Ellenbrook Area Residents Association is a local group representing residents in the Ellenbrook and Nast Hyde area on the western edge of Hatfield.
We aim to encourage interest in local affairs and build community links. We work on behalf of all residents to promote their interests on matters which affect quality of life in the area.
We do this through local reps, emails, and meetings. We engage with local political representatives and council officials at all levels, as well as other resident’s associations, local businesses, and landowners.
All local residents are invited to join EARA, and all are very welcome to get involved in our work. We are independent and are funded by local donations. We have no party-political affiliations.
Please contact us on: info@ellenbrookresidents.org
Our Constitution:
1. The Name The Association shall be known as The Ellenbrook Area Residents Association of Hatfield, Hertfordshire (hereafter called the EARA) 2. Objectives In respect of the Residents and the Area defined in Rule 3, the EARA shall have the following objectives: a) To stimulate Residents’ interest in local affairs and strengthen community links. b) To represent and promote the interests of Residents on matters affecting them, including housing and environment, community facilities and services in the Area. To further these objectives, the EARA, through its committee shall have the following powers: a) To represent and liaise with bodies including but not limited to Local Authorities and relevant committees and other statutory bodies, local businesses, and local residents associations. b) To provide general information and advice and to organise social and other activities open to all members of the EARA. c) To raise funds for the day-to-day running costs and where appropriate for specific projects e.g. legal advice for the quarry by way of donations. d) To work for and nurture a safer community. e) The Association is established to be independent of any political party or any other body and will uphold equal opportunities and work towards good relations amongst all members of the community irrespective of tenure. It will specifically prohibit any conduct which discriminates or harasses on grounds of their protected characteristics. It is not the objective of EARA to represent individual residents in their disputes unless the committee decides such representation would be in the interest of the community. 3. Membership a) Membership shall be open to all residents in the Ellenbrook area of Hatfield, Hertfordshire in the borough of Welwyn Hatfield, bounded by St Albans Road West, Wilkins Green Lane, the Comet Way and Ashbury Close. See list of all roads covered on the website. b) All members must be at least 16 years of age. c) Membership shall cease immediately upon a person leaving the area defined in paragraph 3a except as approved by the Committee. d) It shall be a condition of membership that Members always conduct themselves in a respectful and polite manner at meetings or in premises used by the Association or on digital channels established for communicating Association business. e) Any member may be excluded from the Association for a breach of Condition 3d) or for any other conduct contravening the objectives of the Association, by a majority of the committee members present. Any member so excluded shall have the right of appeal at the following general meeting. 4. The Committee a) The EARA Committee shall be elected at the General Meeting (GM), held every 2 years, and shall serve for a period of 2 years. b) The Committee shall consist of a minimum of 4 members (ideally spread throughout the area) who shall have the power to co-opt other members onto the committee during the year. Any resident can become a committee member and will have equal voting rights. c) At the first meeting after the GM, the new committee members shall elect from within their numbers a Chair, a Secretary, a Membership Secretary, and a Treasurer. To be eligible for these 4 positions, the committee members must have served on the committee for a minimum of one year. d) No committee member shall fill more than one position. e) The Committee may delegate to sub-committees from time to time in special circumstances as shall be thought fit. All actions and proceedings of a sub- committee shall be reported to and confirmed by the Committee. Sub- committees shall be subordinate to and may be regulated and dissolved by the Committee. f) The Committee shall have the power to co-opt Street Representatives (ideally spread throughout the area) on to the committee, to help fulfil the main objectives set out in Section 2). g) The Committee shall decide the policy of EARA in respect to the objectives and powers defined in Section 2, but shall endeavour to set such policy in open forum of members and with other forms of consultation. It is the policy of the Committee not to make decisions in isolation except in exceptional circumstances. h) The Committee shall meet as necessary. i) There must be at least four of the members present for any decisions to be made at the Committee meeting. j) All communications on policy on behalf of EARA shall be subject to the approval of the Committee. k) Non-residents such as Councillors and representatives of other Residents’ Associations and local businesses may attend committee meetings as and when invited by the committee. l) Committee members must declare any interest they may have in the topic under discussion and the committee will decide if they need to forfeit their right to vote on this occasion 5. Conduct of Business a) Decisions will be agreed by a simple majority, voted in through a show of hands. In the event of a tie, the Chair shall have a second casting vote. b) Meetings will end at the time agreed by the Committee unless all those present agree to extend the meeting. c) When representing EARA, members to wholly represent the views of the resident’s association as opposed to any personal views and must not contribute to any public digital platform without the agreement of the majority of the committee. d) Any offensive behaviour, including racist, ageist, sexist or inflammatory remarks will not be permitted e) Any member who brings the EARA into disrepute or refuses to comply with the constitution shall be expelled on a majority vote of the full committee. Any such member will have the right to appeal within 28 days of the expulsion. The appeal shall be heard by the membership at a Special General Meeting scheduled for that purpose. f) Agendas will be distributed to the committee prior to a meeting, where possible. g) Items for the agenda should be forwarded to the Secretary and Chair prior to the meeting, where possible. h) Notes of the meeting will be published on the website within 14 days after a meeting, where possible. 6. Finances a) The EARA may raise funds by door-to-door collections (within the area constituting the EARA), obtaining grants from other bodies or by fundraising schemes. b) All money raised by or on behalf of the EARA shall be applied to further its objectives. c) All funds shall be kept in a bank account that shall be opened in the name of the EARA. d) All financial correspondence of the EARA including the bank statements will be addressed to the Treasurer. e) Accounts shall be kept by the Treasurer and presented at every GM where they may be inspected. f) Failure to present the books at the GM will result in an urgent action for the Treasurer to produce the accounts by a due date or will be asked to resign. g) All expenditure shall be agreed and controlled by the committee. Receipts should be acquired for all expenditure and retained by the treasurer, normally for 6 years. h) All payments shall be made via e-banking. Any exception to this rule shall be discussed and agreed by the Committee. All payments shall require an e- approval from another nominated member of the Committee. i) The accounts can be requested to be independently examined by the membership and presented at the General Meeting of the EARA. The Auditor will be from the members of the EARA (not anyone from the Committee who has signatory or management responsibilities) and will be appointed by the Committee. 7. Public Meetings a) Public meetings of the members shall be held as needed to discuss matters of importance and to keep the members fully informed of the EARA’s activities. 8. General Meeting (GM) a) A GM shall be held every 2 years to discuss the activities of the EARA, to receive the audited/reviewed accounts and to elect or re-elect the committee. b) The quorum for the meeting to take place shall be a minimum of 4 committee members and voting shall be by simple majority of those attending. c) A minimum of 14 days notice shall be given to members of the GM. d) At the GM all committee members will resign, and a new committee elected. Existing committee members and officers may stand for re-election. 9. Changes to the Constitution a) This constitution shall only be changed at a Special Public Meeting of the EARA, or at the GM. b) The quorum for the meeting to take place shall be a minimum of 4 committee members and the voting shall be by simple majority of those attending with the Chair holding a casting vote in addition to his/her vote as an attendee. c) As far as is practicable, all members shall be given 14 days notice of the meeting and the proposed changes. 10. Data Protection. a) The committee will ensure that a register / database of members will be maintained in accordance with the spirit of the General Data Protection Regulations. Personal information will be kept confidential; it will not be shared with a third party and will not be used for commercial purposes. 11. Dissolution of the EARA a) The EARA may only be dissolved by a special meeting called for that purpose. Such a meeting shall come about following a proposal in agreed by a simple majority of those remaining on the committee. b) As far as is practicable, all members shall be informed of such a meeting at least 14 days before the date of the meeting. c) Dissolution of the EARA shall only take effect if agreed by two thirds of the members present and voting at that meeting. d) Any assets remaining after meeting liabilities must be distributed among local charities or other community groups with similar aims of the EARA nominated by that meeting. e) On dissolution, any documents belonging to the EARA shall be disposed of in a manner agreed by that meeting.