Fen Edge Community Association Bye-laws

1        Introduction

This document contains Bye-laws approved by the Fen Edge Community Association (FECA) trustees.

The Bye-laws represent an agreement between the trustees as to certain aspects of how FECA will operate. Trustees and subcommittee members shall comply with these bye-laws.

Section 2 comprises the Bye-laws.  The status of section 3 is for information only.

1.1    Approval of changes to the Bye-laws

Updates to the Bye-laws require a trustee motion, to be recorded in the minutes of a trustee meeting.

1.2    Revision History

Revision

Date

Summary of changes

1

2020-11-19

Approved by FECA trustees

1.1

2021-08-04

Draft including updated FEF committee text

1.2

2021-08-23

Includes changes from MC review.  Approved by FECA trustees 2021-09-16.

 

2        Bye-laws

2.1    The Purpose of FECA

The objects in the constitution are written that way for practical and historic reasons, but are not very readable.  The trustees approve the following to be used as a public explanation of the purpose of FECA.

2.1.1   FECA – working for the Fen Edge community

The Fen Edge Community Association is a registered charity (293020), formed over thirty years ago. The Association is an umbrella body firmly based in the local community to bring together voluntary and other organisations, residents, businesses and statutory authorities in a common effort to make social, education and leisure facilities more easily available to all who live and work in Cottenham, Landbeach, Rampton, Waterbeach and Willingham.

2.1.2   What do we do?

The primary function of the Fen Edge Community Association is to improve the quality of life for the Fen Edge community. We do this by

  • Raising funds to enable us to give grants to support local clubs, groups and societies;
  • Publishing the Fen Edge News to keep the community informed and generate advertising revenue;
  • Organising and managing community projects, events and other activities; and
  • Promoting and encouraging participation in community events, activities and local groups

The Fen Edge Community Association comprises representatives from local clubs, groups, societies, individuals elected each year to form the Trustees and members of the Management Committee appointed by the Trustees. A copy of FECA’s constitution is available on our website.

 

2.2    AGM Agenda

The agenda of the annual general meeting shall include:

  1. receiving the annual report of the officers
  2. receiving the statement of accounts that have been examined by an independent examiner
  3. appointing the trustees
  4. appointing the officers: Chair, Secretary and Treasurer,
  5. appointing an independent examiner

 

2.3    Trustee Subcommittees

Formation of and appointments to trustee subcommittees are made by the trustees.

The subcommittees shall be (re-)appointed after each AGM.

Before approving the formation of a Trustee Subcommittee, the Trustees shall ensure that this document adequately describes the responsibilities, composition and any required policy documents of that Subcommittee.

2.3.1   The Management Committee (MC)

2.3.1.1   Responsibility

The MC is responsible for managing the day-to-day operation of FECA, including:

  • Meeting regularly
  • Managing the finances
  • Managing communications to members
    • Fen Edge News
    • Website
    • Social media
  • Making grants to members

2.3.1.2   Composition

The MC is formed as follows:

  • The trustee Chair, Secretary and Treasurer shall be members of the MC and perform their respective role in the MC
  • According to the constitution, other trustees may attend and participate at will
  • Up to 2 representatives from each of the other trustee subcommittees (if any)
  • Members of the Cottenham Village College Senior Management Team, including the Adult Education Coordinator
  • A newsletter representative
  • Other members appointed and approved by the trustees

2.3.1.3   Delegated powers

The trustees delegate to the Management Committee the following powers:

  • To execute the FECA Finance Policy
  • To execute the FECA Grant Policy
  • To consider and approve membership applications. Any application not approved by the Management Committee shall be referred to the trustees for a final decision.

2.3.2   Fen Edge Festival (FEF) Committee

2.3.2.1   Responsibility

The FEF committee is responsible for organising and running the Fen Edge Festival, including the following:

  • Obtaining sponsorship consistent with the objects of FECA
  • Hire of facilities, including marquees
  • Recruitment, Training and Management of volunteer marshals
    • Parking, traffic management and road closures
    • Health and Safety – including Temporary Event Notice(s)
  • Contracting and Management of external marshals
    • First Aid
    • Security
  • Producing and publishing the Control Document
  • Liaison with SCDC Event Safety Advisory Group
  • Preparing and agreeing a budget with the trustees
  • Ensuring liabilities do not exceed the agreed budget
  • Meeting regularly to progress these responsibilities
  • Arranging community activities and displays
  • Working with and informing local residents about activities that may affect them
  • Liaising with outside agencies to book activities, promote the festival and ensure safety is maintained at all times
  • Reporting back to FECA Management committee meetings on progress and any potential issues.
  • Ensuring the safe and secure management of cash with appropriate monitoring of floats and receipts
  • Ensuring that participants (principally exhibitors and stallholders) have the appropriate insurance and health and safety authorisations
  • Organising and managing social media relating to the festival

 

2.3.2.2   Composition

The FEF committee consists of:

  • A Chair appointed by the trustees
  • The trustee Treasurer and one other trustee appointed by trustees. The trustee Treasurer will act as Treasurer of the FEF
  • According to the constitution, other trustees may attend and participate at will
  • Other members appointed by the FEF committee Chair

2.3.2.3   Delegated Powers

The FEF committee has the following powers delegated by the trustees:

  • To arrange and publicise the Fen Edge Festival as a FECA event
  • To spend money within a specified budget
  • To ensure that, at all times, the liability is limited to a specified amount

2.3.2.4   Required Policies

The trustees will supply a list of policies that shall be prepared by the FEF committee before the event starts. 

2.4    Policies

A FECA policy shall be approved by the Management Committee, and approval noted in the minutes. FECA policies shall be posted on the FECA website and made available to the public.

These policies shall cover the following topics:

  • Finance
  • Grants
  • GDPR (General data protection regulations)
  • Equality
  • Health and Safety
  • Trustee code of Conduct
  • Insurance for Trustees, Volunteers and the Public

 

Additional policies, or extensions to these existing policies, may be required of subcommittees related to the work they do and events they organise.

 

 

3        Under Development

 

This section contains work-in-progress.  This section will be removed before any approved version is made public.

 

3.1    Trustee Subcommittees

3.1.1   Fun Run

Before the organisation of the Fun Run starts, the Trustees will update the Bye-laws to specify the responsibility, composition, delegated powers (if any) and required policies for the committee that organises the Fun Run.