OCRA RULES
OLD COULSDON RESIDENTS' ASSOCIATION
RULES – JANUARY 2021
1. The Association shall be called the Old Coulsdon Residents' Association (abbreviated to “OCRA”).
2. The Old Coulsdon Residents' Association area is bounded in general by Stoneyfield Road/Hillside Road, Caterham Drive, Old Fox Close, and 536 Coulsdon Road (Surrey border) and all adult residents within this area shall be eligible for membership. Others may be considered for membership at the discretion of the Executive Committee (see Rule 9).
3. The objects of the Association shall be:
a) To preserve and, where possible, to enhance the special character of Old Coulsdon.
(b) To represent and uphold the interests of the residents in all matters appertaining to the area.
(c) To communicate matters of local interest to members by means of regular Newsletters, by maintaining the OCRA website and by holding General Meetings of members as and when required.
(d) To promote and foster cultural and social activities, and to co-operate with Clubs, Societies and other organisations established for purposes consistent with the objects of the Association.
4. The Association shall be non-sectarian and shall not affiliate to any political party or participate in party politics.
5. The general management of the Association shall be vested in an Executive Committee, who should live in the Old Coulsdon area, as described in Rule 2 above, and be a member of OCRA.
a) This Committee shall consist of the following Officers: Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, and up to twelve other members, all of whom shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting (subject to Rule 22).
b) Meetings of the Committee shall be held approximately monthly at which the Chairman shall preside, or in his absence, the Vice-Chairman. Seven shall form a Quorum at Committee Meetings. In the absence of the Chairman and Vice-Chairman the Quorum shall elect a Chairman for the duration of the Meeting.
6. Annual General Meetings shall be held normally in April but on another date in the same calendar year in the event of extraordinary circumstances. Other General Meetings shall be convened as occasion requires. All members shall receive at least fourteen days’ notice, in writing, or by email, of General Meetings.
7. At the Annual General Meeting a member who does not hold office shall be elected to examine the Accounts during the ensuing year.
8. All positions shall be honorary.
9. The Annual Subscription for each household, which is due before 31st December, shall be decided at the AGM and will take effect from the following 1st January. Members living outside the Association's area may be required to pay an additional sum.
10. The Executive Committee may invite any of the Coulsdon East Ward Councillors to attend the Committee Meetings where it is considered it would be to the advantage of the area and the Association to do so. Any Councillor who accepts the invitation will not be entitled to vote.
11. Each member of the Executive Committee may vote only once on each division.
12. The Chairman shall have a casting vote in any matters where equal voting occurs.
13. The Executive Committee may co-opt additional members where this is considered appropriate. Such members will not be entitled to vote.
14. The Committee shall have the power to appoint a sub-committee for any special purpose. The Chairman will be an ex-officio member of any such sub-committee.
15. The administration of membership shall be through a system of Super Stewards and Road Stewards controlled by the Membership Secretary who shall encourage the Road Stewards to achieve the highest possible membership.
16. Each Road Steward will be required to collect the Annual Subscriptions and deliver any Association items to the area allocated to him/her.
17. Each Road Steward shall pay all subscriptions collected to the Treasurer, or another person nominated by the Committee.
18. A record shall be maintained of the membership by the Membership Secretary.
19. The Treasurer shall keep proper accounts of all income and expenditure, report to each Committee Meeting the current financial situation and produce an examined report of the Association's financial position as at the previous 31st December at the Annual General Meeting. All items of expenditure require approval by the Committee prior to payment.
20. All monies received shall be deposited in Bank or Building Society Accounts.
21. At the first Committee Meeting after the Annual General Meeting:
a) Three members of the Committee shall be nominated to sign cheques or authorise payment from the Association's Account, any two of whom should be required to sign.
b) Duties, other than those of the officers, such as Membership Secretary, Newsletter Editor, Planning Officer, etc will be shared among Committee Members.
22. Should a member of the Committee elected to an office in para. 5 resign, the Committee shall have the power to appoint another member of the Committee to fill the vacancy until the next Annual General Meeting.
23. A special General Meeting shall be convened upon written request being received by the Committee to do so from fifty or more members. The reason for the request must be stated.
24. No alterations or additions to be made to these Rules except at an Annual General Meeting, or a General Meeting convened for that purpose. The nature of the proposed alterations and/or additions shall be notified to members no later than 48 hours prior to an Annual General Meeting. The Rules should be reviewed at least once every five years.
25. Only the Executive Committee or persons authorised by the Executive Committee have the authority to speak for or act on behalf of the Association.
26. The Executive Committee has the right to refuse or revoke membership of persons who act contrary to the aims and rules of the Association.
27. Nominations for Officers, other members of the Executive Committee and Examiner must be in possession of the Chairman or Secretary, either in writing or by email, seven clear days prior to the date of the Annual General Meeting. Each nomination must be supported by a Proposer and Seconder with the nominee’s written consent.
28. The Association shall not be dissolved except by the vote of two thirds of the members present and voting at a General Meeting, on the agenda of which shall appear the question of dissolution. On dissolution any surplus funds shall be paid to local charities or relevant community groups to be decided by the outgoing Executive Committee.
29. When there is a proposal to make a donation from OCRA funds of £100 or more in a single payment to an organisation, or in smaller sum which add up to £100 or more in a committee year, the proposal is to be formally voted on and the result minuted.