LABOUR HOUSING GROUP

Constitution

1 NAME

1.1 The name of the organisation is the Labour Housing Group (hereinafter referred to as "LHG")

2 OBJECTIVES

2.1 To work within the Labour movement both nationally and locally to develop and promote socialist housing policies seeking to ensure that housing of the highest possible standard is available for all members of the community, regardless of their means

2.2 To make available to Labour Party members and to the public generally information on housing issues and to generate discussion of Labour housing policies

2.3 To promote housing policies that will assist in securing the objects of the Labour Party as set out in its Constitution

2.4 To seek to influence the development of all Labour Party policies in so much as they have a direct bearing on LHG's housing objectives as set out in 2.1 to 2.3 above

3 MEMBERSHIP

3.1 Membership of LHG will be open to:

(i) Individual members of the Labour Party

(ii) Constituency Labour Parties, Labour Party Branches,

District Labour Parties, Labour Groups on local authorities,

Trade Unions, and branches of Trade Unions affiliated to

the TUC, and branches of other organisations affiliated to

the Labour Party

3.2 All members must accept the Constitution of LHG and share

its Objectives

3.3 All applications for membership shall be submitted to the

Executive Committee of LHG (hereafter referred to as "the

EC") for approval before a member is entitled to vote and take

part in the activities of LHG

3.4 Any member whose subscription is more than 6 months in arrears shall cease to be a member of LHG until all the arrears have been paid

3.5 Any individual member of LHG who ceases to be a member of the Labour Party will automatically cease to be a member of LHG

3.6 Any complaint that a member is failing to observe the Constitution of LHG, or that a member does not share the aims and objects of LHG, shall in the first instance be made in writing to the EC. If satisfied that such a complaint may be justified, the EC shall pass the complaint to a General Meeting or Annual General Meeting which may resolve to remove the member concerned by a two-thirds majority of those present and eligible to vote

4 FINANCE

4.1 Annual subscriptions shall be collected by the EC from all LHG members. The amount of subscriptions for all categories of member shall be determined at each Annual General Meeting

4.2 The Treasurer of the EC shall collect all money due to LHG and shall be the custodian thereof. Any bank account operated by LHG shall be with the Co-operative Bank and all cheques on such bank account shall be signed by officers authorised by the EC. LHG's financial year shall run from the 1st January to the 31st December

4.3 No member or Branch shall incur expense on behalf of LHG without the written authority of the Treasurer. However, Branches

( see section 10 ) may raise their own funds and incur expenditure which can be met from such funds. Membership fees collected by Branches must be passed in full immediately to the Treasurer of the EC

4.4 The cost of travel, and other associated costs, incurred by EC members on LHG business, including attendance at EC meetings, conferences, etc., will be reimbursed at the cost of the cheapest available second class rail fare of the journey in question, and the most reasonable price available ( hotels, other subsistence, etc. )

5 AUDITORS

5.1 The accounts of LHG shall be audited each year by two auditors elected at the Annual General Meeting. The Treasurer shall produce for inspection by the auditors all documentation necessary for the complete examination of the accounts

6 GOVERNANCE

The day to day administration of LHG, and responsibility for developing policy for LHG, will be vested in the EC which shall be responsible and accountable to the AGM

7 THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

7.1 The EC of LHG shall consist of the 12 members who make themselves available for election and who secure the highest number of votes by a ballot of all members each year prior to the AGM. The result of the election each year will be reported to the AGM. The EC may invite not more than 5 co optees to join the EC

( excluding any co options under section 7.7 )

7.2 Only paid up members of LHG in their individual capacity may be elected to the EC

7.3 The officers of the EC will comprise the Chair, 2 Vice Chairs

( 1 of who must be a female member ), Secretary, Treasurer, and Membership Secretary. Officers will be elected from within the EC at the first EC meeting following the AGM. In the absence of the Chair, 1 of the 2 Vice Chairs will Chair the meeting of the EC, and in the absence of the Chair and not Vice Chairs, subject to the EC meeting being quorate ( see section 7.4 ), a Chair will be elected for that meeting by those present

7.4 The EC shall have a quorum of 5 elected members. In the event of a meeting being inquorate urgent matters will be determined by the officers and subject to ratification at the next meeting of the EC

7.5 The EC will meet in person at least 4 times each year ( not including the AGM ) and by telephone conference or other medium as and when necessary

7.6 In January of each year, and at least 8 weeks prior to the AGM, the Secretary will invite nominations from all members for election to the EC. Each nominee will be invited to submit a brief personal statement, which will be distributed to all members with a ballot paper. The Secretary will manage the election process, and report to the AGM on the outcome of the ballot. From time to time the EC will review the balloting process, having regard to the need to ensure that all members are allowed to vote, balanced with the need to be as efficient as possible

7.7 The EC will prepare an annual budget, which will be presented to the AGM each year for approval

7.8 The EC will submit a report to each AGM outlining its activities during the preceding year, for discussion and approval

7.9 Vacancies on the EC arising in the course of the year may be filled by co-option at the discretion of the EC

8 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING AND GENERAL MEETINGS

8.1 The EC shall call at least one general meeting of all members of LHG each year which shall be an Annual General Meeting which will be held during March. Other general meetings may be called at the discretion of the EC. At least 8 weeks notice of an AGM will be given to all members, and will include an outline agenda, and an invitation from all paid members to submit Resolutions for discussion at the AGM

8.2 All individuals who are paid up members, will be entitled to attend the AGM, and any other general meetings. Organisations who are paid up members may send 1 delegate to each to the AGM or other general meetings

8.3 Each full member present at the meeting shall be entitled to one vote except the Chair shall have a casting vote in addition to his / her individual vote. Voting delegates shall be Labour Party members

8.4 The quorum for AGM’s and all other general meetings shall be 5% of the paid up membership of LHG

8.5 The AGM will undertake the following business:

· receive a report on the election of the new EC

· receive a report on activity by the EC during the preceding year

· receive an audited statement of the accounts for the previous year

· discuss ( and, subject to agreement ) approve the

budget for the forthcoming year

· approve membership subscriptions

· discuss any Resolutions submitted from members

8.6 Resolutions for the AGM

(i) Any paid up member ( individual or organisation ) may submit a Resolution for discussion at the AGM. Each Resolution should be no more than 200 words in length, and should be concerned with a contemporary topic that is relevant to the objectives of LHG

( ii ) At the time the notice of the AGM is sent to all members ( see 8.1 above ), paid up members will be invited to submit Resolutions for the AGM

( iii ) All Resolutions will considered by the EC, at it is final meeting prior to the AGM each year, at which time the EC may ask the proposer to amend a Resolution, or, where 2 or more Resolutions are similar in content, that the proposers consider submitting a composited Resolution

( iv ) for a Resolution to be discussed at the AGM, the proposer must be present in person to present the Resolution

( v ) at each AGM, and depending on the number of Resolutions that have been received, the Chair reserves the right to determine how much time within the AGM will be devoted to discussing Resolutions

8.7 Special General Meetings ( SGM’s ) may be called by a simple a majority of the elected members of the EC, or by 25 paid up members of LHG giving notice to the EC in writing of the matter or matters required to be dealt with at the SGM. Where an SGM is to be convened, the EC will give 6 weeks notice of the SGM and the matter or matters to be dealt with. Any changes from any paid up members to the proposed agenda or any Resolutions received must be received no later than 3 weeks prior to the date of the SGM

8.8 For a motion, other than changes to the Constitution ( see section

13. 2 ) to be carried at an AGM or SGM, there must be a simple majority of votes in favour from those in attendance

9 COMMITTEES AND WORKING GROUPS

The EC may, from time to time, convene Committees or Working Groups, for specific purposes. The outcomes from such groups will be reported into the AGM, as part of the EC’s annual report.

10 BRANCHES

10.1 Any local group of not less than five full members of LHG may apply to the EC for recognition as a Branch of LHG. The EC shall have power to define the area covered by any Branch, which must always be geographically co-terminous with an existing Labour Party body.

10. 2 LHG members in Scotland and Wales are entitled to organise themselves as a Branch of LHG, and upon recognition by the EC will be entitled to send one delegate each to the EC, of which they will be a co-opted member.

10.3 Branches shall comply with the Constitution of LHG and shall concern themselves only with housing matters within the Objects of LHG. Voting membership of Branches shall be open only to full members of LHG.

10.4 Each Branch shall send to the Secretary of the EC a brief written annual report before the AGM of LHG, for distribution at the AGM of LHG.

10.5 The officers of each Branch shall include a Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer, and these and other members of a Branch Committee shall be elected annually by all full members of LHG in the area of the Branch.

10.6 Procedures for the setting up and conduct of Branches shall be determined by the EC

10.7 Branches shall be entitled to affiliate to Constituency Labour Parties in cases where Branches have at least five full members of LHG in a given appropriate Constituency

No Branch may affiliate to a Constituency until such affiliation has first been approved by the EC of LHG and the names and addresses of all full members living in the Constituency have been provided to the Membership Secretary and Secretary of the EC and to the Secretary of the Constituency Labour Party concerned

10.8 Branches may only send one delegate to General Committees

( or equivalent ) of Constituency Labour Parties and that delegate must be resident or registered as an elector in the Constituency. The affiliation fee to the Constituency will be paid by the Branch

10.9 Branches may only submit Resolutions to Constituency Labour Parties to which they are affiliated on matters affecting housing policy and in accordance with the Objectives of LHG. Copies of all such resolutions shall be provided to the Secretary of the EC

10.10 Each year, Branches may submit a request to the EC for supplementary funding to support their activities, which are consistent with and will further the Objectives of LHG

11 PUBLICATIONS AND MEDIA

11.1 All policy documents or other publications proposed for publication by LHG or by Branches shall first be referred to the EC for approval

11.2 Any statements to the press, or for use via any other media, on behalf of LHG, must be approved in advance by the Chair, or in the Chair’s absence by both Vice Chairs

12 AFFILIATION

LHG may affiliate to any bodies. All such affiliations must be formally ratified by the EC

13 CONSTITUTION

13.1 The EC will review the LHG Constitution from time to time to ensure that it reflects the needs of LHG, and best practice

13.2 Amendments to the Constitution may only be made by a two thirds majority vote in favour either at an SGM, or at an AGM

14 DISSOLUTION

13.1 LHG can only be wound up by a resolution to such effect following debate at an SGM of LHG called specifically for the purpose, or by a resolution to an AGM.

13.2 In the event of dissolution of LHG any remaining funds shall be paid by the Treasurer to a registered housing charity or to any other body or organisation sharing the aims and objectives of LHG as shall be approved at the SGM or AGM

( approved at the SGM held on 15 June 2025 )

redrafted by Paul Eastwood, Spring 2013, based on the previous Constitution,