Constituion
INTERIM CONSTITUTION
NAME
The name of the organisation is `Unity Plymouth'.
1. AIM
To promote such purposes as are charitable according to the law of England and Wales for the benefit of Black and Minority Ethnic People living within the county of Plymouth and its surrounding areas.
(Definition: Black and Minority Ethnic (B&ME) refers to people of African, African-Caribbean, South Asian, South East Asian, Chinese and other minority ethnic people who share a common experience of discrimination in the UK on account of their colour, racial or religious origins).
The group (Unity Plymouth) aims to:
i)Unlock funds for B&ME people in the rural and urban areas of Plymouth
ii)To advocate effectively at a county level to ensure that B&ME people within the area are consulted and recognised.
iii)To increase the effectiveness of information for B&ME people in the local area
iv)Provide a county channel of information and representation for the benefit of B&ME people in order that statutory authorities and other agencies identify the funding and policy needs of local B&ME people
2. OBJECTIVES
TO:
i)To have an objective that it is to bring all members of BME Communities together, this includes; Gypsies, Travellers, Parents and Carers of Mixed Heritage Children, Refugees.
Children and Young People, Asylum Seekers and Migrant Workers to provide a voice for the needs of the Black and Minority Ethnic Community living in Plymouth.
ii)Protect and support Cultural and Religious activities through advice, information anc advocacy thus working towards developing safer, stronger communities for all.
iii) Provide a professional service to Black and Minority Ethnic Community needs in relatior to, Housing, Education, Health, Employment, Criminal Justice System, Training, Social Leisure and other Recreational facilities. This service will support an Anti-Racism agenda.The development of Black and Minority Ethnic Forums and a Forum for Black and Minoril Children and Young People throughout Cornwall providing, networks of support, a increased awareness of resources for personal, social and professional development.
Produce a newsletter at regular intervals to include articles about the forum and about the Life of BME groups in Plymouth including cultural and religious events and celebrations.
3. MEMBERSHIP
Unity Plymouth will seek to be a representative network of B&ME people who live within and around rural and urban areas of the county of Plymouth, and any individual B&ME person will be able to join.
Membership of Unity Plymouth is open to any local B&ME person who:
i) recognises and accepts the aims and objectives of Unity Plymouth
ii)meets the membership criteria as agreed by Unity Plymouth
iii)agrees three separate categories of membership as follows:
Category 1.
Black and Minority Ethnic individuals are eligible to join as individual members provided that they are over the age of 18 years. They must also live within the county of Plymouth, or its surrounding areas. Each member has one vote, however meetings at which voting takes place will be open to regular members of the forum only.
Category 2.
Black and minority Ethnic organisations are eligible to become organisational members who operate within the geographical area of Plymouth To be open for eligibility they must be a defined B&ME organisation (more than 80 per cent of their management committee are of B&ME origin), be constituted, have a local accountable body and be not for profit, non-party - political and not locally authority controlled. B&ME organisations have one vote per organisation.
Category 3.
Any other organisation, which is interested in and supports the work of Unity Plymouth, as an associate non-voting member who may be based in the county.
4. OFFICERS
The Honorary Officers of Unity Plymouth will be the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer. The Officers will be elected from amongst themselves at the first meeting following the Annual General Meeting.
5. ROLE AND POWERS OF UNITY PLYMOUTH
The key role of Unity Plymouth is to consider, develop, agree, advocate through a B&ME Forum and disseminate county policy and strategies of relevance to its members and which increase the quality of life for B&ME people. Unity Plymouth will operate transparent and inclusive processes so that all its members can fully engage with all areas of work which are )st relevant and of most interest to them. Meetings of Unity Plymouth will be held at least every six weeks, and will be chaired by the Unity Plymouth Chair, or in the Chair's absence, the Vice-Chair.
6. POWERS
Unity Plymouth can:
i)collaborate and co-operate with other organisations who share similar aims and objectives
ii)raise funds and receive contributions
iii)employ staff (paid and / or voluntary) to supervise, organise and carry on the work of. Unity Plymouth
iv)undertake any other activity within the law to further develop its aims and objectives
v)establish issue-based sub working groups to develop specific B&ME policies for the county
vi)draw such sub working groups together from members who have identified interests in specific issue areas, but will be open to all voting members
vii)consider for adoption draft policies as considered and recommended by sub working groups
viii) exercise its right not to accept any organisation or individual person as a member and terminate membership of an individual or organisation (following due investigation and recommendation by the Management Committee)
ix)appoint members of its Management Committee to external bodies (for example, Local Strategic Partnerships)
7. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS / SPECIAL MEETINGS
i)The Annual General Meeting of Unity Cornwall will be held by the (to be inserted) in each year and 21 days notice will be given to all members. Special meetings may be called by the Secretary if requested by the Management Committee or by 10 or more members of Unity Plymouth. 21 days notice, stating the business of the meeting will be given to all members.
ii) The Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall determine theamount of any subscription to be paid by its members.
8. VOTES/QUORUM
i)At the Annual General Meeting and other meetings, every fully paid up member of the organisation shall have one vote (except category 3 members) and in the case of an equality of votes the Chairperson shall have the casting vote. At any meeting that requires decisions to be made there must be a quorum of at least 7 people or 5 per cent of the membership at the time whichever is the greater.
ii)Each member organisation has 1 vote at Unity Plymouth meetings.
iii) Each individual (regular) member has 1 vote at each meeting.
iv) Other organisations (category 3) are not entitled to vote.
9. Unity Plymouth Management Committee (UCMC)
i)The management of Unity Plymouth will be carried out by a Management Committee consisting of the Officers (4) and 10 other people elected by Unity Plymouth membership. Up to four other specialist advisors may be co-opted onto the Management Committee. However, they will not have voting power. The maximum UCMC Management Committee will consist of no more than 14 people.
ii)Everyone on the UCMC will be elected, and declared at the Annual General Meeting.
iii)No-one will be allowed to serve on the UCMC for more than five consecutive years
iv)Co-opted specialist Advisors to the Management Committee shall be decided by the Management Committee, followed by an open nomination process by its membership. If necessary, co-option of a Treasurer may be undertaken directly by the Management Committee, and ratified by the members at its following meeting.
v)If necessary, UCMC may call emergency meetings to discuss urgent issues which might arise from time to time. An emergency meeting may be called at any time by any Officer of the Management Committee provided at least 7 days notice has been given.
vi)The Unity Plymouth Management Committee may invite observers to attend its meetings and such observers may be invited to speak as the UCMC thinks appropriate. Such observers shall have no voting rights at meetings of Unity Plymouth.
vii) The Management Committee may appoint sub — committees as it thinks fit. All subcommittees will be chaired by a Management Committee member.
viii) The management Committee will be responsible for the management and terms and conditions of employment of any paid or voluntary staff.
ix)Any salaried employee of Unity Plymouth cannot be a member of Unity Plymouth.
Unity Plymouth Meetings
Unity Plymouth will meet at least every six weeks. Each member of Unity Plymouth will have 1 vote, and in the case of an equality of votes the Chairperson will also have a casting vote. At least one third of Unity Plymouth's membership will be a quorum.
10. Finance
i)All funds raised by or on behalf of Unity Plymouth will be used to progress the aims and objectives of the organisation.
ii)The appointed treasurer will maintain proper accounts for Unity Plymouth.
iii)The accounts will be audited at least once a year by the Auditor appointed at the Annual General Meeting (AGM).
iv)An audited statement of the accounts for the last financial year will be submitted by Unity Plymouth to the Annual General Meeting.
v)All sums collected or donated to Unity Plymouth will be handed over to the treasurer who will pay the same into a bank account in the name of Unity Plymouth.
vi)All cheques will be signed by at least two people who are authorised by Unity Plymouth.
11. Financial Year
The financial year of Unity Plymouth will be from the first day of April to the last day of March the next year.
12. Amendments
This constitution may be varied, deleted or added to by a resolution passed by three-quarters majority of Unity Plymouth present a Special General Meeting convened for that purpose, and of which 21 days notice has been given to members of Unity Plymouth.
13. Dissolution
Unity Plymouth may be dissolved only by a resolution passed by three-quarters majority of the members of the organisation present at a Special General Meeting convened for that purpose, and of which 21 days notice has been given to members of the organisation. If a motion to dissolve Unity Plymouth is carried, surplus funds, property and assets (if any) following the settlement of all its debts and liabilities will be given or transferred to an organisation with similar aims and objectives.