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Epping Forest Transport Action Group Constitution

1. Name

The name of the group shall be Epping Forest Transport Action Group, also known as EFTAG.

2. Aims

The Charity’s objects (the Objects) are to promote public transport and cycling for the public benefit in Epping Forest District, and in the ancient Forest, as a means of furthering the following charitable purposes:

  1. the promotion of public health
  2. the conservation and protection of the environment
  3. the promotion of affordable public transport for the benefit of the public and the local economy, by working with local authorities, service providers and user groups to improve services and encourage their use
  4. the promotion of cycling for the public benefit, by promoting, assisting, facilitating and protecting the use of bicycles and similar vehicles on public roads and publicly accessible routes
  5. the promotion of public safety, particularly on the highways, including pavements
  6. the promotion of healthy recreation in the interests of social welfare
  7. the advancement of education

3. Membership

  1. Membership is open to individuals over the age of twelve or organisations who are approved by the trustees.
  2.  
    1. The trustees may only refuse an application for membership if, acting reasonably and properly, they consider it to be in the best interests of the charity to refuse the application.
    2. The trustees must inform the applicant in writing of the reasons for the refusal within twenty-one days of the decision.
    3. The trustees must consider any written representations the applicant may make about the decision. The trustees’ decision following any written representations must be notified to the applicant in writing but shall be final.
  3. Membership is not transferable to anyone else.
  4. The trustees must keep a register of names and addresses of the members.
  5. There will be an annual membership fee which will be agreed at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and will be payable by all members.
  6. Membership will begin as soon as the membership form – paper or digital – and first annual payment have been received.
  7. Ceasing to be a member
    1. Members may resign at any time in writing to the secretary.
    2. Any member who has not paid their membership fee for one year will be contacted by the committee, who will then decide whether that member is deemed to have resigned.
    3. Any offensive behaviour, including racist, sexist or inflammatory remarks, will not be permitted. Anyone behaving in an offensive way or breaking the equal opportunities policy may be asked not to attend further meetings or to resign from the group if an apology is not given or the behaviour is repeated. The individual concerned shall have the right to be heard by the trustees, accompanied by a friend, before a final decision is made.

4. Equal Opportunities

Epping Forest Transport Action Group will not discriminate on the grounds of gender, race, colour, ethnic or national origin, sexuality, disability, religious or political belief, marital status or age.

5. Officers and committee

  1. The business of the group will be carried out by a committee of trustees elected at the Annual General Meeting.
  2. The committee will meet as necessary and not less than four times a year.
  3. The committee will consist of up to 8 members, and shall be composed of 4 officers and a maximum of 4 other committee members.
  4. A maximum of 2 members may be co-opted onto the committee at the discretion of the committee.
  5. The officers shall hold specific roles as follows:
    1. Chair, who shall chair both general and committee meetings;
    2. Secretary, who shall be responsible for the taking of minutes and the distribution of all papers;
    3. Membership secretary, who shall be responsible for keeping records of members;
    4. Treasurer who shall be responsible for maintaining accounts.
  6. In the event of an officer standing down during the year a replacement will be appointed by the committee until a replacement can be elected by the next General Meeting of members.
  7. Any committee member not attending a meeting without apology for three months will be contacted by the committee, after which the committee may resolve that the member has resigned from the committee.
  8. Committee meetings will be open to any member of Epping Forest Transport Action Group wishing to attend, who may speak but not vote.
  9. Committee meetings may be called by the Chair or Secretary. Committee members must receive notice of meetings at least 7 days before the meeting. Committee meetings may be held face to face or by video conferencing.
  10. The quorum for committee meetings is three committee members.

6. General Meetings

6.1. Annual General Meetings

  1. An Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held within fifteen months of the previous AGM.
  2. All members will be notified in writing at least 3 weeks before the date of the meeting, giving the venue, date and time.
  3. Nominations for the committee may be made to the Secretary before the meeting, or at the meeting.
  4. The quorum for the AGM will be 10% of the membership or 5 members, whichever is the greater number.
  5. At the AGM:
    1. The committee will present a report of the work of Epping Forest Transport Action Group over the year.
    2. The committee will present the accounts of Epping Forest Transport Action Group for the previous year.
    3. The officers and committee for the next year will be elected.
    4. Any proposals given to the Secretary at least 7 days in advance of the meeting will be discussed.
    5. Proposals brought forward with less than 7 days’ notice may be discussed at the sole discretion of the chair of the meeting.

6.2 Special General Meetings

  1. The Secretary will call a Special General Meeting at the request of the majority of the committee or at least eight other members giving a written request to the Chair or Secretary stating the reason for their request.
  2. The meeting will take place within twenty-eight days of the request.
  3. All members will be given two weeks notice of such a meeting, giving the venue, date, time and agenda, and notice may be by telephone, email or post.
  4. The quorum for the Special General Meeting will be 10% of the membership or 5 members, whichever is the greater number.

7. Rules of Procedure for meetings

  1. All questions that arise at any meeting will be discussed openly and the meeting will seek to find general agreement that everyone present can agree to.
  2. If a consensus cannot be reached then a vote will be taken, and in a General Meeting each member shall have one vote.
  3. The decision will then be made by a simple majority of those present entitled to vote. If the number of votes cast on each side is equal, the chair of the meeting shall have an additional casting vote.

8. Finances

  1. The Trustees  will have powers to open and operate such bank and other accounts as they consider necessary and to invest funds and to delegate the management of funds in the same manner and subject to the same conditions as the Trustees of a trust are permitted to do by the Trustee Act 2000.
  2. Records of income and expenditure will be maintained by the Treasurer and a financial statement given at each Annual General Meeting.
  3. All money raised by or on behalf of Epping Forest Transport Action Group is only to be used to further the aims of the group, as specified in item 2 of this constitution.

9. Amendments to the Constitution

  1. Amendments to the constitution may only be made at the Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting.
  2. Any proposal to amend the constitution must be given to the Secretary in writing. The proposal must then be circulated with the notice of meeting.
  3. Any proposal to amend the constitution will require a two thirds majority of those present and entitled to vote.

10. Dissolution

  1. If a meeting, by simple majority, decides that it is necessary to close down the group it may call a Special General Meeting to do so. The sole business of this meeting will be to dissolve the group.
  2. If it is agreed to dissolve the group, all remaining money and other assets, once outstanding debts have been paid, will be donated to a local charitable organisation. The organisation will be agreed at the meeting which agrees the dissolution.

This constitution was agreed at the Inaugural General Meeting of the Epping Forest Transport Action Group on:-

25th June 2018