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Proposed Constitution

Below is a brief FAQ that hopefully answers some of our members questions on the new proposed constitution, that is available to view at the end of this page.

Please email secretary@friendsofcassioburypark.org.uk with any comments or questions on the document. We would appreciate it if you can raise those in advance of the meeting so we can address them beforehand.

Why are we changing the constitution?

With the increase in size and revenues of FoCP, we are legally required by the Charity Commission to change our constitution from the previous “Small Charity Model Constitution” to the “Model Constitution” format. We have only made a few changes to their template which are specific to our charity.

The proposed constitution has been pre-approved by the Charity Commission to ensure that it will meet their needs when it is hopefully approved by our members.

What are the benefits of the change?

Registration will provide us with a larger pool of funders and make it easier to operate. This is because organisations can go to the Charity Commission website and see the charities constitution, accounts and other documents, and are also reassured by the level of oversight the commission provides for registered charities.

Will it change how our charity operates?

No is the short answer! We will continue to protect the park, provide conservation and educational activities as we do today. There will be no outward change to our aims or activities. There will be some administrative changes in how we report to the commission and run some of the meetings.

What is different in the new constitution?

The new constitution defines in more detail the way that the charity will be run, the controls that are required to ensure the finances and operation of the charity are protected, and how members are to be involved in decision making. We already largely operate in the ways outlined in the document, it is more of a formalisation of those practices into the document.

The scope of the charity is defined by the following a set of “Objects”. The text used in these are closely controlled by the commission and have been suggested to us as part of the registration process. The objects will allow us to undertake all of our current activities, are aligned with our current aims, and do not change the way we support the park or the types of activities we get involved with.

Objects of the charity

(1) to secure the preservation, protection and improvement of Cassiobury Park (‘The Park’) as a place of historic and ecological interest and beauty;

(2) to promote the conservation of the natural plant, animal and bird life of the park;

(3) to educate the public in the history, natural history and other aspects of the park.

Why do we need a special general meeting?

Our constitution can only be changed with the approval of our members. This has to be done through a general meeting that has at least 20 members present and with a majority vote in its favour. It will also provide a way for us to answer any further questions. It is important that we have enough members at the meeting to approve the document and to join us to celebrate our transition to the next level, so please try to attend if you can.