Constitution

of the

FRIENDS of PENNARD LIBRARY

1. NAME

• The organisation will be called “Friends of Pennard Library” (hereafter referred to as either Friends or FoPL)

2. OBJECTIVES

a. Advocacy

• To promote and publicise Pennard Library within the community
• To foster understanding of how the Pennard Library service will be run and funded
• To liaise with and lobby all local and national Council and Library Authorities regarding  the library service provided to Pennard

b. Support

• To provide a forum for social and cultural activities for Library users, utilising a variety of platforms e.g., newsletters, website, Facebook etc
• To provide a channel for feedback from library users
• To provide assistance with events and activities

c. Fund raising

To raise funds to support the library when necessary through –

•      applying for Grants
•      running a Community Coffee shop
•      hiring of premises
•      holding Book Sales etc
•      promoting ‘Events’

d. Activities   

• To facilitate and encourage greater diversity of usage of the library building
• To act as an independent group dedicated to the promotion and support of the Library Service.
• To enhance/extend the present library buildings to make the library more sustainable
• To provide a programme of activities, ensuring that all publicity material meets the Library Service’s own standards.
• To act as a link between the Library Service and the wider community
• To provide support (within agreed guidelines).
• To carry out all such other lawful things as are deemed necessary.

3. MEMBERSHIP

• Membership shall be open to everyone from the age of 16 – regardless of race, colour, ethnic or national origin, creed, gender, sexual orientation or disability – who is interested in furthering the above purposes of the Association. Those whose subscription is not in arrears and who have been a member for at least six weeks shall be entitled to attend at any meeting of the Association.
• At the discretion of the Executive Committee local organisations and businesses may also become members. Each such organisation shall be entitled to one representative vote.
• All individual members and organisations will have one vote on each resolution at the AGM.
• Members will be asked to pay a nominal annual membership fee which will be determined at the AGM each year.

4. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

• The Committee will consist of a Chairperson, a Treasurer, a Secretary, at least 2 (two) other officers and 1 (one) co-opted staff representative. The committee will have the power to co-opt additional officers as necessary.
• More than half of the Committee must be present to be quorate in order to take major decisions, including changes to annual fees, any membership issues, approval of expenditure over £50.00 and changes to this constitution.   Committee meetings will be held bi-Monthly, or more frequently if deemed necessary
• All Committee members will be entitled to 1 (one) vote per person, although any co-opted committee member will not be able to vote on financial matters (only) until s/he has been such a member for a minimum of 6 (six) weeks.
• All Committee members must declare any  Conflicts of Interest as and when appropriate.
• Only 1 (one) staff representative of Pennard Library may vote at FoPL Committee meetings on any individual issue.
• The Chairperson of the FoPL may use a casting vote at meetings, in the event of a tied vote.
• The Committee will have the power   –   by a quorum majority   –   to remove any officer or member should such officer or member bring the Library or its service into disrepute.
• Committee meetings must be minuted and minutes will be publicly available in the Library.
• Officers of the Committee will be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting of the FoPL, at which Officers may stand for re-election.
• The FoPL Committee will be able to call an Extraordinary General Meeting at any time but members must be advised of the date at least 7 (seven) working days in advance.
• Any two members can call an Extraordinary meeting committee meeting.
• In the event of the retirement or death of an elected officer the vacancy will be filled by nomination by the Committee

5. VOTING

• All paid up Members (q.v. 3. MEMBERSHIP) will have the right to vote   –   1 (one) vote per member   –   at the FoPL Annual General Meeting
• The Chairperson of the FoPL may use a casting vote at meetings, in the event of a tied vote.
• All Committee members will be entitled to 1 (one) vote per person, although any co-opted committee member will not be able to vote on financial matters (only) until s/he has been such a member for a minimum of 6 (six) weeks

6. THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM)

• The FoPL Annual General Meeting will be held in April, and members must be advised of the date at least 14 (fourteen) days in advance of agenda, date, and time of the meeting.
• At each AGM the Committee will:
•      Report on the previous year’s activities
•      Give a financial report for the previous year
•      Hold an election of Committee members
•      Put forward any proposed amendments to this constitution and/or any other properly notified business.
• All decisions will be made by a simple majority.  The Chair of the FoPL may use a casting vote at meetings, in the event of a tied vote.
• The quorum for an AGM shall be one third of current members.

7. FINANCE

• The FoPL will have the power to raise money by grants, donations, fees or other means to fund specific projects to enhance library facilities and services
• All monies raised or profits made from the hire of facilities or sale of goods will be used to manage and maintain the library buildings, increase the facilities and function of the library.
• No member of the committee can benefit from any FoPL profits.
• The Committee shall have the power to open a bank account on behalf of the FoPL.  Cheques issued on this account shall bear the signature of two (out of three) officers, who must not be partners or relatives, for the protection of all concerned
• The Treasurer shall be empowered to pay previously agreed expenses incurred on behalf of the Friends’
• The Treasurer shall present a Financial Report to each Committee meeting.
• The Treasurer shall present an Annual Report of Accounts at the Annual General Meeting
• An auditor shall be appointed at the Annual General Meeting to audit the Friends’ accounts each year.  Officers of the committee may not be auditors.

8. CODES OF CONDUCT
The following code of conduct shall apply to all the association’s meetings:

• The Chair shall seek to ensure that everyone attending or participating in any meeting behaves in a way that does not cause offence, interrupt or intimidate speakers, or disrupt the meeting in any other way. The Chair shall encourage, and the meeting be asked to welcome, participation by anyone not used to speaking in public or whose first language is not English
• In the event of repeated breaches of this code of conduct, the Chair shall recommend to the Committee that the offender’s (or offenders’) membership be annulled.

The Executive Committee may from time to time make and amend rules for the conduct of meetings of the Association and its committees, provided that no rule shall be inconsistent with this Constitution.

9. ADVISORS
Any Friends’ project affecting the library fabric, furniture or fittings will be submitted to a senior library manager for approval

10. INSURANCE
Members of the “Friends of Pennard Library” are covered by public liability insurance when organising and participating in events in the Library, under Library Service supervision.

11. DISSOLUTION

The FoPL can only be dissolved at a General meeting, by a majority of members present.   Dissolution will become effective only after all debts and liabilities have been paid and all remaining assets disposed of, in the manner agreed by the General Meeting.   

In this event any assets remaining after the payment of proper debts will be transferred to a charity of the members’ choice or a voluntary organisation with similar aims.

In the event of the dissolution of the FoPL, any remaining LCF monies would be distributed to an organisation that is enrolled with ENTRUST.

ADOPTION OF THE CONSTITUTION

This constitution was adopted by the members present at the Inaugural meeting held on 30th January 2014, and signed by the Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, and 5 other Committee Members.