Pitville Allotment Society Constitution
 

1.       The name of the Society shall be: PITVILLE ALLOTMENTS SOCIETY.*

2.       OBJECTS OF THE SOCIETY SHALL BE:

(1)To promote the interests of all members in gardening activities and to take joint action for the benefit of the membership.

(11)To act on behalf of the membership in negotiations with the owners of land used for horticultural purposes by the membership.

(111)To support the membership in observing the conditions of tenancy contained in the Tenancy Agreement issued to each plot holder by Liverpool City Council.

(1V)To take action to protect members against damage, trespass and theft.

(V)To negotiate for the supply of seed, fertilizers, tools and other horticultural requirements to the benefit of membership.                                                              

(V1)To arrange demonstrations, lectures, competitions & other social activities.

3.       Membership of the Society is a condition of tenancy under the agreement with Liverpool City Council. The Society shall admit to Associate Membership individuals whose application is approved by the Committee of the Management of the Society. Associate Members shall not hold office nor have a vote in the society nor membership to the Committee of Management. ****An Associate Member must be associated with a plot holder, to assist that plot holder on his/her plot. They have no automatic right to succession of that plot, if the plot holder should retire, they will receive no preferential treatment re: Plot allocation should they subsequently want a plot of their own. Subject to committee’s discretion.****

4.       Subscriptions of the Society shall be such as are determined at the Annual General Meeting of the Society upon the recommendation of the Committee. Existing members who shall not have paid subscriptions within sixty days of the due date, shall be deemed to have ceased membership of the Society and shall not enjoy benefit of membership of the Society.

5.       Committee of Management The affairs of the Society shall be conducted by A Committee of Management elected annually by the Membership of the Annual General meeting. Members of the Committee retiring at the end of their term shall be eligible for re-election. Casual vacancies shall be filled by invitation of the Committee and the Members so appointed shall hold office until next Annual General Meeting when they shall hold office until next Annual General Meeting when they shall be eligible for election to the committee. A Quorum for the Committee shall be one Officer and three Committee members.

6.       Officers of the Society shall consist of Hon Chair, Hon Secretary & Hon Treasurer. They shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting and shall be ex-officio members of the Committee of Management. They shall be eligible for re-election upon completion of a term of office.

7.       General Meetings may be called upon the requisition of not less than eight members. The purpose of such a meeting must be given to the Hon Secretary or other Officer not less than fourteen days before the date required for the meeting and the Hon Secretary shall publish notice of such meeting and its purpose not less than seven days before such meeting taking place. Publication on the field notice board shall be a good discharge of this duty.

8.       Annual General Meeting shall take place not more than ten months after the close of the Society’s financial year and ordinarily shall be held within three months of the close of the financial year. The purpose of the meeting shall be to receive the report and audited accounts for the year and to elect the Officers and Committee** for the coming year. Officers and Committee** shall hold office in each year until the election of in-coming officers and committee. The meeting shall also consider and determine such matters as are duly notified to the Hon Secretary for the attention of the meeting.

9.       Finances The Committee of Management shall ensure that bank accounts are opened as are deemed necessary for the proper regulation of the Society’s affairs. Such bank accounts shall be operated by not less than two signatories of whom one must be the Hon. Treasurer or Hon. Chair. The Hon. Treasurer may operate an imprest account for the discharge of petty cash expenditure. Honoraria may be paid to the Officer of the Society as recognition of the out-of-pocket expenses incurred in the discharge of their duties. All assets to be used to the benefit of the Society.

10.   Auditors. One **** auditor shall be appointed who is not a members of the Committee to audit the accounts and report thereon the Annual General Meeting.

11.   Affiliations shall be sought to such organisations having similar purposes to that of the Society as are deemed to be of benefit to the Society.

12.   Alterations to the rules may be effected at any meetings of the membership which has been duly notified of the proposed change(s) and which accepts the alterations voting in favour of the Proposal(s) with a majority of not less than two thirds of the members present. Each and every such proposal shall be voted upon separately.

13.   Disputes will be considered by the Committee of Management initially. Where the dispute involves the Committee or cannot be resolved by the Committee it shall be referred to the Officer for the Liverpool City Council. All disputes will be conducted with the terms of the Tenancy Agreement with Liverpool City Council.

14.   Dissolution of the society shall be determined upon the recommendation of the Committee of management at a meeting of the Membership of the Society especially called for such purpose upon voting the recommendation of two-thirds of the membership attending such meeting agreeing to accept the Committee of Management the Committee shall have the power to realise all the assets held by or on behalf of the Society. After the satisfaction of all proper debts and liabilities any remaining assets shall be given or transferred to such other similar societies or bodies having the same or similar objects as the society may be determined by the society or failing that to some other charitable purpose. A copy of the determining resolution together with the Statement of Accounts for the final accounting period shall be lodged with the Charity Commissioners.

15.   Death of a plot holder In the event of the death of a plot holder the committee may grant the reallocation of their plot to a spouse/family member who has previously shown an active interest in the plot.

16.   Associate members rights - After two years as an associate member if the tenant holder vacates the plot, the associate memberof the plot is entitled to take it over  at the discretion of the committee, if the associate has maintained the plot to the standard that is required.

17.   Any tenant who has been officially evicted from their plot by Liverpool City Council will no longer be allowed access to the allotments, as a guest or, otherwise.

18.   Tenants who wish to bring guests onto the site are solely responsible for the behaviour of their guests and must ensure they do not encroach on or, cause a nuisance to other plots/tenants.
 

Formally adopted at a Membership meeting held Monday 11th January 1999*

As amended at a Membership meeting held on Friday 27th January 2003**

As amended at a Membership meeting held on Monday 28th November 2005***

As amended at a Membership meeting held on Tuesday 27th November 2009****

New rule 15 adopted at a Membership meeting held on Tuesday 27th November 2009

New rule 16 adopted at a Membership meeting held on Thursday 24th November 2011

New rule 17 adopted at a Membership meeting held on Monday 9th January 2017

New rule 18 adopted at a Membership meeting held on Monday 9th January 2017

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