Harrow Council Tax Campaign Constitution

1. Name and Status

1.1 The Campaign shall be called the “ Harrow Council Tax Campaign”

1.2 The Campaign will be non-sectarian and shall not be affiliated to any political party nor accept monies from any governmental or political bodies.

2. Purpose of the Campaign

2.1 To influence local and regional government to maximize cost effectiveness and increase productivity in order to reduce the burden of local taxes on residents.

2.2 To represent the views of Members’ and lobby MP’s, national government and European bodies as necessary.

2.3 To monitor the policies, conduct and spending of the London Borough of Harrow.

2.4 To advise and assist Members with any problems they encounter with Council services in Harrow

3. Membership

3.1 Membership is open to all residents’ of the London Borough of Harrow.

3.2 Subscription shall be a payment per adult per annum or at any interval that the membership shall decide in General Meeting.

3.3 Membership may be cancelled by the Executive Committee which shall give reasons in writing to the member(s) concerned. Any member(s) so notified shall have the right of appeal to the next following General Meeting.

3.4 Any member not paying the subscription within six months of it becoming due may be removed from membership by the Executive Committee.

3.5 Collection of the subscriptions will normally be carried out by Street Co-ordinators appointed by the Executive Committee. However paid collectors’ may be engaged from time to time on terms including payments at the discretion of the Executive Committee.

4. Executive Committee

4.1 The business of the Campaign shall be conducted by the elected Executive Committee consisting of : The Chair, (and Vice-Chair if necessary), Hon. Treasurer, Hon Secretary, and any other officers as necessary up to six other elected members. A member can hold no more than two of the positions on the Executive Committee at any one time. Only members over 18 yrs old may serve on the Executive Committee.

4.2 The officers of the Campaign and members of the Executive Committee shall be elected to hold office at the Annual General Meeting of the Campaign. All officers and committee members shall be elected for a term not exceeding three years and shall be eligible for re-election without nomination. Other nominations duly proposed and seconded should be delivered to the Hon Secretary at least two days before the meeting.

4.3 In the event of an officer or a committee member leaving his/her post another member may be appointed by the Executive Committee and will be eligible for re-election at the next Annual General Meeting.

4.4 No elected Local Councillor, Member of Parliament, no Member of the Greater London Assembly or Member of the European Parliament nor party political officer or official, shall be eligible to hold office or to serve on the Executive Committee.

4.5 The Executive Committee shall have power to appoint an Hon or paid Legal Advisor

4.6 The Executive Committee may appoint and dissolve sub committees with terms of reference as determined by the Executive Committee. At least one member of the Executive Committee shall be a member of any sub committee.

4.7 The Executive Committee may co-opt any member(s) at any time but the total number on the Executive Committee shall not exceed fifteen.

4.8 The Executive Committee shall recommend any changes to the annual subscription to a General Meeting.

5. General Meetings

5.1 The Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held no later than 31st July each year.

5.2 Special General Meetings of the members may be called at other times.

5.3 Upon receipt of a requisition by the Hon Secretary, signed by at least ten members setting out the business to be dealt with, the Executive Committee shall convene a Special General Meeting to be held twenty-eight days of the receipt of the requisition.

5.4 At least ten days notice of General Meetings shall be given. Notice of such meetings shall be deemed to be duly served if sent to members by letter, e-mail, telephone (including text) or web site.

5.5 Voting at a General Meeting shall be by show of hand .Every paid up member shall be entitled to vote at any general meeting or call a meeting under clause 5.3

5.6 A quorum for a General Meeting shall be not less than ten members.

5.7 No proposal shall be voted upon at a general meeting unless it appeared in an agenda circulated to members ten days before the date of the meeting.

6. Executive Committee Meetings

6.1 Meetings of the Executive Committee must be held at least every three months.

6.2 Meetings are to be called by the Hon. Secretary if requested by the Chair or at least three members of the Executive Committee acting jointly.

6.3 At least seven days notice of meetings must be given.

6.4 An emergency meeting may be called by giving at least 24 hours notice.

6.5 A quorum will be three.

6.6 Each member , including those co-opted shall have a vote. The chair shall in addition have a casting vote.

6.7 Motions shall be decided by simple majority vote of members present and voting.

7. Minutes

7.1 A record of the proceedings in General Meetings and Executive Committee meetings shall be kept in minute form and signed, on adoption, by the person presiding at a succeeding meeting.

7.2 The record of adopted minutes shall be available for perusal by a member on request.

8. Procedure at Meetings

8.1 Unless there is a provision to the contrary in these rules, the general rules in common law governing the procedure and conduct of meetings will apply.

9. Finance

9.1 The accounts of the Campaign shall be examined annually by a person or organisation appointed for the purpose at each succeeding Annual General Meeting.

9.2 The financial year shall end on 31 March and the accounts and balance sheet shall be made up as at that date.

9.3 Audited accounts will be available for perusal by members.

10.    Modification of Rules

10.1    No modification of this constitution shall be made except at an Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting

10.2    Any proposed modifications must be presented in writing to the Hon Secretary at least 21 days before the date of the meeting at which the proposal is to be considered.

10.3    The constitution shall only be amended by a two-thirds majority of the votes recorded.

11. Winding up

11.1    The Campaign shall be wound up on the happening of either of the following events:

a) a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting in General Meeting resolving to do so

b) failure to hold an Annual General Meeting in two consecutive years.

11.2    Upon any winding up all assets shall be realized and converted into cash and ,subject to the payment of all outstanding liabilities, the residual amount shall be applied in either of the following ways:

a) as the members in general meeting may have previously determined

b) towards some local purpose of benefit to Harrow residents.