Untitled

Liverpool Governance Forum Constitution

1. Name

The name of this body shall be The Liverpool Governance Forum (hereinafter called The Forum).

2. Purpose and Objectives

2.1 To represent the views of all governing bodies from Liverpool schools.
2.2 To liaise with all bodies connected with education, locally, regionally, and nationally.
2.3 To provide a forum for discussion and mutual assistance.
2.4 To promote best practice in fulfilling statutory and other responsibilities with sensitivity.
2.5 To raise awareness of educational issues.
2.6 To provide a basis for pursuing common ideals and objectives.

3. Membership

3.1 Membership shall be open to all Governing Bodies of schools in Liverpool.
3.2 Each Governing Body shall have one vote, but may have up to three members present at meetings.
3.3 Voting membership shall be open to all schools that have paid their annual membership fee through LASH, LHPA and ALSSH.

4. Executive Committee (hereinafter called the Committee)

4.1 Each Annual General Meeting shall elect a Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary and Treasurer and shall elect no more than eleven (11) other Committee members limited to one member from any one school at the time of the election. The Executive Committee (hereinafter called the Committee) shall manage the affairs of The Forum.
4.2 Election of the Committee shall be by nomination, including self-nomination, followed, if necessary, by a ballot of those with voting rights present at an Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting of The Forum.
4.3 The ballot may be secret if agreed by a simple majority of members present.
4.4 A Committee member may resign at any time. Such vacancies may be filled by co-option until the next annual general meeting when they shall be subject to ballot.
4.5 The Committee shall have the authority to form working parties and/or sub-committees from Forum members.
4.6 The Committee shall determine the extent of delegation of powers to its working parties or sub-committees.
4.7 The Committee shall have the right to co-opt additional members to its committees, but without voting rights.
4.8 Decisions of the working parties and/or sub-committees shall be subject to ratification by a subsequent full committee meeting where necessary.
4.9 Any committee member who does not attend meetings or send apologies, or report on meetings attended as a representative of LGF, for a period of 4 months, shall be removed from the committee.

5. Meetings

5.1 The Committee shall meet as necessary to conduct its business.
5.2 There shall be an Annual General Meeting (AGM) in the autumn term of each year, papers for which shall be circulated not less than seven (7) days before the date of the meeting.
5.3 An Honorary Independent Examiner shall be appointed at the Annual General Meeting to examine the accounts.
5.4 An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) of the Forum shall be either at the request of the Committee or at the written request of 10% of the member schools. Notice of the meeting, together with an agenda, shall be circulated to all Governing bodies at least seven days before the meeting.
5.5 Motions may be presented at all meetings and adopted subject to the appropriate majority vote.

6. Relationship with Other Organisations

6.1 The Forum, through the Committee, shall seek to establish good working relationships with other appropriate organisations and individuals.
6.2 From time to time, members of these organisations or individuals may be invited to meetings.
6.3 The Forum, as a body, shall have no political affiliations.

7. Funding

7.1 During each year the Forum shall require membership fees from its members:
(a) Such membership fees shall be proposed by the Committee and ratified by the Annual General Meeting.
(b) Such membership fees shall be collected by the Treasurer and used for payment of operational expenses.
7.2 The accounting period of the Forum shall commence on 1st September of each year.
7.3 The Treasurer shall keep an account of all income and expenditure and submit independently examined accounts in agreed format to the Annual General Meeting.
7.4 The Forum shall keep a bank/building society account in its name, withdrawals being made by any two of four authorised signatories, viz. the Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary and Treasurer.
7.5 The Forum shall not go into debt whether through overdraft, loan or debtors.

8. Amendments to the Constitution

Subject to twenty-eight (28) days notice in writing to the Hon. Secretary, the rules of the constitution may be amended by a resolution of a two-thirds majority of members present at an AGM or EGM.

9. Dissolution

9.1 A resolution for a dissolution ballot may be approved at an AGM or EGM. There must be a postal ballot of all Forum members. A simple majority is required for dissolution to take place.
9.2 Any assets remaining, after discharge of liabilities, shall be donated to educational charities. The charities shall be nominated by the Committee and details circulated, with the dissolution papers, to members.