SEMP Constitution

The committee shall meet at regular intervals, when members will decide the business set before it. Meetings will be open to all members of the partnership however only formal members will have voting rights. The committee will reserve the right to meet in closed session where this is considered appropriate.

The committee will hold in each calendar year an annual general meeting at such a time and date as determined by the committee.

The business transacted at the AGM will include the presentation of reports and accounts of the preceding year and the election of officials.

An extraordinary general meeting can be convened at any time on the basis of a requisition signed by no fewer than 8 members or 20% of the membership inperson, whichever is the lesser.

At least 28 days notice shall be given to the members of a general meeting

No business shall be transacted at an ordinary General Meeting unless a quorum of members is present at the time when the meeting proceeds to business. In this regard 8 members or 20% of the membership in person, whichever is the lesser number will be a quorum.

At any General Meeting voting will be on a show of hands and a simple majority shall decide any question, except where otherwise provided for within this constitution.

The secretary or a committee shall keep minutes of the proceedings of all meetings. Such minutes shall be submitted to the next succeeding General Meeting and after approval be authenticated by the signature of the chairperson or secretary.


Constitution Creation Date: 11/7/06
Title	The name shall be South Edinburgh and Midlothian Partnership for people with a Physical Disability
Objective	The objective of the organization shall be to promote the physical, mental wellbeing, personal development, community involvement, social inclusion and representation of people with physical disabilities residing within South Edinburgh and Midlothian. This will be through the provision of a range of activities including: leisure and recreation, health projects, advocacy, lifelong learning and expressive arts.
Membership	The South Edinburgh and Midlothian Partnership for people with a physical disability is an organization which will be run by people with disabilities. Membership of the organization will be open to all people with physical disability residing in the South Edinburgh and Midlothian area. The organization will be managed by a committee of not less than 8 people with physical disabilities, to be elected by the membership Ex Officio (non voting rights) membership of the committee will be open representatives of voluntary, statutory and private sector organizations working to improve the lives of people with physical disabilities within the catchments’ area Membership of the committee shall be by election, held under the conditions laid out in clause 4 of this constitution Membership of the committee shall be from 2 years from the day of election. The committee may co-opt members to fill vacancies that arise during the term of office. The committee shall elect from within its number a Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer.
Meetings	The committee shall meet at regular intervals, when members will decide the business set before it. Meetings will be open to all members of the partnership however only formal members will have voting rights. The committee will reserve the right to meet in closed session where this is considered appropriate. The committee will hold in each calendar year an annual general meeting at such a time and date as determined by the committee. The business transacted at the AGM will include the presentation of reports and accounts of the preceding year and the election of officials. An extraordinary general meeting can be convened at any time on the basis of a requisition signed by no fewer than 8 members or 20% of the membership inperson, whichever is the lesser. At least 28 days notice shall be given to the members of a general meeting No business shall be transacted at an ordinary General Meeting unless a quorum of members is present at the time when the meeting proceeds to business. In this regard 8 members or 20% of the membership in person, whichever is the lesser number will be a quorum. At any General Meeting voting will be on a show of hands and a simple majority shall decide any question, except where otherwise provided for within this constitution. The secretary or a committee shall keep minutes of the proceedings of all meetings. Such minutes shall be submitted to the next succeeding General Meeting and after approval be authenticated by the signature of the chairperson or secretary.
Elections	Elections of new members will be held at the Annual General Meeting (A.G.M.) Those wishing to put themselves forward for elections or any other nominations must be forwarded to the committee at least 2 weeks before the AGM Retiring members will be eligible for re-election. There shall be no limit to the number of continuous years in which members can seek re-election.
Responsibilities	The organization shall, where necessary, be responsible for employing the services of staff, seasonal workers, volunteers and students in pursuit of its objective. In this regard all appropriate terms and conditions will be applied. The organization shall be responsible for submitting funding applications to a variety of funding/grant giving bodies, and for adhering to the terms and conditions of such grants/funding
Financial Arrangements	A deposit savings account and cheque account will be opened in the name of the organization, with a bank, building society or similar institution. All the receipts of cash must be banked before being used to finance expenditure. Such accounts will be operated only on the signatures of 2 members of the committee, 1 of whom will be the treasurer. The committee will keep proper books of account that show a: All monies received and expended together with detailed description of each transaction b: The assets and liabilities of the organizations The financial year will run from the 1st April to 31st March At its Annual General Meeting the committee will lay before the meeting an account of its receipts for the period since the last accounts together with a statement of the liabilities of the fund to the same date. Such statements of account will be subject to examination by a capable independent examiner.
Investment of Funds	The income and property of the organization, from whatever source, will be applied towards the work of the partnership as set out within this constitution. No portion thereof will be paid either directly or indirectly to any persons connected with the administration of the fund, other than the reimbursement of out of pocket expenses properly incurred in carrying out the duties of the organization.
Amendments	Amendments of this constitution will only be made at an Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting on the affirmative vote of not less than two thirds of the members present and only if proper notice of amendments to the constitution has been given within the notice of calling the meeting.
Dissolving the Partnership	The decision to dissolve the partnership will be taken only at a General Meeting on the affirmative vote of not fewer than two thirds of the members present, and only if notice of the intended business i.e. dissolving the partnership has been given notice to call the meeting. If, in the event of the partnership being dissolved their remains any monies or property, and after the satisfaction of all proper debts and liabilities, the same will not be distributed among members of the partnership but will be given or transferred to an appropriate institution or institutions admitted as a charity for income tax purposes. The receipt for monies or property provided by the secretary of such institutions shall constitute a complete discharge in respect of the partnership.