A full copy of BGA constitution, addendum and minute of meetings are available by;
email: [email protected]
or from Woodside Library, 343 St Georges Road, Glasgow, G3 6JQ
CONSTITUTION. Amended at First AGM, October 2016 & at Fifth AGM August 2022
1. Name: The name of the Association is: Burnbank Gardens Association (BGA)
2. Area
The Association covers the following defined geo
graphical area:
Burnbank Gardens
Burnbank Terrace
Napiershall Street: Nos: 2,4,5,11,12,15,20,22,23,24,25,28. Cromwell Street. Nos: 2,4,6,10,12,14,20,22,26,28,30,34,36,38,42,46,52,54.
3. The aims of the Association are:
a) To represent the interests of, and promote membership to all tenants and residents within the defined area. b) To promote the interests and rights of tenants/residents and to encourage them to be more actively involved in tenant participation and self-assessment. c) To endeavor to inform and consult tenants/residents on issues concerning the community, environment and housing. d) To work towards improving the quality of life for local people and their community. e) To assist and promote social activities for recreation and enjoyment, and
encourage a community spirit and sense of responsibility. f) To safeguard the interests of tenants/residents within the area on matters concerning
housing standards, community safety and the general environment of the area to the
benefit of the local community. g) To be non-party political. To uphold equal opportunities and work for good relations
among all members of the community, specifically prohibiting any conduct which
discriminates or harasses on the grounds of race, religion, political beliefs, disabilities,
sex, age or sexual orientation. h) To represent the majority view of the community. i) To take into account the views of children and young people who are not old enough to be voting members.
4. Membership
a) Membership of the association is open to all residents living in the defined area of the association over the age of 16. b) Members will be informed how to access a copy of the constitution, details of committee and general meetings and how to influence the agenda. c) Membership shall be free. d) Associate membership is open to people who do not live in the Association area, but who
are interested in helping the Association achieve its aims. The Committee will
decide whether to grant associate member status, and whether or not to grant
Associate member voting rights as and when it occurs. The number of Associated
Members will be limited to 10. e) Every member living in the Association area will have the chance to vote at open meetings. f) Voting membership on the Committee will end when a member stops living in the area represented, dies or resigns, unless the Committee decides to grant associate membership as in 4 d)
g) In the event of breaches of the Constitution or Code of Conduct, membership of the Association can be suspended or ended by a two thirds majority vote of the Committee (of those present). h) Notification of suspension of a committee member must be given in writing to the member with a copy of the Constitution attached. i) Appeal procedure: see Addendum 3.
5. The Committee
a) The Chairperson will provide a report at the AGM on the year’s activities. b) The Committee shall have a minimum of the following officers: a
Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer. (The Committee shall have the
power to appoint if they wish a Vice-Chairperson, Vice Secretary and
Vice-Treasurer). Committee members shall be elected at an Annual
General Meeting. The Committee will be contacted through the Secretary. c) Committee members shall be elected at an Annual General Meeting (AGM). d) Should any committee member fail to attend three consecutive committee meetings
without tendering apologies, the committee may, at its discretion terminate that person’s
committee membership. e) The office of Chairperson shall not be held by any one person for more than four
consecutive years; an exception could be made by majority vote in the event that there is
no vice-chair or committee member available to take on the role. f) The office of Secretary and Treasurer shall not be held by any one person for more than
four consecutive years; an exception could be made by majority vote in the event that there
is no member available to take on the role. g) The Committee shall have a minimum of five (5) and a maximum of ten (10)
members at any one time. h) There shall be only one signatory committee member per household. i) The Committee may appoint sub-committees to carry out the activities of the
Association. Sub-committees shall be directly accountable to the Committee. The Committee will agree in advance the terms of reference for any sub-committees, which
may then act and apply any finance raised within these terms. At least one member shall sit
on any sub-committee of the Association. j) All sub-committees shall keep proper accounts and records of all meetings to be made
available as required to the Committee or general meeting. The Committee or general
meeting may dissolve any sub-committees. Any accounts, records or assets of the
sub-committee of the Association will pass to the Committee. k) Any vacancies on the Committee may be filled by co-opting members with full voting
rights at a committee meeting or general meeting or AGM. l) Committee members shall declare any potential conflict of interest and withdraw from
discussion and voting where appropriate. m) The quorum for Committee meetings shall be four (4) or half the number of
serving committee members. This quorum should also be applied when making
decisions other than at meetings. n) The Committee has the power to make decisions using electronic media outside of
committee meetings. Any vote held by electronic or other means must be logged and
recorded by the Secretary and formally approved at the next meeting (general or committee). o) Committee meetings may be called by the Chairperson and Secretary, or at the
request of one third of committee members. At least seven (7) days’ notice must be given. p) A minimum of six (6) committee meetings will be held in each calendar year.
6. Duties of the Officers
a) All the officers of the Association have a duty to further all the aims of the Association. b) The Chair shall conduct the meetings of the Association. If the Chair is absent, the
Vice-Chair or other committee member will take over. c) The Secretary is responsible for convening all meetings and giving the relevant notice to
members. The Secretary shall ensure that a proper record is kept of all meetings of the
Association, its committees and sub-committees in the form of minutes. The Secretary
shall keep a record of all correspondence, consultation and activities carried out on
behalf of the Association, and provide them as required by the Committee or general
meetings. The Secretary shall maintain a register of committee members and paid up (if
applicable) members of the Association. d) The Treasurer shall oversee all banking and financial arrangements outlined in part 12,
Finance. Be responsible for keeping proper accounts of income and expenditure and
report on the Associations financial matters to the Committee and AGM. All cheques
must be signed by the Treasurer and one other committee member. e) Any officer delegated to represent the Association in consultation with any other body
shall act on the instructions of the Association and shall report back to the Committee or
general meeting whichever is the sooner. f) The named officer for consultation will be responsible for ensuring that when responses
are made they are representative of the views of the Association and not those of an
individual. The named officer will keep a record of responses and provide them as
required by the Committee or general meetings.
7. Meetings
a) The Association shall hold an AGM once each calendar year and not more than fifteen
Months (15) shall pass between one AGM and the next. b) The AGM shall agree the minutes of the last AGM. Receive an Annual Report from the
Committee. Present an audited statement of accounts to members. Elect committee
members. Agree dates for membership fees (if any). Votes on amendments to the
Constitution. Consider any solution put forward by members. The AGM will be
independently facilitated. c) Any member over the age of sixteen (16) shall be entitled to stand for election to the
Committee, except for any youth committees where members under the age of 16 can
stand. d) Nominations for the Committee must be received by the Secretary in writing at least three
days before the meeting, unless the Committee makes a decision to accept nominations
at the AGM. e) Nominees should be present at the AGM unless they are unable to attend due to illness,
holiday, etc. at the discretion of the Committee. The Secretary must be informed before the
meeting. f) An independent observer shall attend each AGM and confirm that the meeting was arranged
and conducted in accordance with the Association’s Constitution. The independent
observer may be one of the following: an elected Councillor, a Council Officer, a Committee
representative from another Resident’s Association or equivalent organization. g) Not less than seven (7) days’ notice shall be given of the AGM. Notifications will be
displayed on public noticeboards in the Association’s area; on members’ building
noticeboards; inside entrances to members’ buildings and main door properties. h) The quorum for the AGM will be twelve (12)
8. Special General Meetings
a) A special general meeting may be called by the Committee or if requested by at least
twelve (12) members of the Association.
9. General Meetings
a) General meetings are open to all people living in the defined area. Everyone from the
Defined area present is entitled to vote on proposals put forward. Associate members
may also attend and those with voting rights are entitled to vote on proposals put forward. b) Decisions of the General Meeting shall be binding on the Committee
c) Not less than seven (7) days’ notice shall be given of a General Meeting. Notifications will
be displayed on public noticeboards in the Association’s area; on members’ building
noticeboards; inside entrances to members’ buildings and main door properties. d) The quorum for a general meeting shall be a minimum of twelve (12) people including
committee members. e) If a member believes an item to be of a confidential nature this must be made known to the
Chairperson before commencement of business. The Committee must decide if the item is
to be discussed in a closed session at the end of the general meeting.
10. Voting
a) Decisions at meetings (except those dealing with alterations to the Constitution) shall be
taken by a simple majority of those voting, including any proxy votes. b) The named proxy must be a general committee member. The Secretary must be
informed of the proxy not later than three (3) days before the meeting. Each member has
one vote. c) In the event of a tie of the vote the Chairperson of the meeting shall have the casting
vote. The Chairperson of the meeting shall not otherwise vote on any resolution. d) Counted vote is needed and the numbers shall be counted and recorded in the minutes. e) Alterations to the Constitution require a two-third majority of those present and voting
at a general meeting. Full details of proposed changes must be circulated at the next
general meeting. f) Conflict of interest must be declared. A member who declares conflict of interest should
then withdraw from the discussion and voting on the issue in question.
11. Minutes
a) All formal meetings must be minuted and the minutes formally approved by the next
Meeting (committee or general).
12. Finance
a) An accurate record of income and expenditure must be produced each year at the AGM
to be made available to all members on request. b) Accounts should be open to inspection by members on request. c) All monies raised by or on behalf of the Association shall be applied to further the aims
of the Association and for no other purpose. d) The Association will carry out any appropriate external scrutiny and an independent
inspection of the accounts as required by current legislation. e) Account(s) must be open in the name of the Association. Cheques, transfers and other
banking instruments or instructions shall be signed by the Treasurer and at least one (1)
other signatory who must also be members of the Committee. f) Signatories must not be related to, or be members of, the same household or be close
family members. g) Proper records of all transactions including petty cash transactions must be kept. h) Finances raised for or on behalf of any sub-committee must be applied only within the
terms agreed by the Association Committee.
13. Dissolution
a) The Association may only be dissolved by a special meeting called for that purpose. Such a
meeting shall come about following a proposal in writing by a simple majority by those
remaining in membership being submitted to the Secretary. b) Not less than twenty one (21) days’ notice shall be given of the AGM. Notifications will be
displayed on public noticeboards in the Association’s area; on members’ building
noticeboards; inside entrances to members’ buildings and main door properties. Dissolution of the Association shall only take effect if agreed by two thirds of the members
present and voting at that meeting. c) Any assets remaining after meeting liabilities must be distributed among local charities
nominated by that meeting. Outstanding grants have to be disposed of in consultation
with whoever provided the grant. d) Any money received via funding bodies should be returned to the funders in relation to the
funding criteria. e) On dissolution, any documents belonging to the Association shall be disposed of in a manner agreed by that meeting.
