1) Name

The name of the organisation shall be HART – Housing Action by Residents of Tollesbury.

2) Mission Statement

“HART is not against all new housing. It exists to promote resistance to inappropriate building and over-development of Tollesbury.”
HART is a non-party-political and non-profit making organisation.

3) Powers

In order to achieve its mission, HART may:

  • Raise money
  • Organise events
  • Open bank accounts
  • Take out insurance
  • Work with similar organisations and exchange information and advice with them
  • Do anything that is lawful which will help it to fulfil its mission
  • Purchase professional advice

4) Management

a) HART shall be administered by a Core Working Party, which shall comprise:

i. Five Executive posts: Chair, Deputy Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, and Information Governance Officer. Job sharing – such that two people share a post – may take place.

ii. Further Core Working Party members whose skillset and experience shall, as far as possible, include the following:

  • Planning
  • Environment
  • Preparation of evidence statements
  • Fundraising
  • Transport
  • Legal
  • Heritage/history
  • PR/Press
  • IT

b) At least 3 Executives must be present for a Core Working Party vote to take place.

c) Voting at Core Working Party meetings shall be by a show of hands. If there is a tied vote, then the Chair shall have a casting vote.

d) The Executives shall have the power to remove any member of the Core Working Party for good reason.

e) People can be co-opted into vacant posts, subject to a vote as described above.

5) The Duties of the Officers

a) The duties of the Chair shall be to:

  • Chair HART meetings;
  • Represent HART at functions/meetings; and
  • Act as the spokesperson of HART when necessary.

b) The duties of the Deputy Chair shall be to act as cover for the Chair when he or she is absent, and to provide support to the Chair.

c) The duties of the Secretary shall be to:

  • Maintain a public mailing list for outgoing communications.
  • Maintain contact details of Core Working Party members and key external parties.
  • Maintain records of correspondence and information received, and distribute these to Core Working Party members as appropriate.

d) The duties of the Treasurer shall be to:

  • Supervise the financial affairs of HART; and
  • Keep proper accounts that show all monies received and paid out by HART.
  • Ensure that such accounts are inspected in a timely manner.
  • Ensure that such inspections are conducted by an independent person who shall not be a Core Working Party member.

e) The duties of the Information Governance Officer shall be to:

  • Ensure compliance with data protection law, including the General Data Protection Regulations, and to advise the core Working Party on the same.
  • Provide a “watching brief” to ensure key responsibilities are fulfilled in a timely manner, such as an annual inspection of accounts and the secretarial record keeping.

6) Finance

a) All monies received by or on behalf of HART shall be used to further the work of HART.

b) Any bank or debit card accounts opened for HART shall be in the name of “Housing Action by Residents of Tollesbury”.

c) Any cheques issued shall be signed by two signatories.

d) There shall be up to five signatories – subject to the Bank’s regulations.

e) The signatories shall be Core Working Party members, and one should be the Treasurer.

f) The signatories may also have access to online banking and / or debit card facilities.

g) Cheques over £5000 must be signed by three signatories, subject to the Bank’s regulations.

7) Communications

The Core Working Party will provide updates to Tollesbury residents through suitable means such as a website, appropriate social media. It shall also ensure that communications are made available as far as possible to those who do not use computer / mobile phone facilities.

8) Constitutional changes and HART dissolution

a) Alterations to the Constitution: Any changes to this Constitution must be agreed through an Extraordinary General Meeting.

b) Dissolution: HART may be wound up by a resolution passed by a majority of those present at an Extraordinary General Meeting. Any remaining funds will be dispersed to the benefit of Tollesbury.

c) Adoption of this Constitution was by show of hands at a public meeting on 8th August 2019.

This Constitution was adopted on: 8th August 2019
By: E Stephens, HART Chair
Address: The Stables, East St, Tollesbury
Signed: E Stephens