​

 CONSTITUTION OF FRIENDS OF SOUTH PARK

​

1. NAME
The Group shall be called “Friends of South Park” (hereafter referred to as the
“Friends Group”), an unincorporated and unregistered body

​

2. OBJECTS OF THE FRIENDS GROUP
The objects of the Friends Group are:-
2.1 To secure the restoration and regeneration of South Park
2.2 To ensure that in achieving its first object above, recreational facilities and
amenities are provided for the benefit of the whole community
2.3 To represent the interests of all users of South Park in all discussions with
both the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham (hereafter called
“The Borough Council”) and other bodies.
2.4 To be the principal contact point in all communications between The
Borough Council and users of South Park.

​

3. MANNER OF ACHIEVING THE OBJECTS
The Friends Group will, in striving to achieve its objects:-
3.1 Agree with The Borough Council the terms of a Park Master Plan being
developed by The Borough Council to implement the objects of the Friends
Group and a Park Management plan to thereafter ensure its objects are
maintained.
3.2 Promote Equal Opportunities for all sections of users of South Park.and
oppose all forms of discrimination.
3.3 Collaborate with any other body whose objects may benefit the Friends
Group in achieving its objects.

​

4. MEMBERSHIP
4.1 Membership shall be open to all. All members shall pay an annual
subscription in such amount as the Friends Group Committee (hereafter
called “the Committee”) may determine.
4.2 All members must behave in an appropriate manner at meetings of the
Friends Group and in premises used by The Friends Group.
4.3 Membership shall end:
4.3.1. By resignation
4.3.2. If a member has failed to pay the membership fee three months after
it is due.
4.3.3. The Committee considers a member is in breach of 4.2 above.

​

5. COMMITTEE
5.1 The Friends Group shall elect at an Annual General Meeting (hereafter
called “AGM”) a Committee to run the business of the Friends Group. The
Committee shall consist of: a Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer and Secretary
(hereafter called “the Officers”) and up to six other members. No two or more
Committee members shall be elected from the same household, and no
Officer shall hold office for more than three consecutive years. The
Committee shall have the power to co-opt onto the Committee up to three
additional members, without voting rights, to serve in an advisory capacity.
5.2 No elected councillors of the Borough Council or anyone having held such
position within the last four years shall be eligible for election to the
Committee although they may be a member of the Friends Group.
5.3 The election or removal of Officers may only be carried out by a Special
General Meeting or AGM of the Friends Group. The Committee may
temporarily fill any vacancy arising among the officers of the Friends Group
from its other members until the next AGM.

5.4 The Committee shall meet as necessary, but not less than four times in each
year, in addition to the AGM. Committee meetings shall be open to any
member of the Friends Group wishing to attend who may speak but not vote.
5.5 The quorum for Committee Meetings of the Friends Group shall be one-third
of its elected membership or three members whichever is the less.

 

6. SUB GROUPS
6.1 The Committee may appoint such Sub Groups as may be required to carry
out the activities of the Friends Group. The Committee shall set the terms of
reference of any Sub Group, which may then act and apply any finance
raised by itself or on its behalf only within those terms. The Chair and
Treasurer of the Friends Group shall be ex-officio members of any Sub
Group.
6.2 Where any Sub Group is to continue in existence beyond the AGM following
its appointment, its members shall submit themselves for re-election at that
meeting and annually thereafter.
6.3 All Sub Groups shall keep proper accounts of income and expenditure, and
a proper record of all meetings, and shall report on them or deliver them up
as required by the Committee or General Meeting.
6.4 The Committee or General Meeting may dissolve any Sub Group whereupon
the accounts, records and assets, financial and otherwise of the Sub Group
shall pass to the Committee.

​

7. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS
The Committee shall call an AGM of the Friends Group each year in the months of
January, February or March, upon not less than 28 days notice to all members.
7.1 At this meeting:
7.1.1 The Committee shall present an annual report of the Friends Group;
7.1.2 Sub Groups shall present an annual report and accounts of their
activities;
7.1.3 The Committee shall present the audited accounts of the Friends
Group for the previous year;
7.1.4 The Committee and Officers for the next year shall be elected; and
7.1.5 Any proposals submitted to the Secretary in writing not less than
seven days in advance of the meeting shall be discussed.
7.2 As part of its Annual report, the Friends Group will provide evidence of how
inclusive, participatory and representative their activities are of South Park
users.

 

8. SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING
The Secretary shall call a Special General Meeting at the request of a majority of the
Committee, or on receipt of a written petition by not less than two-thirds of members
of the Friends Group giving reasons for their request. The Secretary shall give not
less than fourteen days’ notice of the holding of a Special General Meeting, which
shall take place within 28 days of the receipt of the request or petition.

 

9. GENERAL MEETING
The Friends Group shall hold no less than two General Meetings a year upon no less
than 14 days notice to all members. All decision taken at a General Meeting shall be
by simple majority of members present who vote.
 

10. DUTIES OF OFFICERS
10.1 The Chair (or in his/her absence the Vice-Chair or other Committee Member)
shall conduct the meetings of the Friends Group.
10.2 The Treasurer shall open and maintain a banking account in the name of the
Friends Group. All cheques shall be signed by the Treasurer and one of two
other Committee members nominated by the Committee as signatories. The
Treasurer shall keep proper accounts and income and expenditure and
report on them or deliver them up as required by the Committee or General

Meeting. Such accounts shall be certified by a non-member of the Friends
Group appointed by the membership at the Annual General Meeting.
10.3 The Secretary shall be responsible for the convening of the AGM, all Special
General, and General Meetings and the giving of the prescribed notice to
members. She/He shall convene meetings of the Committee by giving notice
of such meetings to Committee members. She/He shall ensure that a proper
record is kept of all meetings of the Friends Group its Committee and Sub
Groups in the form of minutes; and shall deliver up such records as required
by the Committee or General Meeting. The Secretary shall permit the
minutes to be examined on receipt of not less than 7 days notice by any 2
members of the Friends Group.
10.4 Any member(s) or Officer(s) delegated to represent the Friends Group in
consultation with any other body shall act on the instructions of the Friends
Group and shall report back to the following Committee or General Meeting,
whichever is the sooner. Only Committee Members of the Friends Group
shall be delegated to consult with the local authority on matters of
greenspace management.

 

11. ALTERATIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION
11.1 Any proposal to alter this Constitution must be submitted to the Secretary of
The Friends Group not less than 28 days before the meeting at which it is to
be discussed. Not less than 14 days notice shall be given of such a meeting,
together with the wording of the proposed alteration(s). Any alteration shall
require the approval of two-thirds of those present and voting at the meeting.
11.2 If the Committee, or if a Committee no longer exists, any ten members of the
Friends Group, shall decide that the Friends Group should be dissolved, they
shall give at least 14 days notice to all members of a meeting at which the
matter shall be discussed. For the sole purpose of dissolution a quorum
need not apply, and the Friends Group may be dissolved by a two-thirds
majority of those present. The assets, financial and otherwise, remaining
when the Friends Group has satisfied its liabilities, shall be applied for such
purposes of benefit to the community, as the meeting shall decide.

 

Amended June 2010

​

​