Our Constitution

1. Name

The name of the organisation shall be the Whittington & Fisherwick Environment Group (WFEG).

2. Objects

  • To promote the concept of the Parishes of Whittington and Fisherwick (the Parish) becoming a low carbon community.
  • To improve our community’s understanding of the causes and consequences of climate change.
  • To measure the community’s carbon footprint and work to achieve a year on year reduction.
  • To encourage all residents, businesses and Parish organisations to take a series of steps to reduce their CO2 and greenhouse gas emissions, including energy saving measures, travel measures, ‘reducing food miles’ and reduction of waste.
  • To encourage all residents, businesses and Parish organisations to take steps to adapt to the consequences of climate change, including water conservation and helping wildlife to adapt.
  • To encourage positive attitudes and activities in the community relating to all environmental sustainability matters including waste reduction, encouragement of wildlife and reduction of pollution.
  • To share our experience with other communities and encourage them to follow a similar path.

3. Powers

In furtherance of the above objects, the organisation shall have the power to do all such lawful things as are necessary for the achievement of its aims

4. Membership

  • Full (Voting) Membership is open to everyone resident in the Parish and to organisations and businesses operating from within the Parish.
  • The Management Committee may allow any individual, organisation or business who supports the aims of the organisation to become a Supporter. Such Supporters shall have no voting rights but shall be entitled to attend meetings
  • Prospective members should join online via our website at www.wfeg.org.uk by completing an application form. Membership will begin immediately.
  • A membership register will be maintained in electronic format – this data will be used for the purposes of WFEG only and will not be shared or disclosed except as required by law.
  • The membership fee and any fee for Supporters will be agreed annually by the Management Committee.
  • Members may resign at any time on written notification to the Chair or Webmaster or verbally at a meeting.
  • Any person no longer living in the Parish will automatically cease to be a member.
  • Any member not having paid their membership fee within two months of it falling due will be deemed to have resigned.
  • The Management Committee may for good reason terminate the membership of any individual. The individual concerned shall have the right to be heard by the management committee, accompanied by a friend, before a final decision is made.

5. Management Committee

  • The Management Committee will consist of not fewer than 8 and not more than 15 members elected at the Annual General meeting who shall hold office from the conclusion of that meeting.
  • The Management Committee will be responsible for running the Organisation and will be responsible for General meetings.
  • The Management Committee will meet a minimum of 4 times between Annual General Meetings at a date and time to be agreed by the Committee.
  • There shall be a quorum when not fewer than 5 voting members are present at a meeting.
  • Decisions shall be determined by a simple majority of those present and voting. If there is an equality of votes the member Chairing the meeting will have a casting vote.
  • The Secretary will if requested by the Chair or 3 or more members of the committee call a special Management Committee Meeting. Such a meeting will be called within a week of the request. Notification of members may be by telephone, mail or email.
  • All members of the Organisation may attend the Management Committee as observers but will not be entitled to speak, unless invited to do so, or to vote.
  • The Committee may co-opt members. No more than one third of the Committee members at any one time may be co-opted members. Co-opted members should be members or supporters of the organisation.
  • All Committee members shall retire at the AGM next after the date on which they came into office but they may be re-nominated and re-elected at the Annual General meeting.
  • Any member not attending successive meetings without a reason acceptable to the Management Committee will be deemed to have resigned.

6. Sub-Committees

  • The Management Committee may appoint such sub-committees as it shall think fit for supervising or performing any activity or service and shall be responsible for agreeing the sub-committees’ terms of reference and duration.
  • All acts of and proceedings of each sub-committee shall be reported as soon as possible to the Management Committee.
  • Each sub-Committee meeting will ensure that minutes of its proceedings are produced and circulated to sub-Committee members and to the Management Committee.

7. Officers

  • The Officers shall consist of:
    • a Chair, who shall chair both General and Management Committee meetings;
    • a Vice Chair who deputise for the Chair as required;
    • a Secretary, who shall be responsible for the taking of minutes and the distribution of papers for General and Management Committee meetings;
    • a Treasurer who shall be responsible for maintaining accounts;
    • a Membership Secretary who shall be responsible for the maintenance of an electronic database of members, all membership matters and the collection of subscriptions.
  • The Officers of the Organisation will be elected by the Management Committee from among their number at the first meeting following the AGM.

8. General Meetings

  • There will be an Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held in May each year or as soon as practicable thereafter. Every AGM shall be called by the Management Committee.
  • All members entitled to attend and vote will be notified in writing by post or email at least two weeks before the date of the meeting.
  • Items for the agenda, or motions to the meeting, must be given in writing to the Chair of the meeting no less than seven days before the meeting date.
  • In the event of two consecutive meetings being inquorate, the second meeting may call a Special General Meeting. Such a Special General Meeting will be deemed quorate.
  • The Management Committee may call a Special General Meeting at any time. The Secretary will call a Special General Meeting if asked to do so, in writing, by ten members. Members will be given at least two weeks’ notice of such a meeting, and notice may be by telephone or email.
  • Nominations for the Management Committee must be given in writing to the Chair of the meeting no less than three days before the meeting date.
  • The quorum for a General Meeting shall be 10% of the membership or 20 members, whichever is the smaller number. In the event of the meeting failing to achieve a quorum business may be discussed and proposals put to the next meeting for approval.

9. Rules of Procedure

  • With the exception of changes to the constitution all questions that arise at any meeting will be decided by a simple majority of those present and entitled to vote.
  • If the number of votes cast on each side is equal, the Chair of the meeting shall have an additional casting vote.
  • Any motion must have a proposer and seconder before it is discussed or voted on.

10. Finances

  • An account will be maintained on behalf of the organisation at a bank agreed by the Management Committee. Signatories of the account will be drawn from the officers of the organisation. Each cheque will require two signatures one of whom will normally be the Treasurer.
  • Records of income and expenditure will be maintained by the Treasurer and a financial statement given to each meeting. This may be via another officer of the Management Committee.
  • The Treasurer shall prepare annual statements of accounts which, after examination by an independent person appointed by the Management Committee shall be presented to the Annual General Meeting.
  • All money raised by the organisation will be spent solely on the objects laid out at 2 above.

11. Indemnity

No member of the Management Committee shall be liable:

  • for any loss of property of the organisation by reason of any proper investment made in good faith (so long as s/he shall have sought professional advice before making such an investment: or
  • for the negligence or fraud of any agent employed by him/her or by any other member of the Management Committee in good faith (provided reasonable supervision shall have been exercised); and no member of the Management Committee shall be liable by reason of any mistake or omission made in good faith by any member of Management Committee other than wilful and individual fraud, wrongdoing or wrongful omission on the part of the member whom it is sought to make liable.

12. Amendments to the Constitution

  • Amendments to the constitution may only be made at a General Meeting. Proposed amendments will be distributed with the agenda for the meeting.
  • Any proposal to amend the Constitution must be given to the Secretary in writing at least a week before the notice of the meeting at which it is to be discussed is due to be circulated. The proposal must then be circulated with the notice of meeting. Where the proposed alteration involves a change to Clause 2 (the Objects), Clause 13 (Dissolution) or to this clause at least 21 days notice must be given to all members.
  • Any proposal to amend the constitution will require a two thirds majority of those present and entitled to vote.

13. Dissolution

  • If a meeting, by simple majority, decides that it is necessary to close down the organisation it may call a special meeting to do so. The sole business of this meeting will be to dissolve the organisation. At least 21 days notice will be given to members.
  • If three consecutive General Meetings are inquorate members at the third meeting may agree to call a special meeting to discuss dissolving the organisation.
  • If it is agreed to dissolve the organisation all remaining money, once outstanding debts have been paid, will be donated to a local charitable organisation. The organisation to be agreed at the meeting which agrees the dissolution.