1. NAME
1.1. The name of the Association shall be “Thornbury CSA” (hereinafter called “the CSA”).
2. OBJECTIVES
2.1 The CSA shall be a Community Supported Agriculture scheme, working within a geographical area consisting of Thornbury and its surrounding area.
2.2. The objectives of the CSA shall be to work with local growers and farmers to supply sustainably grown food for consumption by local people, in particular by:
(a) Growing and supplying vegetables, fruit and other fresh produce to the members.
(b) Employing biodynamic, organic or similar farming methods to grow vegetables, fruit and other fresh produce.
(c) Reducing the distance the food is transported as far as is reasonable.
(d) Buying in food whenever necessary from sources that are as local and sustainable as possible.
(e) Encouraging understanding of sustainable growing methods so members and others gain a deeper understanding of our relationship with food production and the earth.
(f) Developing skills in food production and in organising Community Agriculture Schemes and to provide training, information and advice in these skills to other individuals and organisations interested in joining this CSA or in setting up their own CSA.
(g) Treat suppliers fairly.
(h) Generally doing such other things as are or may be considered by the CSA to further the foregoing objectives
3. MEMBERSHIP AND SUBSCRIPTIONS
3.1. Membership of the CSA shall be open to all persons supportive of the objectives of the CSA. Only such members as have attained the age of 16 shall have the power to vote at the Inaugural Meeting, a General Meeting or an Annual General Meeting.
3.2 Membership is open to all persons regardless of their location within or outside the geographical area described at 2.1 above.
3.3 Whether or not to set a subscription, and the rates pertaining, shall be determined at the Annual General Meeting of the CSA each year.
4. GENERAL MEETINGS
4.1 The first Annual General Meeting must be held within one year of the adoption of this Constitution. Subsequently an Annual General Meeting must be held each year not more than 14 months after the preceding Annual General Meeting.
4.2 All members shall be notified at least 21 days in advance of all General Meetings and Annual General Meetings. These meetings shall be quorate if there are at least 8 members or 10% of the CSA in attendance, whichever is the greater.
4.3 The CSA must hold an Annual General Meeting (AGM) every year and re-elect officers every year. Members seeking election to an office must be proposed and seconded by two separate members of the CSA. All members shall be given 21 days notice of an AGM. An AGM shall be quorate if there are 8 members or 10% of the CSA in attendance, whichever is the greater.
4.4 A Special General meeting (SGM) may be called at any time by the Chair; and must be called on a requisition signed by not less than one-tenth of the membership of the CSA, or twenty members, whichever is the greater.
5. OFFICERS
5.1. The officers of the CSA shall consist at a minimum of the Chair, the Secretary and the Treasurer, who shall be elected at the Inaugural Meeting and subsequently at the Annual General Meeting of the CSA. An Annual General Meeting shall have power to elect other officers as it determines. All officers must be members of the CSA. The minimum age at which members can act as officers of the CSA is 18.
5.2 Officers must be re-elected every year. Members seeking election to an office must be proposed and seconded by two separate members of the CSA.
5.3 The Chair shall preside at CSA meetings and be a visible point of contact for the CSA. In the event of a tied vote, the Chair will have a casting vote.
5.4 It shall be the duty of the Secretary to see that the Annual General Meetings are held, ensuring that proper minutes of such meetings are kept and to conduct the correspondence of the CSA. Additionally, the Secretary shall:
(a) prepare an annual report of the activities of the CSA during the preceding year.
(b) ensure that a register of Members of the CSA is kept.
5.5 It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to receive, bank and account for all monies collected by whatever agency for the CSA from members of the CSA or from other sources. Additionally, the Treasurer shall:
(a) cause proper account books to be kept and ensure that the annual accounts of the CSA are independently examined.
(b) make the annual CSA accounts available for inspection by members in Business Meetings, and present the accounts for adoption by the CSA at the Annual General Meeting.
5.6 The CSA shall open a bank or building society account in the name specified above. At least two of the elected officers shall be signatories to the account, and at least two signatures shall be required on any cheque drawn on this account.
6. MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
6.1 The Management Committee shall consist of the officers and any other Management Committee members elected by the Inaugural Meeting or an Annual General Meeting.
6.2 The Management Committee shall meet at least three times in each year. These meetings shall be quorate if there are at least one office holder and half the other Management Committee members in attendance. If the meeting is not quorate then no expenditure strategy or delegation can be approved.
6.3 Management Committee meetings shall be the forum at which decisions about the general strategy for financial decisions are made. The Management Committee may delegate financial decisions as it sees fit.
7. TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP OF CSA
7.1 Any ordinary member of the CSA may resign at any time by giving the Secretary one month’s notice. Any financial re-imbursement due to a member shall be determined under the rules of the CSA.
7.2 If any member is found to act in a way to bring the CSA into disrepute, or is found to be acting counter to the objectives set out above, that person’s membership may be cancelled following a majority vote to that effect at a General Meeting or Annual General Meeting. Any member may bring such actions to the attention of the CSA by notifying an officer of the CSA. The affected person shall be offered the opportunity to speak at any meeting where the continuance of membership is to be raised as an issue.
8. DISSOLUTION
8.1. The CSA shall be wound up at an Annual General Meeting or General Meeting called for that purpose. It shall give all members 21 days notice of that meeting. Where a decision is taken to dissolve the CSA, the officers shall have powers to realise any assets held by or on behalf of the CSA. Any assets remaining after the satisfaction of any proper debts and liabilities shall be given or transferred to such charitable institution or institutions having similar objectives to the CSA, as the members of the CSA may determine, or failing that, shall be applied for some other charitable purpose.
9. ALTERATION OF THE CONSTITUTION
9.1. This constitution may be altered by a resolution passed by not less than two thirds of the members present and entitled to vote at an Annual General Meeting or General Meeting called for that purpose. It shall give all members 21 days notice of that meeting. The notice of the meeting must set out the terms of the alteration proposed.