Membership is open to all who wish to promote the natural environment of the Stort Valley around Sawbridgeworth (Sbw). The SVP shall exercise an Equal Opportunities Policy.
The object shall be to promote the quality of life of people and protect the habitat of animals and flora within the Stort Valley. Promoting tenets of Agenda 21 as applied to the Stort Valley, in particular the stretch of the River Stort between the locks, Harlow Mill and Twyford on the Stort Navigation.
A Committee will be duly elected at the Annual General Meeting held in March each year.
The Committee will consist of honorary members, a Chairman (of either sex), a Secretary, a Treasurer and three ordinary Committee Members. The Committee will be elected at the Annual General Meeting.
The Committee has the power to co-opt additional members but a majority of the Committee must be in agreement.
Any member of the Committee who does not attend three consecutive committee meetings without reasonable cause shall be deemed to have resigned their position on the Committee.
The SVP will endeavour to meet eight times a year and at least two committee members must be in attendance to act as Chairman and Secretary.
A bank account will be opened for all financial transactions, three members of the Committee will have authority to sign the cheques but only two signatures are required for authorisation The three signatories must not be related or cohabiting.
The accounts will be audited by two members of the SVP who are not committee members or if these cannot be found, a responsible person.
In the event that the SVP has to be wound-up then any assets will be given to a group having similar aims and objectives.
The Secretary shall give 14 days notice of an AGM, when in receipt of the audited accounts.
The Committee may call an Extraordinary General Meeting if major constitutional changes are required, giving a minimum one-week notice.