Marple
Bridge
Association
Promoting the interests of people who live, work, shop, socialise, or have children at school in
Marple Bridge
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View along Town Street, from the bridge
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Since 1987 Marple Bridge has been holding a non-commercial Christmas Party known as Winter Wonderland, usually on the first Saturday in December. From humble beginnings, this has evolved over the years in to a fantastic family afternoon out, which attracts thousands of people to the village centre, whatever the weather.
The very successful ‘Bridge in Bloom’ campaign, organised and paid for by the Marple Bridge Association, puts flowers on the village centre lampposts, and in other containers, and at other sites around the village, including the Peace Garden. All this hard work has seen the village compete successfully in regional and national competitions, both in its own right, and as part of Stockport’s winning entry to ‘Britain in Bloom’ in 2005.
Marple Bridge is a very attractive, predominately stone built, village on the edge of the borough of Stockport. With its lovely stone cottages, scenic riverside walks, coffee shops, traditional and trendy pubs and other individual shops, the centre of the village is a Conservation Area.
About the Marple Bridge Association
The MBA’s main aim is to help Marple Bridge continue to be as attractive a place as possible, in which to live, trade, work, shop, eat, drink, or walk and ramble, by ensuring it continues to thrive as the centre of a vibrant local community.
About Marple Bridge
‘Bridge in Bloom’
Winter Wonderland
MBA Blog
The Marple Bridge Association Blog is where you will find more in depth news coverage of our latest events and projects.
Marple Bridge TV
Marple Bridge TV is the Marple Bridge Association’s own channel on You Tube, where you will find video clips and photo montages of recent and past events in the village, as well as media coverage of the Association’s activities.
Visit Marple Bridge
Marple Bridge is easily accessible, being just 5 ½ miles along the A626 from junction 27 of the M60, on the borders of Stockport, South Manchester, North Cheshire and the High Peak district of Derbyshire.
Contact Us
1. NAME OF THE ORGANIZATION
The name of the organization shall be Marple Bridge Association,
(hereinafter called the Association).
2. AIMS OF THE ORGANISATION
To promote the interests
of the people who live and/or work in Marple Bridge.
To promote Marple Bridge as an
attractive environment for residents, workers and visitors alike.
To promote social
activities for all members of the Association.
3. POWERS
To further the aims, the Association
may exercise the following powers: -
To raise funds and receive contributions, donations
and otherwise, provided that the Association shall not undertake any permanent trading
activity.
To bring together representatives of voluntary and statutory organizations,
national and local government departments, and individuals.
To maintain a register
of members.
To levy subscriptions/membership fees.
To produce leaflets/posters and
other media, in order to publicize the groups activities.
To hold meetings.
To pay
necessary expenses involved in the running of the Association.
To make donations/contributions
to local good causes in pursuit of the aims of the Association (Added at AGM 27/02/06).
4.
MEMBERSHIP
Membership shall be open to all residents of, and people who work in, Marple
Bridge, regardless of nationality, political opinion, ethnic and cultural background,
religious opinion, sex, sexuality or disability.
The Committee may also admit as members
people who do not qualify by nature of residence or work, but wish to join the Association
for the benefit of the Association.
People who qualify may become members by registering
their personal contact details with the Secretary, either in advance of, or at the
start of, a general meeting, an AGM or SGM, and by paying any membership fee that
may be in force at the time.
Each member will have one vote and be eligible to stand
for election onto the Committee.
The Committee may terminate membership of any member
if:
- there is any money owed to the Association in respect of membership or other
fees after a time lapse of 3 months.
- any member acts in a way, which is prejudicial
to the Association or brings it into disrepute, provided that the individual concerned
shall have the right to be heard by the Committee, before a decision is made.
5. MEMBERSHIP
FEE/SUBSCRIPTION
Membership is only dependent on subscription if it is decided at
the AGM to introduce a subscription for the forthcoming year.
6. THE COMMITTEE
The
management of the Association shall be vested in a Committee, consisting of the members
whose duty it shall be to carry out its general policy, and to provide for the administration,
management, and control of the affairs and property of the Association.
The Committee
shall consist of at least four and not more than nine members.
The Committee shall
be elected at the AGM for one year, after which time they must stand for re-election.
Retiring officers may stand for re-election, provided that no one may hold the office
of Chairman or Vice-Chairman for more than three consecutive years, without an intervening
period of at least one year, except that a retiring Vice-Chairman may stand immediately
for the post of Chairman.
In the event there are no nominees for the position of Chairman/Chairwoman,
and/or Vice Chairman/Chairwoman, by the time of the AGM, then the retiring Chairman/Vice
Chairman may stand again for a further 12 months, even though he/she may have already
held the position for three or more consecutive years without a break of at least
one year.’ (Added AGM 26/02/2008)
Nominations to the Committee duly agreed by the
nominee, shall be proposed and seconded and delivered in writing to the Secretary
at a date specified by the Committee, or in person at the AGM.
Members of the Committee,
other than the Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer, may be appointed
to undertake particular responsibilities within the Association.
Additional members
may be co-opted to the Committee as required to undertake particular responsibilities
within the Association, but they will have no voting rights, and their term of office
shall expire at the discretion of the Committee.
The Committee may appoint, by a majority
vote, a President, who will not be subject to annual re-election and will have full
voting rights on the Committee.
At Committee meetings, matters shall be decided by
a simple majority of votes of Committee members present. In the case of an equality
of votes, the Chairman shall have a casting vote.
Committee members may resign office
by giving not less than twenty-one days notice in writing to the Secretary or the
Chairman. The Committee has power to fill casual vacancies from the membership.
Such an appointment shall complete the term of service of the member he or she is
replacing, and shall be eligible for re-election.
7. MEETINGS
There shall be no less
than four Committee meetings per year.
General meetings will be open to all members
of the Association, and will be held as often as necessary, and at least 6 times
a year. The Secretary will publicise all general meetings at least fourteen days
in advance, and an agenda will be published at least 3 days in advance.
An AGM (Annual
General Meeting) of the Association will be held every year in February or March.(
Amended to include March at AGM 01/03/2010) Notification of the meeting shall be
given not less than twenty-one days before the meeting, at which time an agenda will
be published.
At the AGM the outgoing Committee will report on its work, present a
statement of accounts, and stand down to seek re-election.
The AGM shall elect a new
Chairman, who will then take up his/her position and continue to conduct the election
of a new Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, and up to five other Committee Members,
excluding a President, if appointed. The AGM will also vote on recommendations, and
any amendments to the constitution.
A SGM (Special General Meeting), open to all members,
will be held, if six or more members submit in writing a request for such a meeting
to the secretary. The secretary shall arrange for the meeting to take place within
twenty-eight days.
All required notifications of meetings will be considered to have
been undertaken by the display of a notice in the Marple Bridge Post Office window,
or other designated place agreed by the Committee.
The Secretary shall ensure that
minutes are kept of all Committee, General, AGM, and SGM meetings.
8. QUORUM
No general
meeting, AGM, or SGM shall take place if less than six members are present.
No Committee
meeting shall take place if less than four members of the Committee are present.
9.
FINANCES
Any money raised shall be used to further the aims of the Association, and
for no other purpose.
A bank account in the name of the Association will be opened
and maintained.
The Committee shall decide the signatories to any account in the name
of the Association, but at least two authorized signatories must sign all cheques
drawn on the Association’s bank account.
A statement of accounts verified by a competent
person who is not a member of the Committee, shall be tabled at the AGM.
No member
of the Association shall derive any financial benefit from the Association, except
for the reimbursement of reasonable expenses incurred on behalf of the Association.
A
receipt should always be obtained for expenditure, unless there is good reason why
one cannot be issued. This must be recorded in the accounts.
No Committee member shall
be chargeable, or responsible for loss, caused by any thing or act done or omitted
to be done by him/her or any agent employed by, him/her or by any other Committee
member, provided reasonable supervision be exercised over any such agent, or by reason
of any, mistake or omission made in good faith by any Committee member or by reason
of any other matter or thing other than willful and individual fraud or wrong doing,
or wrongful omission on the part of the Committee member who is sought to be made
liable.
10. CHANGES TO THE CONSTITUTION
The constitution can only be altered at an
AGM, or SGM convened solely for that purpose.
Any suggested changes must be handed
to the Secretary, fourteen days before the AGM or SGM.
Changes must be agreed by at
least two thirds of the members present at the meeting.
11. DISSOLUTION
The Association
may only be dissolved at a SGM called for that purpose, and must be advertised 14
days before the meeting.
A proposal to dissolve the Association shall take effect
only if agreed by at least two thirds of the members present at the meeting.
Funds
and possessions will be disposed of according to the wishes of the meeting.
12. EQUAL
OPPORTUNITIES POLICY
The Association will actively seek to represent the needs and
aspirations of all residents, and/or those who work in the area represented. It will
up-hold equal opportunities and work for good relations among all members of the
community.
The Association will not discriminate on the grounds of nationality, political
opinion, ethnic and cultural background, religious opinion, sex, sexuality, or disability.
SIGNED:
Chairman
Treasurer
Secretary
Marple Bridge Association Constitution
| MBA Facts, Figures, Opportunities & Challenges |
| History of Marple Bridge |
| This Year's Winter Wonderland |
| Photo-Gallery of Previous Winter Wonderlands |