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THE CANADA WATER GROUP

c/o Time & Talents Association, The Old Mortuary,

St. Marychurch Street, Rotherhithe, London SE16 4JE

Email canadawater@timeandtalents.org.uk

Information on the Website

http://www.se16.btinternet.co.uk/canadawater.htm

CONSTITUTION

Adopted 20^th March 2001

Abbreviations, Acronyms and Definitions

Name

The organization shall be known as the Canada Water Group

Objectives

The Canada Water Group is an independent voluntary association which seeks to involve local residents in the physical, social and economic development of the Canada Water area.

• To give a strong and coordinated voice to the residents of the Canada Water area in order to enable them to influence the development process.

• To assist with the formation and coordination of the Community Group which represents the views of residents.

• To act as a means of communication between Southwark Council, other agencies and residents.

• To seek to work in partnership with other agencies and Southwark Council.

• To further and promote the aims set out below:

a) To participate in development proposals for the Canada Water area

To do so by:

b) Preventing the destruction of Canada Water and its wildlife habitat.

c) Maintaining an overview and commenting on any related development proposals.

d) Preserving the environment for the long-term benefit of all residents of the area.

e) Supporting residents actions to enhance the social conditions of the area.

Membership

Membership shall be open to all those who support it’s aims irrespective of age, nationality, race, ethnic origin, religious belief, sexuality, gender or disability.

Membership is on an equal and individual basis.

A membership list will be held by the Secretariat.

It shall be a condition of membership that members shall conduct themselves at all times in a reasonable manner, at meetings or in premises used by the Group. Any member may be excluded for breach of this condition, or for any conduct contravening the objectives of the CWG, by a majority of those present and voting in any committee or General Meeting. Any member so excluded shall have the right of appeal to the following General Meetings.

Membership shall be free of charge, notwithstanding that the CWG may review this tradition in the future.

Conduct of Business

The business of the CWG shall be coordinated by a Committee, which shall consist of a Chair, Vice-chair, Treasurer and Secretary, not less than two other members and comprising not more than fifteen members in all.

The composition of the Committee shall, as far as possible, represent the various interests of residents in the area.

Any subscriptions or other monies raised by, or on behalf of, the CWG shall only be applied in the furtherance of the objectives of the CWG.

Members representing the organization will follow the policies of the organization.

The election or removal of officers and other Committee Members may only be carried out at Annual or extraordinary General Meetings of CWG. If any vacancy arises the Committee may temporarily fill any vacancy from its members, until the next General Meeting of the CWG.

The committee shall have the power to co-opt special additional advisory members able to offer specialist advice.

Sub Groups

General meetings of the CWG and the Committee shall from time to time create working groups/project teams as appropriate. These sub-groups will report back to the Committee and to the Canada Water Group. The sub-groups will require Committee approval for any financial expenditure.

Committee Meetings

The Committee shall meet as necessary and not less than six times in each year. Committee meetings shall be open to all members.

A committee meeting will require at least one third of its membership to be present in order to be quorate.

General Meetings

General Meetings of Canada Water Group shall be held at least two times per year, at which elected officers and members of the Committee shall normally be present.

When a vote is required to reach a decision, a simple majority will be used. In the event of a tie, the chairman of the meeting will have a casting vote. A General Meeting of the CWG is the final decision-making body.

All members of the CWG shall not be given less than 14 days notice of a General Meeting.

Annual General Meeting

The Committee shall call an Annual General Meeting of the CWG. Not less than 28 days notice of the AGM shall be given to all members, and all reasonable notice will be given to residents of the area.

The Committee will present the Annual Report of the CWG.

The Treasurer or another nominated officer shall present the Annual Accounts of the previous year.

Any proposals submitted to the Secretary in writing not less than 7 days in advance of the meeting shall be discussed.

Special General Meetings

The Secretary shall call a Special General Meeting at the written request of at least 10 members of the CWG giving reasons for their request. The Secretary shall give not less than 7 days notice of the holding of a Special General Meeting, which shall take place within twenty-one days of the request.

Quorum

The quorum for general meetings shall be twenty members.

Notice of Meetings

Notice of all meetings shall be sent to each member by post, fax or email and shall include the date, time and place of the meeting and an agenda of matters to be discussed. Notice of meetings shall be posted on the website, in public places and all reasonable attempts made to publicise the meetings.

Duties of Officers

The Chair (or in his/her absence the vice-chair) shall conduct the General and Committee Meetings of the Canada Water Campaign.

The Treasurer shall be responsible for opening and maintaining a banking account in the name of the CWG. All cheques must be signed by two members of the Committee nominated by the Committee as signatories. The Treasurer shall keep proper accounts of income and expenditure, and report on them or deliver them up as required by the Committee or the General Meeting of the CWG. Such accounts shall be independently audited.

The Secretary shall be responsible for convening meetings and the giving of the prescribed notice to members. The Secretary shall ensure that a proper record is kept of the General and Committee Meetings of the CWG and any sub-groups in the form of minutes. The Secretary shall provide such minutes as required by the Committee or General Meeting of the CWG. The Secretary shall permit all minutes to be examined by any member of the CWG.

Powers

In furtherance of the Objects but not otherwise CWG may exercise the following powers to:

1. Bring together representatives from the Community Group to ensure that the needs and wishes of local residents are fully known and taken into account by the Forum.
2. Nominate representatives from CWG to the Community Group or other local forums.
3. Assist local tenants and residents associations, community and faith groups to effectively represent their members interests with the Forum. In this regard coordinating election of members to the Community Group and empower local community organisations to support the interests of CWG within the Forum.
4. Co-operate with charities, voluntary bodies, statutory authorities and other organisations operating in furtherance of the Objects or similar charitable purposes and to exchange information and advice with them.
5. Raise funds and to invite and receive contributions: provided that in raising funds the CWG shall not undertake any substantial permanent trading activities and shall conform to any relevant statutory regulations.
6. Acquire, alter, improve and (subject to such consents as may be required by law) to charge or otherwise dispose of property.
7. To employ such staff as are necessary for the proper pursuit of the Objectives of the CWG.
8. Do all such other lawful things as are necessary for the achievement of the Objectives.

Alterations to the Constitution

Any proposals to alter this constitution shall be put to a Special General Meeting (SGM) called for that purpose. The rules for the conduct of business for SGM’s shall be observed.

Not more than 2 Special General Meetings for the express purpose of changing the constitution shall be called in any one year.

Any alteration shall require the approval of the majority of those present at the Special General Meeting of the Canada Water Campaign.

Dissolution

The CWG can decide on its own dissolution. There shall be general agreement from all members of the Group at a general meeting to decide on its own dissolution. The assets, financial and otherwise, remaining when the Group has satisfied its liabilities, shall be applied for such purposes of benefit to the community as the meeting shall decide.

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