1.

NAME: The name of the Association shall be the Basingstoke District Association of Parish & Town Councils (BDAPTC).

2.

OBJECTIVES: The aims and objectives of the Association are to take all such steps as may be necessary or desirable in the interests of Member Councils consistent with the objectives of the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) which are:

a.

to protect and promote the interests, rights, functions and privileges of Member Councils;

b.

to assist Member Councils in the performance of their duties and to promote and develop the social, cultural and recreational life of parishes and villages;

c.

to promote a widespread and well-informed interest in Local Government;

d.

to promote good Local Government.

3.

MEMBERSHIP: Every Parish/Town Council and Parish Meeting in the District shall automatically be in membership on payment of their annual subscription to the County Association. Each subscription shall include an element for the expenses of the BDAPTC.

4.

REPRESENTATION: Each Member Council (which shall include Parish Meeting Members) shall be entitled to appoint two Councillors as representatives to the BDAPTC. Other Councillors, and/or the Clerk, may attend BDAPTC meetings as observers.

5.

VOTING: Voting shall be by show of hands. Each Member Council shall be entitled to ONE vote on any motion. In the event of an equal number of votes being cast for or against a motion, the person presiding at the Meeting shall have a second or casting vote.

6.

REPRESENTATION ON THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: The BDAPTC shall appoint such representatives to the County Executive Committee as shall be determined from time to time by the County Annual General Meeting (currently 4 members). These representatives shall normally be elected at the BDAPTC Annual General meeting. The Chairman and Vice-Chairman shall automatically represent the BDAPTC on the County Executive Committee unless they indicate they do not wish to stand.

7.

EXPENSES OF THE BDAPTC: The BDAPTC is granted a sum of money from County Association funds for running expenses. This sum is fixed from time to time by the County Executive Committee on production by the BDAPTC of the annual budget of expenses. The BDAPTC Treasurer shall be responsible for receiving, banking and accounting for such funds and shall present accounts made up to March 31 annually to the Annual General Meeting for approval. A copy of the approved statement, countersigned by the person presiding at the Annual General Meeting, shall be sent to the Director of the Hampshire Association of Parish and Town Councils (HAPTC), who will arrange for the BDAPTC to be funded to the prescribed limit. The Officers and Secretary will be reimbursed for essential expenses incurred and the cost of administering the BDAPTC general business shall be met from the total sum allocated to the District Association.

8.

OFFICERS: At the Annual General Meeting of the BDAPTC, a Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Treasurer shall be elected from among the Members. The Treasurer may be a Councillor or a Clerk or any other person approved by the Annual General Meeting. The names, addresses, telephone numbers and e-mail addresses of all Officers shall be sent to the Director of the HAPTC as soon as possible after the Annual General Meeting. These details will also be given to Member Councils.

9.

SECRETARY: The Secretary shall be appointed annually by the Officers of the Association and will be paid an honorarium to be reviewed and agreed at the Annual General Meeting.

10.

MEETINGS: A quorum shall be representatives from NINE Member Councils. The BDAPTC shall hold its Annual General Meeting in June of each year and hold as many meetings during the year as the representatives shall decide; but in any case there shall be FOUR meetings per year including the Annual General Meeting. In the event of the Chairman or Vice-Chairman being absent the Meeting shall appoint a person to take the chair for that Meeting only. The Chairman may call an Extraordinary Meeting if he/she considers it necessary and shall call one on the written representation of FIVE Member Councils. Notices of all meetings shall be sent to Member Councils by the Secretary at least 7 days before the meeting. Accidental failure or omission to give notice of a meeting of the BDAPTC (or a Committee or a Sub-Committee) to any Council or person entitled to attend, or the non-receipt of such notice, shall not invalidate the proceedings of such a meeting.

11.

RESOLUTIONS: Member Councils wishing to have a resolution discussed at a meeting shall notify the Secretary IN WRITING 21 clear days before the Meeting and include the full text of the resolution and in addition shall ensure that a representative attends the Meeting ready to propose the resolution. The Chairman of the Meeting may accept a resolution of an emergency or urgent nature but the matter shall only be discussed and voted on if at least TWO THIRDS of the Councils represented and voting agree to such a debate and vote.

12.

ALTERATIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION: Any amendment to the Constitution may be moved at a Meeting of the BDAPTC but must be approved by a majority of TWO THIRDS of the Councils represented and voting. No amendment shall be made which is inconsistent with the Constitution of the Hampshire Association of Parish and Town Councils in force at that time and any such amendment shall be subject to the approval of the County Executive Committee. Any notice of a proposed amendment shall be given to Member Councils 28 clear days before the date of the Meeting.

13.

DISSOLUTION: Any proposal that the BDAPTC shall be dissolved shall be subject to 28 clear days notice by the Secretary to the Member Councils and to the County Association. In the event of the BDAPTC adopting the proposal (which shall require a TWO THIRDS majority of the Councils represented and voting) the facts shall be notified at once to the Director of the HAPTC, together with particulars of any property held, the balance of funds in hand and an account of income and expenditure since the last annual statement. The future of the property and funds of the BDAPTC shall be determined by the County Executive Committee.

This Constitution was adopted as the Constitution of the Basingstoke District Association of Parish & Town Councils at a Meeting of the Association held on June 26, 2001.

Chairman:

(Signed by Sheila Allen)

Secretary:

(Signed by Nicki Berry)