Constitution

Name of the organisation

Wellingborough Eco Group

Objectives

Wellingborough Eco Group has been set up to do what we can to help the environment at a local level, in a friendly and positive way. Our objectives are to:

  1. Help improve our borough’s environment
  2. Reduce, reuse, repair and recycle items that would otherwise end up in landfill.
  3. Help local people reduce their carbon footprints.
  4. Share and promote eco-friendly services and information.
  5. Create a safe group that cares about the environment, that is open to everyone.

To meet our objectives, Wellingborough Eco Group aims to:

  • Encourage and work with residents, councils, businesses and other community organisations.
  • Be non-political, and work with all political parties.
  • Challenge but not criticise councils, or their environmental contractors.
  • Respect that everyone has differing views about the environment and where they live.

Activities

The activities of the group shall be in line with its objectives. Activities that the group will host may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Repair Cafes
  • ‘Green Drinks’
  • Two Hour Tidy Ups and other litter picks
  • Community allotments and gardens
  • Tree planting
  • Swap shops
  • Meetings, talks and social events

In addition to hosting activities, the group will:

  • Communicate with the press
  • Write to businesses and other organisations
  • Lobby councillors to advocate for our objectives
  • Fundraise and apply for grants
  • Take part in activities with other community groups
  • Have social media groups, a website and other media channels

Powers

To carry out its activities and meet its objectives, the group can:

  • Raise money
  • Employ paid staff or recruit volunteers
  • Pay reasonable expenses
  • Buy or rent premises and equipment
  • Purchase services, including internet services
  • Receive contributions through member donations
  • Work in partnership with different organisations
  • Carry out anything else within the law necessary to reach the group’s objectives

Membership

Membership is free, open to everyone and there are no requirements to join our group. However, we ask that members operate in accordance with the objectives above at the group activities and in our social media groups.  To become a full member of our group you will need to register.  Members of our social media groups who have not registered, are unregistered members of our group.

Members, social media members and anyone else can support us, take part in any of our activities and attend our events.  There is no requirement to register as a member.  Registering as a member supports the group officially.  Registered members will receive a membership number and will collectively control the group, as they will have voting rights at General Meetings. They will also have email updates from the committee and can stand for the committee.

Members may of course leave at any time. Any offensive behaviour, including racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, Islamophobic, misogynistic, xenophobic or inflammatory remarks, will not be permitted. Anyone behaving in an offensive way may be asked not to attend further meetings or to leave the group if an apology is not given or the behaviour is repeated.  All personal data will be stored securely, according to GDPR.

Equal Opportunities

Wellingborough Eco Group will not discriminate on the grounds of gender, race, colour, ethnic or national origin, sexuality, disability, religious or political belief, marital status or age.

Meetings

General Meetings are open to all members (registered and social media) and will be held at least once every three months or more often if necessary.  Registered members will be able to vote and will be given two weeks’ notice of such a meeting, giving the venue, date, time and agenda, by email, as will all members via social media.  The quorum for all meetings will be three registered members. 

Committee Meetings will be carried out by committee members only on a monthly basis to manage the business of the group.  The whole committee will be elected at the Annual General Meeting, which will take place once a year, and any additions or changes to the committee will be elected at General Meetings.

All meetings will be facilitated by the secretary who will also take minutes. We will aim to reach a consensus on decision through discussion, and a simple majority is required. If there are an equal number of votes on each side, the decision will be delayed until a consensus can be found either by further discussion or postponement until the next meeting.

The Committee and Officers

The committee will be expected to work on behalf of all members and will represent their views.  The committee will consist of registered members who will be officers with a named responsibility and committee members without specific responsibility.  The committee will communicate via email or other electronic services.  Registered members will receive updates from the committee via email if they opt in to receive them, everyone will get updates via social media posts.

The officers’ roles include:

  • Secretary, who shall be responsible for the taking of minutes and the distribution of all papers
  • Treasurer, who shall be responsible for maintaining accounts
  • Membership Secretary who will be responsible for administering the membership
  • Media Secretary who will manage our social media groups and other media outlets
  • Business Secretary who will liaise with local companies and organisations.

In the event of an officer standing down during the year a replacement will be elected by the next General Meeting of members. Officers and committee members can be nominated two weeks before a General Meeting via email with the invite to the meeting and appointed at General Meetings.

Finances

Any money obtained by the group shall be used only for the group, and solely on the objectives laid out in the constitution. Any bank or savings accounts opened by the group will be in the name of Wellingborough Eco Group.

All payments will be signed or approved by two of the signatories.  Records of income and expenditure will be maintained by the Treasurer and a financial statement given at each meeting.  An annual statement of accounts will be presented to the Annual General Meeting.

Health and Safety Policies

Wellingborough Eco Group will adopt policies based on risk assessments carried out by or for the group.  These policies will be available on our website and shared at relevant activities.  All policies will be put to members and voted on at a General Meeting before being adopted.

Amendments to the Constitution

Any changes to the constitution will be subject to members’ scrutiny and deliberated at a general meeting.  Registered members would need to reach a two thirds majority vote in favour for any amendments to take place.

Dissolution

If members, by simple majority, decide that it is necessary to close down the group at a General Meeting, they may call a special meeting to do so.  The sole business of this meeting will be to dissolve the group. Committee members would need to reach a two thirds majority vote in favour of dissolution.

If it is agreed to dissolve the group, all remaining money and other assets, once outstanding debts have been paid, will be donated to a local charitable organisation. The organisation will be agreed at the meeting which agrees the dissolution.