Constitution adopted by Founding Meeting held at the Angel Islington Monday 17 December 2001 1. Formation There shall be formed a members’ association by the name of the “Socialist Civil Liberties Association” (hereafter called “the Association”). 2. Membership Membership shall be open to such (a) Individual members of the Labour Party of Great Britain and (b) Constituency Labour Parties and other bodies affiliated directly or indirectly to the Labour Party as shall accept the objects of the Association and which the Association shall admit to membership, upon such terms as the Association may from time to time determine; provided that each such body shall nominate a single representative (being also an individual member of the Labour Party), and for the purposes of this Constitution “Member” shall be taken to refer to both (a) members and (b) representatives. 3. Objects The objects of the Association shall be –
(a) to affirm and uphold the principles of the European Convention of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms both in the United Kingdom and throughout the European Union; (b) to affirm, uphold and promote the principles of the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the UN International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and other internationally-agreed human rights instruments;(c) to seek the enforcement, throughout the United Kingdom, of the Human Rights Act 1998 and similar legislation;(d) to cultivate and encourage, throughout the United Kingdom, a respect for individual rights and civil liberties, constraining the abuse of institutional power;(e) to further public education, by all relevant media and methods, in the principles and practice of individual rights and civil liberties;(f) to secure affiliation to the Labour Party as a socialist society at the earliest possible opportunity.
4. General Meetings The Association shall meet in general meeting at least once in each calendar year (the Annual General Meeting, or “AGM”) and may meet in general meeting at other times, and every Member shall have one vote; the AGM shall elect an Executive Committee (“EC”) of not less that four nor more than fifteen of its Members, which shall be responsible for the conduct of all Association business, including the admission of Members, between general meetings; EC members shall hold office until the close of the next following AGM, and retiring members shall be eligible for re-election; the quorum for a general meeting shall be ten; the AGM may be held at such time following the end of the financial year as the EC may consider appropriate, provided no such meeting shall be required until after 30 April 2003; the AGM shall (a) determine Membership fees for the ensuing membership period (b) consider and approve the audited accounts for the preceding Financial Year, and (c)appointan Auditor for the ensuing year; provided further that the Founding Meeting shall have all the powers of an AGM notwithstanding non-compliance with this Constitution, also that the Association may in general meeting determine any matter, notwithstanding assignment to an AGM.5. Executive Committee (EC) The EC shall appoint from among its number appoint a Secretary and a Treasurer, and may appoint such other officers and committees as it considers necessary for the despatch of Association business; if any vacancy shall occur, the EC shall have power to coopt any Member to fill that vacancy, but any Member so coopted shall hold office only until the next following general meeting, and shall then stand for election; the EC shall have power to all things necessary for the conduct of Association business, including the employment of staff, the procurement of offices and equipment, the funding of the Association by way of donation, sponsorship or grant or any other appropriate means; the opening of bank accounts, the convening of an Association general meeting, the borrowing of money, and entering into any service contract; provided that no Bank account may be accessed without the signatures of at least two authorised EC members; the EC may reimburse anyactualand reasonable expenses incurred by any person in the conduct of Association business.6. Notices For a general meeting, 21 clear days’ notice shall be given either in writing (assuming the normal course of post) or with the consent of the Member by electronic means of communication, and the Agenda shall specify all the matters to be decided; the EC shall have power to regulate its own procedures, including notice and quorum requirements;7. Financial Year The financial year of the Association shall be from 1 May to 30 April;8. Voting Voting at all Association meetings shall be by simple majority of those present and voting; for the avoidance of doubt, the chair shall have no second or casting vote; the EC may authorise a poll of Members on any matter it considers appropriate, on such terms as it may in the particular case determine, and may in particular put to such a poll of Members any matter which may be determined by the Members in general meeting; further, a written resolution which has received the positive assent of all relevant Members (by whatever medium) shall be as effective as a resolution passed as a duly convened meeting.9. Secretary The functions of the Secretary shall be –
(a) to keep minutes and records of all Association meetings and transactions;(b) to give due notice of all Association meetings;(c) to convene such general meetings as may be required either by an EC Resolution or by the written requisition of any ten Members specifying the business to be transacted and the terms of any Resolution to be proposed;
10. Treasurer The functions of the Treasurer shall be –
(a) to keep proper books and records of all Association financial transactions;(b) to maintain a running Register of Members, including a record of membership fees paid and due;(c) to manage any bank account/s held by the Association;(d) to prepare and submit to the AGM audited accounts for each preceding Financial Year;(e) to advise the Association, or procure the necessary advise, on any taxation implications of the Association’s business.
11. Amendment, Dissolution This Constitution may be amended, and this Association dissolved, by any general meeting, provided that due notice of Resolution shall have been served together with notice of the meeting; and if in the event of dissolution there shall remain any surplus of funds, they shall be donated to the Labour Party.Get in contact >> SoCLA Secretary is Roger Warren Evans of 23 St Peter's Road, Newton, Swansea SA3 4SB. SoCLA Treasurer is Robin Cherney of 24 Grace Way Stevenage SG1 5AA
Socialist Civil Liberties Association