Constitution of The Bristol Group

Name: The name shall be The Bristol Group (TBG).

Type of Organisation:  The Group is a voluntary association of its members.

Aim:  To be a charitable organisation producing educational tools for groups and individuals considering the proper use of thermal treatments in the waste hierarchy, and investigation of sustainable alternatives, by the provision of technical information that objectively evaluates the arguments.

Objectives: The objectives of the group shall be to;

  1. Establish the validity of arguments against incineration.
  2. Propose more sustainable alternatives to incineration.
  3. Develop and publish toolkits which will be subjected to scrutiny and peer review, e.g.  peer reviewed journals, expert’s opinions, and the members of UK WIN (United Kingdom Without INcineration). 
  4. Maintain the currency of toolkits and address ‘best practice’ by tracking technical developments and researching current practice.
  5. Assemble and maintain a library of source data, including development of a Bristol Group website.
  6. Present information in an accessible way.
  7. Respond to technical innovations and issues raised by community groups.
  8. Support UK WIN with technical, economic and social information.
  9. Seek ethically acceptable funding for the work of the Bristol Group.
  10. Meet together to review progress on a regular basis.

Principles of the Group: The group will;

  1. Be educational, not campaigning,
  2. Have no political affiliation or branding.
  3. Have no commercial affiliation.
  4. No information to be disregarded because of its source.
  5. The language to be used in the groups documents is to be accessible, measured, objective, clear, constructive and temperate.

Membership: Membership is open to anyone sharing the aims, objectives and principles of the Group.  Membership will be by a signed declaration of support for the aims, objectives and principles, and membership continues until such time as the member wishes to withdraw, whereupon the member shall communicate this decision to the Group’s Secretary. 

Membership entitles members to participate in determining the policy of the group, to vote on any business of the group, contribute to the work of the group, and be informed of all the business and work of the group. A member may opt out of inclusion in an annually published membership list.

In the event of a member bringing the name or work of the Group into disrepute, the other members may upon a majority vote of all members terminate that individual’s membership.

Meetings:  An Annual General Meeting shall be convened once every twelve months in order to receive the reports of the retiring elected officers of the Group for the previous twelve months, and in order to elect officers of the Group for the following twelve months.  The AGM may also consider and debate any other matters pertaining to the aims and objectives of the Group.  In the period between AGMs the chairman shall call meetings as necessary, or as requested by the members of the group, in order to effectively manage the affairs of the Group. A quorum for an E/AGM shall be one fifth of the membership of the Group with a minimum of four people. The Chairman may call an Extraordinary General Meeting to consider an amendment to this constitution if requested by any two members of the Group. An EGM must be advised by the Secretary to all members at least 30 days before the meeting.

Officers:  The members shall appoint a chairman, a secretary and a treasurer and such other officers as considered to be appropriate. 

  1. The Chairman shall oversee the running of the Group in accordance with its aims and objectives and principles call special meetings as required, oversee all group activities and manage any paid employees.
  2. The Secretary shall keep records of all meetings, act as correspondence clerk and distribute an agenda for all meetings, maintain a list of the Group’s membership, keep copies of the Group’s Tool Kits and other documents when so instructed by the members.
  3. The Treasurer shall handle funds and finances for Group, keep financial records, pay bills and release funds as voted by the Group, and make an annual financial report and other financial reports to meetings of the Group as required by the chairman.

Additional roles required in the Group: These may be undertaken by a volunteer or be a paid position, the roles may be combined.

  1. The Coordinator, reporting to the elected chairman, will coordinate the compilation of tool kits, to establish and maintain links with groups using The Bristol Group’s tool kits and with professionals working in the same area, and to undertake research.
  2. The Webmaster to work with the Group to design and manage the Group’s web presence.
  3. The Fundraiser to identify sources of, and apply for, funding for the Group.

Management and Finances:  The Group shall open a bank account in the name of The Bristol Group UK.  Signatories to the bank account shall be the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer, and all cheques drawn on the account must be for amounts approved by the committee and bear the signature of any two of the three officers. No officer or member of the Group has the right to incur any debt or become involved in any business under the title or by implying the title of the Bristol Group in any way unless given full authority to do so by the Group. The financial year of the Group shall run from 1st July to 30th June.

Amendment of Constitution:  A motion to amend the constitution may be considered at an Extraordinary or Annual General Meeting provided the chairman of the Group is informed by the proposer of the motion at least 40 days before the E/AGM, and the secretary has informed all members of the Group at least 30 days before the E/AGM of the motion to amend.  The amendment shall be determined by those members attending the E/AGM and the amendment shall require the support of at least two-thirds of the votes cast in order to be successful.  Members not able to attend the E/AGM may appoint a proxy, who must also be a member of the Group, to vote on their behalf on the motion to amend, provided this proxy is known to the chairman before the vote occurs, and provided the proxy carries appropriate validation of authority from the absent member to act as a proxy.  In such circumstances, proxy votes may be added to the votes of the members present. 

Termination:  The group shall be dissolved by a motion presented to an E/AGM, and any assets shall be distributed in accordance with the wishes of the members at that time.

6th June 2007

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Last updated Tuesday, 20 May 2008