DRAFT CONSTITUTION

1.              Name

             The name of the Association shall be HICCA, Histon and Impington Climate Change Action.

2.              Aims

             The aims of the Association shall be:

o   To reduce Histon and Impington CO2 emissions through shared actions and participatory events

o   To lobby representatives at parish, local government and national government level for stronger measures to tackle climate change

o   To educate the community and ourselves about climate change issues through discussions, meetings and initiatives in schools.

3.              Membership

o   Membership of the group is open to all who support the aims of the Association.

o   Membership will be free of charge.

• All persons requesting that they be put on the mailing list of the Association will become members unless they indicate that they do not want to be. 
• Members may resign at any time in writing or verbally at a meeting.
• The management committee may, for good reason, terminate the membership of any individual. 

4.              Committee and Officers

o  The management of the group shall be in the hands of a Committee consisting of two Officers – a Secretary, who shall be responsible for  taking minutes and distributing papers, a Treasurer who shall be responsible for maintaining accounts, and at least four other Committee members. 

o  The Committee may co-opt additional Committee members. 

o  The Committee will be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting (AGM).  The Officers will be elected by the Committee from among their number at the first meeting following the AGM. 

5.              Powers

In furtherance of the above aims, the Committee may

o  raise funds

o  enter into dialogue with Council officials, and other groups and individuals.

6.              Meetings

o  An AGM will be held within 15 months of the previous AGM. 

o  All members will be notified by email or in writing at least two weeks before the date of the meeting.

o   The quorum for the AGM will be 10 members.

o  The Committee will be responsible for running the Association. 

o  The Committee will decide when and where to meet. 

o  The quorum for the Committee will be 5 members. 

o  All members of the Association may attend the Committee as observers. 

7.              Rules of Procedure

o  With the exception of changes to the constitution, all questions that arise at any meeting will be decided by a simple majority of those of the Committee present.

8.              Finances

o  An account will be maintained on behalf of the Association at a bank agreed by the Committee.  Signatories to the account will be the Officers of the Association.

o  Records of income and expenditure will be maintained by the Treasurer and a financial statement given at the AGM.

o  All money raised by the Association will be spent solely on the aims of the Association.

9.              Changes to the Constitution

o  Amendments to the constitution may only be made at the AGM.  Proposed amendments will be distributed with the agenda for the meeting. 

10.          Dissolution

o   If it is agreed by the Committee to dissolve the Association all remaining money, once outstanding debts have been paid, will be donated to an organisation with related aims.