Bishopton Community Council: Constitution

Bishopton Community Council - Constitution

RENFREWSHIRE COUNCIL

SCHEME OF COMMUNITY COUNCILS

1. NAME

The name of the Community Council shall be Bishopton Community Council (referred to as ”the Community Council“ in this document).

2. AREA

The boundaries of the Community Council shall be as shown on the map attached to the Renfrewshire Council’s Scheme for the Establishment of Community Councils (referred to as ”the Scheme“ in this document).

3. OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the Community Council shall be:

(a) to ascertain, co-ordinate and reflect the views of the community which it represents, to liaise with other community groups within the area, and to fairly express the diversity of opinions and outlooks of the people;

(b) to express the views of the community to the Local Authority for the area, to public authorities and other organisations;

(d) to promote the well-being of the community and to foster a community spirit;

(e) to be a means whereby the people of the area shall be able to voice their opinions on any matter affecting their lives, their welfare, their environment, its development and amenity. The Council shall be non-political and non-sectarian.

4. ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

In the discharge of their functions and the conduct of their business, the Community Council shall have regard to their role and responsibilities as set out in Appendix IV to the Scheme for Community Councils approved by Renfrewshire Council and reproduced as an appendix hereto.

5. MEMBERSHIP

The Community Council shall consist of no more than elected or co-opted members as governed by paragraph 7 of the Scheme and as detailed in the Appendix III to the Scheme.

6. ELECTIONS

(a) Method of Election - Elections shall be by the method of election laid down from time to time by Renfrewshire Council.

(b) Qualifications of Candidates and Electors - Candidates and voters at elections to the Community Council must be persons aged 16 years or over resident within the area of the Community Council. (In the case of persons aged between 16 and 18 years of age, such nominations would require to be proposed and seconded by persons on the electoral register for the area of the Community Council).

(c) Frequency of Elections - Elections shall be held every four years in September. All Community Councillors shall retire at each election. Retiring Community Councillors shall be eligible for re-election.

7. CASUAL VACANCIES ON THE COMMUNITY COUNCIL

Where, following any election, an individual, for whatever reason, ceases to be a member and a vacancy arises which does not result in the number of Community Councillors on the Community Council falling below the minimum number as specified in Renfrewshire Council’s Scheme of Community Councils, the Community Council may, if it considers it to be desirable, agree to:-

(a) an extraordinary general meeting be held in order that the vacancy (and any other outstanding vacancies) can be filled, on the basis that such vacancies would be publicised, nominations invited and an election held where the number of candidates exceeded the number of places available.

(b) the filling of a vacancy by co-option with voting rights to a maximum of one third of the total membership of the Community Council as governed by paragraph 7 of Renfrewshire Council’s Scheme for Community Councils.

8. VOTING RIGHTS OF MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL

The right to vote at any meeting of the Community Council or any subcommittee thereof shall be held by all Community Councillors whether elected or co-opted, except those members co-opted for specific issues on a temporary basis, appointed to serve until the date of the next ordinary election.

9. ELECTION OF OFFICE-BEARERS

(a) At the first meeting of the Community Council after elections in the year when elections are held and at the Annual General Meeting in October in the year when elections are not held, the Community Council shall appoint a Chair, Secretary, Treasurer and such other office-bearers as it shall from time to time decide.

(b) All office-bearers shall be elected for one year, but shall be eligible for re-election, without limitation of time.

(c) One member shall not hold more than one of the following offices at any one time: Chairperson, Secretary or Treasurer.

10. SUB-COMMITTEES

The Community Council may appoint such Sub-committees or representatives to other groups when invited to do so as it may from time to time decide and shall determine their composition, terms of reference, duration, duties and powers.

11. MEETINGS OF THE COMMUNITY COUNCIL

(a) The quorum for Community Council meetings shall be at least one third of the total membership or a minimum of three whichever is the greater.

(b) Once in each year in the month of October the Community Council shall convene an Annual General Meeting which may be attended by residents of the area for the purpose of receiving and considering the annual report of the Community Council, the appointment of office bearers, and the submission of the annual audited statement of accounts.

(d) Dates of regular meetings of the Community Council shall be fixed at the first meeting of the Community Council following ordinary elections.

(e) Copies of all Minutes of Meetings of the Community Council and of sub-committees thereof shall be approved at the next following meeting of the Community Council and shall be sent to local councillors, MP’s, MSP’s, MEP’s, and the Director of Corporate Services, Renfrewshire Council.

(f) The Community Council shall have power to draw up standing orders for the proper conduct of its meetings.

12. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN THE WORK OF THE COUNCIL

(a) All meetings of the Community Council and its Sub-committees shall be open to members of the public. Proper provision is to be made for the accommodation of members of the public and the opportunity should be afforded at each meeting to permit members of the public to address the Community Council under the guidance of the Chairman.

(b) Notices calling meetings of the Community Councils and its Subcommittees shall be posted prominently within the Community Council area for a minimum period of seven days before the date of any such meeting, and by other suitable means.

13. INFORMATION TO RENFREWSHIRE COUNCIL

Renfrewshire Council shall be sent a copy of the notice of all meetings. Minutes of all meetings, the annual report, the annual financial statement and such other suitable information, as the Community Council may decide.

14. CONTROL OF FINANCE

(a) All monies raised by or on behalf of the Community Council or provided by Renfrewshire Council and other sources shall be applied to further the objectives of the Community Council and for no other purpose. The monies provided by Renfrewshire Council in the Administrative Grant shall be used for administrative and other approved purposes only. Monies raised from other sources may be used in accordance with the terms of the provision, or, in the absence of such terms, for the furtherance of the objectives of the Community Council.

(b) The treasurer shall keep proper accounts of the finances of the Community Council.

(c) The financial year of the Community Council shall be from 1 September until 31 August the succeeding year. Audited accounts as received and approved by the Community Council at the Annual General Meeting shall be submitted to Renfrewshire Council at the end of each financial year.

(d) An audited statement of accounts for the last financial year shall be submitted to an Annual General Meeting of the Community Council and shall be available for inspection at a convenient location.

15. TITLE TO PROPERTY

Property and other assets belonging to the Community Council shall be vested in the Chair, Secretary and Treasurer of the Community Council and their successors in these respective offices.

16. ALTERATIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION

Any proposal to alter this Constitution must be delivered in writing to the Secretary of the Community Council not less than 28 days prior to the date of the meeting at which it is first to be considered and the terms of the proposed resolution to alter the Constitution shall be stated on the notice calling the meeting which shall be issued not less than fourteen days prior to the meeting. If the resolution is supported by two-thirds of the total voting membership of the Community Council and is approved, in writing by Renfrewshire Council or its appointed officer, the alteration shall be deemed to have been duly authorised.

17. DISSOLUTION

If the Community Council by a two-thirds majority of the total voting membership decides at any time that on the grounds of expense or otherwise it is necessary or advisable to dissolve, it shall agree a date for a public meeting to be held to discuss the proposed resolution to dissolve. It is a requirement that not less than fourteen days prior to the date of such meeting a public notice be given by means of notification in the local newspaper. If the resolution is supported by a majority of those persons present and qualified to vote and is approved by Renfrewshire Council, the Community Council shall be deemed to be dissolved and all assets remaining after the satisfaction of any proper debts or liabilities shall transfer to Renfrewshire Council who shall hold same in Trust for a future Community Council for the area or for such other local organisation, having objects similar to those of the Community Council, which Renfrewshire Council may recognise as an appropriate replacement for the Community Council for the area.

In the event that the Community Council is dissolved under the above procedure, and twenty or more electors subsequently wish the reestablishment of a Community Council for the area, these electors shall submit a requisition to Renfrewshire Council in accordance with Section 52(7) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 on receipt of which the Returning Officer shall arrange for Elections to be held in accordance with the Scheme.

Where for any reason the number of Community Councillors on the Community

Council falls below the minimum specified in the Scheme, Renfrewshire Council may, by suspending the Constitution of the Community Council, cause the Community Council to be dissolved and in this event, the procedures for the establishment of a new Community Council, being those identified in the immediately preceding paragraph hereof, shall be initiated.

17. Adoption and approval of the Constitution

This Constitution was adopted by Bishopton Community Council on January 7th 2002

Signed by:

J Anderson - Chairman

Ian M Earnshaw - Member