SOUTHFIELDS GRID RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION (SGRA) CONSTITUTION
Revised 21 May 2024
For a printable version please press this link.
1, NAME AND GEOGRAPHICAL AREA OF THE ASSOCIATION
1.1 The name of the Association is the SOUTHFIELDS GRID RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION (SGRA). It covers the geographical area[1] in the London Borough of Wandsworth enclosed from the northern side of Revelstoke Road, the western side of Merton Road and the western side of Elsenham Street. This area is known as Southfields Grid and extends to include all properties in, and between, Replingham and Pirbright Roads.
2. AIMS
2.1 The Association, representing the general interests of the residents of the area and in promoting greater well-being, shall take reasonable steps to:
· keep residents informed of issues that may affect them and provide a forum for discussion;
· encourage & help promote social/cultural/artistic activities to enhance community wellbeing;
· encourage the conservation & improvement of the local environment, including monitoring and scrutinising planning applications and take action, as necessary, to address negative impacts;
· raise awareness of and support businesses in Southfields Grid.
3. EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY
3.1 The Association will uphold equal opportunities, promote good relations with all members of the community and not discriminate on the grounds of age, disability, race, faith, political belief, gender, transgender or sexual orientation.
4. POLITICAL PARTIES
4.1 The Association shall not align itself with any political party.
5. MEMBERSHIP
5.1 Membership is open to all who reside or work in the area and are over the age 18. Only those who have paid an annual subscription will be able to vote at any Public or Annual/Special General meetings of the Association. The annual subscription shall be such reasonable sum as the Executive Committee shall determine at the Annual General Meeting and shall be collected on or before 1 April the following calendar year.
6. OFFICERS OF THE ASSOCIATION
6.1 The Officers of the Association shall consist of: Chair, Secretary, Membership Secretary & Treasurer. They must be resident or work in the area. All shall relinquish their office every year and shall be eligible for re-election at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). The Executive Committee shall have power to fill casual vacancies among the Officers of the Association.
6.2 Nominations for the election of Officers shall be made in writing, including email, to the Secretary at least 7 days before the AGM. Such nominations shall be supported by a seconder and the consent of the proposed nominee must first have been obtained. At the AGM, the election of Officers shall be completed prior to the election of further Executive Committee members. Nominees for election as Officers or other Executive Committee members shall declare at the AGM at which their election is to be considered, any financial or professional interest known or likely to be of concern to the Association.
6.3 Duties of the Officers (Chair, Secretary, Membership Secretary & Treasurer)
(a) The duties of the Chair shall be to:
· chair meetings of the Executive Committee and Public/Annual/Special General meetings;
· represent the Association at functions/meetings to which it has been invited;
· act as primary spokesperson for the Association and approve statements to the media and social media on behalf of the Association;
· sign off correspondence on behalf of the Association as necessary;
· delegate any of these duties to Executive Committee members as necessary.
(b) The duties of the Secretary shall be to:
· take and keep minutes of Executive Committee and Public/Annual/Special General meetings;
· prepare the agenda for such meetings in consultation with the Chair & Executive Committee;
· deal with and, as necessary, sign-off correspondence on behalf of the Association;
(c) The duties of the Membership Secretary shall be to:
· maintain the Membership and Friends[2] lists;
· deal with and, as necessary, sign-off correspondence on behalf of the Association;
· collect and circulate any relevant information within the Association and to Members and Friends.
(d) The duties of the Treasurer shall be to
· manage the Association’s bank account holding the Association’s funds’
· supervise the Association’s financial affairs;
· keep accounts showing all monies collected and paid out by the Association;
· present an annual financial statement of the Association’s income and expenditure at the AGM.
7. THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
7.1 Members of the Executive Committee shall:
· consist of Officers and not less than 3 and not more than 7 other members;
· convene not less than four times a year at intervals of not more than three months and the Secretary shall give members not less than 7 days’ notice of each meeting;
· attend at least four meetings (preferably in person) in the year (June to the following May);
· be resident or work in the area but the majority of the quorum must be resident in the area;
· ensure the quorum shall, as near as maybe, comprise one third of the members of the Executive Committee, and the majority of the quorum must be resident in the area;
· confer, make decisions or vote either in meetings (preferably in person or by means of electronic media);
· ensure the Chair has the second or casting vote in the event of equal numbers of votes cast;
· be responsible for the management and administration of the Association including finances, website and membership database;
· determine priorities for the Association to focus on for the year (June to May) and take responsibility for leading on them;
· have the power to co-opt anyone it thinks will bring expertise or specialised knowledge to meet specific needs until the next AGM. Co-opted members shall attend in an advisory and non-voting capacity only;
· consider and vote on applications for the Association’s funds to support local activities.
7.2 Elections to the Executive Committee
· Nominations for elections to the Executive Committee shall be made in writing, including email, to the Secretary at least 7 days before the Annual General Meeting. In the event of insufficient nominations for election to the Executive Committee the Chair shall have the power to accept nominations from the floor of the AGM. All nominations must be supported by a seconder and the consent of the proposed nominee must have first been obtained.
· If the nominations exceed the number of vacancies a ballot shall take place in such a manner as shall be determined. Those not elected by such a ballot may subsequently be invited by the Executive Committee to act as co-opted members, including those who can bring expertise or specialised knowledge which may be helpful to the Association in achieving its aims.
8. MEETINGS
8.1 An Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held in or about May each year to:
· receive the Chair’s annual report;
· present the audited accounts;
· elect Officers of the Association and Members of the Executive Committee;
· agree the annual subscription;
· vote on amendments to the Constitution;
· consider any resolution, or any important local matter, put forward by members.
8.2 Public, Annual and Special (as necessary) General meetings will be open to members.
8.3 The Executive Committee shall decide when Public meetings of the Association will be held. The Executive Committee shall give at least 7 days notice of all meetings of the Association. Special General Meetings of the Association shall be held at the written, including email, request of fifteen or more members whose subscriptions have been received by the Association.
9. CONDUCT OF THE ASSOCIATION’S BUSINESS
9.1 All Executive Committee, Public & Annual/Special meetings will be properly recorded. Following the Chair’s approval, all minutes will be uploaded onto the Association’s website.
9.2 In line with Data Protection legislation and General Data Protection Regulations, all confidential information held by the Association will not be divulged to other persons or organisations.
9.3 The website shall be conducted in accordance with the proper legal framework. All official postings on the website and other social media, on behalf of the Association, must have the Chair’s prior approval.
10. ADMINISTRATION & MANAGEMENT OF ASSOCIATION’S FUNDS
10.1 The Treasurer will be responsible for managing the bank account holding the Association’s funds. The Chair, Secretary and Treasurer will act as three signatories to the account. Each approved financial transaction will require two signatures. The Honorary Treasurer will present a financial statement of the Association’s income and expenditure at each Executive Committee meeting and an annual financial statement at each AGM. All money raised by the Association will, following approval by the Executive Committee, be spent to support the Association’s aims.
10.2 The Executive Committee shall set aside, as deemed expedient, some funds of the Association to pay all proper expenses incurred as part of the administration and management of Association’s funds. Members cannot receive any payment from the Association other than for bona fide expenses agreed by the Executive Committee and approved in advance.
11. TEMPORARY AD-HOC GROUPS
11.1 The Executive Committee may commission and appoint Temporary Ad-Hoc Groups to carry out particular activities for the Association. Each Working Group will be directly accountable to the Executive Committee and will regularly report progress back to the Executive Committee.
12. STREET REPRESENTATIVES
12.1 The Street Representatives’ responsibilities are primarily to deliver the newsletters, collect annual subscriptions and carry out ad-hoc tasks as requested. They are appointed by the Executive Committee which has the responsibility of working with them to determine how they (Street Representatives) can further help and support the Association in achieving its aims.
13. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
13.1 At each Executive Committee meeting, all members shall be asked to declare any potential conflict of interest and be asked to withdraw from discussion and voting where appropriate.
14. AMENDMENTS TO THIS CONSTITUTION
14.1 This constitution may be amended by a two thirds majority of members present at an AGM or Special General Meeting of the Association provided that 28 days’ notice of the proposed amendment has been given to all members.
15. NOTICES
15.1 Any notice required to be given by these rules shall be deemed to be duly given if:
· left at the address of the member as last notified to the Honorary Secretary; or
· sent electronically to the last email or other electronic media address supplied to the Honorary Secretary ; or
· placed on the Association’s website.
16. DISSOLUTION OF THE ASSOCIATION
16.1 Approval for the Association’s dissolution must be initially supported by a two thirds majority of members voting at an Annual or Special General Meeting. This must be confirmed by a simple majority of members voting at a further Special General Meeting held not less than 14 days afterwards.
16.2 If a motion for the dissolution of the Association is proposed at a specially convened General Meeting, it must be included in any notice of that meeting.
16.3 Any assets remaining after settling any liabilities, in the event of the Association’s dissolution, shall be applied for the benefit of the community in accordance with the aims of the Association.
16.4 On dissolution, all records of the Association shall be deposited in the local Public Records Office.
Signed by:
Chair: Charles Runcie,
Secretary: Ian Shaw, OBE
Witnessed by: Amelia Obertelli-Moriarty, Margaret Brett, MBE
on 18 June 2024
[1] those properties in: east side of Wimbledon Park Road between Pirbright and Replingham Roads; Pirbright, Replingham, Brookwood, Lavenham Roads & north-side of Revelstoke Road; west side of Merton Road between Revelstoke & Replingham Roads; Astonville, Clonmore, Elborough, Elsenham, Engadine, Heythorp & Trentham Streets; Hanford Close, Hamilton Mews & Langton Place.
[2] Friends, as opposed to Members, receive relevant information about the Association’s activities yet reside outside the geographical area of the Southfields Grid (which means they cannot vote at any Public or Annual/ Special General Meetings of the Association). They may also include those whose role (e.g.as elected MPs, Councillors & Assembly Members) is helpful to the Association in achieving its aims.