I am looking for a draft constitution for an allotment club - any offers?

Question

We are looking to form an allotment society on our local plots

Answer 1

1. The advice you have been given is not good.
(a) You can forget the idiotic, gunslinging, racist Yanks (though you can report them both, if you wish).
(b) The suggested constitution (of the Low Moor Allotments Association) is very inadequate. Amongst many omissions, it does not cover dissolution (i.e. the procedure for winding up the association).
(c) The owner of the allotments (be it local authority or other local landowner) has no say over your constitution, even if the landowner has a contractual relationship with your society, e.g. for management of the site. Your constitution details the way in which your society governs itself. This is entirely different to any rules the landowner has about allotment usage.

2. Current good practice recommends adoption of a model constitution drafted by the Charity Commission (even if you have no intention of registration as a charity). Nowadays it expected that voluntary associations use this constitution template. Having a constitution in a recognised format will stand you in good stead if you seek grants (from your local authority or a trust). Here is the model constitution....
http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/library/publications/pdfs/gd3textbw.pdf

3. Many associations directly manage the allotments site. If you have additional responsibilities like this you, may wish to consider the type of organisation that you adopt. There are three kinds of organisation within the allotments movement.

(a) unincorporated association - examples:
(i) The Western Wards Allotment Association
http://www.wwaa.org.uk/
(ii) Westcliff Land Cultivation Society
http://www.wlcsallotments.org.uk/
(iii) Eastney and Milton Allotment Holders Association
http://www.eastneyandmiltonallotments.co.uk/
(iv) Bishop's Stortford Allotment and Garden Association
http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/bsaga/index.htm
(v) Countesthorpe Gardens and Allotments
http://www.cthorpeallotments.co.uk/

(b) industrial and provident society - examples
(i) Rosendale Allotments Association [IP08505R]
http://www.rosendale-allotments.org.uk/
(ii) Aldershot & District Allotment Association [IP06127R]
http://aldershot-allotments.co.uk/
(iii) Eastleigh and Bishopstoke Allotments Co-operative Association [IP04649R]
http://www.eastleigh-allotments-association.org.uk/about_us.htm

(c) company limited by guarantee - example
(i) Horfield and District Allotments Association [04672027]
http://www.allotments.fsnet.co.uk

Good luck

Answer 2

Allotment Constitution

Answer 3

Here's an idea. Use the United States' Constitution in it's original form without Ammendments, and you'll be able to stop black people and women from having allotments.

Answer 4

Go here:

http://www-users.cs.york.ac.uk/~kester/LowMoorAllotments/Association_Constitution.html

For an example of a constitution that's in use. Also, contact your local Parish or Town Council as they tend to be the ones who let out allotments and they may have their own rules and regs which you'd need to abide by and include in the constitution.

I hope this is of help!

Answer 5

Why not use the American constitution?

Just change the word 'guns' (ok, arms then) into 'allotment' and i'm sure you'll be allowed to do just about anything you want .