1. AIMS & OBJECTIVES
i. To promote and assist the interests of all members in the pursuit of allotment gardening as a
leisure activity and to foster the well-being, flow of information and community fellowship among
the Members of the Association irrespective of race, gender, age, marital status, ethnic origin,
disability or sexual orientation.
ii. To protect members property from damage, trespass and theft where possible.
iii. To arrange social events and competitions.
iv. To cooperate, as far as the Association is able, with any committee, local or national body or
association set up to protect and further the interests of the allotment holders.
v. To co-operate in matters of mutual concern and for the benefit of allotment holders.
vi. To take whatever reasonable steps required by the landlord’s agent for the good cultivation and
management of the allotment gardens/plots.

2. POWERS AND GOVERNANCE
i. Governance of the Association shall be vested in the General Meetings by means of which the
Members of the Association shall have full power to do necessary or expedient for the
accomplishment of the aims and objectives of the Association.
ii. The Committee of Management (referred to as ‘’the Committee’’ in the remainder of this
Constitution) shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting and shall supervise and
manage the day to day work of the Association according to the constitution, rules and decisions
made at General Meetings.
iii Committee members are expected to attend at least 70% of all Committee meetings in a given
year. Where attendance falls below this level without a satisfactory explanation, the Committee may
review that member’s position. Absences due to unavoidable or compassionate circumstances will
not be considered grounds for action.
iv. The Chair is expected to serve up to a term of three (3) years. However, the Chair must stand for
re-election at every AGM with the possibility to be voted out by the wider membership.
v. Only the Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer shall have access to the Association’s official email
account and digital storage (e.g., Google Drive). These members must take every measure to save
meeting minutes and maintain records to ensure continuity and accessibility for future Committees.
v. If any one of the three designated officers (Chair, Secretary, or Treasurer) stands down, the Vice
Chair shall be granted access to digital communications in their place until the next AGM, at which
point access may be reviewed and reallocated.
vi. If more than 90 consecutive days elapse without a Committee meeting, the Committee shall be
deemed non-functional. In this case, the Chair must call an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM)
unless the AGM is scheduled within the following 60 days. In such a case, the first agenda item at
the AGM shall acknowledge the Committee’s failure to meet within the required timeframe.

3. MEMBERS.
i. Membership of the Association shall consist of:- Allotment garden/plot holders and Associate
Members who wish to further the aims and objectives of the Association.
ii. The Association shall maintain a Membership list, which, may be seen, if required, by members
of the site of their own entry.
iii. Any change of address by a Member should be notified to the Secretary.

4. SUBSCRIPTIONS.
i. Every member shall pay a membership/plot fee approved by the Membership at the Annual
General Meeting. Membership/plot fees will be payable annually in advance on or before the 31st
October.
ii. Plot rents shall automatically increase each year in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI), as
published by the Office for National Statistics. Any proposal to alter this adjustment—whether to
suspend, reduce, or increase rents beyond CPI—must be approved by a special resolution at an
Annual General Meeting. The CPI figure used will be based on the most recent published 12-month
average.

5. TRUSTEES, OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE.
i. The Honorary Officers of the Association shall be drawn from the Membership and shall
comprise Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer each of whom will be elected each
year at the Annual General Meeting.
ii. The Committee shall have the power to fill any vacancy for an Honorary Officer that may occur
between Annual General Meetings. If for any reason, the Treasurer ceases to hold office the
Committee will appoint an Acting Treasurer and ask the independent financial Examiner to carry
out an interim examination in preparation for the new Treasurer taking up office.
iii. The Chairman shall take the Chair at all meetings of the Association and Committee and be
responsible for the day to day running of the Association.
iv. The Secretary shall have charge of all documents relating to the current business of the
Association.
v. The Secretary shall keep the Membership list only for the internal use of the Association.
vi. The Secretary will be responsible for ensuring that the Association keeps minutes of General
Meetings and Committee Meetings of the Association.
vii. The Secretary shall normally receive and sign on behalf of the Association official
communications and correspondence. The name of the Association shall be mentioned in all
business letters and publicity of the Association.
viii. The Honorary Treasurer shall be responsible for seeing that the financial requirements of the
Constitution and Rules of the Association are adhered to. The Treasurer shall disburse from the
Association’s funds in accordance with instructions from the committee.
ix. The Treasurer shall make a report at each Committee meeting on the Association’s income,
expenditure and liabilities at a date as close as possible to the date of the Committee meeting and
make available the most recent bank statement at the meeting. Each will be minuted.
x. The Treasurer will maintain a record of all the Association’s income and expenditure in date
order. All income and expenditure must be supported by a receipt or appropriate document which
shows the date of income or expenditure, the total amount and the purpose for which the receipt or
payment was made.
i. In addition to the Honorary Officers up to five other Members of the Association shall be elected
at the Annual General Meeting to form a Committee totalling no more than nine members. Further
members to be co-opted if and when circumstances require.
ii. At meetings of the Committee five out of seven or seven out of nine shall form a quorum.
iii. Where a committee member has a personal, financial, or other interest in a matter under
discussion, or in the outcome of a decision, they must declare that interest and take no part in the
inspection, discussion, or decision relating to the matter.
iv. Committee members are subject to the same site rules and plot standards as all other tenants, and
their plots will be inspected on the same schedule and under the same criteria as every other plot
holder. In the event that a committee member’s plot is under review for any reason, they must
declare an interest and take no part in the inspection, discussion, or decision relating to their own
plot.

6. GENERAL MEETINGS.
i. Members will be given notice of the Annual General Meeting.
ii. A Special General Meeting may be called at any time throughout the year.
iii. At General Meetings not fewer than twenty Members or one third of the Membership, whichever
is the lesser, shall form a quorum.
iv. Voting will be on the basis of one vote per paid up member.
v. Motions will be carried or defeated by a simple majority vote of those present.
vi. The Chairman shall have a second and casting vote at all General Meetings in the event of tied
vote.
vii. No party, political or sectarian discussions shall be raised or resolutions proposed at either a
Committee or a General meeting
vii. Voting
Officer Roles
• If the number of people standing for an officer role is two (2) or fewer, the vote may be
carried out by a simple show of hands.
• If the number of candidates is three (3) or more, a paper ballot shall be used.
In the event of a tie, the Chair will cast the deciding vote.
Tie in Chairperson Election
• In the event of a tie in the election for Chairperson, one of the following steps will apply in
order:
• A second ballot will be held immediately between the tied candidates.
• If the result remains tied, the outgoing Chairperson shall cast the deciding vote, unless they
are a candidate or are absent.
• If neither of the above options can resolve the tie, the result shall be determined by drawing
lots (e.g., coin toss).
Committee Members
• If more than five (5) candidates stand for Committee membership, a paper ballot shall be
held.
• Members’ names will be written on the ballot, and the membership will rank candidates
from 1 (favourite) through to the total number of candidates (least preferred).
• The five (5) candidates with the highest overall rank shall be elected.
• In the event of a tie for the fifth position, the Chair will cast the deciding vote.
Ballot Rules
• All names must be assigned a number corresponding to the total number of candidates.
• Any ballot with missing numbers, duplicate numbers or numbers more than the number of
candidates will be recorded as spoiled.
• Members may ask to view spoiled ballots after the count.
Counting of Votes
• Votes shall be counted by one (1) member of the newly elected Committee and one (1) paid-
up Association member (not on the Committee) to ensure accuracy and transparency.

7. FUNDS.
i. The Committee shall open banking accounts in the name of the Association and all moneys
received from any source shall be paid directly into such accounts.
ii. Cheques shall be signed by two out of three signatories all of whom will be Members of the
Committee.
iii. The name of the Association shall be mentioned in all payments, cheques, and orders for money
or goods, bills, invoices and receipts signed by or on behalf of the Association.
iv. The Association is a non-profit making organisation and its funds will be spent only for the
benefit of the Association and/or its Members or to meet reasonable expenses incurred solely on
behalf of the Association.
v. All assets of the Association must be purchased on behalf of the Rowley Allotment Association
and held in its name. Any purchase with a value greater than twice the full annual plot rent must
first be approved by the General Committee. Any proposal to sell, rent, lease, or otherwise dispose
of Association buildings or assets may only be approved by a special resolution at a General
Meeting. An up-to-date list of all Association assets must be presented to the membership at each
Annual General Meeting.

8. FINANCIAL EXAMINATION.
i. An independent financial Examiner who is not an Officer nor a member of the Committee will be
appointed at the Annual General Meeting to examine the accounts of the Association and submit a
written or oral Report to the Annual General Meeting.
ii. Independent financial Examiners shall be appointed every two years by Members at the Annual
General Meeting.
iii. The Treasurer shall close the annual account on and of the accounting year. The statement
should identify the main items of income and expenditure including membership, rent, and
insurance. Other activities of the Association e.g. shows and trading can be presented separately by
sub-accounts with the agreement of the Committee.
iv. The independent financial Examiner shall receive the draft accounts, payments and receipts files,
bank statements and all financial records from the Treasurer and will examine them and, based on
the documents, agree final accounts as an accurate and fair record of the Association’s financial
transactions for the year.
v. The examined accounts shall be circulated as part of the agenda for the Association’s Annual
General Meeting signed by the Independent Examiner and Treasurer.
vi. Members will be asked to adopt the accounts at the Annual General Meeting.
vii. Any member may request a copy of the adopted examined accounts from the Secretary who will
provide a copy within two weeks of the request.
viii. If for any reason an independent financial Examiner ceases to hold office during the term for
which he or she has been elected the Committee will appoint a replacement as soon as practical and
record the action in the minutes.

9. WINDING UP THE ASSOCIATION.
i. In the event of the necessity of winding up the Association a Special Meeting shall be called for
that purpose and the distribution of the Association’s assets approved at that meeting