Dunoon's F Word
DUNOON GOUROCK FERRY ACTION GROUP CONSTITUTION
1. Name: The organisation shall be known as the "Dunoon Gourock Ferry Action Groupâ€, hereinafter referred to as the "Group".
2. Objects: The object of the Group is to “Campaign to ensure the Government delivers a safe, frequent, reliable, vehicle & passenger ferry service from Dunoon town centre to Gourock rail terminal. Thus providing resilience, diversity and competition for cross Firth of Clyde transport to Cowal and beyond."
3. Membership: A member is any person who has completed the membership application form and paid the annual membership fee. Membership will run from January 1st to December 31st and in the first instance the membership fee is set at £1 per annum.
4. Management Committee:
4.1 The affairs of the Group will be conducted by a Management Committee of 11 members elected at the Annual Meeting. Any member wishing to be a candidate for the Management Committee shall notify the Secretary (in the first instance the Secretary of the Interim Steering Group) at least 10 days before the date of the Annual Meeting. Candidates shall be entitled to submit an election address of not more than 200 words. The name of the candidate and their election address shall be made available on the Groups web site at least 7 days before the Annual Meeting.
4.2 The Management Committee shall be responsible for carrying out the policy of the Dunoon Gourock Ferry Action Group and subject to any condition imposed from time to time by a general meeting of members, for the administration, management and control of the Group’s affairs.
4.3 The Committee shall hold a minimum of 6 meetings per year.
4.4 A Committee member shall be deemed as having resigned if he/she does not attend three consecutive meetings of the Committee without, in the opinion of the Committee, good and sufficient reason.
4.5 The Committee, at its first meeting after each Annual General Meeting, will elect a Convenor, two Depute-Convenors, Secretary, Treasurer, Publicity Officer and Assistant Publicity Officer. The Committee may elect any other Officers that it considers necessary.
4.6 The Committee will have the power to co-opt extra members as deemed necessary. Any person so co-opted will remain in office until the next Annual General Meeting. Any casual vacancy will be notified to the next general membership meeting where nominations will be called for and, if necessary, a ballot vote taken.
4.7 All questions arising at any meeting shall be decided by a simple majority of those present and entitled to vote.
4.8 The Chairperson of any meeting of the Group will have a casting as well as a deliberative vote.
4.9 The Minutes of meetings shall contain a record of all proceedings, resolutions and decisions.
5. Functions of the Management Committee:
(a) The Management Committee shall conduct the detailed business and report to the meetings of the Group.
(b) The Management Committee shall prepare the agenda of Group meetings, placing thereon any reports and motions it agrees and any motions accepted from a member.
(c) The Management Committee shall control the finances of the Group.
(d) The Management Committee shall arrange for such securities or insurance as it deems necessary.
(e) The Management Committee may create such trusts or funds as deemed necessary and may appoint or remove trustees of such funds.
(f) Seven members of the Management Committee shall form a quorum.
6. Finances: The Group shall have a bank account and the Convenor, Secretary and Treasurer shall be authorised signatories. Cheques will require the endorsement of 2 signatories.
7. Expenditure: No expenditure can be incurred by the Group without the approval of a Management Committee meeting. Such decisions will be recorded in the minutes.
8. Auditors: There shall be two auditors, elected at the Annual meeting, who shall serve for two years, one retiring each year and be subject to re-election. Auditors cannot be Management Committee members during their term of office. On first election the person with lower votes will be elected for one year. Their duties shall be to examine all books and vouchers, together with the whole of the receipts and disbursements for the year and certify the result of their examinations to the Management Committee and a general membership meeting of the Group.
9. Amendments to the Constitution: Any alteration of this Constitution shall receive the assent of not less than two-thirds of members of the Group present and voting at a general meeting, whether Annual or Special, provided that notice of any such alteration shall have been received by the Secretary, in writing, not Jess than 28 clear days before the meeting at which the alteration is to be proposed. Notice in writing of such a meeting, setting forth the terms of the alteration, shall be notified on the Group’s web site.
10. Dissolution: If the Management Committee, by a simple majority, decide at any time that it is advisable, or necessary, to dissolve the Group, it shall call a Special General Meeting; 28 days public notice (stating the terms of the resolution to be proposed thereat) shall be given. If such a decision is confirmed by two-thirds majority of those present at such a meeting, the Management Committee shall have the power to dispose of any assets held by the Group. Any assets remaining after the settlement of any proper debts and liabilities shall be given or transferred to such other charitable organisation, or organisations, having objects similar to the objects of the Group, as the Management Committee may determine.
11. Interim Arrangements: The Interim Steering Group shall be empowered to exercise all functions of the Management Committee in advance of the inaugural Annual Meeting of the Group which shall be held no later than 30 April 2012.
