These rules are drawn up under clause 4 of the Charity's constitution, which states "In furtherance of the objects but not otherwise the Executive Committee may exercise the following powers: … (ix) from time to time propose and propose to alter rules for the conduct of the business of the charity and the summoning and conduct of its meetings. No rule may be made which is inconsistent with this constitution, and such rules should be confirmed by a majority of those voting at a general meeting of the charity". Where these rules refer to 'the Charity', this means Slade Green Community Forum.
Section 1: The conduct of General Meetings
1a. General Meetings shall be chaired either by the chairman of the Charity or a person nominated by the Executive Committee.
1b. At Annual General Meetings, Special General Meetings and any General Meeting not called by the Executive Committee, the Executive Committee shall arrange for one or more persons who are not members of the Charity to act as independent scrutineers .
1c. At the commencement of a General Meeting, members of the Charity will be invited to register by giving their name and either their address (if qualifying as a member of the Charity by being resident in the area of benefit) or details of their qualification as a member (if otherwise a member or representing a member organisation), to one or more persons nominated by the Executive Committee. Any resident in the area of benefit who is not already a member of the Charity may join the Charity at the commencement of the meeting. Members of 18 years of age or over will be given a voting card and any ballot papers that may be required for that meeting. In the case of a dispute, the matter will be referred to the chairman of the meeting (at a General Meeting), or the independent scrutineers (at Annual General Meetings or Special General Meetings), whose decision will be final. Anyone not registering may still remain at the meeting, but may not vote.
1d. Disruption The chairman of the meeting may bar from the meeting anyone disrupting the meeting, unless the majority of Charity members present object. Persons barred from the meeting automatically lose their voting rights at the meeting. The Executive Committee may subsequently bar such persons from meetings and events run by the Charity for up to fifteen months.
Section 2: Finance
2a. The Charity's financial year shall run from 6th April to the following 5th April.
2b. The Executive Committee shall ensure that accounts are maintained in accordance with the guidelines of the Charities Commission.
2c. A receipts and payments account outlining the previous financial year shall be included in the annual report.
2d. Full accounts are to be approved by a General Meeting no later than nine months after the end of the financial year.
Section 3: Executive Committee
3a. The Executive Committee shall meet regularly and not less than once every eight weeks.
3b. The Executive Committee shall prepare an annual report for approval by the Charity's Annual General Meeting.
3c. The Executive Committee shall maintain a record of members of the Charity and ensure that they are regularly informed about the activities of the Charity.
3d. Disruption The chairman may bar from an Executive Committee meeting anyone disrupting the meeting, unless the majority of those present object. Persons barred from the meeting automatically lose their voting rights at the meeting. The Executive Committee may at their next meeting bar such persons from meetings and events run by the Charity for up to six months with the approval of two thirds of those present. Such continued barring must be approved by a General Meeting of the Charity within two months. If it is not approved, the barring ceases from the date of the General Meeting.
3e. Motions of no-confidence
i. A motion of no-confidence in the Executive Committee supported with the signature and address of at least thirty members of the Charity and delivered in person to an Executive Committee member must be considered at the next General Meeting of the Charity, or at the next but one General Meeting if the motion is delivered 15 days or less before a General Meeting. An Executive Committee member receiving such a motion must make every effort to notify all other Executive Committee members of its receipt as soon as possible.
ii. If a no-confidence motion is passed, an Annual General Meeting must be held within 35 days with all places on the Executive Committee treated as vacant.
Section 4: The election of a Executive Committee
For the purposes of this section, a 'term' is taken to be the period of up to fifteen months between Annual General Meetings of the Charity.
4a. At each annual general meeting, up to six members of the Charity shall be elected to serve on the Executive Committee for two terms. If there are additional vacancies, a second election shall be held to fill those places for one term.
4b.The publicity for the Annual General Meeting should clearly state that elections for the Executive Committee will be held, and anyone wishing to stand should notify a specified member of the Executive Committee (where possible, one not standing for re-election at that meeting) seven or more days before the date of the meeting. Where there are more than six places vacant, candidates will be asked to specify whether they are standing for one or two terms.
4c.
i. If the number of candidates for an election is equal to or less than the number of places available:
one of the independent scrutineers shall ask the meeting if they approve the election of all the candidates by a show of voting cards. If there is a clear majority in favour of this, the candidates shall be deemed elected.
If there is not a clear majority in favour of electing all six candidates, ballot papers shall be filled in with either 'yes' or 'no' written against the name of each such candidate. The independent scrutineer(s) may assist anyone who has difficulty in filling in the ballot paper, and should collect and count all ballot papers. Any candidate receiving twice as many 'no' votes as 'yes' votes shall be deemed not elected, all other candidates shall be deemed elected.
ii. If the number of candidates for an election is more than the number of places available:
Ballot papers shall be filled in, with each voter entitled to approve up to six candidates by placing the word 'yes' against their name. Voters may also place a 'no' against the name of any candidates they do not wish to be on the Executive Committee.
The independent scrutineer(s) may assist anyone who has difficulty in filling in the ballot paper, and should collect and count all ballot papers.
Any candidate receiving twice as many 'no' votes as 'yes' votes shall be deemed not elected. If six or less candidates then remain, those remaining candidates shall all be considered elected.
Otherwise, the six candidates with the most 'yes' votes shall be considered elected.
In the event of a tied number of votes involving the sixth place making it impossible to determine the successful candidate for one or more places on the Executive Committee, the places shall be filled by the candidates with the least number of 'no' votes. In the event of this failing to determine the result, the independent scrutineer(s) should ask the already-successful candidates to privately express a preference. If they do so unanimously, the candidate(s) so named shall be deemed elected, otherwise the final place(s) shall be determined by the drawing of lots in a manner to be determined by the independent scrutineer(s).
4d. When there is an additional election to fill one or more remaining places for one term
Any candidates who stood for election to the Executive Committee for two terms but were neither elected nor rejected by receiving twice as many 'no' votes as 'yes' votes shall be automatically considered as candidates for any remaining vacant places, together with any candidates who have specified that they only wish to stand for one term. The process of election shall be followed as above.
Section 5: Amendment of these rules
These rules may be amended at any General Meeting with the approval of two thirds of those present. Additional rules may be added with the approval of the majority of those present, provided they do not contradict any existing rules.