Kennington Park Estate
Tenants’ and Residents’ Association
Constitution and Terms of Reference
- NAME
The Association is known as Kennington Park Estate Tenants’ and Residents’ Association.
- AREA OF OPERATION
The area of operation is Kennington Park Estate, London, SE11, consisting of the following blocks of flats:
Abel House: 16
Alverstone House 125
Blades House 20
Blythe House 56
Brockwell House 33
Grace House 50
Hornby House 80
Key House 73
Lockwood House 121
Lohmann House 86
Read House 40
Sherwin House 49
- OBJECTIVES AND OUTCOMES
3.1 The objectives and desired outcomes of the Association are:
- To promote the interests of all residents in the area, and to assist in maintaining good relations between all members of the community.
- To ensure that all members of the Association are consulted regularly, and that all residents are encourage to participate.
- To work towards the elimination of all forms of discrimination within the community by encouraging all members of usually excluded groups to participate in the Association.
- To work with Hyde Southbank Homes, other partners and organisations for the benefit of all residents.
3.2 The Association is non-political.
- MEMBERSHIP
4.1 Membership includes all ‘residents’ of Kennington Park Estate (the term ‘residents’ includes tenants, leaseholders, shared owners and service users) over 18 years old. All members have an equal vote.
4.2 Membership shall be representative of the community in which the Association operates and all members should actively seek to represent the various needs of the area in accordance with the Association’s Equal Opportunities and Diversity Statement. (Note: All Hyde Southbank Homes tenants and leaseholders of Kennington Park Estate are members of the Tenants’ Association.)
- THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
5.1 The Executive Committee, consisting of block representatives and others willing to serve, shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Association to serve for 12 months
5.2 The Executive Committee may appoint to the positions of Chair, Deputy Chair, Secretary and Treasurer and other positions to facilitate the effective organisation of the Tenants’ Association
5.3 Meetings of the Executive Committee will be held in advance of meetings of the Tenants’ Association in order to formulate the agenda and otherwise prepare for those meetings
5.4 The quorum for the Executive Committee shall be three. In the absence of a quorum no binding decisions will be made on behalf of the Tenants’ Association.
5.5 The Executive Committee shall operate on the basis of shared, collective responsibility and decision making
5.6 The Executive Committee shall make and carry out decisions in accordance with the aims of the Association.
5.7 Members may be co-opted to the Executive Committee to fill casual vacancies throughout the year.
5.8 Members of the Executive Committee must declare any interest they may have in a topic under discussion and the Committee will decide if they forfeit their right to comment or vote on the matter.
5.9 The Executive Committee may appoint such sub-committees as may be required to carry out the activities of the Association. All sub committees will be accountable to the Executive Committee.
5.10 The Executive Committee will consider nominations of TA representatives to other bodies from the Tenants’ Association and will make recommendations to full meetings of the TA for formal approval.
- FINANCES
7.1 Funds raised by or on behalf of the Association shall be applied only to further the objects of the Association.
7.2 All funds shall be kept in a bank account in the name of the Association.
7.3 Cheque signatories will be nominated and approved by the Executive Committee. There shall be two signatories for the purposes of issuing cheques from the KPETA account. These will not be from the same household or the same family.
7.4 Accounts shall be kept by a nominated member of the Executive Committee and brought to every meeting of the Executive Committee.
7.5 All expenditure shall be agreed by the Executive Committee and minuted.
7.6 All payments to be made by cheque. Exceptions (in the most exceptional circumstances only) to this rule shall be agreed by the Executive Committee and minuted.
7.7 All details must be completed on a cheque before the signatories are added.
7.8 The accounts will be independently verified annually and presented at the Annual General Meeting of the Association. The accounts can be verified by an independent body, voluntary or community group or an independent individual.
- MEETINGS OF THE TENANTS’ ASSOCIATION
8.1 Meetings of the Tenants’ Association shall be held four times a year (plus an Annual General meeting) to discuss matters of importance and to keep the membership fully informed of the Association’s activities.
8.2 Members will be notified of the schedule of dates of meetings of the Tenants’ Association for the year ahead at the AGM and meetings will be advertised in the Housing Office, on the Tenants’ Association website and by notices displayed in estate notice boards
8.3 Votes shall be decided by a simple majority of the members present.
8.4 A member, having the written support of 10 other members, may request the Executive Committee to call a Special Meeting of the Association for a specified purpose. The Executive Committee shall call the meeting within 21 days of this written request.
- ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS
9.1 An Annual General Meeting shall be held every year to receive an annual report on the activities of the Association, to receive the verified accounts and to elect the Executive Committee for the following year.
9.2 The meeting will be held at the Kennington Park Estate Community Centre.
9.3 14 days notice of the date of the Annual General Meeting will be given to members of the Association. Notice of the annual schedule of Tenants’ Association meetings, including the date of the AGM, as published on all notices of Tenants’ Association meetings shall constitute the required 14 days notice.
9.4 The quorum for the Annual General Meeting shall be 10 residents.
10. CHANGES TO THE CONSTITUTION
10.1 The constitution shall be altered only at an extra ordinary meeting of the Association or at the Annual General Meeting.
10.2 The quorum of 10 residents must be present for decisions to be taken. The voting shall be a simple majority of those present.
10.3 Members shall be given 14 days notice of such a meeting.
11. DISSOLUTION OF THE ASSOCIATON
11.1 The Association may be dissolved only at a Special General Meeting called for that purpose, which must be advertised fourteen days before the meeting.
11.2 If two-thirds of the voting members present at the meeting agree to dissolve the Association any unspent grants or awards from Hyde must be returned to the Hyde with a statement of account of monies spent.
(Signatories can be amended by the Executive Committee)
Name: Signature
Name: Signature
Name: Signature
Date:
Conduct of meetings of the Executive Committee and meetings of the Tenants’ Association
- Members must not discriminate on the grounds of nationality, political opinion, race, religious belief, gender, sexuality or disability.
- Offensive behaviour, including racist, ageist, sexist or inflammatory remarks will not be permitted and offenders may be sanctioned.
- Reasonable conduct at meetings is a requirement of attendance
Diversity and Inclusion Statement
Diversity and Inclusion is an integral part of our social purpose as a Tenants’ Association.
We recognise the diversity of our residents and in all our activities we aim to engage with our landlord and other partners to improve the quality of service experience for residents and work together to address barriers.
We will work to support all residents and pay particular regard to the most economically disadvantaged and socially excluded groups in our community.
Our key ambition is to represent and support all our residents to help improve landlord services and ensure equitable and inclusive outcomes for all.
DEFINITION: Tenants and Residents Association
A Tenants and Residents Association is a formally constituted group of residents (the term ‘residents’ includes tenants, leaseholders, shared owners and service users) who formally represent the collective views and needs of residents living in a defined, geographical area.