Society Constitution

1. Name:
   The full name is Lister Drive Allotments Association but in this document we will call it “the Society” for short. 

2. What the Society is:
   The Society is a not-for-profit members’ association. All income and any surplus of income over outgoings can only be used to support the Society and its Objects. If the Society is wound up (dissolved) any assets left after all debts are paid off will not be given to members; instead they will be given to another allotment association in Liverpool with similar not-for-profit rules. 

3. What is it for?
   The Objects of the Society are:
   Providing allotment facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation leisure time occupation with the objective of improving life for the residents of Liverpool. 

4. Membership and Voting

4.1 The Society will maintain a register of members .    There are three categories of membership:    

4.1.1 Plot holders or tenants. Each tenant of a plot at Lister Drive is automatically a member of the Society

4.1.2 Associate – any additional individual where a plot is worked by more than one person may be registered as an associate member on application to the Committee by the plot holder.

4.1.3 Friend of Lister Drive Allotments. The committee may approve an application for membership from a former plot holder or associate member who is voluntarily returning their plot.

4.2 Voting at general meetings of the Society: there will be one vote for each plot. This is the same for full size plots or smaller ones. Plot holders may nominate an associate to vote on their behalf, but that nomination may be ended at any time by the plot holder.    

5. The Committee-in-Charge
   This is the group of members who we elect to make sure things run smoothly at Lister Drive and we will call them “the Committee” here for short. They act as agents for the Council: they collect the yearly rents for the Council and any extra annual fees towards the running of the Society. They organise who will get tenancies when they become available. They must act fairly while making sure all members keep to the Council’s Tenancy Agreement and our own Site Rules. 

6. Who is on the Committee? 

   1. There are 3 executive positions:
      The Chair
      The Secretary
      The Treasurer
      
      There are also up to 9 non-executive members, making a total of up to 12. 

   2. Committee members are elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Society and stay in office until the next AGM. 

   3. Any member who holds a tenancy following a successful probationary period can stand for election as long as there is no outstanding warning. All candidates must be proposed and seconded by another member. An associate member who co-works a plot can stand for election if proposed by the person who holds that tenancy and is seconded by a member from a different plot. 

   4. In order to stand for election a member should give written notice (paper or email) to the Secretary 14 days before the AGM, being clear if it is for one of the executive positions. If all vacancies are not filled at the AGM a member can stand for election at the meeting.  

   5. If vacancies on the Committee happen between AGMs the Committee may co-opt a member for each vacancy to be a Committee member until the next AGM. 

7. Committee Meetings 

   1. These will happen regularly through the year and normally once a month. 

   2. The Chair of the Society will conduct the meeting if available, but if not a chair for the meeting will be elected by the committee members present to stand in. Decisions will be made by majority vote and if votes are even the chair on the day will have a second (casting) vote. 

   3. The quorum for a Committee meeting shall be agreed from time to time by the Committee and members attending do not need to be physically in the same place as long as they can be fully involved in discussions and voting. 

   4. The Treasurer will provide a financial progress report to each meeting or send one if they are not able to attend.

   5. Matters of complaints about members will be addressed according to the Society’s Rules. 

   6. If a tenant appears to have broken a Tenancy Agreement the matter will be discussed and a decision will be made about how to deal with that. 

   7. A written record of Committee meetings will be kept; a summary shall be posted on the site notice board and on the Society’s website, including details of the time and place of the next meeting.

   8. Society members may attend a Committee meeting to talk about an issue of importance to them, providing good enough notice is given.

8. General Meetings

   1. What are they?
      These are opportunities for all the members of the Society to come together to discuss important matters and elect Committee members. AGMs take place once a year; Special General Meetings take place when things need to be talked about between AGMs.

   2. The quorum for all general meetings is 20% of the let plots at the time, with 1 member from each plot represented counting towards that. 

   3. Chair and voting:
      The Chair of the Society will conduct the meeting if available, but if not a chair for the meeting will be elected to stand in. Decisions will be made by majority vote and if votes are even the chair on the day will have a second (casting) vote. All members may attend and speak, but when votes are taken there is just 1 vote per plot.  

   4. Agenda and Notice
      All general meetings shall have an agenda which is included in the notice of the meeting. This will be provided by the Committee at least 21 days before the meeting to members of the Society. This will be posted clearly on the on-site notice boards, on the Society website, and by email or on paper to every tenant of a plot. 

9. Annual General Meeting (AGM) 

   1. The Committee will fix a date for the AGM and post notices according to 8.4 (above).

   2. All AGM Agendas will include:
      Review of the Minutes of the previous AGM and any other general meetings since
      Committee’s Annual Report
      Treasurer’s Annual Report (details to be available to members 14 days before)
      Election of: Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, and the non-executive Committee members
      Any other items included in the notice of the meeting. 

10. Special General Meetings 

    1. A Special General Meeting (SGM) may be called by the Committee at any time and must be arranged by the Committee within 28 days of a demand in writing by 10 or more plot tenants. 

    2. The Committee will fix a date for any SGM and post notices according to 8.4 (above). 

11. Constitution and Rules

All members of the Society must keep to this Constitution and to the Rules of the Society.

The Constitution can only be changed by a two thirds majority of a quorate general meeting.

The Rules can be changed on a simple majority of a quorate general meeting.

The committee will set out policies, separately related to:

• Financial controls

• Complaints

• Disciplinary

• Data security and privacy

• Parking and vehicles

• Safeguarding

• Structures

• Tool Hire Agreement