CONSTITUTION

1. Name

This association shall be known as the Crowthorne Village Action Group herein referred to as ‘CVAG’ or ‘the group’ or ‘the association’.

 

2. Composition

The association shall consist of members interested in pursuing the objectives as identified below. All residents of Crowthorne whether they fall within the Bracknell Forest Borough Council or Wokingham Borough Council areas may become members, together with any ‘friends’ that may assist the association and particularly including people employed within the area. As such members will be a mix of people born in Crowthorne with those who have chosen to settle or work in Crowthorne.

 

3. Objectives

3.1 The objectives of the association shall be:
  • to protect Crowthorne’s village status against urbanisation and to seek to ensure all development are in keeping with the village character and that appropriate infrastructure is provided.
  • to liaise with all relevant Councils to ensure clear, accurate information is provided to the village community so that everyone can work together to achieve change and development which is in keeping with the character of Crowthorne village.
  • to provide information, guidance and assistance to the village community if they wish to raise objections to planning applications.
  • to work harmoniously across boundaries, whether Parish or District, so that the views of both individuals and the whole community are made known, listened to and taken into account before decisions are made which will affect the village.
  • to solicit the views of the membership and give a voice to their opinions.

·         to research the planning application process thoroughly.
  • to pressure government from local to national level and influence policy where it is considered to hinder the objectives of the association using appropriate means including the media.
  • to persuade planning authorities to consider applications for development as part of the whole locality with particular note to protection of the environment, and to traffic and parking issues; that is not to consider each application in isolation.
  • to liaise with key members of the planning departments of both Bracknell Forest Borough Council and Wokingham Borough Council.

·         to involve our Members of Parliament.

·         to liaise with other local organizations including the police.

·         to keep the village informed of actions and progress.
  • to make direct contact with developers to try to work with them to achieve the best possible results for the community.

3.2 In addition:
  • not withstanding the objectives above, the association shall not be associated with nor be motivated by any party political agenda.
  • working with any other association that may help CVAG meet its objectives shall not imply that CVAG shares the decisions or opinions of such an association, unless specifically stated by CVAG.
  • neither the association nor its members shall have any financial objectives within the auspices of CVAG, other than fund raising to support the expenses of the association.

3.3 Normally it is NOT in the association’s remit to pursue individual planning applications. When considered appropriate the Committee will encourage individual members to oppose or support planning applications. The association may give appropriate support to other groups purporting to have similar objectives of the association, including a group formed to consider an individual planning application.

 

4. Affiliations

The association shall affiliate to any competent body at the discretion of the Committee.

 

5 General Members

Any person as identified in (2) above shall be considered a member provided that each shall sign a form indicating they wish to join, or shall otherwise identify to a member of the Committee in writing their wish to join. Any joining fee, annual membership fee or any other designated fee, shall be defined from time to time by the Committee and all or each of them may be set as zero. The Secretary, or a nominated assistant, shall maintain a list of members. Membership shall be deemed to continue until such time as a listed member indicates that they wish to be removed from the list. Communication with the member shall normally be via e-mail but an alternative agreement may be made at the time the member joins.

 

6. Committee Members and Meetings

6.1 The association shall be guided and organised by a small Organising Committee [the Committee] of up to 12 persons who shall be elected annually at an AGM. The Committee may fill any vacancies that exist for whatever reason at any time. A quorum of the Committee shall be 5 members. In addition the Committee may invite any nominees pending election at an AGM, or any other person with appropriate expertise, to attend meetings without voting rights.

 

6.2 The Organising Committee shall be headed by a Chairman, a Secretary and a Treasurer who shall be elected, when required, from members of the Committee by the Committee. The Secretary shall produce notes or minutes of meetings of the Committee that shall be made available to members of the Committee as soon as possible after a meeting. In addition minutes or notes shall be made available to a general member following a specific written request.

 

6.3 The management of the association shall be vested in the Committee. Much of the work of the association will be conducted via e-mail. The Committee shall meet as often and when they decide is necessary. There shall be at least 6 Committee meetings each year. In addition to the AGM [see 7] the Committee may call a public meeting as and when they think appropriate.

 

6.4 Each member of the Committee is free to pursue his own initiative on matters relating to the objectives of the association but shall only claim to represent the views of the group when the subject has been discussed by the Committee and a consensus view has been identified. Only a Committee member shall be considered to voice the legitimate views of CVAG.

 

7. General Meetings

7.1 The association’s year shall be 1st April to 31st March. The association shall hold a public General Meeting each year with at least 4 weeks notice. This shall be held normally in March or April but in the event of an appropriate meeting called in accordance with Rule 6.3, the Committee may arrange for such public meeting to include the requirements of the AGM. The business of the AGM shall be minimal but include: (1) a brief statement by the Chairman of the association’s business since the last AGM (2) a statement by the Treasurer of the financial status of the association in accord with the financial year (3) the election of the Committee (4) ratification of any Rules changes.

 

7.2 Notice of an AGM served to a member shall be in accordance with the method of communication indicated when the general member joins [see Rule 5]. A quorum shall be 20 members. Decisions shall be by a simple majority of those members attending and voting. Amendments to this constitution may be made by a simple majority vote of the Committee attending and voting at a Committee meeting subject only to ratification of the change at the next AGM. Notice of an AGM shall include a statement of Rule changes that are to be ratified, by way of a copy of the existing constitution. Members standing for Committee shall be as nominated by any three general members in writing at any time and delivered to the Secretary no later than two weeks prior to the date of an AGM. The Committee may make nominations at any time. Nominations of current elected Councillors of any Council shall not be accepted. Notice of an AGM shall include a list of members known to be standing for Committee at the time of the notice. Any necessary election shall be by ballot and only members who have paid the designated annual fee and personally present shall be entitled to vote. In the event of an equality of votes the Chairman of the association shall have a casting vote. In the event that the number of nominations does not exceed the vacancies, properly nominated persons shall take office without a ballot, at the relevant point in the agenda.

 

7.3 The Committee shall call a Special General Meeting if the Secretary receives a petition from not less than 20 general members demanding one. A SGM shall be called within 6 weeks of such notice following the procedure for the call of the AGM.

 

7.4 The “formal” procedure followed at a General Meeting shall be at the sole discretion of the Chairman.

 

8. Finance

8.1 The association has no financial objectives. Money may be collected to support the association’s objectives and shall be deposited in a current bank account opened in the name of the association and administered by the Treasurer. Donations to the group’s funds are welcomed and may be requested from time to time at the discretion of the Committee.

 

8.2 Funds of the association shall be applied to the furtherance of the objectives of the association or for any charitable purpose agreed by the Committee. No funds shall be paid or distributed among members of the association except as reimbursement of legitimate expenses incurred on behalf of the association.

 

8.3 The Treasurer shall keep proper accounts of the finances and shall present an account of the association’s funds at regular intervals in accordance with the wishes of the Committee. The Treasurer shall produce an annual statement of income and expenditure. For this purpose the Financial Year shall be deemed to be 1st March to 28th [29th] February. At the AGM the members shall appoint an independent examiner for the following year, to review the accounts. The examiner must not be a member of the Committee or related to a member of the Committee.

 

8.4 In the event of the dissolution of the association, any funds remaining shall be allocated to any non profit making organisation with objectives similar to this association. Dissolution of the association shall only be via an appropriate approved resolution at an SGM called for that specific purpose and including specification of instructions for the disposal of excess funds.

 

Note: Unless the contrary intention appears, words in this constitution importing the masculine gender shall include the feminine and words in the singular shall include the plural. Requirements “in writing” shall include e-mail.

 

Constitution as adopted by the inaugural general meeting of the association on 15th May 2008.