Our Aims and Purpose

The Twinning Charter was duly signed with great pomp and ceremony and can be seen in The Ark, Turners Hill. The following extract best summarises our objectives:

“We the undersigned being respective Chairman of Turners Hill Parish Council and the Mayor of St-Leger-en-Yvelines, duly elected by our inhabitants wish to satisfy the hope and needs of our citizens to know that our western civilisation was born in early communities like ours and that the spirit of liberty was first included in the freedoms which they conquered….

Considering that the history must evolve in a broadened world which can remain humane only if our people live in free communities….

Decided solemnly today….

To favour all sorts of exchange between our citizens so as to develop the feeling of fraternity through deeper understanding.”

Janice Mackelden for the Chairman of the Council
Denis Munday, Chairman of the Twinning Association
Francois Pic Paris, The Mayor
Gabriel Fodor, President of The Twinning Association

The Constitution

Constitution adopted at the Annual General Meeting of March 2006

1. THE NAME of the Association shall be THE TURNERS HILL TWINNING ASSOCIATION

2. THE AIMS OF THE ASSOCIATION are to promote friendship and understanding between the people of Turners Hill and adjacent areas and those of St Leger-en-Yvelines and adjacent areas in France and those other towns with which the Association may later form links. To encourage visits by individuals, groups and village organisations to and from linked villages, particularly by children and young people and the development of personal contacts and by so doing to broaden the mutual understanding of the cultural, recreational, educational and commercial activities of the linked villages. To organise fund-raising activities to foster the aims of the Association.

3. MEMBERSHIP shall be open to all persons or organisations in sympathy with the aims of the Association. There shall be three categories of membership.

• Individual Membership
• Family Membership – to include children in full time education
• Corporate Membership – entitles not more than two members of the organisation to the rights conferred on individual or family members.

4. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING – A general meeting of members shall be held between 1st February and 31st March each year. The Hon. Secretary shall give at least fourteen days written notice of the meeting to all paid up members. A quorum shall be 12 members.

The purpose of the meeting shall be to receive the Chairperson’s report for the previous year, to receive and adopt the accounts, to elect the management committee in accordance with rule (5), to elect an appropriate person to examine the accounts and to transact any other business deemed appropriate for the running of the Association.

5. THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE shall be elected from paid-up members of the Association and shall comprise:

• Honorary Chairperson
• Honorary Secretary
• Honorary Treasurer
• Four Committee Members

Each of whom shall retire annually but who shall be eligible for re-election.

The management committee shall additionally include an ex-officio member of the Parish Council and shall have the power to co-opt up to two additional members. Each committee member shall have the right to one vote. The Chairperson shall have the casting vote in the event of a tie. A quorum shall be five.

The affairs of the Association shall be conducted by the management committee who shall have the powers to appoint such other officers as deemed appropriate. Appointments made in this way shall be ratified by the next annual meeting.

6. SUB-COMMITTEES – The management committee shall have the powers to set up sub-committees which may co-opt to their committee members with the power to vote. The Chairperson, the Hon. Secretary and the Hon. Treasurer shall be ex-officio members of all sub-committees.

7. VOTING AT THE AGM. Only members present at the annual general meeting shall be entitled to vote. Individual members shall be entitled to one vote and each family or corporate body shall be entitled to two votes provided that two members of such family or corporate body are present at the meeting. The Chairperson shall have a casting vote.

8. A SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING of the Association may be called at any time on written request to the Hon. Secretary, signed by at least ten paid up members of the Association. A minimum of twenty eight days notice must be given by the Hon. Secretary to the members together with details of the matter to be discussed. A quorum shall be 12.

9. THE ACCOUNTS to the 31st December each year shall be independently examined and presented to the annual general meeting. Monies received on behalf of the Association shall be kept in safe custody by the Hon. Treasurer. Cheques drawn on the Association’s account shall be signed by any two of the following, The Chairperson, the Hon. Secretary, the Hon. Treasurer, a nominated committee member.

10. SUBSCRIPTIONS shall become due on the 1st January each year, payable within two months thereof. They shall be determined for the following year by the AGM.

11. AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION shall only be made at the AGM or at a special meeting. Notice of the proposed amendment(s) shall be given in writing to the Hon. Secretary at least twenty eight days before the meeting and details shall be given in the letter convening the meeting. No such amendment shall be carried unless two-thirds of the members present and voting at the meeting vote in its favour.

12. DISSOLUTION OF THE ASSOCIATION. In the event of the dissolution of the Association all surplus funds shall be transferred to such charity or charities as the management committee shall in its absolute discretion decide.

Adopted March 2006
Amended 2007