Constitution

Our Constitution

1. Name

The name of the group will be: "Southey Development Forum" (hereafter referred to as "The Forum")

2. Area of benefit

The area of benefit is that defined as Southey in the area of Sheffield within the boundaries of the 'Pioneer Funding'.

3. Aims & Objectives

To promote and benefit the inhabitants of Southey by bringing together statutory voluntary and other organisations in a common effort to relieve poverty advance education and training to promote and provide facilities in the interest of social welfare and for recreation and leisure time occupation and to tackle the social and economic problems in existence. The object being to build the capacity of local community groups and improve the conditions of life for the said inhabitants.

To be pro-active and lead in the regeneration process of Southey.
To encourage the involvement of the local community in the decision making process of regeneration.
To be involved with and give support to new and existing groups in Southey.
To raise awareness within Southey of the opportunities that regeneration can bring.
To examine and investigate the needs and issues of concern particularly those centred around housing environmental problems and community resources.
To institute campaign issues on the problems and bring pressure to bear on the appropriate authorities to provide sufficient resources to overcome them.
To set up compacts with Sheffield City Council and other statutary bodies.
To draw together all the people of the area of benefit in a joint and concerted effort to overcome the problems.
To have the power to raise funds and make the necessary expenditure to achieve these objectives.
To have great fun doing all the above and to promote the tremendous sense of well-being this all creates in knowing that a job has been well done and the local community helped.

4. Powers

The Forum shall have the following powers which may be exercised only in promoting its Aims & Objectives.

To promote and carry out research and publish the useful results.
To provide or assist in providing information and support to voluntary and community bodies in the area of benefit.
To publish and distribute information.
To co-operate with other bodies.
To raise any funds "The Forum" deems necessary to further advance its aims and objectives.
To progress developments that assist the regeneration in the area of benefit.

5. Membership

Membership of "The Forum" shall be open to residents and community organisations in the area of benefit without regard to disability gender political or religous affiliation who/which are:

Interested in working with "The Forum" to achieve its aims and objectives.
Willing to abide by the rules of "The Forum".

People can be co-opted for their special expertise but shall not be given voting rights.
The membership of any group or individual may be terminated for good reason by the management committee. The group or individual will have the right of appeal at a full "Forum" meeting and will be allowed to be accompanied by a community representative before a decision is made.

6. Management

The Forum shall be administered by a management committee of not less than three people (of which two must be local residents) and not more than nine (of which five must be loacl residents) who shall be elected at The Forum Annual General Meeting (AGM).

The officers of the management committee shall be the Chairperson the Vice-Chairperson the Treasurer and the Secretary.

The management committee may co-opt onto the committee in an advisory but non-voting capacity anyone who feels it will help to fulfil the aims and objectives of The Forum.

The management committee shall meet at least ten times per year and have the power to table and make decisions : reasons for doing so shall be explained at the next full Forum meeting.

The quorum for a management committee meeting is a least three members two of whom must be officers.

For voting purposes at management committee meetings the majority of members present must be from a democratically elected group. Voting will be by a show of hands. In the even of a tie the Chairperson shall have the deciding vote.

The management committe shall have the power to remove any member of the committee providing it is for a good and proper reason as laid down in the code of conduct.

7. Sub-groups

A sub-group may be set up from time to time to work on a specific matter or project. The life of the sub-group shall last until the completion of the matter/project. All items dealt with shall be reported back to a full Forum meeting. Representatives for the sub-group shall follow the same procedure as for Forum membership.

8. Duties of the Officers

The duties of the Chairperson shall be to:

Chair meetings of the management committee and the full Forum meetings.
Represent The Forum at functions/meetings that The Forum has been invited to.
Act as a spokesperson for The Forum as and when necessary.

The duties of the Vice-president shall be in the absence of the Chairperson to:

Chair meetings of the management committee and the full Forum meetings.
Represent The Forum at functions/meetings that The Forum has been invited to.
The duties of the Secretary shall be to:
Prepare with the Chairperson the agenda for meetings of the management committee and full Forum meetings.
Take and keep minutes of all meetings and distribute accordingly.
Collect and circulate any relevant information within The Forum.
Organise and oversee room hire for meetings.
Represent The Forum at functions/meetings to which The Forum has been invited.
Maintain and keep proper office procedures and records.
Ensure equal opportunities policy is adhered to.
Ensure notice of Forum meetings is circulated.
The duties of the Treasurer shall be to:
Supervise the financial affairs of The Forum.
Ensure proper accounts kept show all monies received and paid out by The Forum and to make regular statements to The Forum.
Ensure all financial requirements are fulfilled.
Represent The Forum at functions/meetings that The Forum has been invited to.

9. Finance

All monies received by or on behalf of The Forum shall be applied to further the aims and objectives of The Forum and for no other purpose.
Any bank accounts opened by The Forum shall be in the name of The Forum.
Any cheques issued shall be signed by any two of the nominated members of the management committee no two of which signatories may live at the same address.
The officers of The Forum shall be collectively responsible for the financial activities of The Forum.
The bank account[s] shall not be allowed to become overdrawn without authority>
The Treasurer shall be responsible for arranging an annual audit. This shall be available at the AGM.

The Forum may pay reasonable out of pocket expenses including travel childcare and meal costs to members of The Forum management committee

10. Meetings

a) General Meetings
A minimum of four full Forum meetings to be held per year. All members shall be entitled to vote (subject to The Forum membership policy).

b) Annual General Meeting (AGM)

The Forum shall hold the Annual General Meeting yearly.
All memebers shall be given at least fourteen days notice of the AGM and shall be entitled to attend and vote. The business of the AGM shall include:
- Receiving a report from the Chairperson on The Forum activities over the year
- Receiving independently examined accounts and a report from the Treasurer on the finances of The Forum (2 scrutineers if the account is less than £10 0
- Accepting nominations and electing a new management committee.
- Considering any other matters as may be decided
A quorum of at least 10 or 10% (whichever is the greater) of full Forum memberships must be present for the AGM to take place.

c) Special General Meeting (SGM)
A Special General Meeting may be called by a majoriy of the management committee or 25% of the full Forum membership to discuss an urgent matter. The Secretary shall give all members fourteen days notice of any special general meeting together with notice of the business to be discussed.

11. Alterations to the Constitution

Any changes to this Constitution must be agreed by at least two thirds of the members present and voting at the AGM or following the procedure for an SGM.

12. Dissolution

The Forum may be wound up at any time by two thirds of those members present and voting at any SGM of The Forum.
A final report and audited statement of accounts must be given to the full Forum membership.
In the event of winding up after meeting all legitimate expenses and debts the balance of any monies and assete remaining shall be applied to another group in Southey Green or Parsons Cross that has similar aims and objectives to The Forum.

This amended constitution was formally agreed and adopted at The Southey Development Forum Annual General Meeting held on 8th December 2005.