Constitution of the Golf Course Allotment Association

This concerns only the Golf Course Allotment Association. If you want the rules concerning your plot (including cultivation and banned materials) then click here.
*As adopted in 1990 and including all alterations and additions up to AGM July 2022.

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RULE 1: THE TITLE of the Association shall be The Golf Course Allotment Association.

RULE 2: THE OBJECTS of the Association shall be to promote allotment cultivation; to promote and encourage leisure and social activities in relation thereto; and to operate a site shop to sell materials to members at the lowest economic price.

RULE 3: THE AFFAIRS of the Association shall be conducted by the following officers: Site Secretary, Chair, Treasurer, Shop Manager, Minutes Secretary, and a committee of up to 12 people, all to be elected annually.

3.1 The posts of Assistant Secretary, Show Secretary, Vice Chair, Probationer Support Advisor, and Assistant Shop Manager shall also be available for election annually, but if those positions are not filled, the right of the Association to act will not be affected in any way.

3.2 The Officers of the Association must be financial members of the Association, and plot holders.

3.3 One seat on the Committee will be available and reserved for a plot holder representative new to the site during the previous year. If this is not filled, it may be taken by another member.

3.4 The duties and obligations of all Officers shall be decided from time to time by the committee.

3.5 The Committee may set up and operate subcommittees when required, as directed by the Chair, who will give terms of reference and reporting back instructions.

RULE 4: MEMBERSHIP of the Association shall be by subscription only, and open only to plot holders, at a subscription to be determined from time to time by the Association at the Annual General Meeting.

4.1 Subscriptions shall be payable in advance and are due on or before 1st January each year. Membership will cease if a subscription is not paid by July 1st. Voting at the AGM, using the shop and participating in any event is dependent on membership.

RULE 5: MEETINGS will be convened by the Chair or another member of the Committee, and Minutes will be kept of all proceedings. Notice of the Annual General Meeting shall be given at least 14 days prior to the date of the meeting, and notice

will include Notices of Motion, Minutes of the previous Meeting, nominations to Office, Agenda, etc., as appropriate.

5.1 Officers of the Association shall give reports of their activities etc., at all meetings, as appropriate.

5.2 An Annual General Meeting must be held each year as soon as practicable after the end of the financial year, but in any case no later than 31st July each year.

5.3 Committee meetings should be held as and when required, with a minimum of 7 per year.

5.4 A Quorum shall consist of 20 members at an Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting, or 7 members at a Committee meeting. Any meeting less than quorate shall be void and no decisions arising therefrom will be binding on the Association.

5.5 Special General Meetings may be called at any time by the Committee or at the request of 20 or more members, in writing, stating the reason. Fourteen days’ notice must be given of any Special General Meeting.

RULE 6: FINANCIAL RECORDS will be kept by all association Officers having contact with the finances of the Association, or handling any monies belonging to the Association. The Treasurer shall be responsible for collating those records, maintaining a satisfactory system of receipts and vouchers, and keeping a set of books so as to enable the financial position of the Association to be determined at any time.

6.1 The books must be audited each year, and Annual Accounts must be presented to the Annual General Meeting each year.

6.2 Two signatories from among the Treasurer, the Site Secretary, the Minutes Secretary, the Chair or the Shop Manager shall be required for all cheques.

6.3 Expenditure over £100 during a single month must be authorised by the committee. Expenditure under £100 during a single month can be authorised by either the Chair, Site Secretary, Treasurer, Minutes Secretary, or Shop Manager (receipts must be provided to the Treasurer as soon as possible).

6.3 The Association’s bankers shall be nominated from time to time by the Annual General Meeting.

6.4 One Auditor, who must not be an Officer, Committee member, or plot holder should be elected at the Annual General Meeting.

RULE 7: POLITICS etc. The Association shall be absolutely non-party political and non-sectarian and operate in a manner that is entirely without ethnic-, national- or gender bias.

RULE 8: ANNUAL SHOW. The Association will hold an Annual Show, circumstances permitting, on the first Sunday in September; the date to be confirmed at the AGM.

RULE 9: AFFILIATIONS. The Association shall have the power to affiliate to other organisations related to gardening and horticulture as decided from time to time by the Committee; but it must be affiliated to the Royal Horticultural Society.

RULE 10: As required by the Council Tenancy Agreement, parents must accompany their children on to the site and supervise them at all times.

RULE 11: RULES. All Officers and members of the Committee shall be issued with a copy of the current rules of the Association, and a copy will be available to members on the website.

RULE 12: DISSOLUTION. In the event of the winding up of the Association, any assets remaining after the payment of all creditors of the Association shall not be distributed to the members of the Association but will be given to the Royal Horticultural Society to be used in any manner which is exclusively charitable by law.

RULE 13: ALTERATION OF CONSTITUTION. No alteration of, or addition to this Constitution, shall be made except by majority present at the Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting.

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