BHTG Safeguarding Policy

Name :  The Group shall be known as Blackdown Hills Transition Group. 

Objects:  

Be formed as a not-for-profit organisation whose members are volunteers.

The Group is established to act as a focal point for all those with an interest in transition issues within and around the Blackdown Hills National Landscape.

In doing this the Group will: 

1. Look actively for funding to strengthen and ensure the long term future of the Group. 
2. Work with other organisations, private, government, statutory and voluntary, and with individuals & parishes to achieve our aims 
3. Identify specific people/organisations to take the recommendations forward 
4. Prepare an annual report of its activities 
5. Make an annual report of activities to all members 

Membership: 

Membership of the Group is open to all those with an interest in transition and organisations and bodies working with or for that purpose within the Blackdown Hills and surrounding area.    

All members of the Group shall have one vote. 

Meetings of the Group:

The Group shall have a minimum of 3 meeting(s) a year in addition to the Annual General Meeting. 

Annual General Meeting: 

An Annual General Meeting shall be held annually in the month of January or within one month of the stated month) where a report of the Groups activities will be made and accounts presented. 

The Group will elect annually a committee at its Annual General Meeting.  The number of members of the committee shall be a minimum of 5 members 

The Group will adopt a Roving Chairmanship one member will chair each meeting.   

The Chairman will have an additional, casting, vote in the event of a tied vote. 

Meetings of the Committee: 

The committee shall meet at times and venues which will make the meetings accessible to the widest number of members.  The Committee shall meet a minimum of twice during the financial year in addition to the Annual General Meeting. 

Notice of committee meetings shall be given three weeks in advance of the meeting. 

Minutes of all meetings shall be kept. 

The minimum number of members needed for a meeting to proceed is three. 

Officers: 

The Committee may appoint a secretary (who may or may not be a member of the committee).  It will be the duty of the Secretary to draw up an agenda in consultation with the Chairman. 

A Treasurer shall be appointed by the Committee.  The Treasurer shall be one of two signatories for a bank account.  All financial transactions must be done with two signatures, one of which should be the Treasurer’s. 

Review of Activities: 

The Group shall review its activities no later than (3 years from the date of its establishment) to review progress and whether it wishes to continue.

Dissolution: 

A meeting of the membership shall decide by a majority vote to dissolve the Group 

All funds remaining in the account (subject to all debts being cleared) shall be given to an organisation with similar aims working for the benefit of fibre producers and users.