Friends of Lancashire Libraries Constitution and terms of reference

Title

1.1 The organisation will be called “Friends of insert library name Library” (Fo…L), or an appropriate derivative thereof.

Objectives

2.1 To promote the library service within the community.

2.2 To work in cooperation with Lancashire County Council and other partner agencies and service providers to achieve our aims and objectives.

2.3 To foster understanding of how the library service is run and funded.

2.4 To provide a channel for feedback from library users.

2.5 To actively engage / consult with the local community and users to identify what activities they would like to see provided at the library

2.6 To contribute to decisions which affect the library and library users, where possible.

2.7 To raise funds and apply for grants and external funding.

2.8 To foster and promote the inclusion of community groups in their use of library service facilities.

Membership

3.1 Membership is open to any individual, group or corporate body interested in the objectives of the group.

3.2 It is recommended that members pay an annual membership fee of £5. [However,] membership fees should be discussed, reviewed and set at each Annual General Meeting and a variation of the recommended fee may be set if agreed by majority vote.

3.3 Where there are specific library forums in existence in the library, for example, a young people’s library forum or a heritage library forum, each forum will provide at least one person to represent their interest within the group.

3.4 The group will ensure that all individuals are given an opportunity to participate in the group fully and equally in accordance with the Equality Act 2010. The group will be non-political.

Governance and meeting arrangements

4.1 The members of the group shall each year, normally at their Annual General Meeting, elect a Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer and Secretary, as a minimum, from amongst the membership. The term for these roles should be twelve months.

4.2 A person appointed as Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer or Secretary may at any time resign his/her office.

4.3 On resignation, the Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer or Secretary may be replaced by another member of the group for the remainder of the term of office.

4.4 In the absence of the Chair and Vice Chair, a Chair will be elected for the meeting by the members present.

4.5 The Chair of a meeting will be entitled to exercise a second or casting vote.

4.6 The group shall hold an AGM, and additional meetings when required.

4.7 The quorum for meetings should not be less than 5 members.

4.8 Decisions will be made by majority vote, a single vote per member.

4.9 Lancashire County Council officers will attend the meetings of the group but will be non- voting attendees.

4.91 The group shall ensure that records of meetings are kept on file. These should include items for discussion, items to be actioned and votes taken.

4.92 To help with preparation for meetings, the secretary will distribute agendas and the records of meetings to committee members, at least 1 week prior to the next meeting.

Finance

5.1 The group will have the power to raise money by grants, donations, fees or other means to fund specific projects to enhance the facilities of the library service. Monies raised by or on behalf of the group shall only be applied in furtherance of the objectives of both the group and the library service (i.e. a not for profit basis).

5.2 The Treasurer shall have the power to open a bank account or credit union account or building society account on behalf of the group; and in the name of the group. The Treasurer and two other members of the Friends committee will be signatories for the account. Cheques issued on this account shall bear the signature of the Treasurer and one of the other two designated members. For transparency purposes no relative, partner or two people residing in the same household shall be able to be signatories. If any cheques or cash withdrawal of £100 and above need issuing, this matter will be immediately brought to the committee for a final decision.

5.3 Any money raised shall be paid into a bank account on the same day, or as soon as practicable.

5.4 The Treasurer shall be empowered to pay agreed expenses incurred on behalf of the group.

5.5 The Treasurer shall present a report outlining the accounts of the group to the AGM.

5.6 If the group are successful in attracting grant or lottery funding, an auditor shall be appointed at the AGM to audit the group's accounts each year, for presentation to the following AGM. The Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer or Secretary may not be auditors.

Lancashire Libraries – controls and support

6.1 Lancashire County Council reserves the right to recommend variations to this constitution and undertakes to provide support and advice to the group when required.

6.2 Any group project affecting the library fabric, furniture or fittings will be submitted for approval to the relevant Lancashire County Council officer.

6.3 Any new furniture or resources supplied by the group must meet the current council specifications and must be submitted for approval to the relevant Lancashire County Council officer.

6.4 Lancashire County Council reserves the right to recommend sources of additional or external funding.

6.5 Plans to apply for grants and external funding should be discussed with the relevant Lancashire County Council officer before submission of bids to, for example, avoid conflicting bids being made.

6.6 A 'Friends of Lancashire Libraries donation form' should be completed and kept as a record of each accepted item donation.

6.7 All group activity, including any associated meetings, activities or events, will take place in line with any relevant Lancashire County Council policy or procedure, particularly where the use of a County Council premise is concerned.

6.8 Activities or events scheduled by the group to take place outside of usual premise opening hours require prior agreement from the relevant Lancashire County Council officer.

Insurance & Safeguards

7.1 Approved group activities and events held within County Council premises will be covered by Lancashire County Council's Hirers' Liability and Public Liability insurance policies.

7.2 Lancashire County Council cannot indemnify the group against any fraudulent activity or mismanagement by its members. Any concern regarding this should be raised with a Library Officer as soon as possible.

7.3 The group will have relevant safeguarding measures in place to cover any events, activities and projects that they deliver that may involve children, young people and or vulnerable adults.

7.4 With support from Lancashire County Council, the group will carry out relevant risk assessments on any public activities/events they organise and deliver.

Winding up

8.1 The group can only be dissolved at an AGM by a majority of paid-up members.

8.2 If the committee proposes to dissolve (end) the group, a final audit of accounts must be undertaken by an independent body. Following this a Special General Meeting shall be called which can dissolve the group by two-thirds majority. At this meeting recommendations will be made as to the use of any remaining assets

8.3 Dissolution becomes effective only after all debts and liabilities have been paid, and all remaining assets disposed of in the manner agreed by the AGM.

8.4 In the event that the group has not met for 12 months, the group will be considered to have been wound up by the consent of its members.

8.5 If the group no longer exists, any money procured or gained from external funding bodies for Friends Group activities and events must be returned to them immediately. If the group have purchased equipment etc. with external funds, it must be gifted to like-minded community groups in the area with similar aims and objectives, by agreement from the relevant funding body. Written evidence of any equipment transfer/handover to other groups must be recorded and forwarded to the relevant funding bodies immediately.