Rules of The Chapel-Allerton Allotments & Gardens Association

Constitution

1. The name of this body shall be The Chapel Allerton Allotments and Gardens Association.
2. Its activities and funds shall be devoted solely to the development and encouragement of horticulture and to social events connected therewith.
3. There shall be a President, Vice Presidents, ordinary members and facilities for appointing honorary and life members.

Membership

4. Membership shall be open to amateur gardeners and to professional working gardeners, who cultivate not more than 2000 sq yards for their own use.
5. The Committee of Management shall consist of the President, Vice-Presidents, Secretary, Show Secretary, Treasurer, Storekeepers and seven other members, all of whom shall be elected annually at the AGM.
   The President, Secretary and Treasurer shall be separate individuals.
   The Committee may co-opt any person to assist it in any specific business and shall be empowered to fill casual vacancies. It may form sub-committees. Should any of the seven ordinary members be absent from three consecutive meetings without reasonable explanation, he or she will be considered to have vacated office.
6. The Annual Subscription shall be determined at the AGM for the ensuing twelve months and shall be due on January 1st, payable only to the Secretary, Treasurer or Storekeepers.
7. The Committee shall consider all applications for membership and shall have power to accept or reject any application. Subject to the foregoing, membership shall be deemed to commence when the subscription is paid. Minors under the age of 16 years with a paid up parent or guardian shall be deemed member to show produce in the Annual or subsidiary shows.

Duties

8. It shall be the duty of the Committee to follow the instructions of the AGM or any Special General Meeting and to conduct the Association’s business in the interests of the members. It shall submit to each AGM its considered proposals for the following year’s programme.
9. It shall be the duty of the Secretary to follow the instructions of the Committee, to conduct correspondence, to call meetings and to assist in organising social events. They may receive and pay money on behalf of the Association and shall make a monthly settlement with the Treasurer.
10. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to keep proper accounts of the Association’s funds, assets and monetary transactions, to receive all monies due and to make proper disbursements.
    They shall give an interim financial statement to each meeting of the Committee and shall produce their books for inspection by the Committee at any reasonable time and place if required.
    They shall make periodic settlements with the Secretary and Storekeeper and shall bank all monies not required for current use. Cheques shall be signed by two of the following: President, Secretary, Treasurer.
    On or before November 17th They shall submit to the appointed Auditor their books, vouchers, records and a draft statement of account for the year ending October 31st and shall present a duly audited statement to the AGM.
11. It shall be the duty of the Storekeepers to receive and disburse the Association’s stores at such times as the Committee may direct. They must keep cash proceeds in safe custody and may make interim payments into the Association’s bank account and must make a periodical settlement with the Treasurer.
12. It shall be the duty of the Auditor to scrutinise the Secretary’s, Show Secretary’s, Treasurer’s and Storekeepers’ records and report their findings to the AGM.

Stores

13. The Committee shall provide and maintain a reasonable supply of fertilisers and similar commodities for distribution to paid-up members, and shall be empowered to decide the prices thereof. It shall have discretion to limit the amount of any commodity available to a member.

Shows

14. The Committee shall have the authority to prepare Schedules and Rules for the Annual and subsidiary shows, subject to the general principles that:-
    1. The Annual Show provides for vegetables, fruit, flowers, handicrafts and home made food, with special classes for children.
    2. The subsidiary shows provide as above, singly or combined and vegetable, fruit and flower classes open to members only.
    3. Exhibitor members must have paid their subscriptions prior to the date of the show.
15. Show Judges shall be non-members of the Association.

Meetings

16. The Annual General Meeting shall be held within the first two weeks of December. The Secretary shall send 14 days notice of a General Meeting to every paid-up member for the year ending October 31st prior to the AGM. The quorum at any General Meeting shall be twelve.
    The Committee may call a Special General Meeting at any time. The Secretary shall call a SGM on the signed requisition of 12 members.
17. The committee shall meet as and when necessary but not less than once per quarter. The quorum shall be five, the Secretary may call a Special Meeting of the Committee at any time and shall do so on the signed requisition of four members of the Committee of Management.
18. The President, if present, shall preside at all meetings but in his absence any Vice-President may preside. If none be present, the meeting shall appoint a chairman who shall remain in office throughout the meeting.
19. All meetings shall start within fifteen minutes of the appointed time or stand adjourned.

Voting

20. Every paid-up member shall be entitled to vote in person at a General Meeting.
    Every member of the Committee of Management shall be entitled to vote in person at Committee Meetings.
    The Chairman at any meeting shall have a second or casting vote to be used only if he has already voted. He may not use his ordinary vote to decide a tie.
    On any questions except alterations to the rules, a simple majority shall decide.
21. The Committee shall be empowered to request the resignation of, or expel, any member proved guilty of wilfully fomenting discord among the members, or acting in a manner likely to bring the Association into disrepute.
22. Any member being aggrieved in matters pertaining to the Association shall be entitled to seek redress at any ordinary meeting of the Committee of Management. An aggrieved member must present his complaint in writing to the Secretary’s address. He/she will then be invited to attend a Committee of Management meeting in person. If then dissatisfied the member may appeal to one General Meeting.
23. If and when the membership of the Association is reduced to thirteen, it shall be wound up, its assets liquidated by the surviving officers, and the proceeds given to the Yorkshire Allotments.
24. These rules operate from January 1st 1981, no new rule be made, or existing rule altered or rescinded without the consent of two thirds of the members present and voting at an Annual General Meeting, or a General Meeting called for the specific purpose of altering the Rules.

The Association is affiliated to: