Blisworth Allotments & Gardens
Association – Stoke Road
The Constitution 2026
- Name
The name of the association is the Blisworth Allotment Association – Stoke Road
(“the association”) - Objectives
The objectives of the Association are:
a) To promote the interests of all members in their gardening activities and to take joint
action for the benefit and protection of members.
b) To maintain harmonious and productive relationships with the private landowners surrounding
our site and the local community.
c) To promote a sense of vibrant community; to be socially inclusive; to value
sustainability; to have regard for the environment protection; to value biodiversity;
to promote open communication.
d) To promote the sharing of knowledge about gardening and allotment-management
in order to promote success in our core task of growing vegetables, flowers and
Fruit.
e) To provide members with the advantage of the National Seed Scheme (Kings) and
any other offers as appropriate. - Aims
The aims of the Association (“the aims”) are:
a) To establish and maintain a democratically elected and representative
Committee of Management to facilitate and develop the Association’s objectives.
b) To provide allotments for members and to encourage members to keep their
allotments in cultivation and weed free.
c) To encourage a high standard of vegetable, flower and fruit cultivation by
disseminating information by newsletters, emails and information boards.
d) To assist members by providing water; maintaining paths; and ensuring correct
compliance regarding the keeping of poultry and erecting of structures on the
allotment.
e) To encourage an interest in organic gardening.
f) To encourage members to value wildlife on their allotments.
g) To promote good relationships with the local community though positive
interactivity, providing plots for specific community groups such as school children
and maintaining a fair waiting list system for new allotment holders. - Powers
In furtherance of the objectives the Association may:
a) Hold general meetings of members and of the committee.
b) Collect the annual subscription from all members.
c) Raise funds, apply for grants and invite/receive contributions from any persons
whatsoever by way of donation, or otherwise.
d) The association may undertake trading activities in raising funds, but shall remain
a ‘not for profit’ organisation.
e) Employ and pay external agencies for their services as and when required.
f) Take such steps in alignment with The National Allotment Society’s expectations
and guidance which are necessary for the good management and cultivation of
the allotments.
g) Co-operate with other organisations (charities, voluntary bodies and statutory
authorities) and exchange information and advice.
h) Spend money in pursuance of the aims and objectives of the association, with all income and assets being used only for this purpose. - Membership
5.1 Membership
a) Membership is open to any person who wishes to help in furtherance of the
Associations objectives.
b) Every member has one vote at General meetings of the organisation.
c) The Committee may make provision for non-voting categories of membership,
including junior membership and set subscription payable (if any).
d) The Management Committee shall have the right for good and sufficient reason
to terminate the membership of any member.
e) A member whose membership is so terminated shall have the right to appeal to
the Complaints Panel, which will consist of the senior elected members of the
Committee (Chairman/persons, Vice Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer). Where the
Complaints Panel is satisfied after hearing the case put by or on behalf of the
member concerned that the member should leave the Association it may terminate
that membership by written notice and that notice is final.
f) A member may resign their membership at any time.
g) The Management Committee must keep a full list of members.
h) Memberships is also open to non-tenants who may order Kings Seeds and other
offers, and may attend meetings. Non-tenant members may not vote on
constitutional issues.
5.2 Subscriptions
Every member shall pay an annual subscription of such amounts as the Committee
decides from time to time. The annual subscription is due on 28th October each
year. Any member who is in arrears at the 28th November without good cause
shall be held to have ceased to be a member unless a satisfactory explanation in
writing is given to the Committee.
- Annual and Extraordinary General Meetings
6.1 Annual General Meetings (AGM’s)
There must be an AGM of members of the Association every calendar year in
October. At the AGM the members will:
a) Receive the Committee’s report for the previous year.
b) Receive the Treasurer’s report and accounts for the previous year.
c) Elect the Committee for the following year.
d) Elect a person who shall act as auditor by undertaking an independent review
of the financial records of the Association.
e) Determine any other matter of which notice has been given or which members
wish to raise.
6.2 Extraordinary General Meetings
EGM’s may be held at any time if called by the Management Committee or if at
least twenty members of the Association make such a request to the Committee.
An EGM must be called within two weeks of such a request.
6.3 Procedures at AGMs and EGMs
a) A General Meeting requires 10 days notice to be given to the members
specifying the matters to be dealt with.
b) The Chairman of the Committee, or in their absence some other person elected
by the meeting, will take the chair at General Meetings.
c) Every question is decided by a majority of the votes cast. In the case of equality
of votes the Chairman has the casting vote. - The Management Committee
7.1 The Composition of the Committee
a) The Committee is the body responsible for the management of the Association.
b) The Committee has the power to make rules for the administration of the
Association.
c) The Committee shall consist of a minimum of four members.
d) The members of the Committee are elected annually at the Annual General
Meeting and normally hold office until the end of the AGM the following year.
e) A member of the Committee who resigns by written notice to the Committee
ceases automatically to be a member of the Committee.
f) The members of the Committee will be the Chairman/persons, Vice-Chairman,
Secretary/Admin and Treasurer.
g) These members will be elected by majority vote by the members meeting
immediately after the end for the AGM.
h) The Committee has in addition a named Support Group comprising volunteer
members willing to assist in the general running of the association when required.
7.2 Committee Procedures
a) The Committee must meet at least twice in every calendar year. A special
meeting of the Committee may be called at any time on seven days’ notice.
A quorum at Committee meetings is three.
b) Every question is decided by a simple majority of the Committee members
present and voting at a meeting. In the case of equality of votes the Chairman
of the meeting has a second or casting vote.
c) The Committee must keep minutes of its meetings and proceedings and keep
safe all records relating to the Association.
d) The Committee may make rules to govern its own proceedings so long as they
are not inconsistent with the provisions of the constitution.
7.3 Committee Nominations
a) Members of the Committee are eligible for re-election and those wishing
re-election should be confirmed before the AGM.
b) New candidates who wish to stand for election to the Committee shall make
themselves known to the Chairpersons before the beginning of business at the
AGM. Each nomination should be proposed and seconded.
c) Nominations may also be accepted at the relevant point in the meeting
provided the person named is willing to accept the nomination and is proposed
and seconded. - Finance
a) All funds belonging to the Association may only be used in furthering the Objectives.
b) The Committee shall maintain an account for the association at a Bank or
Building Society. All monies received by the Association shall be held in this account
excluding an agreed float of petty cash to be handled by the Chair persons or the treasurer
in their absence.
c) No member of the Committee shall receive any payment or other benefit from it’s
funds except for reasonable out of pocket expenses properly incurred for the
purposes of the Association.
d) The Committee are responsible for the keeping of books of account and for the
preparation of an annual report and annual statement of accounts for the
Association. - Amendment of the Constitution
a) The provisions of this constitution may be amended at a General Meeting by
resolution passed by two-thirds of the members present but:
b) Notice of terms of the proposed amendment must be given with the notice calling
for the meeting. - Dissolution – Winding up of Affairs
a) If the Committee or members decide that the association should be dissolved,
they shall request an Extraordinary General Meeting at which there must be a
quorum of nineteen members. A resolution for dissolution must be proposed and
carried by two thirds of those voting for the dissolution to take effect.
b) If the resolution for dissolution takes effect the net monetary assets of the
association shall be distributed within the village of Blisworth as determined by a
simple majority of the members.
c) After paying or making provision for all debts and liabilities of the Association,
the Committee shall then transfer any remaining assets as appropriate.
Stoke Road Allotments 