The Association shall be known as the "Bath & North East Somerset Allotments Association", hereinafter referred to as the Association.
Objectives:
The objectives of the Association which shall, within the geographic boundary of the Bath & North East Somerset area, act as the representative of the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners Ltd. are:
- To promote the establishment and use of land in the Bath & North East Somerset area as allotments and to conduct negotiations with the local authority and private landowners to that end
- To promote the gardening interests of members and take action to protect members against damage, nuisance, trespass and theft
- To obtain a supply of seeds, fertilisers, goods and other horticultural equipment and sundries on behalf of members at as competitive a price as possible
- To encourage members to garden in whatever way they choose so long as they do not disrupt other plot holders on their site
- To co-operate with other gardening associations in matters of mutual interest.
- To promote the health and activity benefits of allotment gardening.
- To promote knowledge of wildlife and to enhance appropriate biodiversity
All profits arising from the general business of the association and all subscriptions received shall be used for the accomplishment of the objects of the association.
Membership
Membership of the Association shall consist of such persons whose application for membership are approved by the Committee of Management as hereafter defined and who shall have fully paid their subscriptions.
The membership year shall run from 1 October to 30 September.
The Membership Secretary shall be responsible for maintaining a register of the names and addresses of members, the date at which they joined and the date at which they left.
Membership shall automatically be cancelled if a member’s subscription is more than two months in arrears.
A member may withdraw from the association by sending written notice to the Secretary and any subscription paid by that member shall be in the absolute discretion of the Committee of the Management be forfeited.
Any member aggrieved by the action of the Committee of Management may appeal to the next AGM whose decision shall be final.
Any member changing address shall notify the Membership Secretary in writing.
Government:
The Government of the Association shall be vested in the AGM and the day to day management of the affairs of the association shall be delegated to a committee of management.
Officers:
Shall be Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Secretary and Publicity Officer.
The officers shall be elected annually at the AGM.
The Secretary shall be responsible for maintaining a register of the names and addresses of Officers, the date at which they were elected and the date at which they resigned.
Executive Committee:
Shall consist of the Officers together with the site representative for each site.
They shall retire annually but shall be eligible for re-election at AGM.
The Committee may co-opt suitable persons for specific projects or casual vacancies to help but they cannot be considered members of the committee until approved by the AGM.
A quorum shall be 5 members.
Meetings:
No political or sectarian subject may be discussed.
At least three meetings of the Association shall be held each year and in any event one shall be held not less than 14 days following each AGM.
The secretary shall summon all meetings giving at least ten days’ notice of such meetings and circulating the agenda for the meeting.
Each member of the Executive Committee is entitled to one vote. Voting shall be by a show of hands and by a simple majority.
The AGM shall be held in October each year. The Secretary shall summon the AGM giving at least fourteen days’ notice of such meetings and circulating the agenda for the meeting. The following business shall be transacted at the AGM.
- To retrieve and consider the Statement of Accounts and Balance Sheet
- To elect Officers and Committee for the ensuing year
The Chairman shall normally preside at all meetings and a quorum shall be 20.
Voting shall be by a show of hands and by a simple majority. In the event of a tied vote, the Chairman shall have the casting vote in addition to his/her vote.
Members must bring their membership cards to the AGM to be entitled to vote. Payment of the annual subscription shall be a pre-requisite condition to members’ entitlement to vote at either the AGM or a special general meeting.
Finance
The Treasurer shall have care of all the monies of the Association and shall bank all (except petty cash) in the name of the Association.
The Treasurer shall give financial statements at all Committee Meetings and prepare a Statement of Accounts and Balance Sheet for the AGM.
The Association shall pay out-of-pocket expenses of any Committee Member or Officer reasonably incurred on its business.
All cheques to be signed by two of the following three officers: Treasurer, Secretary and Membership Secretary.
The Financial Year shall end on 30th September of each year.
Any member or person having an interest in the funds of the association shall be allowed at all reasonable hours to inspect the account of his or her dealings with the association.
A Statement of Accounts shall be submitted to the NSALG Ltd on request.
Alteration of Rules
No rules may be altered except at an AGM or a Special General Meeting called for that purpose, of which fourteen days’ notice must be given.
Members must submit proposals for alteration to the Rules to the Secretary at least 28 days prior to the date of the AGM or a Special General Meeting.
Other Matters
Any matter not covered by these rules shall be determined by the Executive Committee and will be binding until rescinded or agreed at the next AGM.
NSALG Ltd
The Association shall remain an associate member of the NSALG Ltd and the annual subscription of each member of the association shall include such affiliation fee payable annually to the National Society.
Should the Regional Representative of the NSALG Ltd request, he shall be kept informed of the meetings and decisions of the Committee and shall receive Agendas and Minutes of all such Meetings.
He shall endorse all claims for rebates and expenses made to the NSALG.
Newsletters
The Association shall publish three newsletters per year:
- September – to include the seed catalogue, membership renewal form and notice of the AGM
- November – to include the potato order form and to advise when the trading hut shall be open for members to collect their seed orders
- January – to advise when the trading hut shall be open for members to collect their potato orders, and to include the trading hut rota and information about the Flower Show