Constitution

1. Name
The name of the group shall be the The Teenage Drop-in Station, herein after known as “TDS”.

2. Objects
The objects are to: To give young people in the age range 12 to 16 an indoor facility where they can relax with friends and enjoy social and leisure activities, in a relaxed, safe and secure environment.

3. Area of benefit: Holbeach Parish
 
4. Powers

To further the objects TDS has the power to

4.1 Work in partnership with others
4.2 Recruit and support volunteers
4.2      Invest funds in any lawful way. Professional advice should be taken when necessary
4.3 Raise funds by any lawful means except permanent trading 
4.4 Accept gifts either for the general purposes of [name of group] or for a specific purpose within or connected with the objects.
4.5 Do anything else within the law which promotes or helps to promote the objects

5.    Membership
5.1 Membership is open regardless of personal beliefs, gender, age, nationality, race, sexual orientation, health condition, disability, social status, level of wealth, or any other individual differences.
5.2 Each member has one vote
5.3 The committee will have the right to exclude membership following advice from the Police or Youth Service.
5.4 The committee must keep an up to date list of the members.

6. The committee
6.1 The group shall be managed by a committee of not less than 6 and not more than 12 members of which at least half must be teenagers.
6.2 Committee members and officers shall stand from the end of the AGM that they were elected at until the end of the next AGM
6.3 The officers shall include a Chair; a secretary and a treasurer elected and any other officers that the committee decides
6.4         A committee member can only fill one position
6.5 The committee shall meet a minimum of four times a year, and must keep a formal record of all meetings.
6.6 The quorum for a management committee meeting shall be one third of the management committee.
6.7 Each member has one vote, and if the vote is tied, the chair has a second casting vote.
6.8 The committee has the power to co-opt up to three members on to the committee to fill vacant places until the next annual general meeting. Each co-opted member has one vote.

7. Finance
7.1 All funds belonging to or raised for TDS must be used in furthering the objects.
7.2 The treasurer shall keep an account of all income and expenditure and shall present independent examined accounts at the AGM
7.3 There shall only be one bank or building society account in the name of the group. Cheques must be signed by two committee members, who must not be related or live in the same house.
7.4 Committee members may claim reasonable out-of-pocket expenses on terms approved by the committee. No other payments can be made to members of the group.

8.     Changes to the constitution
This constitution can only be changed at a general meeting. The secretary must give 21 days notice of the meeting to all the members, along with details of the proposed changes to the constitution. For the constitution to be changed over half of the members present at the meeting must agree

9.     Dissolution
(9.1)  TDS can only be dissolved at a general meeting. The secretary must give 21 days notice of the meeting to all the members, along with details of the proposed dissolution. For the group to be dissolved over half of the members present at the meeting must agree.

 (9.2) If the members agree that the group should be dissolved, any assets remaining after the clearing of all debts and liabilities shall be given to a local group with similar objects, or, if this cannot be done, to any local charitable purpose.

10.   Arrangements until the first annual general meeting
Until the first annual general meeting takes place, this constitution shall take effect as if references in it to the management committee were references to the people whose signatures appear at the bottom of this document.

11.  A copy of this constitution shall be available to all members.
This constitution was approved at the inaugural meeting of The Teenage Drop In Station

Signed:  Mary Waters             ………………………………. Founding member
             Jenny Hemingway    ……………………………………. Founding member
             Julia Richardson       …………………………………………. Founding member
             Sally Horne                ………………………………………. Founding member