What does the Group do?

The Group aims to work on three areas…

Information: finding out and publicising information on local facilities and events, and any items of interest to those living and working in Creekmoor.
Involvement: working together to make life better in Creekmoor. This involves taking part in and sponsoring local projects, as well as organising fun events such as barbecues, street parties, or car boot sales. The Group works with other local organisations such as the church, schools, and the council to share resources and promote community. There is a strong affiliation in particular with the local Home Watch scheme.
Interests: representing Creekmoor's interests, having a say on local issues, and on any proposals that will affect the area.

Who can be a Group member?
Anyone living in the Creekmoor Ward. Any business within these boundaries can become a Business Member, though only one membership per business is allowed. A business here means 'places where people work' and includes non-commercial sites such as a doctors' surgery, or a school. You become a Group member by making a small donation each year.

How is it run?
The Management Team

The Creekmoor Community Group has a Management Team, made up of…
Chairman                                        Deputy Chairman
Treasurer                                       Secretary
Membership Secretary                      Information and Publicity Secretary
Education Advisor                            Legal Advisor
Planning Advisor                              Environmental Advisor

Each of these (other than the Chairman or Deputy Chairman) can have an Assistant; Assistants can become full members of the Management Team with the Team's approval.

There are also eight Team members who do not have a named role.

The Management Team is elected each year at the Annual Group Meeting (AGM), though the Team can fill mid-year vacancies until the next AGM. Members of the Team can stand for re-election at the AGM.

If there is only one candidate for a named role on the Team, no AGM vote is necessary, and if there are less than eight candidates for non-named roles, again, no AGM vote is necessary.

Any member of the Group can be nominated for membership of the Management Team except anyone holding political office (Councillor, MP) or a Business Member. Nominations should be sent in writing at least a week before the AGM to the Secretary, proposed by one Group member and supported by two others.

All members of the Management Team must be members of the Group, and must try to attend meetings on a regular basis. The Team can replace any Team member who consistently fails to meet his/her obligations.

Management Team Meetings
The Team meets at least every two months or more often if necessary. The Secretary must let all Team members know that any unscheduled meeting has been called with at least a week's notice. At least five members of the Team must be at any meeting, otherwise it will have to be re-scheduled.

Regular meetings of the Team have a set agenda. Normally, the Secretary is notified of other items for discussion at least a week before the meeting, with any information or material that needs to be issued. The Chairman, or whoever else is chairing a particular meeting, has the final say on whether items not submitted beforehand can be discussed.

If the Chairman and Deputy are not available for a meeting, the Team members can decide between them who should run that meeting.

All significant decisions of the Team are supported by a recorded vote; the Chairman has casting vote in the event of a tie.

Any Sector Co-ordinator can attend any meeting of the Management Team (but cannot vote), and the Team can invite people who have a particular contribution to any or all meetings, though these Invited Members also cannot vote.

Sector Co-ordinators
Each area of Creekmoor (normally a street or two) has a Sector Co-ordinator, appointed by the Management Team. Sector Co-ordinators…

Look for new members
Collect subscriptions
Distribute CCG magazines, newsletters, and fliers
Act as a point of contact for the members in their area
Pass on useful and interesting information to the Secretary or Information and Publicity Secretary,
Represent local feeling and views on issues, and on the performance of the Group.
Welcome new residents and issue the Welcome Pack

Task Teams
If particular issues or projects arise, the Management Team can set up a Task Team to work on these; there is no limitation on membership of Task Teams, except that each has a Task Leader who reports back to the Management Team. The Chairman and Secretary of the Group are always part of any Task Team. Any Task Team is given a brief that sets out what its task is, and any limits on its role.

Group Meetings

A meeting of the full Group (the Annual Group Meeting or AGM) takes place in April or May of each year, when any Group member can come along. The Chairman runs this meeting and any other Group Meetings, and has a casting vote in the event of a tie.

The AGM must elect the coming year's Management Team, along with an independent Group Auditor, and review the audited accounts of the Group.

Any Group member can put forward an item for the agenda, though this must be done in writing at least a week before the meeting (to the Secretary) and be supported by two other Group members.

Group Meetings other than the AGM can be called at any time by the Management Team, or at the written request (to the Secretary) of ten or more Group members. These requests should indicate what it is that the members want to discuss at the meeting.

The Secretary lets Group members know a Group Meeting is being held at least three weeks before the date of the meeting. If less than twelve Group members turn up, including at least three Management Team members, the meeting is re-scheduled.

What does it do about money?
The Group depends on annual donations, collected from each Group member. The size of the recommended donation is decided each year by the AGM. In addition it can take advertising, grant or sponsorship revenue, provided the source is non-political, and ethically sound. All income and sources is recorded in the Group Accounts.

The funds are managed by the Management Team, who use them to keep Group members informed, and to sponsor community projects. The Treasurer holds back enough money at all times to cover the potential cost of professional legal advice for the Group. Two individuals, chosen from the Treasurer, the Chairman, or the Secretary must sign Group account cheques.

The financial year for the Group is the calendar year (January 1st to December 31st), and subscriptions are collected from January onwards.
What if the Group winds up?
The Group can only be wound up by submitting a proposal to a Group Meeting. The proposal must be supported in writing by at least a quarter of the Group members, and must be passed by vote at the Group meeting by at least two-thirds of the Group members attending.

If the Group is wound up all funds will be distributed to local charities at the discretion of the Management Team.

How does the Charter get changed?
Any proposal to change this Charter has to be put forward as an agenda item for the AGM, and has to be supported by two-thirds of the Group members at the meeting.

Equal Opportunities Policy
Creekmoor Community Group values diversity. People will be welcomed and treated with dignity and respect regardless of race, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, disability and age. At all times people's feelings will be valued and respected. Language or humour that people are likely to find offensive will not be used, e.g. sexist or racist jokes or terminology that is derogatory to a particular class of individuals. No one will be harassed, abused or intimidated on the grounds of his/her race, sex, age, nationality or sexual orientation. Incidents of harassment will be taken seriously.