Constitution | Wolvercote Commoners' Committee

WOLVERCOTE COMMONERS’ CONSTITUTION

1. It is necessary and sufficient that a Wolvercote Commoner be a resident within the Parish of Wolvercote as defined by its boundaries on the 5th March 1929. Any Commoner who is on the Electoral Register shall have the right to vote at a meeting of Wolvercote Commoners.

2. In order to represent the Wolvercote Commoners as a whole a COMMITTEE shall be appointed arid this defines its function its appointment and its management:

a) Function

The Committee shall

i) seek to protect and preserve the Common Rights in the Parish;

ii) deal with all matters pertaining thereto (e.g. Grazing Rights);

iii) foster and maintain interest in such amenities as exist in the Parish and

iv) consider the addition and adoption of further amenities etc. as, and when, their proposal shall be presented in a proper manner for their consideration.

b) Appointment and Title

The Committee shall be known as

THE WOLVERCOTE COMMONERS’ COMMITTEE.

It shall consist in sixteen Ordinary Members and certain Life Members. Ordinary Members shall be elected from among the Wolvercote Commoners by a proper ballot and shall serve for a period of three years at the termination of which none shall be barred from re-election. One third of the Committee shall retire each year and be eligible for re-election, those to retire in the first year and in the second year to be chosen by lot (or similar random means) by the committee itself. Thereafter each member will retire and be eligible for re-election at the end of his/her three year period. Life Members shall be elected from among the Wolvercote Commoners as a whole by a proper ballot.

c) Management of Wolvercote Commoners’ Committee

The Wolvercote Commoners may at a General Meeting elect by a proper ballot the following officers, each of whom shall be proposed and seconded for election by Wolvercote Commoners:

A Chairman, a Vice-Chairman, a Secretary, an Assistant Secretary and a Treasurer.

Those eligible for election as officer shall be ordinary or life-members of the Committee and shall

a) in the case of ordinary members hold office for the remainder of their three-year period as a member of the Committee, at the termination of which none shall be barred from re-election

b) in the case of life-members shall hold office for three years from the date of election as officer at the termination of which none shall be barred from re-election

3. The Secretary shall call all meetings as required, making a true record of proceedings in the form of minutes. The Secretary shall supervise all business, keeping books and records of Committee proceedings. The Secretary shall also deal with correspondence and matters that arise between Ordinary Meetings of the Committee.

4. The Treasurer shall keep account of all income and expenditure and shall submit properly audited accounts at the Annual General Meeting. Banking accounts shall be in the name of the Committee and withdrawals therefrom must be made in the name of the Committee on the signature of the Treasurer.

5. An Auditor, not being a member of the Committee, shall be appointed annually at the Annual General Meeting to Audit the accounts and books of the Committee.

6. Five members of the Wolvercote Commoners’ Committee shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of Committee business.

7. A member’s seat on the Committee shall be forfeit where that member has failed to attend TWO consecutive Ordinary Meetings without reasonable cause of excuse.

8. Ordinary Meetings of the Committee shall be held at least once every two months. Extraordinary Meetings of Committee shall be called as required.

9. The Committee shall have the power to appoint a sub-committee from among its members and shall prescribe the functions of any sub-committee.

10. Vacancies on the Committee may be filled by co-option by the Committee. Any person so co-opted shall serve only until the next Annual General Meeting and then retire but may be nominated for election as a new member of the Committee.

11. Alteration of the Constitution may only be made at the Annual General Meeting. No alteration or amendment may be made to the objects clause that could cause the Committee to cease to be a Charity at Law.

12. An Annual General Meeting shall be called to keep the Commoners informed of the past year’s work.

13. On dissolution of the Committee any assets remaining after debts and liabilities have been settled will be given for benefit of a local Charity at Law.

14. Any matter not provided for in the Constitution shall be dealt with by the Committee whose decision shall prevail until the next Annual General Meeting or other General Meeting called to deal with the matter.

15. Any proposals to alter the Constitution must be before the Secretary fourteen days before the date of the Aimual General Meeting.

It is stressed that in performing its functions the Wolvercote Commoners’ Committee as a properly elected body shall represent Wolvercote Commoners with impartiality and will strive to act in the best interests of the Wolvercote Commoners as a whole.

AB/SEH 14/10/80

Agreed AGM 11/12/80