FRIENDS OF CANADA WOODS AND COMMUNITY PARK – COMMUNITY GROUP
TERMS OF REFERENCE – CONSTITUTION
Background
The Community Group is made up of people, who have come forward with a
shared interest to help manage and improve Canada Woods and Community Park.
Aims
The Community Group aims are:
To Regenerate the woodland and promote healthy growth for future generations
to enjoy
To Provide an accessible and inclusive woodland space for the community
To Provide a useable space for schools and community projects
To Provide a Community Space on the amenity land adjoining Canada Woods known as Community Park
To engage a volunteer network for ongoing woodland and land management to work alongside the Parish Council
The Community Group will liaise with the Parish Council, as Land Owners, to improve and enhance Canada Woods and the amenity area, Community Park. To facilitate improvements by fund raising for projects including accessible footpaths, seating and river projects, considering suggestions made by the community during consultation. To work in conjunction with the Parish Council on the 10-year Woodland Management Plan accepted by the Forestry Commission dated 28/07/2022 and to increase biodiversity and mitigate climate change where possible within both areas by planting native trees, hedgerows and wild flowers.
Finances
Financing for projects will be obtained from grant funding wherever possible, alongside fundraising activities, sale of merchandise, donations, and if necessary, with support from the Parish Council.
An account will be maintained on behalf of the Community Group at a bank agreed by the Committee (currently Virgin Money) A minimum of two signatories will be required for all transactions. The signatories must not be related nor members of the same household.
Records of income and expenditure will be maintained by the Treasurer and Secretary.
All money raised by or on behalf of the Community group is only to be used to further the aims of the group as set out in this constitution. Any money received by grant funding must only be used for the purpose stated in the funding application.
The Community Group is, and will remain a NOT-FOR-PROFIT organisation.
Membership
Volunteer membership is open to anyone who:
Lives in Market Lavington or surrounding areas
Supports the aims and constitution of the Community Group
Is willing to join in with Community Group activities, working parties and community events
Is willing to learn and to pass on skills to others
Volunteer members can be appointed with Committee approval at any time and for specific projects
A list of volunteers will be kept by the Community Group Committee
Committee Membership
The Chair appointed by the group at the inaugural meeting will retain that position until they no longer wish to preside or is deemed to be unfit for holding that office by the remaining Community Group Committee members. A new chair will be appointed at the first meeting following resignation.
Members of the Community Group Committee can be co-opted by the chair at any time.
Committee members may request or be allocated specific titles or tasks depending on their skills set
The Community Group shall have at least five members. A quorum shall be three members present.
A list of Committee Members will be kept by the Parish Council and will be displayed at the end of this document.
Working Parties
Any volunteers/members acting on behalf of the Community Group will be covered under the Parish Council’s insurance whilst working in the Woodland and Amenity Area.
All volunteers/members working on specific projects will be asked to sign a risk assessment applicable to that event noting that they have read, understood and will comply with the notifications contained within it.
GDPR
Volunteers and Committee members will accept the General Privacy Policy maintained by the Parish Council. The General Privacy Policy can be found on the Parish Council Website.
Ceasing to be a member
Members may resign at any time in writing to the chair.
Any offensive behaviour under the Equality Act 2010 will not be permitted. Anyone behaving in an offensive way or breaking the equal opportunities policy may be asked not to attend further meetings or events or to resign from the group if the behaviour is repeated. The individual concerned shall have the right to be heard by the Group Committee before a final decision is made.
Frequency of meetings
The Community Group will meet as and when required but no less than 4 times per year. Meetings will be called by the Committee Chair or Secretary. There will be no requirement to formally advertise the meetings or agenda outside of the Committee members. Meetings can be held at any convenient location as agreed by members, or be held via zoom teleconferencing facility. A nominated Community Group member will take notes for the meeting. The meeting will usually be recorded for ease of administration. The minutes of meetings will be shared with the Community Group Committee Members and a report made to the next Full Parish Council meeting either in writing or in person.
Rules of Procedure for meetings
Agenda items will be required 7 days prior to the meeting. All questions that arise will be discussed openly and the meeting will seek to find general agreement that everyone present can agree to. If a consensus cannot be reached then a vote will take place and a decision made by simple majority. If the votes cast is equal then the chair of the meeting shall have an additional casting vote.
Any Committee member shall be permitted to obtain quotations for project proposals. Any proposal requiring Parish Council Approval as Land Owners must be presented to the full parish council and obtained in line with their financial regulations. Three quotations should be obtained, if possible, with a view to obtaining the best value for money; for specialists it is accepted that it is not always possible to follow this requirement.
Special General Meetings
Any Committee member may call a Special General Meeting by email to all members with a minimum of 7 days’ notice. A Quorum for a Special General Meeting will be 6.
Equal Opportunities
The Community Group will not discriminate either directly or indirectly on the grounds of sex, gender reassignment, race religion or belief (including colour, ethnic or national origin) sexual orientation, pregnancy or maternity, marital status, age or disability. The Community Group will adhere to the Equal Opportunities Policy as adopted by the Parish Council which is available to view on the Parish Website.
Dissolution
If a meeting, by simple majority decides that it is necessary to close down the Group it may call a Special General Meeting to do so. The sole business of this meeting will be to dissolve the group.
If it is agreed to dissolve the Community Group, all remaining money raised by application must be used for the projects they were intended for and will be administered by the Parish Council. Any donations will be used for the benefit of Canada Woods and Community Park agreed by the Community Group at the Special General Meeting. Assets which were purchased by Committee members for the benefit of the Community Group will be retained by that member, this includes any unsold Community Group merchandise.
A copy of this document will be provided to all Community Group members and published on the Parish Council and Community Group websites.
Any proposal to amend this constitution will require two thirds of the committee membership to agree the amendment at a Special General Meeting called for that purpose.
This constitution was agreed by the Community Group Committee dated 13th June 2025
Committee Membership as at 13th June 2025