Our Constitution.

1.1 The name of the Forum shall be the Hyde Park Neighbourhood Forum ('the Forum').

1.2 The area covered by the Forum shall be the area shown on the attached map, known as Hyde Park Neighbourhood Area ('the Area').

2.1 The aim of the Forum shall be to promote and improve the social, economic and environmental well-being of the Area.

2.2 The objectives of the Neighbourhood Forum shall be:

To agree a vision for the Area;

To prepare development policies to achieve this vision, which conform with local and national planning policies;

To prepare a Neighbourhood Plan for the Area which embodies these policies.

3.1 The Forum shall have the power to carry out anything within the law necessary to achieve its aims and objectives.

3.2 The Forum shall organise at least three Forum Meetings per year, including an Annual General Meeting (AGM), to which all Forum members will be invited.

3.3 The Forum shall enter into an Agreement with Leeds City Council for the delivery of the Neighbourhood Plan, and shall observe the terms of that Agreement, including designation, preparation, pre-submission consultation, conformity, publicity, review, examination and referendum of the Plan,

3.4 The Forum shall prepare the Neighbourhood Plan, on behalf of and in extensive consultation with the local community, in accordance with a Project Plan agreed by the Forum.

3.5 The Forum shall institute a Public Engagement Programme, in order to l disseminate information about the development of the Plan, l enable all residents and others with an interest in the Neighbourhood to contribute to the development of the Plan, and l inform the development of the Plan.

4.1 The Forum shall conduct its affairs ethically.

4.2 The Forum shall observe the 'Nolan Principles', the seven principles of public life, namely Selflessness, Integrity, Objectivity, Accountability, Openness, Honesty and Leadership.

4.3 The Forum shall pursue equality of opportunity in terms of its membership, its conduct and its proposed Plan.

4.4 The Forum shall, in the course of its activities, not discriminate on any grounds unrelated to merit.

5.1 Membership of the Forum is open to individuals who live in the Area, individuals who work or study there, individuals appointed to represent people who live or work there and individuals who are elected members of the Council, whose ward falls within the Neighbourhood Area.

5.2 The Forum shall comprise at least twenty-one (21) members.

5.3 The majority of the members of the Forum shall be residents of the Area, including one from each local community association [see Note] within the Area.

5.4 The initial members of the Forum shall be those identified in the Application for designation.

5.5 Applications by individuals for membership shall be made in writing to the Secretary, and they shall be decided by the Forum; individual applicants should normally intend to be able to commit to membership of the Forum for the whole of its duration.

5.6 Subsequent applications will be considered at General Meetings or Committee Meetings of the Forum and deemed accepted if approved by a majority of voting members present.

5.7 When members wish to resign, the Forum shall invite them to do so in advance in writing; members who fail to attend the Forum regularly shall be deemed to have resigned.

Notes:

Individuals who represent people who live or work in the Area are here defined as:

- individuals appointed by an organisation with an interest in the area, such as an educational , health or social body, to represent the interests of people who live or work there

Local community association is here defined as follows:

- local: its purpose is the benefit of a geographical locality (rather than, say, a social section or a vocational interest);

- community: membership is open to all members of the community within the locality;

- association: members are associated by means of a written constitution.

6.1 The Forum may appoint a Committee, to act on behalf of the Forum in the preparation of the Neighbourhood Plan.

6.2 The Committee shall comprise up to twelve (12) members of the Forum, who shall include the officers of the Forum, and the majority of whom shall be residents of the Area.

6.3 The Committee may co-opt up to three (3) additional members.

6.4 The Forum shall establish such subordinate groups as it deems necessary in order to achieve its aims and objectives.

6.5 Any sub-groups established by the Forum shall abide by the same aims and objectives, values and conduct as the Forum itself.

7.1 The Forum shall conduct its affairs in accordance with its Agreement with Leeds City Council, and shall work with the Council during the preparation of the Plan to enable the Council to carry out its Òduty to supportÓ and to help ensure a successful examination.

7.2 The Forum shall adopt Standing Orders for the conduct of the Forum..

8.1 The Committee shall be responsible for the day to day management of the Forum, including management of the ForumÕs finances.

8.2 Membership of the Committee will be open to all members of the Forum.

8.3 All members of the Committee will be elected at the Forum's AGM. Retiring members will be eligible for re-election.

8.4 At the AGM of the Forum, the members shall elect from the membership, a Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer and such other officers as the Forum in general meeting may determine. An officer of the Forum may (subject to the agreement of a general meeting of the Forum) transfer his or her powers and duties to another member of the Committee on a temporary basis.

8.5 The Committee may co-opt members to the Committee to fill any vacancies that arise. Such appointments must be ratified at the next Forum meeting.

8.6 The Committee shall meet as often as necessary for the effective transaction of the business of the Forum and the quorum for any meeting shall be at least 50% of Committee members.

8.7 Notification of Committee meetings and the agenda will be sent out to all Committee members at least seven days prior to the date of the meeting.

9.1 The Chair shall chair meetings of the Forum, which shall be held according to a programme agreed by the Forum.

9.2 The Secretary shall keep a record of meetings of the Forum in the form of Minutes, which shall record reports received, resolutions made and actions agreed.

9.3 Fourteen (14) days notice shall be given for General Meetings (other than the Annual General meeting and Special General Meetings)

9.4 Meetings of the Forum shall be quorate if a third of members, or twelve (12) members, whichever is least, are present, provided that the majority of these are residents.

9.5 Where possible, the Forum shall make decisions by consensus; where this is not possible, decisions shall be made by a simple majority vote; in the event of a tied vote, the proposal shall fail.

9.6 At each meeting of the Forum, members shall declare in advance any interests they have which may give rise to a conflict of interest with the work of the Forum.

9.7 Forum communications shall normally be conducted by email.

10.1 Any monies acquired by the Forum shall be used only to help achieve the aims and objectives of the Forum.

10.2 The Treasurer shall if required set up a bank account in the name of the Forum and shall keep a proper account of the finances of the Forum.

10.3 The Treasurer shall if required set up finance handling arrangements with third parties (e.g. Leeds City Council or other incorporated bodies.

10.3 All transactions in any format shall be authorised by the Treasurer and one other officer of the Forum.

10.4 No committee member shall receive any payment or benefit in kind for services rendered to the Forum provided that reasonable out of pocket expenses, properly incurred on behalf of the Forum may be reimbursed at the discretion of the Committee.

10.5 Committee members of the Forum shall be entitled to be indemnified out of the property of the Forum for any liability properly incurred by them severally or jointly on behalf of the Forum, provided that nothing in this clause shall entitle any member or members to any indemnity against liability arising through negligence or similar actions on their part.

10.6 The Treasurer shall keep proper accounts of the finances of the Forum.

10.7 The accounts shall be audited or examined by an auditor or independent examiner who possesses the necessary skills and who is appointed at the Annual General Meeting. The person so appointed shall not be a member of the Committee.

11.1 Complaints about the conduct of a member of the Forum shall be made in confidence in writing to the Chair; such complaints shall be investigated by the officers of the Forum, who shall decide on action as appropriate.

11.2 If the complaint concerns an officer of the Committee, or if a complaint is unresolved, then mediation may be sought from the Council if required.

12.1 The Constitution may be amended by a General Meeting of the Forum (including a Special General Meeting of the Forum called in accordance with the provisions of this constitution).

12.2 Notice of any proposal to amend the constitution shall be given to the members of the Forum in writing not more than 28 days and not less than 14 days before the proposed amendment is debated.

12.3 Any motion proposing an alteration to the constitution shall require the approval of a two thirds majority of members present and voting.

13.1 The Inaugural Annual General Meeting shall be held within two months of the Designation of the Forum. An Annual General Meeting must be held within fifteen months of the previous Annual General Meeting. A minimum of 21 days notice shall be given.

13.2 The Annual General Meeting shall:

a) receive a report from the Committee b) receive an audited statement of accounts c) elect Officers and members of the Committee in accordance with 13.3 below d) appoint an auditor or independent examiner

e) consider any other appropriate business

13.3 Elections of Committee and Officers:

a) In a contested election (that is where the number of candidates exceeds the number of posts to be filled) the candidates polling the greatest number of votes shall be considered to be elected. Voting shall be by a show of hands.

b) In an uncontested election (where the number of candidates does not exceed the number of positions to be filled) a vote for each candidate shall be held by a show of hands.

c) A candidate shall be considered to be elected only if the vote is passed by a simple majority.

d) In elections for officer positions where a resolution that the candidate shall be elected is not passed, nominations shall be re-opened and the election conducted immediately after members of the Forum have had a reasonable opportunity to make nominations.

13.1 A Special General Meeting of the Forum may be called by:-

a) a resolution of a General Meeting of the Forum, b) a resolution of the Committee of the Forum, or c) a request from 25% of the members of the Forum

13.2 The Secretary must convene the meeting within a period of not less than 14 and not more than 28 days of the meeting being requisitioned unless, in the judgment of the Chair of the Forum an emergency has arisen, justifying the holding of a meeting at less than 14 days notice.

Note: When the plan is 'made' options include: continue the forum, disband, become a Parish Council

15.1 The duration of the Forum shall be five years from the date of designation.

15.2 The Forum may be dissolved by mutual consent at an earlier date, upon adoption of the Neighbourhood Plan.

15.3 The duration of the Forum may be extended, either to complete the preparation of the Neighbourhood Plan, or if agreed by its members, in order to deliver the Neighbourhood Plan, with other relevant organisations as appropriate, or to deliver other aspects of Localism.

15.4 Upon dissolution of the Forum, any assets held in the name of the Forum (after payment of all debts and liabilities) shall be disposed of to other organisations having similar objectives to those of the Forum, as agreed by a majority of remaining members.