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Rules and Regulations for Community Groups?

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  • 30-10-2021 11:35am
    #1
    jigglypuffz
    Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭


    Not seeking legal advice, but I'm curious to know if there are rules and regulations on how community groups can and cannot conduct themselves.


    1. Are community groups allowed to announce a meeting with less than a week's notice?

    2. Members have been asking to see how much money is coming in and out throughout the year, but the committee is not pressing the treasury to disclose this and no documentation has been produced. Is there any rule where money has to be accounted for and be made transparent for members of the community group?

    3. If queries and concerns are refused to be listened to during the AGM, with "we will only vote during the AGM" as a policy, is that technically legal?

    4. Can people who seek assistance concerning ongoing issues within the community group be sued for doing so? As in, seeking assistance from community development officers, funding bodies that give money to the community group, and the organisation that leased the community group the facility, in hopes of some sort of mediation.



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    #2
    Caranica
    Registered Users Posts: 10,085 ✭✭✭✭Caranica


    What kind of community group? I'm involved in several and can't relate to anything you've mentioned.



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    #3
    Bannasidhe
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 19,219 Mod ✭✭✭✭Bannasidhe


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058215590/rules-and-regulations-for-community-groups

    It really all depends on what the 'Constitution' of the Community Group states tbh. But with nearly 40 years of involvement in Community Groups here and in the UK (including drawing up 'Constitutions') this all sounds very dodgy to me. The Management/Steering Committee should be answerable to the members, the treasurer should produce accounts if not on request at least at the AGM, technically the entire management/steering could be replaced at the AGM if the members vote that way. And I have never heard of anyone being sued for raising concerns with funding bodies.

    Also whether or not they are a registered charity. If they are accounts must be submitted to the Charity Regulator.



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    #4
    Princess Calla
    Registered Users Posts: 5,858 ✭✭✭Princess Calla


    No idea tbh but if I was giving money to a group and I asked to see the books and the information wasn't forthcoming I'd stop giving money.

    Accounts should be one of the easiest things to be seen, updated on a monthly/quarterly basis as required.



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    #5
    Lenar3556
    Registered Users Posts: 1,387 ✭✭✭Lenar3556


    The first thing to establish would be what type of entity this community group is. From some of what you describe, it may be a company, possibly a company limited by guarantee.

    If this Is the case, the constitution of this company would answer most of the queries you raise. This would be available online from the companies registration office.

    One thing that would need to be identified is who precisely are the members? Sometimes the list of members are very limited, sometimes the same people who are the company directors. From a legal perspective, the company are not answerable to anyone who is not a member.

    Notwithstanding the above, successful community groups usually operate openly. There is an example in east Co. Sligo of a group which achieved a lot, but may not have operated democratically and various difficulties arose as a result.



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