Constitution

louth | miscellaneous | press release

Monday February 07, 2005 10:37

by Sean Crudden - Greenore/Cooley Fisherman's Association

sean.crudden at iol dot ie

Jenkinstown, Dundalk, Co Louth.

087 9739945

Preparing a Constitution for your Local Area Forum

There is an area forum in every corner of Ireland. Readers of indymedia in Louth and further afield might like to contribute their opinions and comments on a draft constitution for the North Louth Area Forum which was drawn up last night by two members of Greenore/Cooley Fisherman's Association. A process like this might inspire creativity in other parts of Ireland and abroad as well as here in County Louth.

King John's Castle, Carlingford. Seat of the Norman rulers of North Louth.

Constitution of The North Louth Area Forum

The name of the organisation shall be "The North Louth Area Forum."

The objectives of the forum shall be:-

· to develop the community and voluntary sector so that it may have a clear sense of itself as a sector that is equal to and can work confidently with other sectors

· to have the work of the sector clearly acknowledged

· to develop a strong collective voice in the north Louth area

· to encourage co-operation, solidarity and mutual support within the community

· to identify issues of collective concern and to work to influence policy locally

· to support the individual members of the North Louth Area Forum so that they can develop their capacity and do the work of the forum more effectively.

1. Membership of the Forum shall be open to all community and voluntary groups in the local electoral areas of Dundalk/Carlingford and Dundalk South. Each group shall be entitled to one representative in the forum.

2. The forum commits itself to the active promotion of the principles of equality, justice and fairness.

3. Members shall work in a way that shall promote solidarity, mutual support and co-operation within the forum.

4. The interests of minorities shall be upheld within the forum.

5. The forum shall promote the participation of every member on an equal basis irrespective of class, income, creed, disability, sexual orientation or ethnic origin.

6. The work of the forum shall be conducted in an open and transparent manner.

7. The forum shall send representatives to the County Community Forum. Each such representative shall lose representative status by failing to attend three consecutive meetings of the area forum without stated reason.

8. The business of the forum shall be conducted by the members. A chairperson, vice-chairperson and other members shall be elected annually to facilitate this purpose. Those selected in this way shall comprise the committee.

9. One or more persons shall be appointed by Louth County Council to assist the work of the forum.

Draft 7 February 2005
Prepared by Archbishop Michael Desmond Hynes PhD OMA and Sean Crudden

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Comments (2 of 2)

North Louth Area Forum a great achievement

by Liam Sheppard

Wed Feb 09, 2005 21:07

Dublin

I thought that is was only Cllr's Peter Savage, Jim Loughran and Terry Brennan that got things done in Cooley. It would be great to be living there now as this is a great set up. I hope they run a Miss Cooley contest as this will stimulate great interest in tool building for the males of the Peninsula.

If only I were 30 years younger?

Liam

Adopted Unanimously

Sat Jan 07, 2006 13:05

The North Louth Area Forum worked on its draft constitution at three different meetings in the autumn of 2005. The constitution as follows was formally and unanimously adopted at a special meeting on 13 December 2005 and it was resolved to have a framed copy of the constitution hung on the wall of The Monasterboice Room in County Hall, Dundalk, where the forum meets.

Constitution of The North Louth Area Forum

The name of the organisation shall be the North Louth Area Forum.

Our Mission Statement is:-

We want to have an input into how the North Louth Area is developed and to influence policy on all the issues that affect our groups and communities.

The objectives of the North Louth Area Forum are:--

1. To develop a collective voice for the community and voluntary sector in the North Louth area

2. To encourage co-operation, solidarity and mutual support within the community

3. To identify needs and concerns and to work to influence policy locally and nationally

4. To work under the principles of equality, justice, fairness and inclusiveness in promoting solidarity, mutual support and co-operation within the forum

5. To promote the participation of every group on an equal basis

6. To conduct all our work in an open and transparent manner.

Membership and Meetings

7. Membership of the Forum shall be open to all community and voluntary groups in the local electoral areas of Dundalk/Carlingford and Dundalk South. Each group shall be entitled to one vote in the Forum.

8. The business of the forum shall be conducted by the members. A chairperson, vice-chairperson, secretary and other members shall be elected annually to facilitate the proper running of the meetings.

9. The North Louth Area Forum will elect delegates to represent its interests on other committees such as the Louth County Community Forum, Municipal Policy Committees, etc. Representatives are expected to account to and report back to the North Louth Area Forum at least every three months. Where such reporting is consistently inadequate a delegate may be asked by the forum to resign their representative position.

10. The Forum may from time to time set up small working groups to work on particular issues if members decide this is necessary.

11. A quorum of 6 voting members must be present before a meeting can take place.

12. Proposed changes to the constitution must be placed on the agenda in advance of the meeting.

13. Decisions, including constitutional amendments, will be made by consensus. When a consensus cannot be reached at least a two thirds majority shall apply.

14. The North Louth Area Forum will seek to obtain the necessary assistance from designated Louth County Council personnel in order to achieve our aims and objectives.

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Comments (2 of 2)