Constitution

1. NAME

The name of the organisation shall be “Neurodivergent Labour” (ND Labour / NDL).

 

2. AIMS

Neurodivergent Labour aims to:

(i)  develop socialist policy on neurological diversity;

(ii)  win support for Labour among neurodivergent people and their supporters;

(iii) campaign against discrimination, exclusion, oppression and injustice and for equality for neurodivergent people;

(iv) provide support to neurodivergent Labour Party members who are experiencing discrimination; and

(v)  work to make the Labour Party more accessible to its neurodiverse membership;

(vi) work towards the social model of neurodiversity (based on the social model of disability) and to empower, provide agency, voice and representation of and by neurodivergent people in the Labour Party, in public office and in society;

(vii) maintain and develop a Manifesto which sets out policies in the interests of neurodivergent people, and which may include appendices; promote this Manifesto throughout the labour movement and wider society; work to have the policies in the Manifesto adopted and implemented by the Labour Party at all levels of government.

Further, Neurodivergent Labour seeks to support all Labour Party members who are seeking diagnosis, are formally diagnosed or identify as neurodivergent, in their endeavours to actively engage within the Labour Party and within the broader labour movement.

Neurodivergent Labour is largely a campaigning, educational and enabling organisation. The organisation shall not take positions on specific matters of Labour Party policy other than to initiate and support measures in furtherance of its aims as set out in 2(a).

The Executive Committee is empowered to take all reasonable steps to further these aims and will report on progress to each Annual General Meeting of the organisation.

 

3. MEMBERSHIP

(a) Individuals who are diagnosed, seeking diagnosis or self-identify as neurodivergent and who are full current members of the Labour Party may become members of Neurodivergent Labour by payment of an annual subscription. Neurodivergent people who feel that they have been unjustly excluded from Labour Party membership may apply to Neurodivergent Labour for membership, so long as they do not currently support an organisation or candidates which opposes the Labour Party at elections. Each individual application will be considered and a decision made at the discretion of Neurodivergent Labour.

(b) The Annual Subscription shall be such sums as decided by the AGM and from time to time if the need arises to reconsider rates.

(c) Those members not paying by standing order, direct debit, or other continuous payment method shall be reminded well in advance – in writing, or by email – of the date on which subscriptions fall due.

(d) If any member falls six months in arrears from the renewal date, s/he shall no longer enjoy the benefits of being a Neurodivergent Labour member.

 

4. SUPPORTING MEMBERS AND AFFILIATES

(a) Labour Party members who are neurotypical may become supporting members on payment of an annual subscription. Such subscription to be at a higher rate than that paid by Neurodivergent Labour members, as determined by the AGM.

(b) Neurodivergent Labour supporting members may attend and speak at Neurodivergent Labour meetings and events and receive mailings, unless decided otherwise by Neurodivergent Labour; but do not have the right to vote, propose motions or amendments, or hold office in Neurodivergent Labour.

(c) Trade unions and socialist societies which are affiliated to the Labour Party, may affiliate to Neurodivergent Labour on payment of an annual subscription, to be determined by the AGM, and which may vary depending on the size of the trade union or trade union branch.

Affiliated Trade Unions and Socialist Societies may send representatives to Neurodivergent Labour meetings and events as observers and receive mailings, unless decided otherwise by Neurodivergent Labour; but do not have the right to vote or propose motions or amendments to motions. 

 

5. GOVERNANCE

(a) The day-to-day running of Neurodivergent Labour shall be vested in the Executive Committee, which shall consist of the following members:

  • Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Officer, Trade Union Officer, Training and Education Officer, Publicity and Communications Officer, Website Officer, Campaigns Officer, Labour Party Liaison Officer.
  • a Deputy for each Officer post, who shall assist the Officer in their role and deputise in their absence.
  • up to 2 neurodivergent members of the Parliamentary Labour Party, appointed by agreement through the Executive, who are ineligible to vote;
  • 1 x Safeguarding Officer;  the post’s membership of the Executive Committee is ex-officio, without governance responsibilities and voting rights;
  • two representatives elected by and from supporting members to be non-voting members of the Executive.

(b) Membership of the Executive Committee shall be terminated upon:

(i) the resignation of any member submitted to the Secretary or Deupty Secretary in writing. Such resignation to take effect immediately or from a date to be stipulated in the letter of resignation; or

(ii) the non-attendance by an Executive member at two consecutive meetings of the Executive Committee if without apology for absence being given to the Secretary in advance of meetings.

(c) Decisions of the Executive Committee shall be made by a majority vote of those present at formal meetings.

(d) The Executive Committee shall meet at least three times in every twelve months, remotely and/or face-to-face.

(e) The quorum for Executive Committee meetings shall be 4 elected Executive Committee members.

(f) In case of an equality of votes, the Chair shall exercise a casting vote.

(g) The Executive Committee shall ensure that Neurodivergent Labour carries out activities in support of its aims as laid out in Section 2 above.

(h) Between Executive Committee meetings, everyday decisions may be taken via secure communication of the Executive Committee as a whole or with a simple majority of members of the Executive Committee consenting. The Secretary and Deputy Secretary shall keep a record of any such decisions and shall report them to the next available meeting of the Executive Committee for inclusion in the Minutes.

(i) Policy decisions require formal voting by the membership of Neurodivergent Labour at the AGM.

(j) The Treasurer shall arrange for proper accounting records to be kept and present periodic reports to the Executive Committee. They shall arrange for the preparation of an annual balance sheet and income and expenditure statement for approval at every AGM.

(k) The Treasurer shall arrange for a bank account into which all Neurodivergent Labour monies shall be paid. The account shall have four signatories (unless determined otherwise in exceptional circumstances by the Executive Committee) who shall be any 4 of the Chair, Deputy Chair, Secretary, Deputy Secretary, Treasurer and Deputy Treasurer. Payments made on behalf of Neurodivergent Labour from the account shall require the authorisation of any two of the four named signatories. 

(l) The Secretary or Deputy Secretary shall take minutes of meetings and shall be responsible, with the Publicity and Communication Officer, for keeping members informed of activities. Working parties shall be responsible for keeping their own minutes and records and will report regularly and upon request to the Executive Committee.

(m) The Executive Committee may create and fill from amongst its numbers other such functional posts as it thinks necessary in exceptional circumstances; for example, to address a skills gap, or to address the under-representation of a minority group, it may co-opt a Neurodivergent Labour member to fulfil a specific function for a specified term of not more than one year.

(n) The Executive Committee shall appoint 2 members of Neurodivergent Labour to act as auditors; and may appoint external auditors.

(o) The Executive Committee may designate sub-committees or working parties with responsibility for any matter which it considers necessary or beneficial to Neurodivergent Labour and may delegate or refer to the sub-committee or working party such powers and duties as it may determine.

(p) The Executive Committee shall have the power to invite and appoint up to three Patrons.

(q) Members in a locality, or in a workplace or industry, may form a group in order to pursue the aims of Neurodivergent Labour in their area. Any members wishing to form such a group will notify the Executive, which will oversee and assist with their organisation and development and ensure that they operate democratically and abide by Neurodivergent Labour’s policies and any code of conduct.

(r) The Executive Committee shall have power to borrow, raise or invest monies for the furtherance of the purposes of Neurodivergent Labour.

(s) Members of the Executive Committee may claim agreed expenses from Neurodivergent Labour for bona fide Neurodivergent Labour business.

(t) The Executive Committee shall have the power to establish and manage a system of grants to its to Neurodivergent Labour members, such grants to be made in such amounts, for such purposes, by such criteria and by such procedures as the Executive Committee shall from time to time determine.

 

6. ELECTIONS

(a) All members of the Executive Committee shall serve for a term of 1 year, unless they either resign or have their membership terminated as in 5b above.

(b) Elections for officers and members of the Executive Committee shall be held each year at the AGM.

(c) The Executive Committee shall appoint one of its number who is not standing for election in the relevant year to act as Returning Officer.

(d) Casual vacancies during the year will be filled by the Executive Committee by holding an online voting ballot of the membership. In the interim, a member may be able to be co-opted. Any post or place so filled will automatically fall vacant at the following AGM.

(e) Notice of Election shall be given to all eligible members by the Returning Officer at least 14 days before the close of nominations. Notices either posted or emailed shall be considered as having been duly given on the day following the date of posting.

(f) An eligible member shall be any full Neurodivergent Labour member who is paid up at the point at which nominations open.

(g) Any member may nominate themselves for any office up for election using whatever nomination process the Executive Committee shall decide. Any member so doing must have been a member of Neurodivergent Labour for a minimum of four (4) months prior to the date on which nominations open.

(h) The results of the ballot shall be announced at the AGM and notified to candidates by email.

(i) Members elected shall take up office on the day after the AGM and shall hold office for 1 year thereafter.

(j) All elections shall be conducted using the Single Transferable Vote system

 

7. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

(a) The Annual General Meeting shall be held in Autumn each year on a date and in a location to be determined by the Executive Committee. The AGM shall vote on any constitutional amendments, receive election results, the accounts and reports from the previous year, debate motions from members and plans for the forthcoming year, and deal with any other items that the Executive puts on the agenda.

(b) Members shall receive at least 21 days’ notice of the AGM. Notices shall be considered as having been duly given on the day following the date of posting on the website.

(c) All members attending and voting at the AGM shall be paid up to date with their subscriptions according to the membership list held by the Secretary.

(d) The quorum for the AGM shall be fifteen (15) members.

(e) The financial year of Neurodivergent Labour shall end on 04 April in each year as at which day the accounts of Neurodivergent Labour shall be balanced.

 

8. AFFILIATION TO THE LABOUR PARTY

(a) Neurodivergent Labour will seek to affiliate to the Labour Party as a Labour Party affiliated organisation.

(b) When affiliated, the Executive Committee may select one or two members to act as the Neurodivergent Labour delegate to Labour Party Annual Conference. The method by which the delegate is agreed shall be determined by the Executive Committee.

(c) Any such Neurodivergent Labour Conference delegate shall consult Neurodivergent Labour’s Executive officers before speaking or voting at Conference and, in particular, shall not speak or vote on any issue deemed by the Officers to be outwith the remit of Neurodivergent Labour, as defined in Section 2 above of this Constitution.

(d) Neurodivergent Labour may, at the discretion of the Executive Committee, affiliate to the Labour Party’s national and regional organisations and bodies, and nominate Neurodivergent Labour members resident in the relevant region to represent Neurodivergent Labour.

 

9. AMENDMENTS TO THIS CONSTITUTION

(a) Amendments to this Constitution shall be considered at the Annual General Meeting. The Secretary or Deputy Secretary must receive notice of such amendment in writing 14 days before the meeting and shall circulate it to Members with the Agenda for the Annual General Meeting. Such amendment(s) shall be effective when approved by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting at the meeting.

 

10. MISCELLANEOUS

(a) No member shall, except for professional services rendered at the request of the Executive Committee, receive any profit, salary or emoluments from the funds or transactions of Neurodivergent Labour, except that the Secretary and Deputy Secretary shall receive a small Honorarium, such payment to be set and reviewed by the Executive Committee on an annual basis.

(b) A Special General Meeting may be held called in between Annual General Meetings to discuss an urgent and important specific matter that cannot wait until the next AGM. Only this one item will be discussed at the Special General Meeting. An SGM may be called by decision of the Executive Committee. If twenty full members request an SGM, the Secretary will circulate this request to all members asking whether they support it, and if ten per cent do so, then the Executive Committee will convene the SGM within 28 days of the original request being submitted.

 

11. DISSOLUTION

(a) Neurodivergent Labour may be dissolved by the membership at a General Meeting called by the Executive Committee through a resolution, passed by the membership by a two-thirds majority of those voting in person or by proxy. Notice of a proposal to dissolve Neurodivergent Labour must be circulated to all members of the organisation 14 days before the date of the meeting.

(b) Upon dissolution, the Executive Committee shall realise all the assets of Neurodivergent Labour and, after the discharge of all its liabilities, shall donate the residue to a suitable organisation with the aim of promoting Neurodivergent Labour members, or to the Labour Party, as directed by the dissolving resolution.