Constitution for Leaseholders’ Forum

The constitution of the Leaseholders’ Forum was reviewed by Forum members at the AGM in March 2010, no amendments were made. The constitution is as follows: -

Definition

Leaseholders’ Forum is part of Gloucester City Council’s decision-making procedure for policy and scrutiny relating to the management of the Council’s leasehold dwellings.

Aims and Objectives

To discuss and make recommendations to the Council’s formal structure for decision making on matters of Housing Management policy and strategy and policies of city-wide interest.

To assist with monitoring performance to ensure standards and targets are met.

Membership

All leaseholders holding long leases of Council flats.

Associate Membership

Officers of the Council and Gloucester City Homes, its consultants and contractors, will attend meetings as necessary in an advisory capacity, with no voting rights.

Election of Officers

Leaseholders' Forum will elect a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson from the leaseholder representatives for a period of up to 15 months.

In the event of a tie, a member of Gloucester City Homes by a flick of a coin will decide the matter.

Voting Rights

Only leaseholder representatives may vote at Leaseholders’ Forum meetings. Each representative has one vote.

When a representative or deputy is elected as Chairperson, he/she shall do so in a non-voting capacity.

In the event of an equality of votes, the Chairperson will decide the matter.

Conduct Of Business

(a) All meetings shall be chaired by the person who has for that year been elected Chairperson, or in his/her absense, the Vice Chairperson. In the absense of both, then the leaseholder representatives will elect the Chairperson for the meeting who can be a leaseholder or representative of Gloucester City Homes.

(b) The ruling of the Chairperson, or his/her deputy, on any questions arising from points of order shall be final. All remarks and discussion shall be through, and with the permission of, the Chairperson of the meeting.

(d) The date of the next meeting will be made known at the end of each meeting and circulated with the minutes.

(e) Meetings and venues will be set yearly in advance by the Forum and Gloucester City Homes.

(f) There will be a minimum of 3 meetings per year.

(g) Quorum is four leaseholders plus a Chairperson.

(h) The Chairperson may call an emergency meeting at any time. Notification of such meetings must be circulated to all Leaseholders at least five working days before the date of the meeting.

(i) The Chairperson and/or Vice Chairperson will meet with Gloucester City Homes at least seven working days before the meeting to plan the agenda, where ever possible.

(j) Reports for the meeting should be submitted to the Chairperson or Vice Chairperson in his/her absence at least 24 hours before the agenda-setting meeting. Any voting member of the Forum or Gloucester City Homes may submit reports relating to policy, scrutiny, business planning or strategy. Reports not submitted to the Chairperson or Vice Chairperson as above will not be considered for the agenda.

(k) All papers will be produced and circulated by Gloucester City Homes. The agenda will be dispatched to Members at least five working days before the meeting, or in the case of an emergency meeting, to coincide with the notification of the meeting.

(l) Minutes of Leaseholders’ Forum will be circulated within 28 days of each Forum meeting.

(m) Items shall be dealt with in the order that they appear on the agenda, except that the Chairperson may, with the meeting’s consent, give precedence to such business as is deemed necessary. The Chairperson may also, with the meeting’s consent, allow new items to be raised or defer such items to the next meeting.

(n) All meetings will be open to the public.

(o) All meetings shall be a maximum of 2 hours, unless Forum members vote for the meeting to continue.

Declaration Of Interest

All Members of Leaseholders’ Forum must declare at the beginning of the meeting an interest in any matter to be considered, and during the meeting if it becomes apparent that they have an interest in the matter being discussed.

Code Of Conduct

All persons attending Leaseholder's Forum meetings shall at all times conduct themselves in line with the Leaseholders Code of Conduct.

Representing Leaseholders’ Forum

Any Members may represent Leaseholders’ Forum on Council or other committees. Representatives will be chosen at the meeting prior to their representation and will only take the mandate of the meeting. A deputy will be chosen at the same time. Whilst representing Leaseholders’ Forum all Members shall adhere to Leaseholders’ Forum’s code of conduct and that of the meeting they are attending.