Constitution: Cambridge Central Council of Allotment Societies
adopted on the 27th day of January 2003.
A 	Name.
	The name of the Association is Cambridge Central Council of Allotment Societies ("the Association"). A General Meeting shall have authority to adopt a working title without prejudice to the name.
B 	Administration.
	Subject to the matters set out below the Association and its property shall be administered and managed in accordance with this constitution by its members as defined in clause G of this constitution in a General Meeting and by the Delegates of the Societies as constituted by clause H of this constitution in a Delegates' Meeting.
C 	Objects.
	The Association's objects ("the objects") are to promote the provision and use of allotments within the City of Cambridge and parishes that lie wholly or partly within ten miles of the Church of Great St. Mary, Cambridge.
D 	Powers.
	In furtherance of the objects but not otherwise the Association may exercise the following powers:
(1)	power to raise funds by a levy on member Societies and to invite and receive contributions from other persons and organisations;
(2)	power to obtain and supply trade goods as required by member Societies and to sell donated allotment produce to the public;
(3)	power to buy, take on lease or in exchange any property necessary for the achievement of the objects and to maintain and equip it for use;
(4)	power to act as a District Body of the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners (NSALG), and to cooperate with other bodies and statutory authorities operating in furtherance of the objects or of similar purposes and to exchange information and advice with them; 
(5)	power to support any groups of allotment holders within its area pending their formation into Allotment Societies;
(6)	power to appoint and constitute such working parties as a General Meeting or Delegates' Meeting may think fit;
(7)	power to maintain a presence on the Internet and to advertise allotment facilities within its area;
(8)	power to attend markets and other places of public resort within its area;
(9)	power to negotiate with Cambridge City Council on behalf of its member Societies, subject to their consent;
(10)	power to do all such other lawful things as are necessary for the achievement of the objects.
E 	Membership
(1)	Membership of the Association shall be open to any Allotment Society and its individual members active within the Association's area as defined in rule C(1) which is affiliated to NSALG  and which has paid the annual levy laid down by the Annual General Meeting. Membership shall also be open to members of the National Society (NSALG) who are resident within the area defined in C1 above, even if they are not members of an Allotment Society. 
(2)	Every member Society shall be entitled to send up to three delegates to each Delegates' Meeting, and each delegate shall have one vote. 
(3)	The Association shall have power to extend membership to groups of allotment holders within its area not yet formed into Allotment Societies upon such terms as it thinks reasonable.
(4)	At General Meetings, every individual member of any member Society or of the National Society under rule E(1) and every member of a group under rule E(3) is entitled to attend and to vote, except that on matters relating to NSALG grants or National Society business, discussion and voting is restricted to those who are members under rule E(1).
F 	Officers
(1)	At the Annual General Meeting of the Association the members shall elect from amongst themselves a president, chairman  and deputy chairman, a secretary, a treasurer and a trading secretary, who shall hold office from the conclusion of that meeting. The  members shall appoint an auditor (not necessarily from amongst themselves), who shall hold office from the conclusion of that meeting.
(2)	The duties of secretary, treasurer,trading secretary and auditor may each be shared by more than one person, but there may not be less than four officers. The auditor may not hold any other office. 
(3)	A General Meeting may create or abolish other offices. 
(4)	The Annual General Meeting shall determine the basis of reimbursement of officers' expenses for the forthcoming year. That basis may be a fixed sum (not constituting employment for tax purposes) or a reimbursement of expenses actually incurred, duly evidenced. A Delegates' Meeting shall be competent to authorise reimbursement of these expenses. If a qualified accountant is appointed as auditor, he or she may be remunerated on a normal commercial basis.
(5)	A General Meeting may insure and arrange insurance for and to indemnify the officers of the Association and voluntary workers from and against all such risks incurred in the course of the performance of their duties as may be thought fit.
(6)	A Delegates' Meeting may appoint to any casual vacancies, pending the next General Meeting.
(7)	Officers have authority to conduct the business of the Association between meetings, in accordance with the decisions of General Meetings and Delegates' Meetings and subject to this constitution.
(8)	All the officers shall retire from office together at the end of the Annual General Meeting next after the date on which they came into office, but they may be reelected.
G 	General Meetings
(1)	The Annual General Meeting shall be held on the last Monday in January, or within a month of that date.
(2)	The Secretary shall give notice of that meeting to all Societies and groups for communication to their members in writing and by such other means as he or she shall see fit, not less than a week before the date of the meeting.
(3)	If three or more member Societies require this, a General Meeting may be held at any time in the year. The societies must specify the business to be transacted at such a meeting. The Secretary shall give notice of such a General Meeting in accordance with rule G(2), in addition indicating the business to be transacted.
(4)	The powers of a General Meeting include the removal of officers, making changes to this constitution and determining the basis of any levy under rules E(1) and E(3).
(5)	At a General Meeting, the President, or in his or her absence the Chairman, or in his or her absence the Deputy Chairman, shall preside. If none of these is available, the Secretary shall take the chair so that the meeting, as its first business, may appoint a chairman for the meeting.
(6)	Every matter shall be determined by a majority of votes of the members present and voting on the question but in the case of equality of votes the chairman of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote.
(7)	The Secretary shall prepare and make available to the meeting an agenda comprising business which is required to be transacted under this constitution or of which notice has been given. The meeting shall have power to vary the order of business.
(8)	The Secretary shall keep minutes, in books kept for the purpose, of the proceedings at General Meetings. These minutes shall be presented to subsequent General Meetings for their approval as a correct record.
(9)	A General Meeting may from time to time make and alter rules for the conduct of its business. No rule may be made which is inconsistent with this constitution.
(10)	A General Meeting may appoint working parties as it sees fit: provided that all acts and proceedings of any such working party shall be reported to the subsequent Delegates' Meeting or General Meeting.
H 	Delegates' Meetings
(1)	Delegates' Meetings shall be held on the last Monday in April, July and October, or within a month of these dates, unless a General Meeting has been summoned to meet within that period.
(2)	The Secretary shall give notice of Delegates' Meetings to all Societies and groups for communication to their individual members in writing and by such other means as he or she shall see fit, not less than a week before the date of the meeting.
(3)	If three or more member Societies require this, or if the Secretary decides that this is necessary for urgent reasons, an additional Delegates' Meeting may be held at any time in the year.
(4)	A General Meeting or Delegates' Meeting shall have power to decide that an additional Delegates' Meeting be held, or to specify the circumstances under which the Secretary must summon it. 
(5)	In the case of an additional Delegates' Meeting, the Secretary shall in giving notice of that meeting indicate the business to be transacted.
(6)	The powers of a Delegates' Meeting are all those powers of the Association not reserved to a General Meeting under other rules.
(7)	At a Delegates' Meeting, the Chairman, or in his absence the Deputy Chairman, shall preside. If neither is available, the Secretary shall take the chair so that the meeting, as its first business, may appoint a chairman for the meeting.
(8)	There shall be a quorum when at least four member Societies are represented.
(9)	Every matter shall be determined by a majority of votes of the Delegates present and voting on the question, except that on matters relating to NSALG grants or National Society business, discussion and voting is restricted to those who are members under rule E(1). In the case of equality of votes the chairman of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote.
(10)	Every officer of the Association (except the President, Chairman, Deputy Chairman and Auditor) shall report briefly on their activity to each Delegates' Meeting. 
(11)	The Secretary shall prepare and make available to the meeting an agenda comprising business which is required to be transacted under this constitution or of which notice has been given. The meeting shall have power to vary the order of business.
(12)	The Secretary shall keep minutes, in books kept for the purpose, of the proceedings at meetings of the Delegates' Meeting. These minutes shall be presented to a subsequent Delegates' Meeting for approval as a correct record.
(13)	The Delegates' Meeting may from time to time make and alter rules for the conduct of their business. No rule may be made which is inconsistent with this constitution. 
(14)	The Delegates' Meeting may appoint working parties as it sees fit: provided that all acts and proceedings of any such working party shall be reported to the subsequent Delegates' Meeting or General Meeting.
I 	Officers not to be personally interested
(1)	The officers of the Association should not make personal gain from contracts made by the Association. 
J 	Finance
(1)	The funds of the Association, including all donations, contributions and bequests, shall be paid into an account operated in the name of the Association at such bank as a General Meeting or Delegates' Meeting shall from time to time decide. More than one such account may be operated. Either meeting has authority to pass such resolutions as the bank may require.
(2)	All cheques drawn on the account must be signed by the Treasurer and one other officer.
(3)	The funds belonging to the Organisation shall be applied only in furthering the objects in C above in accordance with the powers in D above.  
(4)	The Treasurer may, notwithstanding rule J(1), sanction the retention of a cash float for the purposes of sale of donated goods to the public.
(5)	The accounting year of the Association shall be from 1 October to 30 September. The accounts shall be prepared on an accruals basis.
(6)	The Treasurer shall present interim accounts of any trading function operated under rule D(2) and for the Association as a totality every six months to a subsequent Delegates' Meeting. The expenses of the Trading Secretary and other officers associated with trading functions are a charge against the relevant function.
(7)	The Treasurer shall submit accounts to the appointed auditor not later than 31 December after the year of account.
(8)	The appointed auditor shall report on the accounts to the Annual General Meeting. He or she shall have power to address the Meeting if he or she believes it necessary to do so.
(9)	The appointed auditor has right of access to all financial records at all reasonable times for the purpose of his or her audit.
K 	Property
(1) 	The Treasurer and Secretary shall maintain a list of all long-term assets owned by the Association.
(2)	The appointed auditor shall report on any deficiency in this list. 
(3)	The Treasurer and Secretary shall report at least annually on the arrangements for storage, custody and insurance of such assets.
L 	Alterations to the Constitution
(1)	The Constitution may be altered by a resolution passed by not less than two thirds of the members present and voting at a General Meeting. The notice of the General Meeting must include notice of the resolution, setting out the terms of the alteration proposed. 
M 	Dissolution
The Association may be dissolved by a resolution passed by not less than two thirds of the members present and voting at a General Meeting. The notice of the General Meeting must include notice of the resolution to dissolve. If the proposal is confirmed by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting the officers then in post shall have power to realise any assets held by or on behalf of the Association. Any assets remaining after the satisfaction of any proper debts and liabilities shall be given or transferred to the member Societies in proportion to their membership, or failing that to the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners. 
O	NSALG
usiness shall be conducted in accordance with the NSALG rules for groups as presented in Addendum 1