Our Constitution

This constitution for Harefield Tenants & Residents Assocation outlines the fundamental principles, structure, and functioning of the association. It establishes the purpose of the association, defines the rights and responsibilities of its members, outlines the procedures for decision-making and governance, and provides a framework for conducting meetings and managing finances. Essentially, it serves as a set of rules and guidelines to ensure transparency, accountability, and effective operation of the residents association.

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Name & Catchment Area

The name of our association is Harefield Tenants and Residents Association.
Harefield is within the London Borough of Hillingdon, which is part of the Greater
London Authority.

The Catchment Area includes all roads listed here

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Aims & Objectives​

The aims and objectives of the association are:

a) To work in partnership with the London Borough of Hillingdon and other agencies to improve housing and the neighbourhoods in our catchment area.
b) Encourage community spirit through the promotion of social, welfare, recreational and training activities in our catchment area.
c) To encourage the involvement and interest of all our members and represent their views.

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Equal Opportunities

a) The association supports no political party or has any religious affiliation.

b) The association recognise, value, and respect the diversity within our community
and try to overcome obstacles to people getting involved in meetings and events or
giving their views.

c) The association will take positive action to reach members of the community that are under-represented at meetings and events and will try to ensure members have equal opportunities to attend and take part.

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Membership

a) Membership of the association is open to all tenants and residents over the age of eighteen living in the catchment area. Younger residents may attend meetings and raise issues/ questions.

b) All members shall have voting rights.

c) All attendees of meetings must sign in the attendance register for fire safety
requirements and for a record of attendance.

d) All email addresses will be saved in line with the General Data Protection
Regulation (GDPR)

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Management Committee

The association will be run by a management committee which will consist of nine members. The management committee shall include the following Four Officers - a Chair, Deputy Chair, Secretary and Treasurer and five general committee members, all of whom will be elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM)

a) Members of the association will be entitled to stand for election to the management committee if they have attended six general meetings within the previous twelve months, (except for elected councillors who cannot stand for election).

b) In order to stand as an Officer (Chair, Deputy Chair, Secretary, Treasurer) a member will need to have served on the management committeefor the previous year and attended at least 50% of the management committee meetings.

c) If more than nine members are nominated and seconded for election to the committee, or more than one nominated and seconded for an officer position, then an election will be held, with attending association members voting for their preferred candidates.

d) A member will not be able to act for the management committeeif they are or have been within the past two years the subject of legal proceedings taken against them by the council because of nuisance, harassment, violence or threatening behaviour, and these proceedings are continuing, or it has been decided that the member was guilty of such behaviour.

e) A member will not be able to act for the management committeeif they are or have been within the last two years the subject of legal proceedings taken against them by the police for any offence involving theft, deception, forgery, or false accounting, violence or threatening behaviour and these proceedings are continuing,or it has been decided that the member was guilty of such behaviour.

f) A member who wants to join the management committee must declareany behaviour that falls under in c) and d) above to the management committee by signing the declaration form provided by the association (*attached within the Code of Conduct).

g) The management committee will stand down at each AGM and individuals may be re-elected.

h) Management committee members will be given at least seven days notice of each committee meeting, (unless under extraordinary circumstances).

i) At least four management committee members must go to a committee meeting for any decisions made to be formally approved.

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Meetings

Annual General Meeting (AGM)

Once a year (and no later than after eighteen months) the association will hold an annual general meeting (AGM), which is open to all members.The association will give all members at least fourteen days notice of the AGM, by electronic means where possible.At the AGM the Association will:

a) Present previous AGM minutes for approval

b) Present an annual report from the management committee

c) Present inspected accounts

d) Elect the new management committee.

e) Agree any amendments to the constitution (which will have been distributed at least fourteen days prior to the AGM).

General Meetings (GM)

a) The management committee will organise general meetings throughout the year, which are open to all members.
 
b) Members of the management committee will give reports at each general meeting on the work they have done since the last general meeting.

c) At least fourteen days notice will be given to all members, by electronic means where possible, so that everyone has an opportunity to attend and to be informed about the work of the association and vote on decisions.

Special General Meetings (SGM)

a) The management committee may, at any time, hold a special general meeting to consider any matter they decide should be referred to all members.

b) A special general meeting can also be requested by 10 or more members, however the reason for the meeting must be stated to the association secretary. The management committeewill discuss the request and, if a SGM is deemed appropriate, it will ensure that the meeting is held within twenty-eight days of the request and that all members are given reasonable notice. If the SGM has been requested with regard to the committee then the association secretary will inform the London Borough of Hillingdon Customer Engagement Team, that will then take up the matter.

Any decisions taken at any of the above meetings will not be acted upon until they can be formally agreed at a meeting where there are 10 or more members present.

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Running Meetings

The association will be open and democratic.

a) The management committee will hold regular meetings or events and will publicise these to all members. Each member will be entitled to one vote on any specific resolution put before an AGM, GM or SGM.

b) Minutes will be kept of all meetings of the association. The minutes will be presented to the next meeting to be approved. The minutes will be made available to any member of the association upon request.

c) The quorum for the AGM, GM or SGM is 10, consisting of at least 3 management committee members.

d) All members will be expected to abide by the code of conduct (appendix A).

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Finance

a) The treasurer will open a bank account in the name of Harefield Tenants and Residents Association and keep records of all income and expenditure. The treasurer will provide a statement of accounts to the management committee quarterly or when the management committee deems necessary.

b) The management committee will appoint three members who can sign cheques. One of these will be the treasurer. These people must not be from the same household or be family members.

c) Our accounts will be examined each year by an independent examiner and presented at the AGM.

d) A copy of the accounts will be sent to the Customer Engagement Team at the council.

e) Any member is entitled to request a copy of the accounts, and the association will respond to any requests within twenty-eightdays.

f) The management committee can raise funds on behalf of the association providing they are spent in line with the aims and objectives of the association.

g) The treasurer will keep an accurate and up to date list of all assets and equipment purchased with any funding. h) No member of the association may ever benefit financially from funding received on behalf of the association’s community activities.

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Amendments to the Constitution

a) The management committee shall review the constitution prior to an AGM.
b) Proposed amendments may be agreed at an AGM or SGM or in some cases where deemed fit by the management committee.
c) Any proposal to amend the constitution should be sent to the secretary at least fourteen daysbefore the meeting.
d) Notice of the proposal should be included in the publicity for the meeting.
e) The new Committee members will have read the constitution and will approve it by signature at the AGM (or ASAP if they are unable to attend)
f) The management committee reserves the right to review and decide on the inclusion, or otherwise, of suggestions/recommendations made by members where such suggestions/recommendations are not deemed appropriate or are likely to compromise the integrity of the association or bring the association into disrepute.

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Breaking up the Association

In event that the Association needs to be dissolved:

a) The association can only be dissolved at an SGM called specifically to consider this action. Notice of such an SGM will be publicised to all members at least twenty-eight days prior to this meeting taking place.

b) The association will only be dissolved if two-thirds of those members present at the SGM vote to do so, or if the association is unable to form a management committee.

c) If a resolution to dissolve is agreed, then at that same SGM a decision will be made on what to do with any assets, funds,and equipment.

The options could be to:

i) Freeze them for a future association to use.

ii) Give them to any new group with similar aims that has been set up in the same area, or.

iii) Donate them to a neighbouring association.

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Harefield Tenants & Residents Association

London Borough of Hillingdon

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    Harefield Tenants & Residents Association

    Supporting the thriving community of Harefield.

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