The St Leonard's Ward Panel is a volunteer group of local residents with an interest in making a difference by helping improve the quality of life in our area. We are able to do this by working closely with the Safer Neighbourhoods team for our area to set the priorities for the team.
We act as a point of contact between the community and the Safer Neighbourhoods team ensuring information flows smoothly between all of us.
We can also assist members of the public who wish to pass along information to the police in a confidential way knowing it will get to the right people.
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St Leonards SAFER NEIGHBOURHOOD TEAM
COMMUNITY PANEL CONSTITUTION
1. NAME
The name of the organisation shall be St Leonards Community Panel, hereinafter called the “Panel”.
2. AIMS
The purposes of the Panel are:
Be community representatives and to identify issues of local concern which have an impact on fear of crime or the quality of life in an area. Anything relating solely to an individual will NOT be considered.
Assist police in community engagement.
Assist in problem solving and crime prevention activity.
Assist in environmental audits.
To Set and Review priorities at regular intervals.
Provide information to the community on progress of priorities.
3. OBJECTIVES
To help reduce crime and anti-social behaviour in the St Leonards area
To help reduce the fear of crime and anti-social behaviour in the St Leonards area
To promote good communication with and between the residents of St Leonards
To work in conjunction with the Police
To work within the parameters of the law as defined by the Police
To work with and consult with the Local-Authority wherever this is appropriate to the benefit of the Panel
To assist and work closely with statutory agencies and other community associations
3. EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
The association, in all conduct of its affairs, prohibits discrimination or harassment on grounds of ethnicity, gender, age, sexuality, disability, status, political persuasion or religion.
4. AREA OF BENEFIT
The area of benefit consists of the ward within the London Borough of Lambeth as defined by the Boundary Commission of England and Wales.
5. MEMBERSHIP
i.Membership of the Panel shall be open to all residents in the defined area.
ii.Membership of the Panel shall be open to all businesses in the defined area.
iii.Membership of the Panel shall reflect the demographics of the local community
iv.The Panel shall allow members to rotate attendance where specific roads are represented by two or more panel members.
6. OFFICERS OF THE PANEL
i.The officers shall comprise of: Chair, Deputy Chair, Secretary and Treasurer
ii.Such officers, and any other officers as the Panel may from time to time deem necessary, shall be elected or re-elected at each annual general meeting
iii.Vacancies which occur to the detriment of the Panel, may be filled by a majority decision of the Panel prior to the AGM but no less than 4 members of the Panel
8. MEETINGS
Annual General Meeting
i.The Panel shall hold an AGM once in each calendar year and not more than 15 months shall pass between the date of one AGM and the next.
ii.All members shall be given a minimum of 21 days notice of the AGM.
iii.The AGM shall:
• Receive an annual report from the Panel Officers
• Elect a Chair, Deputy Chair and Secretary
• Discuss and vote upon proposed amendments to the constitution
10. MINUTES
All meetings must be minuted and the minutes formally agreed at the next
meeting and signed by the Chair.
11. VOTING
i.At a Panel meeting each member eligible to vote shall have one vote only. In the case of an equal vote, the Chair shall have the casting vote.
ii.All voting and abstentions must be counted and the numbers recorded in the minutes.
iii.Police and non resident elected councillors shall not have voting rights on the Panel
This constitution was adopted on: the 8th of January 2007.
Amendment 1: No panel officer shall serve for more than two (2) consecutive terms of service. In the event no suitable candidate is nominated for a vacating office, the panel may set aside this rule for the ensuing term with a two-thirds (2/3rds) majority vote.
Amendment agreed the 8th of March 2007.
Appendix 1:Area of Benefit:
