•  Name

The name of the Association is the Herefordshire Association of Governors (hereinafter referred to as “the Association”).

•  Objects

•  To assist governing bodies to further the interests of children in our schools;

•  to encourage co-operation between governing bodies and between schools;

•  to provide a vehicle for expressing collective views of governors through governing bodies and to make appropriate representations;

•  to liaise with the LA on the provision of governor training;

•  to further good relationships with the LA or other relevant body;

•  to act collectively to protect the integrity of education in the Herefordshire area and within the Association's membership;

•  to act as an Independent voice for Herefordshire Schools and Governing Bodies.

•  Membership

•  Membership shall be open to all governing bodies of maintained schools in Herefordshire.

•  Individual governors shall be members by virtue of being members of a governing body in membership of the Association.

•  Honorary, non-voting membership may be offered to other appropriate and relevant bodies at the discretion of the Committee, subject to any policy of the Association.

•  Subscription

Membership will be by subscription at a level determined by the Annual General Meeting on the recommendation of the Executive Committee.

•  Meetings of the Association

•  Full meetings of the Association shall be referred to as the Herefordshire Governors' Forum.

•  Ideally there shall be at least two Herefordshire Governors' Forums a year:

•  The AGM to be held in the summer term at which business of a constitutional nature shall be considered, and;

•  A second for the consideration of educational issues of general concern.

•  Additional Governors' Forums may be called, to consider special and immediate concerns, either by the Committee or at the request of 10% of the membership (requests from a governing body being aggregated as if from individuals).

•  These meetings will be open to all governors of schools in membership.

•  Governors of Independent Schools and Colleges of Further Education, in the Herefordshire area, may be invited to attend a Governors' Forum with observer status by resolution of the Committee.

•  The agenda for each Governors' Forum shall be drawn up by the Executive Committee. The agenda for the AGM must include any resolutions, from governing bodies submitted to the Committee at least two weeks prior to the Forum. The agenda shall be sent out 7 days prior to the meeting to all member schools.

•  The chair of Governors' Forums shall be taken by the Chairperson of the Association, or, in their absence, by the Vice Chairperson of the Association or, in their absence, by a member elected by the meeting.

•  The quorum shall be 5% of the total number of affiliated governing bodies.

•  Each affiliated governing body shall have one vote and decisions shall be made by a simple majority of those present and voting. In the event of a tie the person in the chair shall have a second and casting vote.

•  Motions must normally be submitted by affiliated governing bodies or the Executive Committee and only in exceptional circumstances, and at the discretion of the person in the chair, will motions proposed from the floor of the meeting be considered.

•  Officers

•  At the AGM the Association shall elect a Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson and Treasurer, all of whom shall take office immediately after the election, and who shall hold office until immediately after the election at the following AGM. Each appointed officer shall be a delegate of one of the affiliated governing bodies from within Herefordshire.

•  In the event of the resignation of an officer the Executive Committee shall appoint, preferably from their number, a new office holder.

•  The Executive Committee

•  There shall be an Executive Committee (hereinafter referred to as Committee) responsible for the general management of the Association and which shall act for the Association between Governors' Forums.

•  The Chairperson of the Association shall be the Chairperson of the Committee and the Vice-Chairperson of the Association shall be the Vice-Chairperson of the Committee.

•  The Treasurer of the Association shall be members of the Committee.

•  A further 8 members of the Committee may be elected at the Annual General Meeting, all of whom shall take office immediately after the election, and who shall hold office until immediately after the election of the following Annual General Meeting.

•  The Committee shall have the power to co-opt two additional governor members and two associate non governor members who will have the necessary expertise to advise the committee on Governors matters.

•  The Committee should meet as necessary with meetings being called by the Clerk or the Chairperson at the request of 3 members of the Committee.

•  The quorum of the Committee shall be one third of the total membership.

•  In the event of a vacancy the Committee will have the power to appoint an appropriate person who will remain in office until the next AGM.

•  Secretariat

The Committee will appoint a person to act as minuting secretary/clerk to the Governors' Forum and/or Committee at a remuneration decided by the Committee.

•  Finance

•  The Committee shall, as necessary, maintain an account in the name of the Association, withdrawals to be made on the signature of the Treasurer.

•  All monies shall be applied to further the Objects of the Association including reasonable out of pocket expenses incurred by Officers of the Association.

•  The financial year will be from 1 st January to 31 st December following.

•  The Committee shall require the accounts to be audited annually and presented to the AGM following the end of the financial year.

•  Representation on other Bodies

Where the Association is invited to nominate representatives onto other bodies, such persons (and their reserves where the constitution of the other body allows) shall be elected by the Executive Committee.

•  Affiliation

The Association will affiliate to the National Governors' Association. Additionally, it may affiliate to any other body whose objects are consistent with the objects of the Association.

•  Alterations to the Constitution

Alterations to the Constitution shall be approved at a quorate AGM.

•  Dissolution

If the Committee decides by a simple majority to propose the dissolution of the Association, it shall call a special Herefordshire Governors' Forum. If a simple majority of those attending agrees, the Association shall be dissolved. If the Governors' Forum is inquorate a further meeting shall be called, not less than a month after the first. If that second meeting is inquorate, the Association shall be deemed to be dissolved. Any assets shall be transferred to some other non-profit making body having objects similar to those of the Association as the Committee shall determine.