1. Name

The name of the group shall be Kempston Climate Change Group.

2. Aims

The aims of Kempston Climate Change Group will be:

  • We aim to reduce Kempston’s environmental impact and carbon footprint.
  • We aim to encourage and promote local environmental projects and green spaces.
  • We aim to provide local businesses and residents with ideas and information on how they can live more sustainably.

The group will only undertake activities in line with its aims that have been agreed by the committee.

3. Membership

Membership is open to anyone who:

  • lives or works in Kempston and the surrounding area; and
  • supports the aims of Kempston Climate Change Group

Membership will begin as soon as the membership form has been received.

Any annual membership fee will be agreed at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and will be payable by all members.

A list of all members will be kept by the membership secretary.

Ceasing to be a member

Members may resign at any time in writing to the secretary.

Any member who has not paid their membership fee (if applicable) for one year will be contacted by the committee, who will then decide whether that member is deemed to have resigned.

Any offensive behaviour, including racist, sexist or inflammatory remarks, will not be permitted. Anyone behaving in an offensive way or breaking the equal opportunities policy may be asked not to attend further meetings or to resign from the group if an apology is not given or the behaviour is repeated. The individual concerned shall have the right to be heard by the management committee, accompanied by a friend, before a final decision is made.

4. Equal Opportunities

Kempston Climate Change Group will not discriminate on the grounds of sex, race (including colour, ethnic or national origin), sexual orientation, disability, gender reassignment, religious or political belief, pregnancy or maternity, marital status or age.

5. Officers and committee

The business of the group will be carried out by a Committee elected at the Annual General Meeting. The Committee will meet as necessary and not less than four times a year.

The Committee will consist of up to 8 members, of whom 4 will be officers. Up to 2 additional members may be co-opted onto the committee at the discretion of the committee.

The officers’ roles are as follows:

  • Chair, who shall chair both general and committee meetings (in the absence of the chair another officer will be appointed to chair meetings).
  • Secretary, who shall be responsible for the taking of minutes and the distribution of all papers
  • Membership secretary, who shall be responsible for keeping records of members
  • Treasurer who shall be responsible for maintaining accounts

In the event of an officer standing down during the year a replacement will be elected by the next General Meeting of members.

Any committee member not attending a meeting without apology for two meetings will be contacted by the committee and asked if they wish to resign.

6. Meetings

6.1. Annual General Meetings

An Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held within fifteen months of the previous AGM.

All members will be notified in writing at least three weeks before the date of the meeting (which may be online), giving the venue, date and time.

Nominations for the committee may be made to the Secretary at least one week before the meeting, or at the meeting.

The quorum for the AGM will be 50% of the membership or 10 members, whichever is the lower.

At the AGM:-

  • The Committee will present a report of the work of Kempston Climate Change Group over the year.
  • The Committee will present the accounts of Kempston Climate Change Group for the previous year.
  • The officers and Committee for the next year will be elected.
  • Any proposals given to the Secretary at least seven days in advance of the meeting will be discussed.

6.2 Special General Meetings

The Secretary will call a Special General Meeting at the request of the majority of the committee or at least eight other members giving a written request to the Chair or Secretary stating the reason for their request.

The meeting will take place within twenty-one days of the request.

All members will be given two weeks’ notice of such a meeting, giving the venue (which may be online), date, time and agenda, and notice may be by telephone, email or post.

The quorum for the Special General Meeting will be 50% of the membership or ten members, whichever is the lower.

6.3 Committee Meetings

Committee meetings may be called by the Chair or Secretary. Committee members must receive notice of meetings at least seven days before the meeting.

Quoracy will be defined as four members of the committee, of which at least two must be officers.

The Committee meetings will be open to any member of Kempston Climate Change Group wishing to attend, who may speak but not vote.

7. Rules of Procedure for meetings

All questions that arise at any meeting will be discussed openly and the meeting will seek to find general agreement that everyone present can agree to.

If a consensus cannot be reached a vote will be taken and a decision will be made by a simple majority of members present. If the number of votes cast on each side is equal, the chair of the meeting shall have an additional casting vote.

8. Finances

An account will be maintained on behalf of the Association at a bank agreed by the committee. Three signatories will be nominated by the Committee (one to be the Treasurer).  The signatories must not be related nor members of the same household.

All payments will be signed by two of the signatories.

  • Where possible, two signatures will authorise a payment.
  • Where it is not possible for two signatures to direct authorise the payment, a requisition note will signed by two signatories, and held by the treasurer.

Records of income and expenditure will be maintained by the Treasurer and a financial statement given at each meeting.

All money raised by or on behalf of Kempston Climate Change Group is only to be used to further the aims of the group, as specified in item 2 of this constitution.

9. Amendments to the Constitution

Amendments to the constitution may only be made at the Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting.

Any proposal to amend the constitution must be given to the Secretary in writing at least seven days before. The proposal must then be circulated with the notice of meeting.

Any proposal to amend the constitution will require a two thirds majority of those present and entitled to vote.

10. Dissolution

If a meeting, by simple majority, decides that it is necessary to close down the group it may call a Special General Meeting to do so. The sole business of this meeting will be to dissolve the group.

If it is agreed to dissolve the group, all remaining money and other assets, once outstanding debts have been paid, will be donated to a local charitable organisation. The organisation will be agreed at the meeting which agrees the dissolution.

This constitution was agreed at the Inaugural General Meeting of the Kempston Climate Change Group on Monday 30th January 2023.