Cotswold
Energy & Environmental 
Management Group

CONSTITUTION

This is a working constitution for the Cotswold Energy & Environmental Management Group (CEEMG). The CEEMG is an independent non-profit making body that enables the development and exchange of ideas, technologies and techniques and the provision of professional training for the benefit of its members and partner organisations in the region. Membership is drawn from industry, commerce and the public sector.

1.0 Title

1.1 The name of the organisation shall be:

Cotswold Energy & Environmental Management Group

2.0 Aims

2.1 The aims of the CEEMG are:

To promote sustainability and good environmental practice amongst its membership thereby helping to maximize performance of member organisations.

3.0	Objectives

3.1 The objectives of the CEEMG are:-

i. To encourage the development of all members and promote best practice. 

ii. To share information, promote good practice rather than specifically the goods and services of commercial undertakings, and encourage quality principally through the holding of training seminars, meetings and workshops but also through other means as the CEEMG Committee considers appropriate for the benefit of members and their organisations.	

iii. To actively foster partnerships within the EEMG and with other EEMGs in the South West region of England.

iv. To provide practical support to members through raising awareness of other regional and national activities.

v. To support the strategic promotion of sustainable development for industry, commerce and the public sector in the South West region.
 
vi. To foster co-operation with appropriate organisation outside the EEMG. 

4.0 Membership & Membership Database

4.1 Membership is open to organisations and individuals.

4.2 All membership is at the discretion of the CEEMG committee.

4.3 Applications for membership and announcements of resignation shall be communicated to the CEEMG Secretary and Treasurer on behalf of the CEEMG committee. The CEEMG committee reserves the right to expel or suspend membership in the interests of protecting the aims and objectives of the CEEMG.

4.4 The committee has the discretion to nominate life members who have given exceptional services to the group subject to the approval of the AGM.

4.5 The CEEMG membership database shall not be made available to anyone other than CEEMG Committee members designated for specific purposes.  Its use shall only be for the purpose of administering the CEEMG and contacting the membership. The database shall not be used to directly promote the products and services of commercial organisations.

5.0 Group Meetings

5.1 Attendance is open to representatives of member organisations and others strictly by invitation of the Committee.

5.2 An Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held to receive and approve the Annual Report or Annual Statement by either the Chairman or the Secretary, to receive and approve the Treasurer’s financial report and to elect officers. At least 28 days’ notice of this meeting will be given to all members.

5.3 All general, other meetings and seminars will be held at the discretion of the committee, with the exception of Emergency General Meetings (EGMs) which may be called at the request of two thirds majority of delegates registered to vote.

5.4 At elections and on other occasions all delegates from registered paid up member organisations will be permitted one vote.

5.5 Any vote will be decided by a simple majority in a show of hands among those members attending who are eligible to vote. In the case of an equal vote, the Chairman shall have the casting vote.

5.6 A quorum is deemed to have been formed if at least eleven voting delegates are present.

6.0 Committee

6.1 There shall be a Committee comprising Chairman, Vice Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary and Database Manager and a minimum five other voting members, all elected annually by a simple majority at the AGM. Nominations for officers must be notified to the Secretary twenty one working days prior to the meeting. Other vacancies, as they arise, will be filled at the discretion of the Committee. 

6.2 A quorum is deemed to have been formed if five Committee Members attend, one of which must be an Officer.

6.3 Any delegate can attend as an observer upon a request, by giving fourteen days’ notice, to either the Chairman or the Secretary.

7.0 Financial Arrangements

7.1 The CEEMG is a non-profit making organisation. It shall hold its own bank account for the purpose of receiving membership subscription payment from member’s organisations and individual members and also sponsorship grants and other ad-hoc financial contributions towards the running of the CEEMG.  The CEEMG bank accounts will also be used for making payments to cover expenses, such as venue hire, catering costs, and reimbursement of expenses to committee members where these have been incurred for the purpose of administering the CEEMG.  

7.2 The CEEMG shall not employ salaried or waged staff.

7.3 The CEEMG’s financial year shall be from 1st April to 31st March. 

7.4 Any surplus of income from membership subscriptions and other financial contributions over expenditure shall be held in reserve for the purpose of meeting any future increased costs or for special events or other purposes that support the aims and objectives of the CEEMG.

7.5 Any cheques drawn from CEEMG’s bank accounts shall require the signature of any two of the four designated signatory members that have been designated by the committee to act as signatories. Transfers between CEEMG bank accounts shall be the sole prerogative of the Treasurer in order to act in the best interests of the CEEMG.

7.6 Financial accounts shall be kept by the CEEMG Treasurer and a financial statement reported to members at each Annual General Meeting. The CEEMG accounts shall be examined and verified by an external examiner. 

7.7 Annual membership subscription levels shall be recommended each year by the Committee for approval by the AGM.

7.8 The Committee shall be responsible for arranging public liability insurance cover and any other appropriate insurance to cover any and all activities.

8.0 Alterations to the Constitution

8.1 The Constitution may only be altered, extended or appended at an AGM or Extraordinary General Meeting, duly summoned for the purpose. Any change shall require a two-thirds majority from the voting membership present at the meeting. A postal ballot may be undertaken in exceptional circumstances. An EGM must be called in writing or preferably by E-mail, with at least twenty one working days’ notice.

9.0 Winding Up

9.1 The CEEMG may be wound up by a vote at an AGM or by an EGM called specifically for that purpose. Notice of any meeting for this purpose must be sent to members at least 21 days before any such meeting. Termination of the CEEMG shall require a two-thirds majority of members eligible to vote present at the meeting.

9.2 If the CEEMG is wound up, the committee shall disburse any surplus CEEMG funds and CEEMG assets to non-profit making projects or non-profit making organisations that promote best practice in energy and environmental management and technology as it sees fit.

10.0 Ratification

10.1 This edition of the Constitution was updated by the CEEMG Committee on 13th August 2015.

Updated 13th August 2015                       © Cotswold Energy & Environmental Management Group