Constitution
National Doorwatch Constitution
1. Name
1.1. The organisation shall be known as ‘National Door-watch’
1.2. No change to the name may be made other than by majority
vote of the Executive Committee.
2. Objectives
2.1. The objectives of the Organisation shall be to:
2.1.1. ‘To encourage action through Door-watch to provide a safe, secure environment throughout the community’
2.1.2. ‘To service the identified needs of the members and seek to obtain the resource to provide those services’
2.1.3. ‘To contribute active support for existing watches and assist to create new watches where possible.’
2.1.4. ‘To contribute to the national voice for Door-watch’.
3. Membership
3.1.Membership of the organisation shall be by:
3.1.1.Open to anyone currently holding a valid SIA Licence.
3.1.2.Signing the Data Protection and Confidentiality Register
4. Subscriptions
4.1. Any Subscriptions, if in force, shall provide membership of the organisation for the year that will commence on 5th April each year and cease on 4th April of the succeeding year.
4.2. Any annual subscription rate will be set by the Executive Committee at their last meeting before February each year and notified to the membership at least 28 days before 5th April.
5. Officers
5.1. The officers of the organisation shall be:
A Chair:
To chair meetings of the Steering Group
To Represent the views of the Organisation to other bodies
To preside over Meetings
To provide direction for the activities of the Executive Committee
To provide a casting vote when necessary
A Secretary:
To record the business of the Executive and other Meetings
To provide secretarial support to the organisation
To respond to correspondence and monitor activity
Maintain the database of watches and contacts
A Treasurer:
To be responsible for financial accounts of the Organisation
To provide annual audited accounts
To receive and make payments on behalf of the Organisation
A Communications Officer
To produce the newsletter
Take the lead role in organising local events
Maintain the website
To be responsible for communication issues
5.2. The officers will be appointed by the Executive Committee for a period not exceeding 3 years. In the event that no Executive Meeting is held, the officers shall be appointed by the Chair to hold office until the next General Meeting of the Committee.
5.3. Voting on appointments – where more than two persons have been nominated for any position and of the votes given there is not an absolute majority in favour of one person, the name of the person having the least number of votes shall be struck of the list and a fresh vote taken and so on until a majority of votes is given in favour of one person.
5.4. The Executive Committee shall have the power to appoint additional officers as thought necessary.
5.5. Past officers of the organisation who, choose continue to retain an interest in it, may attend Committee meetings and must be invited to attend and vote at any meeting at which any proposed change to the organisations structure or name is to be considered. At such a meeting they may exercise a vote.
6. Management
6.1. The Organisation shall be managed by an Executive Committee consisting of the Officers of the Organisation and such members as are co-opted to assist the Committee.
6.2. A quorum of the Executive Committee will consist of 2 officers and 2 other members and the Chair or his nominated representative.
6.3. The Executive Committee shall have the power to authorise expenditure and approve funding and sponsorship on behalf of the Organisation.
7. Meetings
7.1. Meetings of the Executive Committee will be held on a regular basis, the date, time and location to be determined by the Chair and not less than two such meetings will be held within any one calendar year. These may be conducted through Telephone Conferencing or using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
7.2. The Secretary will be responsible for giving all members at least 21 days notice of the date, time and place of meetings together with an agenda of business.
7.3. In the event the Chair is unable to attend, an officer nominated on the day by the Secretary should chair the meeting.
7.4. Members should vote by a show of hands or if at least two committee members so request by signed ballot. In the event of an equal vote, the Chair shall have the casting vote.
7.5 Order of Business
At a meeting where a Chair and officers are elected, the first business shall be:
1. To elect a Chair of the Committee.
2. To receive the Chair’s declaration of acceptance of office.
3. To elect the other officers of the Committee.
7.6 At any other meeting the order of business shall be as follows unless the Committee otherwise decides on the grounds of urgency.
1. Record those present and apologies.
2. Read and consider the minutes.
3. After consideration approve the signature of the minutes by the person presiding as a correct record.
4. To dispose of business, if any remaining from the meeting.
5. To receive a report form the Treasurer and deal with any financial affairs including approval of payments.
6. To receive a report from the Secretary.
7. To receive an update on the their current level of membership and how this can be improved
8. To set a date for the next meeting.
7.7. Admission of Others to Meeting
All other individuals other than Committee Members should attend by invitation only. However they may be temporarily excluded in view of the confidential nature of any business that may be transacted.
7.8. Confidential Business
No Committee Member shall disclose to any person other than its members any business declared to be confidential.
DISCLOSURE WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE EXPULSION FROM DOOR-WATCH AND MAY RENDER THE INDIVIDUAL(S) LIABLE FOR PROSECUTION
8. Accounting
8.1. The organisation’s accounting year shall run from 5th April to 4th April of the succeeding year.
8.2. The Treasurer shall be responsible for providing accounts with regard to annual income and expenditure to be delivered to the Executive Committee at the first meeting held after the 4th April.
8.3. Two members of the organisation who do not have any direct responsibility for the accounts shall audit the accounts. They will be responsible for certifying that the income and expenditure shown is in accordance with the rules and constitution. They must be satisfied that all income and expenditure has been properly accounted for.
8.4. The organisation shall maintain a bank account and all cheques drawn against the account will be by one or other of the Executive Committee mandated to authorise payment.
9. Change of Constitution
9.1. No change may be made to the Constitution without the majority approval of the Executive Committee including past officers that retain an interest in the organisation.
10. Cessation of Activity
10.1. In the event that National Door-watch ceases to remain a viable organisation the Executive Committee at that time are responsible for notifying all existing members of the intention to cease operation and the opportunity for an Extraordinary General Meeting to be called to consider this option.
10.2. In the event that the organisation ceases to operate all monies remaining in its bank accounts after the discharge of all debts shall be given to a charity associated with the licensed trade considered appropriate to the Executive Committee at the time.