NAME

• The name of the organisation will be Aughrim Hall Residents Association (“the association”).

OBJECTIVES

• To safeguard and promote the interest of residents of Aughrim Hall Housing Estate (“the estate”) on matters concerning housing and the environment.
• To support the improvement of living conditions, community facilities and services for residents living in the association’s area.
• To represent the views of residents in the estate.

MEMBERSHIP

• Membership will be open to all residents of the estate, irrespective of tenure.
• Membership will be subject to an annual subscription, as determined and amended, in general meetings of the association.
• Membership will cease immediately upon a person leaving the estate.

THE COMMITTEE

• A chairperson and a committee will be elected at each annual general meeting.
• At each annual general meeting, all committee members will stand down and, subject to clause 4.3 below, may stand for re-election. In electing the new committee, the aim will be to re-elect 50% of the outgoing committee members as office bearers and to elect new committee members to complete the team; the objective being to maintain a balance of experienced and fresh committee members.
• A member may serve on the committee for a continuous period of not more than 5 years.
• The committee will consist of at least three members and may co-opt other members on to the committee, as the need arises, during the course of the year.
• Office bearers in the committee will include a chairperson, secretary and treasurer. The officers will be duly elected at the first meeting of the new committee. No committee member will fill more than one of these positions.
• At least three committee members, including at least one office bearer, must be present for any decision to be made at a committee meeting.
• Committee members must declare any vested interest they may have in a topic under consideration and, at the discretion of the other committee members, will forfeit their rights to participate in discussion and voting on that topic.

GENERAL MEETINGS

• General meetings of the members will be held annually (annual general meeting/AGM) and occasionally, when specific urgent needs arise (extraordinary general meeting).
• Members will be given at least 14 days notice of a general meeting.
• The quorum, for a general meeting, will be a minimum of 15% of members. Committee members may not account for more than half of this number.
• In the annual general meeting, the committee will report on the activities of the association, present the accounts and facilitate election of a new committee.
• Members may speak only through the chair.
• Decisions will be agreed by simple majority, voted in through a show of hands, or a secret ballot.
• Any member, having the written support of 20% of other members, may submit a written request to the committee to call an extraordinary general meeting of the association, stating the purpose of the meeting. The committee will call the meeting within 21 days of this written request.
• The committee may, of its own volition, decide to hold an extraordinary general meeting, as the need arises.
• An agenda will be distributed to the membership before each general meeting. Items for the agenda should be forwarded to the secretary or chairperson seven days before the meeting.
• Meetings will end within the time allotted by the committee and indicated on the agenda unless all of those present agree to an extension
• Minutes will be distributed to the membership, when requested, by email after a meeting.

FINANCES

• The association may generate income, through subscription and functions, to fund its activities.
• All funds will be kept in a bank account in the name of the association or as directed by the requirements of the relevant financial institution holding the account.
• Three committee members will be signatories on the account and all cheques/withdrawals will require two of these signatures.
• Accounts will be kept by the treasurer, and presented at least quarterly to committee meetings or as required from time to time. Failure to present the books when requested will result in the treasurer being replaced.
• All expenditure will be agreed and controlled by the committee. Receipts will be required for all material (i.e. > €10.00) items of expenditure.
• All payments will be made by cheque, in so far as is possible.
• No one will sign a blank cheque; all cheques must be filled in before signatures are added.
• Once a year, the accounts will be presented to the annual general meeting of the association.
• All correspondence of the association, including bank statements, will be addressed to the chairperson or treasurer as appropriate.

LEASES AND AGREEMENTS

• As trustees for and on behalf of the association and subject to the approval of a general meeting, the chairperson, secretary and treasurer, may enter into leases and agreements to further the objectives of the association. Such leases and agreements will be transferred to their elected successors.

CHANGES TO CONSTITUTION

• This constitution may only be changed at a general meeting. Any proposal to alter the constitution should be sent to the secretary at least 28 days before the meeting. Notice of a proposal to alter the constitution must be published in the agenda. Any alteration to the constitution requires a two-thirds majority of those present and voting.

DISSOLUTION OF THE ASSOCIATION

• The association may be dissolved by a special meeting called for that purpose. All members must be informed that a proposal to dissolve the association will be on the agenda.
• A proposal to dissolve the association may be carried if agreed by two-thirds of the members present or if the association is unable to form a committee.
• Any assets remaining after meeting liabilities must be donated to local charities or other community association with similar aims of the association nominated and approved by that meeting.
• On dissolution, any documents belonging to the association will be disposed of in a manner agreed by that meeting.

This constitution was adopted at a committee meeting of the Aughrim Hall Residents Association on 16^th November 2016, having been ratified at the AGM of the Association on 9^th November 2016.

Chairperson, Seamus Cramer 

Secretary, Mary MacBride

Treasurer, Pat MacBride