate the proceedings at that meeting.
Proceedings at general meetings.
Every member will have one vote.
No business will be transacted at any general meeting unless a quorum is present. One tenth of the total number of members or ten persons entitled to vote whichever is the greater will constitute a quorum. If a quorum is not present within half an hour from the start time, or if during a meeting a quorum ceases to be present, the meeting will stand adjourned and be called again within fourteen days.
New committee members will be elected annually at the AGM by paper ballot. If a member cannot attend in person, they may submit a postal vote. Members who exercise their right to a postal vote will not be entitled to vote in person at the AGM. If only one person stands for the position, they will be elected unopposed.
When new committee members are to be elected at the AGM any individual Cascade member can only be proposed for one committee position in that year’s elections.
Changes to the constitution to be ratified by voting at the A.G.M. or by a postal ballot.
12. Closing down arrangements.
The group cannot be closed down without an Extraordinary General Meeting. Any remaining funds will be returned pro-rata to members.
