| Sandwell Tenants
& Residents Federation Ltd (STRF) was a small non-profit
making voluntary sector organisation that provided support services
to tenants and residents within Sandwell. A recent review of
the opportunities and barriers to the the organisation identified
some fundamental issues that prevented the organisation from
moving forward. In order to generate options for a way forward,
STRF consulted service users, staff and funders. The development
of a new category of membership, and Charitable Registration
were the main opportunities identified from the consultation,
to move the organisation forward. |
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| The organisation
then sought legal advice from the company solicitor, and worked
with him to ensure we were making any necessary changes to our
company's governing documents in a legal and democratic way.
STRF then held the requisite number of Extra-Ordinary General
Meetings needed to facilitate the proposed changes for a new
category of membership, and to enable the organisation to move
closer towards charitable registration. |
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| The inclusion of
a new category of membership was facilitated immediately, to
ensure that changes were embedded and reflected throughout the
organisation (no 'lip service' and 'paper policies' here!!)
New members were afforded the same opportunities to be involved
in the running of the organisation, and to be elected onto the
ultimate empowerment structure...the Board of Directors. After
a settling in / down period, the newly re-structured company
was then ready to tackle the other major change...Charitable
Registration. |
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| To qualify for charitable
registration it was suggested that the organisation change its
name!!! the view was expressed that the existing name did not
fully reflect the organisations range of activities, and under
charitable law this could be interpreted as misleading. So back
to the drawing board we went, taking our Board, members, staff,
funders and partners with us, to agree a new name. |
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| At a specially convened
Extra-Ordinary General Meeting in November 2002...Sandwell Community
Information and Participation Service Limited (SCIPS)
was born, and formally registered at Companies House in December
2002. Charitable Status was to follow soon after. |
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| We are all very
proud of our new identity, but this will not result in the company
changing its responsibilities to the tenants and residents of
Sandwell. They have been the driving force and strength at the
heart of STRF/SCIPS
for well over a decade, and our vision for the future is to
embrace our past, to build on our experiences and achievements
as we move forward to the future. |
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