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C.O.B.T.R.A. | F. S. T. A.

COBTRA

Centre of Bangor Tenants and Residents Association

COBTRA's Committee for the Year 2007/2008;

Carol Morris (Chair),

Margaret Player (Vice-Chair)

Jean Forsyth (Secretary)

Anne Stringer (Treasurer)

Enid Jones, Margaret Jones, Sheila Jenkins, Linda Tipton, Gillian Mobberley, Elizabeth Dodson and John Owen. Terry Williams (Bangor Civic Society)

Contact details

Secretary,
Mrs Jean Forsyth,
23 Maes y Dref,
Bangor,
Gwynedd.
LL57 1YL

Phone: 01248 355 798
E-mail: jeanandmac@maesyd.freeserve.co.uk

HISTORY OF COBRA / COBTRA

Our organisation was set up in 1999 and prior to our AGM in February 2004 was known as COBRA, which stood for:

City Of Bangor Residents’ Association.

We are now known as COBTRA which stands for:

Centre of Bangor Tenants and Residents Association .

COBTRA’s aims are to represent tenants and residents living in the Deiniol, Hirael, and Garth Electoral Wards; this encompasses the area from the City’s main railway bridge down to the Pier consisting of approximately 1600 residential properties. We are an entirely voluntary organisation, dedicated to bringing the views of the people to the attention of the relevant authorities. COBTRA is independent of control by any other body.

COBTRA has been set up by the people for the people, to provide a platform on which ordinary folk can express their thoughts and feelings. The Association, therefore, acts as a mouthpiece for bringing the views of the community to the attention of the relevant bodies.

We play a vital role in presenting tenants and residents’ views on planning applications, licensing matters, anti-social behaviour, and problems encountered in delays in maintenance and repair work.

COBTRA is a member of Gwynedd Council’s Arfon Area Forum, Gwynedd Tenants and Residents’ Federation, TPAS Cymru (Tenants Participation Advisory Service), Welsh Tenants Federation, Bangor City Centre Community Safety Group, Gwynedd Crime Reduction Group, Bangor University Liaison Group and The Bangor Civic Society.

CONSTITUTION
(as amended at the A.G.M 15th March 2005)

NAME: The name of the Association shall be: COBTRA

CENTRE OF BANGOR TENANTS’ AND RESIDENTS’ASSOCIATION

The areas covered by the Association are DEINIOL, HIRAEL and GARTH WARDS and include all tenancies/residencies in those areas. The Association will endeavour to ensure its committee is made up of tenants and residents who represent the whole geographical area of the Association.

AIMS: The aims of the Association shall be:

a) To represent all tenants and other residents including owners living in the DEINIOL, HIRAEL and GARTH WARDS;

b) To promote the exercise of tenants’ and residents’ rights and the maintenance and improvement of their housing conditions, amenities and environment;

c) To encourage recreation and social activities which will be open to all members;

d) Regularly to provide information and consult all members;

e) To be independent of control by any other body.

MEMBERSHIP:

Membership of the Association shall be open and automatic to all tenants and residents over the age of 16 living in the defined areas.

Membership shall be open with equal opportunities for men and women, regardless of race, gender, age, sexuality, disability, marital status, or other potential cause for discrimination.

The Secretary shall keep an up to date record of all committee members.

Ending Membership

Membership shall end when a member moves out of the defined areas. In the event of gross misconduct membership can be suspended or ended by a two-thirds majority vote of the Committee. Racist, sexist and threatening behaviour shall all be treated as gross misconduct. Any member has the right of appeal to a general meeting before expulsion takes place.

MANAGEMENT:

a) The Association shall be managed by a Committee to be elected at the Annual General Meeting;

b) The Committee shall consist of a Chairperson, Vice-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, and no more than 14 in total members, who should be fully representative of the DEINIOL, HIRAEL and GARTH WARDS

c) The Committee will aim to be proportionally representative of tenants and residents in the defined areas, but the voting majority will always be tenants;

d) If vacancies occur among the officers or in the Committee, the committee shall have the power to fill them from among their members until the next General Meeting of the Association, when elections for vacancies should take place;

e) The Committee shall have the power to co-opt members of groups represented in the defined areas onto the Committee and its working parties and all other sub-committees, with the aim of furthering representativeness and encouraging equal opportunities. Co-opted members shall not have voting rights.

f) Committee meetings will be held bi-monthly, with a minimum of 5 meetings to be held each year;

g) The officers shall report to each committee and general meeting on their work;

h) There shall be no more than one officer from the same household except in an emergency.

i) Committee meetings will be open to all members to attend.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING:

a) The Committee shall call an Annual General Meeting for the purpose of receiving the Annual Report of the committee and the audited statement of accounts; of accepting the resignations of the Committee and officers; of electing a Committee and officers for the forthcoming year; of making recommendations to the Committee and of voting where necessary on proposals to amend the Constitution;

b) Not less than 14 days notice shall be given to the Committee of proposals to amend the Constitution;

c) The Annual General Meeting will be called within 12 months of the last Annual General Meeting;

d) Not less than 14 days notice of the Annual General Meeting shall be given to all those eligible for membership.

GENERAL MEETING:

Not less than 4 General Meetings including the Annual General Meeting shall be held annually and shall be open to all members to speak and vote. Decisions of General Meetings of the Association shall be binding on the Committee.

Not less than 14 days notice of General Meetings shall be given to all members.

SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING:

The Chair and Secretary may at any time call a Special General Meeting of the Association, for the purpose of altering the Constitution or for considering any matters which the Committee may decide should be referred to the members in general. A Special General Meeting shall also be called at the written request of not less than 20 members from separate households who give reasons for the request.

Not less than 14 days notice of Special General Meetings shall be given to all members.

CONDUCT OF BUSINESS:

a) At all Meetings any offensive behaviour, including racist, sexist or inflammatory remarks, shall not be permitted and constitute a breach of reasonable manner;

b) At all Meetings decisions shall be taken by a simple majority of members present and voting;

c) There will be no more than 2 votes per household;

d) The quorum for Committee Meetings of the Association shall be 4;

e) The quorum for all General Meetings or Special Meetings shall be 15;

f) All voting at Meetings shall be counted and recorded in the minutes;

g) All Meetings must be minuted and minutes shall be available for inspection by members of the Association;

h) All comment should be addressed through the Chair;

i) In cases where voting is tied, the Chair will have a casting vote.

FINANCE:

a) All monies raised by or on behalf of the Association shall be applied to further the aim of the Association and for no other purpose;

b) The Treasurer shall keep proper accounts of the finances of the Association and shall open a bank, post office or building society account in the name of the Association;

c) The Committee shall appoint 3 authorised signatories for all cheques, and cheques shall be signed by at least 2 of the authorised signatories. The signatories should be committee members who are from different households and not related to each other;

d) The accounts shall be audited at least once a year by a qualified auditor or other professional person who is not a member of the Association;

e) The books of account of the organisation shall be available for inspection by any member of the Association who wishes to see them. The request for inspection must be made in writing to the Treasurer, and the books should be made available within 14 days of receipt;

f) The Treasurer will make a financial report and present the books for inspection at each meeting of the Association, and will prepare and present the audited annual accounts to the Annual General Meeting.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES:

The Association shall uphold equal opportunities and work for good relations among all members of the community. Any conduct or activity which discriminates on the grounds of race, gender, age, sexuality, marital status, disability or religion shall be prohibited.

INFORMATION:

An information sheet/news-sheet shall be distributed to all households in the Association at least twice a year.

DISSOLUTION:

a) If the Committee, by simple majority, decide at any time to dissolve the Association, at least 21 days notice of a meeting must be given to all those eligible for membership;

b) If such a decision shall be confirmed by simple majority of those present and voting at the meeting, the committee shall have the power to dispose of any assets held by or in the name of the Association;

c) Any assets remaining after the satisfaction of any proper debts and liabilities shall be donated to suitable registered charities or recognised community bodies for charitable purposes within the area covered by the Association.

REVIEW:

The Constitution shall be reviewed one year after adoption and annually thereafter.

Amendment to this Constitution has been resolved by members of the CENTRE OF BANGOR TENANTS AND RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION (C.O.B.T.R.A.), present at the ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING held at the FRIENDS’ MEETING HOUSE DEAN STREET, BANGOR, GWYNEDD on TUESDAY 15th MARCH 2005

SIGNED ……………………… (CHAIRPERSON) Dated……………

SIGNED ……………………… (SECRETARY) Dated………………

NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF OFFICERS:

CHAIR: CAROL MORRIS (TENANT) 2, FFORDD SEION HIRAEL BANGOR

VICE-CHAIR: MARGARET PLAYER (RESIDENT) 20 FFORDD TEGID BANGOR

SECRETARY: JEAN FORSYTH (RESIDENT) 23 MAES Y DREF BANGOR

TREASURER: ANNE STRINGER (RESIDENT) 39 FRIARS ROAD BANGOR

FFORDD SEION TENANTS ASSOCIATION (Back to top)

The Ffordd Seion Tenants Association was set up in April 2003 by the Tenants of the Ffordd Seion Complex of Maisonettes. Ffordd Seion is in Hirael in Bangor. The Association covers 16 maisonettes. We set up the Association to further the interests of Tenants in all matters concerning housing, repairs and environmental and community services. We are a small but thriving Association. We also help other local authority tenants if requested in Hirael, especially in the Ambrose Street Flats and Llys Elen flats that are in Hirael. The majority of the Tenants in the maisonettes and flats are elderly or ill. We have over the last few years had many improvements done within Ffordd Seion and other flats in Hirael. We have assisted tenants to have central heating through the HEES grant scheme (which is sponsored by the Welsh Assembly).

In Ffordd Seion we have had some of the windows replaced that were in poor condition. Had security locks installed on the lower maisonettes front doors and the communal doors to the upper maisonettes now operate on a timer system so the tenants in the upper maisonettes feel more secure, due to anti-social behaviour that caused by people from outside the area in the main stairwells during the evenings in 2003. And many more issues have also been resolved with the help of Gwynedd County Council.

Since Autumn 2006 the Committee has been greatly assisted by the Community Development Officer for Gwynedd County Council, in getting the hedges and other groundworks done around Hirael. On 18^th June 2007, Hireal held a ‘ special makeover day’, with the help of the Community Development Officer for Gwynedd County Council, and British Gas who gave a grant of £500., for shrubs, flower beds and window boxes and flower tubs to be put around Ffordd Seion, Ambrose Street Flats, and Llys Elen, which has greatly enhanced the appearance of the Complexes and brightened up what was an untidy and dismal looking area.

The Ffordd Seion Tenants Association is a Member of the Gwynedd Tenants and Residents Association, and has two members of the Committee on that Association.

The Committee of Ffordd Seion Tenants Association is as follows:

CHAIRPERSON
John Owen

SECRETARY
Carol Morris

TREASURER
Eirian Griffiths

COMMITTEE

Liz Williams, Bill Ashton, Jean Forsyth (Honorary Member) In Accordance with Ffordd Seion Tenants Association Consititution Item 5b.

For further information about Ffordd Seion Tenants Association please contact : CAROL MORRIS

Telephone No. 01248 362847 E.mail carolmorris47@btinternet.com