Constitution

Effective from LGBTIQA+ Greens AGM 19 November 2022

PDF Version of this Document

1. Title, Status and Purpose

1.1. LGBTIQA+ Greens are a Liberation Group within the Green Party of England & Wales (GPEW), set up according to section 5(xii) of the Green Party of England & Wales constitution and related by-laws.

1.2. Our mission is to advance the rights and liberation of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Intersex, Queer, and Asexual/Aromantic people. Discrimination remains in many areas of life, such as housing, education, employment, and health. LGBTIQA+ Greens campaign against discrimination and for a fair and liberated society.

1.3. Our aims are:

  1. To increase awareness and understanding of LGBTIQA+ issues within the Green Party of England & Wales, other progressive movements, and society as a whole.
  2. To increase awareness and understanding of Green and progressive values among LGBTIQA+ people and communities.
  3. To build a more sustainable and just society where everyone is valued, respected, and empowered regardless of their sexuality, gender identity, or intersex status.
  4. To support LGBTIQA+ Green candidates to be elected to all levels of government.
  5. To support elected LGBTIQA+ Greens.

2. Membership

2.1. Membership of the LGBTIQA+ Greens is open to all members of GPEW. Membership is not open to those who are not members of GPEW.

2.2. Two types of membership are available: Full Membership, and Associate Membership.

2.3. Full Membership grants the member the right to vote at LGBTIQA+ Greens meetings, propose motions and candidates, and stand for election to the LGBTIQA+ Greens committee.

2.4. Associate Members may attend member-only meetings and events, but will are not permitted to vote, propose motions and candidates, or stand for election to the LGBTIQA+ Greens committee.

2.5. Full Membership is achieved through affirmative opt-in via an online form, which will be available at the LGBTIQA+ Greens website. Full Membership may also be achieved via email to the LGBTIQA+ Greens Secretary, or at in-person and online events.

2.6. Associate Membership will be automatically granted for any member of GPEW subscribed to email, who has not opted-in to Full Membership.

2.7. Unless explicitly stated, any reference to Members or Membership within this Constitution refers to all members and membership types.

2.8. Supporters are defined as non-members of GPEW who are subscribed to email updates from LGBTIQA+ Greens. They may receive email updates but will not be afforded the rights of Associate or Full Members.

2.9. Any member whose membership of GPEW is ceased, will cease to be a member of LGBTIQA+ Greens and will be considered a Supporter. Should they subsequently rejoin GPEW their membership status will be the same as it was during their last membership period, unless they have unsubscribed from email or notified us that they no longer wish to be a member.

2.10. Any member may cease their membership by notifying the Secretary of LGBTIQA+ Greens.

2.11. All members of LGBTIQA+ Greens agree to the LGBTIQA+ Greens Code of Conduct and LGBTIQA+ Greens Safe Spaces Policy. Any breach may be subject to the LGBTIQA+ Greens Complaints and Disputes Procedure.

3. Management

3.1. The management of the LGBTIQA+ Greens shall be undertaken by the LGBTIQA+ Greens Management Group, which shall include at least the following elected officers:

  1. Two separately elected coordinators, of which no more than one may be a cisgender man,
  2. Secretary,
  3. Treasurer.

3.2. Other elected officers will be indicated in the management group’s terms of reference and the terms of reference of any committee or affiliated regional groups within LGBTIQA+ Greens.

3.3. The LGBTIQA+ Greens management group may create additional officer roles and co-opt a full member of LGBTIQA+ Greens. A vote to ratify the co-option and an amendment to the management group terms of reference to include the new role must take place at the next business meeting, AGM, or EGM.

3.4. Votes of No Confidence in an officer may be put forward during Management Group meetings. These motions will only pass with a two-thirds majority of all current officers defined by the management group terms of reference.

3.5. The management group may take decisions or communicate on behalf of LGBTIQA+ Greens between meetings of LGBTIQA+ Greens on matters that arise during these times. Any decision of the management group may be overturned at a business meeting, apart from decisions made in relation to the code of conduct or safe space policy of the LGBTIQA+ Greens.

3.6. A quorum for an LGBTIQA+ Greens Management Group or any other committee meeting will be at least half of its members.

3.7 Voting in management meetings are based on the individually elected positions, therefore a job share will share one vote and each co-chair will have a vote each.

4. Organisation

4.1. LGBTIQA+ Greens shall have the ability to assemble committees, subject to terms of reference being agreed at an AGM, EGM, or Business Meeting, by majority vote.

4.2. LGBTIQA+ Greens shall have the ability to affiliate regional LGBTIQA+ Greens groups, subject to terms of reference agreed at an AGM, EGM, or Business Meeting, by majority vote.

4.3. Committees and affiliated regional groups will provide regular updates on their work to the management group.

4.4. Committees and affiliated groups within LGBTIQA+ Greens can be disbanded or disaffiliated at an AGM, EGM, or Business Meeting, by majority vote.

4.5. Officers who do not attend three consecutive meetings of their relevant body without submitting adequate apologies will be understood to have resigned unless the management group agrees that they are making a valid contribution

5. Elections and Co-options

5.1. All elections of LGBTIQA+ Greens officers will be conducted according to the LGBTIQA+ Greens Election Regulations, with only full members of LGBTIQA+ Greens being able to vote or stand for election.

5.2. Should one part of a job share resign or be removed from their position for whatever reason, the remaining post-holder may choose to:

  1. advertise to co-opt a replacement for the second part of the job share;
  2. continue to carry out their role without the second part of the job share,without replacing them;
  3. resign from their role.

5.3. The management group will have the power to co-opt a member (or 2 members as a job-share) into any vacant officer role between AGMs, which needs to be ratified at the next business meeting.

5.4. If a third or more of the management group elected at an AGM, or are otherwise removed since the commencement of their term, then a full election for vacant positions should be called within 8 weeks unless:

  1. A UK General Election is being held within the next three months, in which case the election for LGBTIQA+ Greens must be called within 2 weeks after polling day;
  2. there would be no more than three months remaining of the current committee term at the date the election would be called, in which case the committee shall be permitted to co-opt to any vacant roles.

5.5. If an officer is unable to fulfil their duties temporarily then the LGBTIQA+ Greens management group may appoint an acting member to fulfil their duties until the officer is able to resume their role.

6. AGM, EGM and Business Meetings

6.1. The LGBTIQA+ Greens will hold at a minimum 4 all member business meetings a year, one of which will also be the Annual General Meeting (AGM).

6.2. Extra-Ordinary General Meetings (EGM) can be called by a two-thirds majority of the LGBTIQA+ Greens management group or a petition of 100 LGBTIQA+ Green members.

6.3. A petition of at least 100 full members may call an EGM for the purpose of holding a vote of no confidence in an officer of LGBTIQA+ Greens. If there is already a EGM upcoming the then the vote of no confidence may be added as the first item on the agenda, if the petition is submitted at least 10 days before the EGM. These motions
will only pass with a simple majority of all votes cast by full members of LGBTIQA+ Greens at the EGM.

6.4. AGMs, EGMs and business meetings will be advertised by emailing all full members of LGBTIQA+ Greens at least four weeks in advance, with a closing date for motions 18 days before the meeting and for amendments 4 days before the meeting.

6.5. Motions to add, amend or remove from the LGBTIQA+ Greens policy record can be taken at an AGM, EGM or business meeting. Policy motions must be consistent with the aims of LGBTIQA+ Greens, as stated in section 3, and must not breach the LGBTIQA+ Greens’ Code of Conduct, LGBTIQA+ Greens Safe Spaces Policy or the Green Party’s philosophical basis.

6.6. In all AGMs, EGMs, and Business meetings only full members of LGBTIQA+ Greens have a right to vote. Associate members may attend meetings at the discretion of the LGBTIQA+ Greens Management Group, however associate members can never vote at these meetings.

6.7. All officers will be expected to produce a written report at the LGBTIQA+ Greens AGM no less than 18 days before the meeting, unless there are mitigating circumstances.

7. Finance

7.1. LGBTIQA+ Greens will be able to raise funds on its own behalf.

7.2.LGBTIQA+ Greens will commit to transparency relating to its income and expenditure during each committee term.

7.3. A financial report will be made available to all members on a quarterly basis.

7.4. All monies should be kept in accounts in the name of the LGBTIQA+ Greens.

7.5. Any monies that need to be held outside of LGBTIQA+ Greens accounts temporarily should be notified to the committee immediately, and only held outside of LGBTIQA+ Greens accounts for as long as is necessary.

7.6. Any motion passed at an AGM, EGM, or business meeting that commits LGBTIQA+ Greens to any spending must subsequently be approved by the management group.

8. Amendments to Ruling Documents

8.1. The management group will have the power to make minor textual amendments to the constitution and any other organisational document. Defined as a need to correct errors or inconsistencies in typography, spelling, grammar, clarify meaning, or correct clauses’ numbering.

8.2. The LGBTIQA+ Greens may adopt organisational policies subject to a two thirds vote of all members of the management group.

8.3. This constitution may only be amended by a two-thirds majority vote at an AGM or an EGM, except for changes permitted in clause

8.4. A simple majority vote can amend other organisational documents adopted at a full members meeting.

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