'10 Communities Youth' Constitution

2. Objectives

• To support young people in their roles as active leaders within their community.

• Undertake fundraising and explore funding streams on behalf of the projects it is supporting.

• Explore ways of developing a social enterprise company offering opportunities for employing youth workers to develop its core business.

• To actively involve young people in the development of its projects.

• Promote young people’s up take of training and employment opportunities within the community.

• Promote access to information and advice on issues relevant to the lives and aspirations of young people

• To facilitate or participate in effective local partnerships, leading to sustainable working practices.

3.       Membership

3.1        Membership of F.O.C shall be open to any person, regardless of race, age, gender, sexual orientation or ability by individuals submitting a note of interest.  Interested parties need to adopt the ethos and values of Somerset County Council and its Youth Workers as an educational service. 3.2        There shall be three different types of membership available. These are:

• Full Member
• Associate Member
• Young Persons Membership (Young People aged 11-18).

4.       Officers

4.1        The Officers of F.O.C shall be as follows:             Chairperson                   Secretary                      Treasurer            Somerset County Council co-opted Member            Equipment Quartermaster            Events Coordinator            2 Young Persons Representatives            Mini Bus Booking Coordinator 

5.       Election of officers

5.1        All Officers shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of F.O.C, from, and by, the Members of F.O.C. 5.2        All Officers are elected for a period of one year, but may be re-elected to the same office or another office the following year. 

6. Management

6.1        The affairs of F.O.C shall be controlled by a General  Executive Committee comprising the Executive Officers of F.O.C and other Members elected from, and by, the Full Members of F.O.C. The Committee shall meet at agreed intervals and not less than four times per year. 6.2       The duties of the Committee shall be:  The Executive Committee exists to support the Chair in meeting the responsibilities of their appointment. The Committee is responsible for:  

• Working to promote existing and new opportunities for partnership working
• The maintenance of property and equipment
• The raising of funds and the administration of F.O.C finances
• The insurance of persons, property and equipment
• F.O.C. fundraising and community events
• Recruiting of new members

                        6.2.1     To control the affairs of F.O.C on behalf of the Members. 6.2.2     To keep accurate accounts of the finances of F.O.C through the Treasurer. These should be available for reasonable inspection by Members and should be audited before every Annual General Meeting. F.O.C shall maintain a bank current account and the following Officers shall be authorised to sign Group cheques: two from the Chairperson; Treasurer and/or Secretary and one from the co-opted Somerset County Council member. 6.2.3     To co-opt additional members of the Committee as the Committee feels this is necessary. Co-opted members shall not be entitled to a vote on the Committee. 6.2.4     To make decisions on the basis of a simple majority vote. In the case of equal votes, the Chairperson shall be entitled to an additional casting vote.
 

7.       Meetings

7.1        The Annual General Meeting shall be held not later than the end of March each year. 21 calendar days’ written notice shall be given to Members of the Annual General Meeting by circulating a copy of the notice to every member at their home address and posting the notice on F.O.C notice board. Members must advise the Secretary in writing of any business to be moved at the Annual General Meeting at least 14 days before a meeting. The Secretary shall circulate or give notice of the agenda for the meeting to Members not less than 7 days before the meeting.  7.2        The business of the Annual General Meeting shall be to: 7.2.1     Confirm the minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting and any General Meetings held since the last Annual General Meeting. 7.2.2     Receive the audited accounts for the year from the Treasurer. 7.2.3     Receive the annual report of the Committee from the Secretary. 7.2.4     Elect an independent representative to act as auditor or oversight of the financial records. 7.2.5     Elect the Officers of the group i.e. President; Chairperson; Secretary; Treasurer and other General Committee Members. 7.2.6     Transact such other business received in writing by the Secretary from Members 14 days prior to the meeting and included on the agenda. 7.3        Special General Meetings may be convened by the General Committee or on receipt by the Secretary of a request in writing from not less than 3 Full Members of F.O.C. At least 21 days’ notice of the meeting shall be given. 7.4        Nomination of candidates for election of Officers shall be made in writing to the Secretary at least 14 days in advance of the Annual General Meeting date. Nominations can only be made by Full Members and must be seconded by another Full Member. 7.5        General Meetings will be held (quarterly). At all General Meetings, the chair will be taken by the Chairperson or, in their absence, by a deputy appointed by F.O.C or by Full Members attending the meeting. 7.6        Decisions made at a General Meeting shall be by a simple majority of votes from those Full Members attending the meeting. In the event of equal votes, the Chairperson shall be entitled to an additional casting vote. 7.7        A quorum for a General Meeting shall be 5 Full Members of F.O.C to include the Chairperson; Secretary and Treasurer. 7.8        Each Full Member of F.O.C shall be entitled to one vote at General Meetings. 

8. Alterations to the Constitutions

8.1        Any proposed alterations to F.O.C Constitution may only be considered at an Annual or Special General Meeting convened with the required written notice of the proposal. Any alteration or amendment must be proposed by a Full Member of F.O.C and seconded by another Full Member. Such alterations shall be passed if supported by not less than two-thirds of those Full Members present at the meeting, assuming that a quorum has been achieved. 

9. Dissolution

9.1        If, at any General Meeting of F.O.C, a resolution be passed calling for the dissolution of F.O.C, the Secretary shall immediately convene a Special General Meeting of F.O.C to be held not less than one month thereafter to discuss and vote on the resolution. 9.2        If, at that Special General Meeting, the resolution is carried by at least two-thirds of the Full Members present at the meeting, the General Committee shall thereupon, or at such date as shall have been specified in the resolution, proceed to realise the assets of F.O.C and discharge all debts and liabilities of F.O.C. 9.3.A         After discharging all debts and liabilities of F.O.C, the remaining assets shall not be paid or distributed amongst the Full Members, but shall be given or transferred to Somerset County Council for redistribution with F.O.C identifying any voluntary youth provision within the Wiveliscombe and Area locality that may have objectives similar to those of F.O.C as the securing of equipment on establishment of COOEY was to retain resources for the local communities youth provision.9.3.B         In the event that F.O.C evolves into an independent community committee all assets would need to be secured under a new constitution within the Wiveliscombe area.