Heanor
Terms of Reference & Governance of the Me&U Partnership Steering Group
1. Name of Group
1.1 The name of the group shall be the ‘Me&U Partnership Steering Group’
(hereafter referred to as the Steering Group).
2. Aims
2.1 The aim of the Steering Group is to support the regeneration and
community development of the Heanor area, as part of the Heanor Regeneration
Partnership.
2.2 The Steering Group aims to deliver Me&U initiatives through the
development and support of community regeneration projects as set out in the
me&u Action Plan, in the Me&U area - namely the parishes of Aldercar &
Langley Mill, Heanor & Loscoe, Mapperley, Shipley and Smalley.
3. Objectives
3.1 The objectives of the Steering Group shall be:
3.1.1 To actively champion community involvement in the Me&U area;
3.1.2 To annually review and update the Me&U Action Plan;
3.1.3 To access funding;
3.1.4 To facilitate projects within the area, either from within the Me&U
steering group or through other community and statutory sources;
3.1.5 To raise the awareness of the Me&U action plan and initiatives;
3.1.6 To work in accordance with the objectives of the Heanor Regeneration
Partnership.
4. Links to Partnership Working
4.1 The Steering Group will be informed and guided by the Heanor
Regeneration Partnership.
4.2 The Steering Group will report to the Heanor Regeneration Partnership
via meeting minutes, and by attendance at Heanor Regeneration Partnership
meetings.
4.3 The Steering Group will work alongside and complement the work of the
Physical Regeneration Steering Group.
4.4 The Steering Group will be represented on the Amber Valley Partnership
Board.
5. Powers
5.1 In pursuit of these objectives, the Steering Group shall have the power
to:
5.1.1 Bring together representatives from voluntary/community organisations,
statutory authorities and the community;
5.1.2 Arrange and provide for, either solely or in partnership with others,
the realisation of projects identified in the Me&U action plan;
5.1.3 Support consultation and needs analysis to inform future action
plans;
5.1.4 Raise funds and invite or receive donations and contributions, whether
by subscription or otherwise;
5.1.5 Do all such lawful things as shall further the objectives of the
Steering Group.
6. Membership
6.1 The membership of the Steering Group will comprise of one representative
from each of the following:
Aldercar & Langley Mill Parish Council
Amber Valley Borough Council
Amber Valley Council for Voluntary Services
Derbyshire Constabulary
Derbyshire County Council
Derbyshire County Primary Care Trust
Heanor & Loscoe Town Council
Mapperley Parish Council
Shipley Parish Council
Smalley Parish Council
South East Derbyshire College
6.2 The membership will also be open to resident associations and community
groups within the catchment area identified in these terms of reference.
6.3 The Steering Group can co-opt members with relevant skills and
abilities to the Group (residents within the Me&U area, community member).
6.4 Every member shall have one vote
6.5 Members agree to abide by the following ground rules for effective
working and acceptable behaviour:
· Contribute to the Agenda
· Work to the objective of the Steering Group
· Be open minded to new ideas and possibilities
· Be honest and open with each other
· Be supportive of each other and show mutual respect
· No one person to dominate the proceedings
· No politicking or point scoring
· No personal/organisational attacks
· Maintain focus
· Present a united front to external organisations and local people
· Ensure no one is treated less favourably on the basis of their gender,
race, disability, religious belief, sexual orientation or age
7. Management
7.1 The Steering Group shall elect Steering Group Officers consisting of
Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer and Secretary.
7.2 The Chair will preside over all the meetings. In the event of the Chair
being unable to attend a meeting, the Vice-Chair will preside.
7.3 The quorum for meetings shall be two Steering Group Officers and two
other members.
7.4 Decisions will be made by simple show of hands. In the event of a tie,
the Chair will have the casting vote.
7.5 The Duties of the Steering Group Officers:
Chair
i To preside at the Steering Group meetings;
ii As may be required by the Steering Group Officers, to act as the
principal spokesperson on public occasions or when representations are being
made on behalf of the organisation to public bodies;
iii. To represent the me&u Initiative Steering Group at meetings of the
Heanor Regeneration Partnership.
Vice-Chair
i To deputise for the Chair, taking on the duties of the Chair in the event
of the Chair being unavailable.
Secretary
i To prepare in consultation with the Chair, the agenda for the meetings of
the Steering Group;
ii To send out minutes, agenda, organise meetings and venues;
iii To take and keep minutes of all meetings (these to be considered for
accuracy by the Steering Group at the start of each meeting);
iv To collect and disseminate on all matters affecting the Steering Group;
v To maintain a list of registered members;
vi To report progress of the Me&U initiatives to the Heanor Regeneration
Partnership.
Treasurer
i To supervise financial affairs of the Steering Group;
ii To ensure that proper accounts are kept with regards to all monies
received by and paid out by the Steering Group and arrange for these
accounts to be audited annually;
iii The treasurer shall provide a brief report at each meeting of the
Steering Group on the state of the financial accounts, e.g. payments made or
received since the previous meeting.
8. Finance
8.1 All money raised by the Steering Group, or on its behalf, shall be used
only to further the aims of the Steering Group and for no other purpose.
8.2 The Steering Group will appoint an auditor, if required, at an Annual
Meeting.
8.3 The financial year shall run from 1 April to 31 March, after which time
an audited statement of accounts will be produced.
8.4 Any bank accounts opened for the Steering Group shall be in the name of
the Steering Group.
8.5 Any cheques issued shall be signed by two Steering Group Officers; the
Treasurer and two other officials being nominated as potential signatories.
9. Ordinary Meetings
There shall be a meeting held bimonthly, open to members of the Steering
Group, at a suitable venue within the membership area.
The Secretary will distribute agenda/meeting papers one week prior to the
meeting.
10. Extraordinary Meetings
10.1 An Extraordinary Meeting may be called by the Steering Group Officers
at any time and for any purpose to do with the affairs of the Steering
Group.
10.2 The Secretary shall give all members 14 days notice of any
Extraordinary Meeting together with notice of the business to be discussed.
11. Alterations to Terms of Reference and Governance
11.1 Any resolution for the alteration of the Terms of Reference or
Governance arrangements must be submitted to the Secretary no less than six
weeks prior to the date of the March meeting each year. No fewer than 7
registered individual members or member organisations must sign such
resolutions.
11.2 The Terms of Reference may be altered only by a vote of at least two
thirds of those present at the meeting.
12. Dissolution of The Steering Group
12.1 The Steering Group may be dissolved at an Extraordinary Meeting called
for that purpose and advertised at least two weeks in advance.
12.2 The proposal to dissolve shall take effect only if agreed by two
thirds of the members present and eligible to vote, at the meeting.
12.3 Any funding that remains wholly or partly unspent should be returned
to the funding body.
12.4 Any assets, financial or otherwise, remaining after the payment of all
debts and liabilities shall be given to an organisation with similar aims to
the Steering Group, working in the membership area.
12.5 The Treasurer shall prepare closing accounts to record how any
remaining assets were distributed.