Please find relevant information regarding AGM taking place in 2025..
Proposed changes to constitution:
Constitution: What is it?
This is our legal and governing document that outlines the rules and regulation on how we run as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation.
It includes:
- Charitable Purposes (Objects): This defines what the charity is set up to achieve.
- Powers: This section outlines what the charity can do to carry out its purposes, such as borrowing money or selling property.
- Governance: It specifies who runs the charity (the trustees), how they are appointed, and how meetings are conducted.
- Membership: If the charity has members, the constitution will define who can be a member and their rights.
- Financial Provisions: This includes rules about paying trustees, investments, and holding land.
- Amendment and Dissolution: The constitution outlines how it can be changed and what happens when the charity closes down.
We ensure that we are aligned to the Charities Act and the Charities Commission.
Making Changes
Under any Charity Constitution there are regulated and non-regulated changes.
Where a charity proposes regulated changes to be made, after the membership vote has been taken then consent must be obtained from the Charity Commission prior to any changes being implemented.
Regulated changes which require consent from The Charity Commission are items which are considered fundamental changes that could significantly impact the charities purpose, operation or financial stability.
Non-regulated changes are classed as “administrative” which need to be notified to The Charity Commission but do not need consent.
Charities are able to make administrative changes whenever required so long as these are passed by the membership.
Why are we a Charitable Incorporated Organisation?
Due to the range of activities, we undertake and the objects we aim to deliver for our members, we are classed as a CIO Organisation, with a membership association.
Key Changes we are proposing
All of our proposed changes are deemed as administrative and therefore we will not require consent from The Charity Commission.
However as a member, we will be seeking your vote on our proposal to effect the proposed changes to ensure that we can deliver our purpose as the Association of Special Constabulary Officers to ensure that every Special Constable has a positive, safe and rewarding volunteer career contributing to improved public safety, trust and confidence in policing.
Powers
We have clarified what powers we will use in pursuance of achieving our objects.
This enables us to have powers to ensure we can take relevant steps in legal pursuance of delivering our objects with full transparency for our members. Any power we exercise must be in pursuance of the objects e.g. borrow money, agree partnerships.
General Provisions to receive payment
This confirms occasions where Trustees may receive a personal payment or benefit such as:
- Expenses for reasonable ‘out of pocket’ expenditure, when aligned and approved under our financial controls.
- Where Trustees provide personal goods or services these will comply with The Charities Act 2011 (s185-s188), where these are:
- Agreed in advance that the services/goods to be provided by the Trustee are in the interests of the Charity;
- That they are the right person to deliver this.
- Reasonable with a maximum amount agreed in advance.
- That the output is demonstrable/can be evidenced on request.
We will ensure documentation is obtained and retained under our financial controls for any proposals, decision making process, acceptance and payments are made.
Members
With the scale and strategy of ASCO we continue to increase our membership numbers and now propose defining this into categories of voting and non-voting members alongside affiliate partnerships to continue to deliver our Charities objects on behalf of serving Special Constables and policing.
- Serving Special Constable
- Associate Membership (non-voting)
Admission Process
We propose ensuring that checks are conducted by the Board of Trustees and Advisory Board to assess membership admissions to confirm that the correct category of membership is assigned and maintained.
Voting Members
We propose that any members who will have voting rights be retained to serving Special Constables only.
This is to ensure that any key decisions made, reflect the serving Special Constabulary members our Association and Charity objects are aimed at supporting.
Non-Voting Members (Associate Membership)
These will be employers who support citizens in policing, regular colleagues, partnership colleagues, and key stakeholders and partnerships we have engaged to further our charity objects.
This will also include retired colleagues or civilian members who support our Charity.
This category will not have voting rights on any decisions where a vote is called.
Proposals by our Members
Our Constitution allows our voting members to submit proposals for consideration to our Trustees.
We are proposing setting this number at 30% which will then be reviewed by Trustees alongside the Advisory Board consisting of non-Trustee volunteers who act as our internal scrutiny panel.
Trustees and Election
We propose increasing the number of Trustees we are able to appoint to nine Trustees with a minimum of three.
The length of tenure will be four years, subject to resignations.
There is no maximum length of tenure, however subject to clauses around membership requests for decisions and eligibility of Trustees to continue in post.
Existing Trustees
For our existing Trustees, we propose that their tenure expiry will be backdated to their confirmed appointment.
Trustee Appointments by the Board
We propose that where an interim vacancy or urgent need is identified, the Board of Trustees will appoint an interim Trustee to fulfil certain tasks or duties required to ensure the effective delivery of the objects of our Charity.
Advisory Board
We have volunteers who are recruited and appointed into our Advisory Board. Their role with Trustees is to ensure delivery of objects and to also act as an internal panel during decision making processes.
Where elections are called, the Advisory Board members shall assist in vetting applications, confirming nominations and appointment of Trustees.
Advisory Board members who wish to be considered for Trustee positions, must relinquish their role at the point of nomination.
Elections
To stand for a trustee, must be a member of ASCO
Creation of an election process when standing for Trustee
Nominations reviewed by independent Advisory Board members
Confirmed candidates to be circulated in advance of AGM.
Quorate vote held at AGM.