CONSTITUTION

 

1. Name

 

1.1    The name of the action group will be North Ealing Against HS2 (‘NEAHS2’)

 

2. Aims and objectives

 

2.1    The principal aims and objectives of NEAHS2 will be to:

 

  • campaign against the Department for Transport (‘DfT’) proposals for a new High Speed Rail scheme (‘HS2’) as announced by the Secretary of State for Transport on 10 January 2012 (the ‘Current HS2 Proposals’) through the affected northern electoral wards of the London Borough of Ealing - Northolt Mandeville, Greenford Green, Perivale, Hanger Hill and East Acton (together ‘North Ealing’)
  • campaign for alteration to the route of HS2 as set out in the Current HS2 Proposal
  • campaign for improved mitigation, route realignment and compensation for residents, businesses, community and environmental organisations in North Ealing (‘Affected Parties’) if HS2 is constructed according to the Current HS2 Proposals, specifically for HS2 to be tunnelled under all or most of North Ealing;
  • facilitate better access to information relating to Current HS2 Proposals for Affected Parties;
  • provide a united and effective voice for Affected Parties and facilitate effective communication channels and campaign engagement for any affiliated or non affiliated individuals and organisations wishing to oppose Current HS2 Proposals.

 

3. Membership

 

3.1       Membership will consist of officers, general volunteers and non management members.

3.2    Members may be appointed at any time by any officer or general volunteer.

         provided that their name and contact details are given to the Chairman or Vice Chairman.

3.3    Officers and general volunteers will be responsible for undertaking active NEAHS2

         campaign work.

3.4    All members will be subject to the regulations of this Constitution and by joining NEAHS2 will   

         be deemed to accept these regulations.

3.5      All present and future members will receive fair and equal treatment.

3.6      All members will be unpaid.

 

4. Officers of NEAHS2

 

4.1    The officers of NEAHS2 will include a:

 

  • Chairman – who will chair and call resolutions at NEAHS2 meetings, uphold this Constitution, provide the main point of communication and represent NEAHS2 in its dealings with external stakeholders, maintain the membership list, and generally steer the direction of campaign;
  • Vice Chairman – who will perform the roles of the Chairman in the Chairman’s absence;
  • Treasurer – who shall open and maintain the NEAHS2 bank account, issue cheques, co-ordinate fundraising, and maintain an up to date set of income and expenditure accounts to be circulated to NEAHS2 officers and other donors or NEAHS2 contributors on request;
  • Secretary – who will keep minutes of all NEAHS2 meetings and meetings attended by NEAHS2 and circulate these as appropriate;
  • Media and Publicity Officer – who will communicate with the press, and co-ordinate NEAHS2’s local publicity and information objective; and a
  • Website and Social Media Officer – who will maintain the NEAHS2 website, Twitter account and publicise the concerns and promote the aims and objectives of NEAHS2 on social network websites such as Facebook as well as any number of Local Representatives from particular affected wards or parts of North Ealing wishing to represent those wards or parts

 

4.2       The officers will be formally appointed to their roles at the Annual General Meeting (‘AGM’) or  an Extraordinary General Meeting (‘EGM’) of NEAHS2 and until such time will be deemed to have performed their roles by virtue of their particular contributions to NEAHS2, self-reference and reference by other members of NEAHS2

 

5. Meetings

 

5.1       NEAHS2 shall hold two types of meetings: AGMs and EGMs; and Management Committee

Meetings

5.2       AGMs and EGMs will be:

  • open to all members of NEAHS2;
  • held once a year (AGMs) and if and when it may be necessary for all members of NEAHS2 to meet together (EGMS);
  • convened by any member of NEAHS2, who will be responsible for giving at least two weeks (14 days) notice to all NEAHS2 members of the time and venue of the AGM or EGM; and
  • the quorum for passing a resolution at any AGM will be at least 10 members

5.3       Management Committee Meetings will be:

  • held regularly and at least once a month;
  • open to all officers and general volunteers of NEAHS2;
  • convened by any officer or general volunteer of NEAHS2 with at least one weeks (seven days) notice to all NEAHS2 officers and general volunteers;
  • responsible for terminating the membership of any member who is found to infringe this Constitution or compromises the aims and objectives of NEAHS2 outlined in 2.1 above; and
  • the quorum for passing a resolution at any Management Committee Meeting will be at least 3 officers including the Chairman or Vice Chairman

 

6. Finance

 

6.1       All NEAHS2 income will be kept in an account held in the name of NEAHS2

6.2       The Treasurer will be responsible for the finances of NEAHS2 in accordance with his roles detailed in 4.1 above

6.3       The financial year of NEAHS2 will end on 5 April

6.4       A statement of the annual accounts will be presented by the Treasurer at the AGM

6.5       Any cheques drawn against club funds will hold the signatures of the Treasurer or Chairman.

 

7. Political neutrality

 

7.1    NEAHS2 will have no party political affiliation.

7.2    Aside from opposing Current HS2 Proposals NEAHS2’s officers, general volunteers and non management members will maintain a position of political impartiality at all times when representing NEAHS2.

 

8. Affiliations

 

8.1    NEAHS2 is affiliated with, but not limited to, the following organisations:

  • Stop HS2
  • HS2 Action Alliance
  • Hillingdon Against HS2
  • Pan Camden HS2 Alliance
  • Harefield Against HS2
  • Denham Against HS2
  • The Selborne Society (trustees of Perivale Wood)
  • Greenford District Scouts
  • The Woodlands Management Company (Perivale) Limited
  • North Greenford Residents’ Association
  • Northolt Village Residents’ Association
  • North Northolt Neighbourhood Watch

 

9. Dissolution

 

A resolution to dissolve NEAHS2 may only be passed at an AGM or EGM through a simple majority vote of the membership.

 

10. Amendments to the constitution

 

The constitution will only be changed through agreement by a simple majority vote of those present at an AGM or EGM.

 

11. Declaration

 

NORTH EALING AGAINST HS2 hereby adopts and accepts this constitution as a current operating guide regulating the actions of members