A New Era – From STRC To SDA

On the evening of Tuesday 20th November members and visitors attended an Extraordinary General Meeting of Saintfield Town Regeneration Committee (STRC).  The meeting had been called to change the constitution to meet the changing needs of society as it is today. The meeting was unanimously agreed to at the STRC meeting on 12th November and over seven day’s notice was given to all STRC members and the Saintfield public, through posters in shops and the library, notices to all five churches in Saintfield and a notice on the DiscoverSaintfield website.

At the EGM the necessary quorum of members was safely exceeded.  Only STRC registered members were entitled to vote, the outcome being decided by simple majority. A sub-committee had looked at possible new names for STRC and possible new constitutions for many months.  Kathy Owen led this work initially and it was completed by Paul McGeown.

STRC Vice Chair Martyn Todd made the following proposal:

“I propose that, as of 21st November 2012, Saintfield Town Regeneration Committee changes its name to Saintfield Development Association and becomes a company limited by guarantee with charitable status as soon as practicable after this date.  Saintfield Development Association shall be governed by the Articles of Association circulated to all STRC members and made available to the public on the Saintfield website from 8th November 2012.  Copies of the Articles of Association are available here tonight after the meeting.

I further propose that four of the maximum five directors specified in the Articles of Association shall be the Chair, Vice Chair, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer, at least until the first Annual General Meeting of Saintfield Development Association, to be held in April 2013, when elections for all five directors shall be held.”

The proposal was seconded by committee member Paul McGeown. Martyn asked for a show of hands from those STRC members in favour of the proposal, those against the proposal, and those abstaining. The proposal was carried unanimously.

Martyn Todd closed the meeting by thanking all those who, over the years, had contributed towards Saintfield Town Committee, Saintfield Regeneration Committee, and Saintfield Town Regeneration Committee and welcoming everyone to the new era of Saintfield Development Association.

The first meeting of Saintfield Development Association will be held on Monday 10th December at 7:30pm in Saintfield Sports Club.