SHA

Sleepers Hill Association – Role and Constitution

January 2007

ROLE

The Sleepers Hill Association is an informal Association open to all households accessed from the road known as Sleepers Hill.

Sleepers Hill is a ‘private street’,  making its maintenance and upkeep the responsibility of the frontagers whilst acknowledging it as a public right of way, and the Association was originally formed to discharge that obligation.  Historically, all households that derive their access from Sleepers Hill have contributed to the upkeep of the road.

The Committee also acts as a focus for information regarding planning and other issues affecting the character of the hill.  It seeks consensus among affected residents on any issue.  It does not normally, as a Committee, support or oppose any particular planning proposal.  Members of the Committee may however do so as individuals as each sees fit.

To facilitate communication each Committee member is responsible for a group of households and acts as the principal line of communication between them and the Committee.  Householders are encouraged to get to know their Committee Representative and to keep him/her informed of any concerns or changes local to them.

In addition to the meetings laid out in the constitution below the Committee arranges an annual party hosted by one of the householders at which residents can meet socially.

CONSTITUTION

  1. NAME:  The name of the Association is the ‘Sleepers Hill Association’.

  2. ADDRESS:  The address of the Association is that of the current Honorary Secretary.

  3. PURPOSE:  The purpose of the Association is to represent the interests of all residents accessed from Sleepers Hill.  Its activities include, but are not necessarily limited to:

    1. funding the maintenance of the road surface, kerbs and drainage channels and signage;
    2. advising frontagers on their responsibilities regarding the maintenance of trees and hedging to ensure the preservation of pedestrian access, sightlines and lighting;
    3. maintaining the character of the hill;
    4. representing the views of residents in relation to plans drawn up by, or submitted to, local, county or national authorities including planning and highways.
       

  4. MEMBERSHIP:  Membership is open to all owners of premises accessed from Sleepers Hill.  Householders may wish not to participate in the activities of the Association but are not thereby absolved of their responsibility for their share of the cost of maintaining the Hill For the purpose of voting there is one vote per household.

  5. SUBSCRIPTIONS:  The subscription for each household is agreed annually at the AGM.  The subscription for any business premises or construction site will be negotiated at the discretion of the Committee.

  6. OFFICERS & COMMITTEE:  The elected officers of the Association are the Honorary Chairman, Honorary Treasurer and Honorary Secretary who will each be elected for a two-year term at the AGM.  Effort will be made to stagger elections so as to avoid more that Iwo officers being replaced in the same year.  Committee Members are also elected for a two-year term at the AGM, there being approximately three vacancies each year.  All members of the Committee must be proposed and seconded by Members of the Association.

    Outside its normal duties as laid out in section three above, the committee is permitted to spend up to 50% of the association’s annual income without a full meeting of the SHA in special circumstances as determined by the committee.

  7. QUORUM:  No business decision at the AGM will be valid unless there is not less than one officer and three Committee members present with other members of the Association such that the total number of households represented is at least one quarter of the membership of the Association.  In practice the Committee will, on any matter of substance, seek to obtain consensus amongst those affected before taking action; the principal aim of the AGM being a forum for the exchange of views and information.

    No business dealt with at a Committee meeting is valid unless at least one officer and three Committee members are present.

  8. MEETINGS: 
    Annual General Meeting:  The AGM is held normally in October / November following the financial year ending 31 May.  Members are given not less than 21 days notice of the meeting.
    Committee meetings:  There are at least two Committee meetings each year fixed by the Honorary Secretary following consultation with the members of the Committee.
    Extraordinary General Meetings:  An EGM may be convened by the officers and must be held within twenty one days on the requisition of not less than one fifth of the members.
    At all meetings proxy votes are allowed, proxies being treated as it they are present at the meeting.

  9. MODIFICATION OF RULES:  No alteration or addition to the constitution may be made except by a resolution carried by a majority of at least three quarters of the members present and entitled to vote at a general meeting, notice of which contained particulars of the proposed alteration or addition.

  10. INDEMNITY:  The officers and members of the Committee shall not be liable (otherwise than as members) for any loss suffered by the Association as a result of their respective duties on its behalf, except such loss as arises from their respective wilful default, and they shall be entitled to an indemnity out of the assets of the Association for all reasonable expenses and other liabilities incurred by them in the proper discharge of their respective duties.