Our Constitution
The Harefield Tenants and Residents Association (HTRA) operates under a constitution that outlines its core purpose, objectives, and governance structure. This constitution serves as a guiding framework for the association’s work and ensures that all actions are transparent, inclusive, and in the best interests of the local community.
Our Constitution
The name of our association is Harefield Tenants and Residents Association. Harefield is within the London Borough of Hillingdon, which is part of the Greater London Authority.
Aims & Objectives
The aims and objectives of the association are
a) To work in partnership with the London Borough of Hillingdon and other agencies to improve housing and the neighbourhoods in our catchment area.
b) Encourage community spirit through the promotion of social, welfare, recreational and training activities in our catchment area.
c) To encourage the involvement and interest of all our members and represent their views.
Equal Opportunities
a) The association supports no political party or has any religious affiliation.
b) The association recognise, value, and respect the diversity within our community and try to overcome obstacles to people getting involved in meetings and events or giving their views.
c) The association will take positive action to reach members of the community that are under-represented at meetings and events and will try to ensure members have equal opportunities to attend and take part.
Membership
a) Membership of the association is open to all tenants and residents over the age of eighteen living in the catchment area. Younger residents may attend meetings and raise issues/ questions.
b) All members shall have voting rights.
c) All attendees of meetings must sign in the attendance register for fire safety requirements and for a record of attendance.
d) All email addresses will be saved in line with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
Management Committee
The association will be run by a management committee which will consist of nine members. The management committee shall include the following Four Officers - a Chair, Deputy Chair, Secretary and Treasurer and five general committee members, all of whom will be elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM).
a) Members of the association will be entitled to stand for election to the management committee if they have attended six general meetings within the previous twelve months, (except for elected councillors who cannot stand for election).
b) In order to stand as an Officer (Chair, Deputy Chair, Secretary, Treasurer) a member will need to have served on the management committee for the previous year and attended at least 50% of the management committee meetings.
c) If more than nine members are nominated and seconded for election to the committee, or more than one nominated and seconded for an officer position, then an election will be held, with attending association members voting for their preferred candidates.
d) A member will not be able to act for the management committee if they are or have been within the past two years the subject of legal proceedings taken against them by the council because of nuisance, harassment, violence or threatening behaviour, and these proceedings are continuing, or it has been decided that the member was guilty of such behaviour.
e) A member will not be able to act for the management committee if they are or have been within the last two years the subject of legal proceedings taken against them by the police for any offence involving theft, deception, forgery, or false accounting, violence or threatening behaviour and these proceedings are continuing, or it has been decided that the member was guilty of such behaviour.
f) A member who wants to join the management committee must declare any behaviour that falls under in c) and d) above to the management committee by signing the declaration form provided by the association (*attached within the Code of Conduct).
g) The management committee will stand down at each AGM and individuals may be re-elected.
h) Management committee members will be given at least seven days notice of each committee meeting, (unless under extraordinary circumstances).
i) At least four management committee members must go to a committee meeting for any decisions made to be formally approved.
j) The management committee will be responsible for the associations work and finances and ensuring members are kept informed.
Meetings
Annual General Meeting (AGM)
Once a year (and no later than after eighteen months) the association will hold an annual
general meeting (AGM), which is open to all members.
The association will give all members at least fourteen days notice of the AGM, by electronic means where possible.
At the AGM the Association will:
a) Present previous AGM minutes for approval.
b) Present an annual report from the management committee.
c) Present inspected accounts.
d) Elect the new management committee.
e) Agree any amendments to the constitution (which will have been distributed at least
fourteen days prior to the AGM).
General Meetings (GM)
a) The management committee will organise general meetings throughout the year, which are open to all members.
b) Members of the management committee will give reports at each general meeting on the work they have done since the last general meeting.
c) At least fourteen days notice will be given to all members, by electronic means where possible, so that everyone has an opportunity to attend and to be informed about the work of the association and vote on decisions.
Special General Meetings (SGM)
a) The management committee may, at any time, hold a special general meeting to consider any matter they decide should be referred to all members.
b) A special general meeting can also be requested by 10 or more members, however the reason for the meeting must be stated to the association secretary. The management committee will discuss the request and, if a SGM is deemed appropriate, it will ensure that the meeting is held within twenty-eight days of the request and that all members are given reasonable notice. If the SGM has been requested with regard to the committee then the association secretary will inform the London Borough of Hillingdon Customer Engagement Team, that will then take up the matter.
Any decisions taken at any of the above meetings will not be acted upon until they can be formally agreed at a meeting where there are 10 or more members present.
Running Meetings
The association will be open and democratic.
a) The management committee will hold regular meetings or events and will publicise these to all members. Each member will be entitled to one vote on any specific resolution put before an AGM, GM or SGM.
b) Minutes will be kept of all meetings of the association. The minutes will be presented to the next meeting to be approved. The minutes will be made available to any member of the association upon request.
c) The quorum for the AGM, GM or SGM is 10, consisting of at least 3 management committee members.
d) All members will be expected to abide by the Code of Conduct..
Finance
The treasurer will open a bank account in the name of Harefield Tenants and Residents Association and keep records of all income and expenditure. The treasurer will provide a statement of accounts to the management committee quarterly or when the management committee deems necessary.
b) The management committee will appoint three members who can sign cheques. One of these will be the treasurer. These people must not be from the same household or be family members.
c) Our accounts will be examined each year by an independent examiner and presented at the AGM.
Amendments to the Constitution
The treasurer will open a bank account in the name of Harefield Tenants and Residents Association and keep records of all income and expenditure. The treasurer will provide a statement of accounts to the management committee quarterly or when the management committee deems necessary.
b) The management committee will appoint three members who can sign cheques. One of these will be the treasurer. These people must not be from the same household or be family members.
c) Our accounts will be examined each year by an independent examiner and presented at the AGM.
d) A copy of the accounts will be sent to the Customer Engagement Team at the council.
e) Any member is entitled to request a copy of the accounts, and the association will respond to any requests within twenty-eight days.
f) The management committee can raise funds on behalf of the association providing they are spent in line with the aims and objectives of the association.
g) The treasurer will keep an accurate and up to date list of all assets and equipment purchased with any funding.
h) No member of the association may ever benefit financially from funding received on behalf of the association’s community activities.
Dissolving the Association
In event that the Association needs to be dissolved:
a) The association can only be dissolved at an SGM called specifically to consider this action. Notice of such an SGM will be publicised to all members at least twenty-eight days prior to this meeting taking place.
b) The association will only be dissolved if two-thirds of those members present at the SGM vote to do so, or if the association is unable to form a management committee.
c) If a resolution to dissolve is agreed, then at that same SGM a decision will be made on what to do with any assets, funds, and equipment. The options could be to:
i) Freeze them for a future association to use.
ii) Give them to any new group with similar aims that has been set up in the same area, or.
iii) Donate them to a neighbouring association.
Code of Conduct
The HTRA Code of Conduct sets clear expectations for respectful and positive behaviour within the community. It encourages open communication, fairness, and mutual respect among all members. By adhering to this code, members help maintain an inclusive and supportive environment, ensuring the association runs smoothly for the benefit of everyone.
Members at Meetings
a) Members are expected to conduct themselves in a reasonable manner and follow the guidance of the Chair/ Deputy Chairperson.
b) Members must be courteous and respectful to each other and allow each other to speak.
c) Members must remember that the purpose of the association is to benefit residents’ generally and not specific individuals.
d) Members must abide by the equal opportunities guidance set out in the constitution of the association.
Members of the Committee
a) Members should not bring the association into disrepute.
b) Members should not speak or write on behalf of the association without the prior agreement of the association. Correspondence sent on behalf of the association should be available to all members of the association.
c) Members should always work within the rules laid down in the constitution.
d) Members should observe collective responsibility for committee decisions.
Conflicts of Interest
Members should disclose any interest, personal or on behalf of any group they represent, that may affect or influence their approach to the matter under discussion.
Political Affiliation
Individual members may be affiliated to / be members of a political party and as residents of the association’s catchment area they are entitled to be on the committee and have a vote. However, they may not represent a political party in their role as a committee member.
Confidentiality
Members should respect all individual tenant’s/resident’s confidentiality. Information about individual tenants and residents must not be discussed at public meetings.
Breach of the Code of Conduct
If a member of the committee, or a member attending the meeting, does not abide by the code of conduct they will be given a verbal warning by the Chair that if they break the code again, they may be asked to leave the meeting.
The Chair may give the person concerned two further warnings (a maximum of three warnings in anyone meeting and/or three consecutive meetings).
If the person continues to ignore these rules and refuses to leave the meeting after being warned, then the Chair has the power to close the meeting.
A complaint that a committee member has failed to abide by the code of conduct despite receiving three warnings or has committed an act that is considered to be gross misconduct, should be tabled at a Committee Meeting, called for this purpose only. All parties must be notified in writing in advance and care must be taken to ensure that all concerned parties are given a fair hearing. On the findings of this hearing, the committee can suspend the member subject to ratification by 2/3 of the management committee. The member may be excluded from applying for a committee position for one year.
Committee Members who fail to attend three consecutive GM or CM without a written apology or good reason will automatically be removed as a member of the committee.
Gross Misconduct
This could include:
- Stealing from the association.
- Forging documents for any advantage.
- Fighting or physical assault at meetings or while representing the association at any time. This does not include reasonable self-defence if attacked.
- Deliberate acts of sexual or racial harassment that involve physical or verbal intimidation or assault (or both) while you are a member.
Committee members must observe this code of conduct whenever they:
- are acting in their role as a committee member.
- are representing the association.
- are carrying out the work of the association or acting on its behalf.
Committee members must observe this code of conduct whenever they:
Last edited: 25/09/2025
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates from Harefield Tenants and Residents Association.
*Our newsletter is intended for local residents of Harefield Village and South Harefield, Hillingdon. By subscribing, you confirm that you live within these areas and wish to stay informed about community news, events, and updates relevant to the Harefield area.
