MODEL CONSTITUTION
OF A REGISTERED TENANT ORGANSIATION (RTO)
- Name
The name of the Registered Tenants Organisation shall be the ______, herein after known as “The RTO”.
- Aims and Objectives
Aims
The aims for which the RTO is established are; to safeguard and promote the interests of tenants (and residents) within the area on matters concerning the furtherance of education, social and community welfare, housing, health and the environment.
Objectives
(i)To bring tenants (and residents) together to ascertain their views on a wide range of issues affecting the area.
(ii)To advocate those expressed views to the various agencies / bodies delivering services in the area.
(iii)To give tenants (and residents) a voice in the decision making processes which affect them.
(iv)To uphold equal opportunities and work towards good relations amongst all members of the community, especially prohibiting any conduct that discriminates or harasses on the grounds of race, religion, disability, political beliefs, sex or sexual orientation.
- Membership
(i)The area covered by the RTO shall be ______
(See attached map)
(ii)Membership shall be open to all persons in the local area.
(iii)All voting members must be at least 16 years of age
(iv)All members will have an equal vote.
(v)The RTO may decide to create a membership list and/or apply a membership fee.
(vi)The members at the Annual General Meeting should take the decision and if appropriate set the level of membership fee. (Set out why fee is appropriate and what it will achieve)
(vii)Members shall at all times conduct themselves in a reasonable manner when attending meetings or any function in connection with the group.
(viii)Any member who consistently brings the group into disrepute or refuses to comply with the constitution shall be expelled on a two-thirds majority vote of the full Committee.
(ix)Any such member will have the right to appeal within 28 days of the expulsion. The appeal shall be heard by the membership at a Special General Meeting called for that purpose.
- Committee
(i)A Committee shall be elected annually to carry out the business of the RTO and shall serve for 12 months.
(ii)The Committee shall comprise, Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer and at least XX ordinary members.
(iii)The Office Bearers and ordinary Committee members shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the RTO. Vacancies on the Committee may be filled by co-option
(iv)The Officers of the RTO shall carry out the duties given them by a General Meeting of the RTO. These duties will be agreed at the first meeting following the Annual General Meeting.
(v)The quorum for a Committee meeting shall be half of the number of serving Committee Members plus one (including at least two office bearers).
(A quorum is the minimum number of members attending a meeting to allow decision-making to take place.)
(vi)Committee members not tendering apologies for 3 consecutive meetings may be requested in writing to step down by majority Committee agreement.
(vii)The Committee shall meet quarterly, (minimum).
(viii)Meetings of the Committee shall be open to any member of the Association who wishes to attend.
- Annual General Meeting
(i)There shall be an Annual General Meeting in ______of each year at which the Committee shall make a report of its activities, present a statement of accounts, and shall then resign.
The Annual General Meeting shall then elect a new Committee and vote on any recommendations from the membership and proposed amendments to the Constitution.
(ii)The Annual General Meeting shall appoint two competent individuals, not having served on the Committee during the preceding twelve months or elected to serve on the Committee, to audit its accounts.
(iii)The Secretary shall notify all members and advertise locally, details of the Annual General Meeting not less than fourteen days before the meeting.
(iv)No AGM shall take place if less than XX members are present.
(v)Voting at the AGM shall be by ______(e.g. show of hands or secret ballot). Decisions agreed by a simple majority (other than changes to the Constitution – see section 7) of those present. (In the event of a tied vote the Chairperson will have a second casting vote.)
- Special General Meeting
(i)A Special General Meeting, open to all members of the RTO will be held if XX or more Committee members (majority of the RTO’s Committee) submit in writing, a request for such a meeting to the Secretary. The Secretary shall thereafter arrange for such a meeting to take place, within fourteen days
(ii)The Committee may convene a Special General Meeting at not less than 14 days notice to all members
(iii)No Special General Meeting shall take place if less than XX of members are present.
(iv)Voting at Special General Meetings shall be by ______(e.g. show of hands or secret ballot). Decision agreed by simple majority of those present (In the event of a tied vote the Chairperson will have a second casting vote.)
(v)Should the Secretary fail, within 14 days after receiving a request, to convene a Special General Meeting, the members who have signed the notice may themselves give notice of and convene the meeting.
- Changes to Constitution
(i)This Constitution may only be altered at the Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting
(ii)All proposed changes to the Constitution must be submitted in writing, to the Secretary at least fourteen days in advance of the Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting.
(iii)Any changes to the Constitution must be agreed by a majority of two thirds of the members present at the Meeting
- Finance
(i)All money raised by or on behalf of the RTO shall be applied to further the objects of the RTO.
(ii)The Treasurer shall keep proper accounts of the finances of the Association and make a report at every Committee meeting. The Committee shall agree all financial transactions.
(iii)The funds of the group shall be managed through a bank or post office account. Cheques written on behalf of the Association must bear the signatures of two out of three designated Committee members.
(iv)No members of the Committee shall be appointed to any salaried office of the group or to any office of the group paid by fees and no remuneration or other benefit in money or monies with shall be given by the group to any member except reimbursement of out of pocket expenses.
- Dissolution
(i)The RTO may only be dissolved by a Special General Meeting convened for that purpose.
(ii)A proposal to dissolve the RTO shall only take effect if agreed by two thirds of the members present at the Meeting.
(iii)If a decision is taken to dissolve the RTO, all funds, grants etc received from South Ayrshire Council should be returned to South Ayrshire Council. Any other monies held by the RTO should be disposed per the conditions of the funders.
(iv)Any assets remaining after meeting liabilities must be distributed among local charities or other community group with similar charitable aims, nominated by that meeting.
Adopted at the Annual/Special General Meeting of ______
Signed:______Chairperson
______Vice Chairperson
______Secretary
______Treasurer