FoDRoW Friends of Dorset's Rights of Way

Constitution of the Friends of Dorset's Rights of Way

(Revised 2008)

Name

1. The name of the club shall be the “Friends of Dorset's Rights of Way”, otherwise known as "FoDRoW".

Aims

2. FoDRoW exists to make a positive contribution to all aspects of the public rights of way (PRoW) in Dorset. All PRoW are relevant to FoDRoW but there is a bias to “greenlanes”, that is PRoW with vehicular rights, because these are currently least well served by voluntary organisations.

3. Specifically, FoDRoW will:

3.1. Promote, support and protect the responsible, law abiding and sustainable use of PRoW.

3.2. Organise maintenance work to keep Dorset's PRoW open to legitimate users and re-open blocked or neglected PRoW.

3.3. Contribute to the processes (modifying, diverting, extinguishing, etc) used to accurately record and evolve the PRoW network such that it meets the needs of users while considering other factors, such as landowners and the environment.

4. We recognise that members would enjoy organised social walks, rides or drives, but the size of our membership makes such events impractical. Instead, we will facilitate our member's use of PRoW, encouraging low impact, responsible, law abiding use by small groups on PRoW with known rights. FoDRoW will only organise and lead social events on PRoW in exceptional circumstances and the other aims and rules of the club must take priority.

5. The club is a non-profit making organisation. All profits and surpluses will be used to meet the aims outlined above. Specifically, no profits or surpluses will be distributed to the committee or members.

Membership

6. Membership of FoDRoW shall be open to persons of any age, but children under 16 years of age must be accompanied by a responsible adult at FoDRoW events.

7. Membership of FoDRoW shall be determined by payment of a joining fee, the amount to be determined by the elected committee. There is single type of membership, which can also include partners and children for the same membership fee. Membership lasts for 12 calendar months.

8. When using PRoW all members are required to act in a law abiding, responsible manner that will not bring disrepute to the club or other users of PRoW. The relevant laws, the countryside code and the greenlane code must be adhered to all at times. Members who break the club rules may be asked to leave the club at the discretion of the committee.

9. Expelled club members will not, in normal circumstances, be acceptable for membership reapplication except at the discretion of the committee.

The Committee

10. The club shall be managed by a committee comprising no less than 5 and no more than 11 members.

11. Members will be asked to volunteer to join the committee at each Annual General Meeting. Where more members volunteer than posts exist there will be a democratic vote at the Annual General Meeting where each member present will be entitled to cast as many votes as there are number of posts available on the committee. No member may cast more than one vote for each person. The members with the most votes will be elected to the committee.

12. The committee shall always include a Chairperson, a Secretary, and a Treasurer (the Officers). Other specific roles may be created where appropriate, for example, "RoW Officer" or "Membership Secretary".

13. The committee will organise its own structure and appoint committee members to the Officer posts described above.

14. Where more than one person from a single family membership has a post on the committee they shall each have a vote.

15. Each committee member must stand for re-election at every Annual General Meeting.

16. If a committee member resigns between one Annual General Meeting and the next, or the position otherwise becomes vacant, the committee shall have the power to co-opt a replacement. This replacement will stand for re-election at the Annual General Meeting in the normal way.

Finance

17. The Treasurer will keep a proper record of money received and paid out and will, if requested, submit the record to the inspection of the committee at meetings. The Treasurer will prepare an annual report to be distributed to the club membership at the Annual General Meeting.

18. Members can have access to the accounts at any reasonable time by prior arrangement with the Treasurer.

19. Funds shall be banked in the name of the Friends of Dorset's Rights of Way.

20. The Club’s financial year shall run from 1st September to 31st August each year, at which time the Treasurer shall close the books for the year and prepare accounts for independent audit prior to the Annual General Meeting.

The Annual General Meeting

21. The Annual General Meeting shall take place each year at a date to be organised by the committee. All club members will be invited to the meeting. The agenda of the meeting shall be prepared by the Chairperson unless he/she is not able or willing to do this, when it shall be prepared by the Secretary. For the purpose of the Annual General Meeting a quorum shall consist of at least 10 current members.

22. The FoDRoW committee shall make all reasonable efforts to give members at least 30 days notice of the proposed date and location of the Annual General Meeting by an appropriate medium (for example, a notice in the FoDRoW newsletter or email or). Members shall also be invited to submit resolutions for discussion at the AGM, which must be received by the Chairperson or Secretary at least 14 days in advance of the meeting. Each resolution must be nominated and seconded by paid-up members.

23. The routine business of the Annual General Meeting shall include, but may not be limited to:

23.1. Approval of Minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting and matters arising.
23.2. Presentation of Annual Reports, including the Treasurer's Statement.
23.3. Appointment of the committee following the process described elsewhere in this constitution.
23.4. Discuss and vote on members' resolutions.
23.5. Receive members' suggestions regarding the future work and events to be organised by FoDRoW.

24. Each paid-up member present will be entitled to vote in the elections for each committee post or resolution. Joint or family members present also have a single vote.

The Function of the Committee

25. The Committee shall meet at least 6 times a year to determine the day to day business of the club.

26. The quorum for committee meetings shall consist of at least four members.

27. All committee members must be given at least 7 calendar days notice of the Committee Meeting but this notice does not have to be in writing.

28. In an emergency the Chairperson, or if the Chairperson is not available the Secretary, in consultation with at least three other members, one of whom shall normally be the Treasurer, shall be empowered to determine the day to day business of the club, but any decision made will only stand if it is ratified at the next committee meeting.

Constitution

29. Changes to the Constitution can only be made at a General Meeting. Members wishing to propose amendments to the Constitution must let the Chairperson or the Secretary have a copy of the resolution 14 calendar days before the date of the General Meeting, and details of proposed amendments must be included in the formal notice of the meeting sent to members.

Dissolution

30. In the event of FoDRoW being dissolved, twenty eight days notice shall be given of an Extra-Ordinary General Meeting of the membership to discuss this and the deployment of any funds which may be held. It is intended that funds will not be distributed among either the committee or members. Instead, any surplus funds should be donated to organisations with similar aims to FoDRoW.

Extraordinary General Meeting

31. An Extra-Ordinary General Meeting may be called by a minimum of 10 members or 10% of the current membership (rounded down to the nearest whole number), whichever is the greater, by giving written notice to the Secretary or Chairperson.

32. Twenty eight calendar days written notice of the meeting with details of the business to be discussed must be given to all members. Normally the person giving this notice shall be the Secretary.

33. A quorum for any Extra-Ordinary General Meeting shall consist of at least 10 members.