Last amended 26th September 2019
- NAME
The name of the Association shall be the RUISLIP RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION.
- STATUS
The Association shall be a Non-Profit Organisation. Officers and Executive Committee members shall receive no monies or benefits-in-kind, other than reasonable expenses agreed by the Executive Committee as set out in Article 20.
- OBJECTS
The objects of the Association shall be, on behalf of the residents of Ruislip, to consider issues affecting or likely to affect the community and in particular to preserve, maintain and improve the character and amenities of the Ruislip area by taking whatever action is decided by the Officers, Committee or Members of the Association in accordance with the Rules of the Association. In so doing the Association shall have no political or religious affiliations.
- MEMBERSHIP
Membership of the Association shall be open to all residents of Ruislip on payment of the prescribed membership fee.
- SUBSCRIPTION
The subscription for membership of the Association shall be of such amounts as shall be determined by the Association in General Meeting and payable when due.
- PRESIDENT AND VICE-PRESIDENTS
(a)There shall be a President of the Association elected by the members at an Annual General Meeting.
(b)A Vice-President may be elected at any General Meeting in recognition of his or her services to the Association.
- OFFICERS
The Officers of the Association shall consist of the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary, Chief Road Steward and Deputy Chief Road Steward.
- EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
(a)Constitution
(i)The Executive Committee of the Association shall consist of the President and Officers listed in Rule 7 together with not more than twelve other members of the Association.
(ii)Vice-Presidents may be invited to act as members of the Executive Committee, with the power to vote, without prejudice to the numbers given in Rule 8 (a) (i) above.
(iii)Councillors representing the Ruislip Area shall be invited to act as ex-officio members of the Executive Committee but shall have no power to vote.
(b)Appointment of Sub-Committee
The Executive Committee shall have the power to constitute any sub-Committee or advisory panel and to co-opt persons for consultation or other purpose that, from time to time, may be considered necessary. Such persons shall have no power to vote unless as a member of the Executive Committee.
(c)Co-option
The Executive Committee shall have the power to co-opt not more than three additional members in order to provide representation of a particular local interest or any other part of the district not otherwise represented or as determined by the Executive Committee from time to time.
(d)Casual Vacancies
The Executive Committee shall have the power to fill any vacancy that may occur within the limits defined in Rules 8 (b), 8 (c) and 8 (f). (See also Rule 9 (d)).
(e)Editor
The Executive Committee shall appoint an editor of the Association’s newsletter or journal. A member so appointed shall be a co-opted member of the Executive Committee without power to vote unless as a member of the Executive Committee.
(f)Invitation
No member of the Association shall be invited to serve or be co-opted on to the Executive Committee unless he or she has been proposed and seconded at a previous meeting of the Executive Committee.
(g)Attendance of Members
Any officer or member of the Executive Committee who fails to attend four consecutive meetings of the Committee shall cease to hold office or be a member of the Committee unless his/her absence be explained to the satisfaction of the Executive Committee.
(h)Quorum
The presence at any Executive Committee of 50% of its membership, including at least two officers, shall constitute a quorum.
(i)Emergency Committee
Subject to Rule 13, an Emergency Committee may be convened at any time by the Chairman, and if unavailable, by the Vice Chairman. Such Committee shall consist of at least three of the officers referred to in Rule 7 who shall be empowered to deal with any matter of urgency and shall report such action to the following meeting of the Executive Committee.
- ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
(a)The officers and Executive Committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting or at some adjournment thereof.
(b)The names of the candidates for election, duly proposed and seconded in each case by two members of the Association (who must have secured the candidate’s assent to the proposal), shall be notified to the Secretary by the date announced as provided for in Rule 15 (b). This Rule may be varied at the discretion of the Chairman at the meeting.
(c)The tenure of any and every Office (except that of the President and Vice-President) shall be for one year expiring at the Annual General Meeting, but any retiring Officer or member of the Executive Committee shall be eligible for re-election to the same office or for election to any other office.
(d) The Executive Committee shall have power to fill any vacancy on the Committee (other than President) as necessary until the next Annual General Meeting, subject to Rule 8 (f). (See also Rule 8 (d)).
(e)For the purpose of auditing the accounts of the Association either two persons or a firm of Accountants shall be appointed by the approval of the majority of those present and voting at the Annual General Meeting.
- DUTIES OF OFFICERS
(a)Chairman and Vice-Chairman
The Chairman or Vice-Chairman shall preside at all General and Executive Committee Meetings of the Association including any Emergency Committee meetings. In the event of their absence from any meeting, the members present shall elect one of their number to act as Chairman. The presiding Chairman shall, in addition to his/her vote as a member of the Association or Executive Committee, have a casting vote.
(b)Treasurer
The Treasurer, with such assistance as from time to time be approved by the Executive Committee, shall receive all monies, pay all accounts, and act under the general direction and by the authority of the Association. He/she shall keep a proper account of all receipts and payments, and once a year shall prepare a full statement of all financial transactions during the year ended 31st December. This statement shall be audited by the appointed auditor(s) and shall be presented for adoption at the Annual General Meeting.
(c)Secretary
The Secretary, with such assistance as from time to time be approved by the Executive Committee, shall conduct all correspondence, give all requisite notices, and act under the general direction and by the authority of the Association.
(d)Chief Road Steward and Deputy Chief Road Steward
The Chief Road Steward with the assistance of the Deputy Chief Road Steward and such other assistance as from time to time be approved by the Executive Committee shall:
(i)Organise the district into areas and appoint for each an Area Steward who in turn shall appoint a requisite number of Road Stewards;
(ii)Maintain such records of the membership, Area Stewardships and Road Stewardships appropriate to the smooth running of the Association and the collection of subscriptions.
- DUTIES AND POWERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
(a)The affairs of the Association shall be vested in the Executive Committee which shall be subject to the authority of members in General Meeting.
(b)The Executive Committee shall have the power to discuss and (at its discretion) to take interim action on any matter falling within the scope of the Association’s activities as defined by Rule 3.
(c)At each General Meeting of the Association the Chairman or Secretary shall submit a report of all measures taken on behalf of the Association since the previous General Meeting.
(d)At each Annual General Meeting the Chairman or Secretary shall submit a report of the Association’s progress and activities during the past year.
- FINANCIAL MATTERS
(a)All monies received from subscriptions and unspecified donations shall be deposited in the name of the Association with the Ruislip Branch of a Bank, the choice of bank being subject to the approval by the Executive Committee. Funds not necessary for immediate requirements may on the recommendation of the Treasurer be deposited with a Building Society or other recognised savings institution.
(b)Funds raised or given for specific purposes should be maintained in separate accounts and deposited with a Bank, Building Society or savings institution in a manner approved by the Executive Committee. Disbursements from these funds shall be used solely for the purpose for which they were raised and with the approval of the Executive Committee. In the event that the specified purpose no longer exists, the balance of the fund may only be disbursed with the approval of the Association in General Meeting.
(c)All cheques drawn on the Association’s banking account and withdrawals from any of the Association’s funds shall be authorised by any two of the following Officers: Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary.
(d)For the provision of services such as the electronic collection of subscriptions, donations or other payments the Association can, with the approval of the Executive Committee, enter into a legal agreement with a service provider that allows automatic fund transfers in both directions. These transfers do not need further approval.
- PERSONAL INTERESTS OF OFFICERS
If the President, Vice-President, Officers or Members of the Executive Committee have a fiscal interest in any matter which is the business of the Association, they shall declare such interest to the Secretary (or in the case of the Secretary to the Chairman) who shall keep a record of such declarations. They shall take no part in any discussions of the Executive Committee relating to the matter and shall not be allowed to vote on any proposals relating thereto. Further, they shall not be a member of any Emergency Committee constituted for discussing such a matter.
- MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
(a) The Executive Committee shall meet on a regular basis not less than eight times during each year.
(b)Special Meetings of the Executive Committee may be called at any time at the requisition of the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary or any three members of the Committee.
- GENERAL MEETINGS
(a)General Meetings and Annual General Meeting
General Meetings of the Association shall be held at least twice a year at dates determined by the Executive Committee. One of these meetings shall be the Annual General Meeting.
(b)At or before each General Meeting the Secretary shall announce the date of the next General Meeting and the date by which any motions or proposals for consideration at that meeting shall be received. There should be a minimum of twenty-one days between the date of receipt of such notices and the date of the next General Meeting.
(c)Quorum
At every General Meeting forty members shall form a quorum.
(d)Special General Meetings
(i)Upon the requisition of twenty members of the Association delivered in writing to the Secretary and specifying the matter to be discussed, the Secretary shall convene a Special General Meeting of the Association at the earliest possible opportunity.
(ii)The Emergency Committee shall have the power to call a Special General Meeting of the Association at any time.
(e)Open to Visitors
The General Meetings of the Association shall be open to any visitors, unless the Chairman shall direct otherwise. Visitors, however, shall not have the power to vote on any motion, neither shall a visitor be permitted to speak as to any motion, unless in his absolute discretion, the Chairman of such Meeting decides it is in the interests of the Association to be allowed.
- SUBJECTS FOR DISCUSSION AND MOTIONS
Notice of subjects for discussion at, or any motion for submission to, any General Meeting shall be delivered to the Secretary in writing by the date specified under Rule 15 (b). Members shall be invited to submit only two subjects of a single nature in respect of each meeting. Motions should be duly proposed and seconded. This Rule shall not be enforced however if the majority of members present and voting at any General Meeting are in favour of discussing such a subject or motion not on the agenda and the Chairman considers such a course desirable.
- VOTING AT GENERAL MEETINGS
(a)Tellers, if necessary, shall be appointed by the Chairman at the meeting.
(b)At all General Meetings voting shall be by show of hands except that where there are more candidates either for election of Officers or for the Executive Committee then such election shall be determined by ballot of those members present at that Meeting.
(c)The Chairman shall have a casting vote in addition to his/her vote as a member.
(d)A motion shall be declared a Resolution of the Association at a General Meeting if on a vote being taken a majority of the members present and voting are in favour.
- PUBLIC MEETINGS
Either the Executive Committee or the Emergency Committee shall have power, in the name of the Association, to call a Public Meeting of residents to consider matters of urgent importance to the community.
- SUSPENSION OF MEMBERS
Any member of the Association refusing to accept the ruling of the Chairman may be expelled from a General Meeting on the vote of a majority of the other members present and voting.
- EXPENSES
Every member of the Executive Committee of the Association may be reimbursed for all expenses properly incurred on Association business and approved by the Executive Committee.
- ALTERATION OF RULES
(a)No alteration of or addition to the Rules shall be made except at an Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting called for the purpose.
(b)Notice of any proposed alteration, addition, or amendment shall be given in writing to the Secretary by the date specified in Rule 15 (b).
(c)The members shall be given notice of a proposed alteration, addition or amendment of the Rules.
- MATTERS NOT COVERED BY THE RULES
Any question which may arise in relation to the constitution, policy or activities of the Association and which shall be found to be not provided for in these Rules, may be dealt with under the discretion of the Executive Committee, pending a decision of the next General Meeting of the Association.
- INTERPRETATION OF THE RULES
The interpretation of these Rules shall be vested in the Executive Committee, whose decision on any such interpretation shall be binding upon members of the Association. Any such decision shall be reported to the next General Meeting or Special General Meeting of the Association, when it may be amended if so decided by a simple majority of members present and voting.
- DISSOLUTION
(a)A resolution for the winding-up of the Association may be passed at a General Meeting by a bare majority of those present and voting but such resolution shall be subject to confirmation at a Special General Meeting convened for the purpose and held not earlier than 14 and not later than 30 clear days thereafter by more than two-thirds of those present and voting.
(b)In the event of the winding-up of the Association any surplus remaining thereafter shall be donated to some charity or charities determined by the Special General Meeting or in any other manner that the Special General Meeting may decide.
