RCTA Constitution

1. Name

The name of the group shall be The Roving Canal Traders Association or RCTA

2. Aims

The aims of the Roving Canal Traders Association will be:

• To be a collective voice for all Roving Canal Traders
• To provide advice to current and new Roving Canal Traders as well as those interested in becoming Roving Canal Traders
• To support the Canal and River Trust to improve accessibility for roving canal traders
• To hold waterside events that provide opportunities for Roving Canal Traders
• To promote trading activities
• To aim to increase membership levels by 10% annually

3. Membership

There are three categories of membership:

• Associate membership
• Full membership
• Honorary Membership

3.1 Associate Membership

is available to those who:

• • are over the age of 18
  • are in the process of applying for a Roving Canal Trader Licence
  • at the discretion of the committee are invited to help the Association by providing support, skills, knowledge and experience
  • are past members who wish to maintain contact and support the Association

Associate membership is free and is renewed annually.

An application for Associate Membership and renewal is approved at the discretion of the committee. An associate member cannot be co-opted onto the committee or undertake another role as specified in the constitution.

Associate members cannot:

• • vote at general meetings
  • have access to full member benefits

3.2 Full Membership

is available for up to two people aged over 18 per boat registered with CRT as holding a current Roving Canal Trader Licence of whom one is the licence holder.

Full membership begins on successful completion of the application process and payment of the membership fee. Membership can be renewed annually on the anniversary date of joining as long as the member continues to hold a current CRT Roving Canal Trader Licence.

Both full members per registered boat can:

• • vote at a general meeting
  • have access to full member benefits

There will be an annual membership fee which will be agreed at the Annual General Meeting (AGM), and will be payable by all full members.

3.3  Honorary Membership

is awarded at the discretion of the committee to acknowledge a special benefit or service provided by an individual.

Honorary memberships free and renewed annually at the discretion of the committee.

An honorary member can:

• • hold a committee position
  • be a trustee
  • vote at a general meeting
  • have access to full member benefits

A list of all members will be kept by the membership secretary

3.4 Ceasing to be a Member

Members may resign at any time in writing to the membership secretary.

Any member who has not paid their membership fee for one month will be contacted by the committee, who will then decide whether that member is deemed to have resigned.

Any personally directed offensive behaviour, including racist, sexist or inflammatory remarks, will not be permitted. Anyone behaving in this way or breaking the equal opportunities policy may be asked not to attend further meetings or to resign from the group if an apology is not given or the behaviour is repeated. The individual concerned shall have the right to be heard by the trustees, accompanied by a friend, before a final decision is made.

Physical assaults shall be reported to the police and the offender immediately suspended from the RCTA until both police and committee investigations are complete.

4. Equal Opportunities

Roving Canal Traders Association will not discriminate on the grounds of gender, race, colour, ethnic or national origin, sexuality, disability, religious or political belief, marital status or age.

5. Trustees and committee

The business of the group will be carried out by a Committee elected at the Annual General Meeting. The Committee will meet as necessary and not less than four times a year.

The Committee will consist of 9 members, and be composed of 3 Trustees and 6 Statutory Committee Members. Up to 9 additional members may be co-opted onto the committee at the discretion of the committee.

Committee Members may take on multiple roles. Trustees may also take on multiple roles, but only one Trustee position.

The Chair, Secretary and Treasurer hold office for one year, and are then eligible for re-election. Statutory Committee Members hold office for two years and are then eligible for re-election.

The roles of Chair, Secretary and Treasurer and Statutory Committee Members are fixed unless changes have been approved by an AGM or SGM. Other committee roles or titles may be changed and updated from time to time to meet the requirements of the Association. Details of committee roles are given in appendix 1.

In the event of a Trustee standing down during the year, a replacement will be elected by a Special General Meeting of members.

In the event of a committee member who is not a Trustee standing down during the year, the committee may appoint a replacement.

Any committee member not attending a meeting without an apology for three months, will be contacted by the committee and asked if they wish to resign.

The committee meetings will be open to any member of Roving Canal Traders Association wishing to attend, who may speak but not vote.

6. Meetings

6.1. Annual General Meetings

An Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held annually, but no later than eighteen months of the previous AGM.

All members will be notified by email at least 3 weeks before the date of the meeting, giving the venue, date, time and agenda.

Meetings may be held at both physical and virtual locations at the discretion of the committee

Members who send their apologies a minimum of 1 week prior to the meeting shall be allowed to vote on any expected issues in the agenda. Votes shall be sent out 24 hours before the meeting and be returned at the latest 1 hour before the meeting

Nominations for the committee may be made to the Secretary before the meeting, or at the meeting.

The minimum attendance for the AGM will be 15% of the membership, or 15 members, whichever is the greater number. Should too few people attend, then a general vote shall not take place and the committee shall continue to carry out the business of the group.

6.2 At the AGM: –

The Committee will present a report of the work of Roving Canal Traders Association over the year.

The Committee will present the accounts of Roving Canal Traders Association for the previous year.

The Trustees and Committee for the next year will be elected.

Any proposals given to the Secretary at least 7 days in advance of the meeting will be discussed, provided that they have been notified to all members in the remaining week prior to the meeting. Any new proposals arising during the AGM and which have not been circulated to all the membership will be considered at a subsequent SGM or AGM

6.3 Special General Meetings

The Secretary will call a Special General Meeting at the request of the majority of the committee, or at least twelve other members, giving a written request to the Chair or Secretary stating the reason for their request. The meeting will take place within twenty-one days of the request.

All members will be given two weeks notice of such a meeting, giving the venue, date, time and agenda, and notice may be by telephone or email.

Meetings may be held at both physical and virtual locations at the discretion of the committee.

Any proposals given to the Secretary at least seven days in advance of the meeting will be discussed, provided that they have been notified to all members in the remaining week prior to the meeting. Any new proposals arising during the SGM and which have not been circulated to all the membership will be considered at a subsequent SGM or AGM

Members who send their apologies a minimum of 1 week prior to the meeting shall be allowed to vote on any expected issues in the agenda. Votes shall be sent out 24 hours before the meeting and be returned at the latest  1 hour before the meeting

The minimum attendance for the Special General Meeting will be 15% of the membership or 15 members, whichever is the greater number.

6.4 Rules of Procedure for meetings

All questions that arise at any meeting will be discussed openly and the meeting will seek to find general agreement that everyone present can agree to.

If a consensus cannot be reached a vote will be taken and a decision will be made by a simple majority of members present. If the number of votes cast on each side are equal, the Chair of the meeting shall have an additional casting vote.

7. Finances

An account will be maintained on behalf of the Association at a bank agreed by the committee. Two signatories, who should be Trustees and responsible for any bank accounts and any banking system deemed necessary, will be nominated by the Committee (one to be Treasurer). The signatories must not be related nor members of the same household.

Records of income and expenditure will be the responsibility of the Treasurer and a financial statement given to each meeting. He will be assisted by the Bookkeeper

Any pre-agreed reasonable expenses shall be reimbursed. Travel to Annual General Meetings or Special General Meetings are excluded from reimbursement in all circumstances.

All money raised by or on behalf of Roving Canal Traders Association is only to be used to further the aims of the Association and other canal based charitable organisations wherever possible.

Income from Membership and Markets shall be kept separate.

8. Amendments to the Constitution

Amendments to the constitution may only be made at the Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting. Any proposal to amend the constitution must be given to the Secretary in writing.

The proposal must then be circulated with the notice of meeting.

Any proposal to amend the Constitution will require a two thirds majority of those present and entitled to vote.

9. Dissolution

If a meeting, by simple majority, decides that it is necessary to close down the Association, it may call a Special General Meeting to do so. The sole business of this meeting will be to dissolve the Association.

If it is agreed to dissolve the Association, all remaining money and other assets, once outstanding debts have been paid, will be donated to a similar charitable organisation. The organisation to be chosen at the meeting which agrees the dissolution.

This constitution was agreed at the 3rd Annual General Meeting of the Roving Canal Traders Association on: –

Date 28/09/2019

Signed ………………………………………….
Ronni Payne, Chair

Signed ………………………………………….
Andrew Mills, Treasurer

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Appendix 1

Details for committee roles can be found here.