Cornwall Intergroup Terms of Reference (Amended April 2023)

​

1. Intergroup Purpose 

​

i) Cornwall Intergroup exists to help the constituent Groups in it's area in their common purpose of carrying the AA message to the still suffering alcoholic and by using their combined strength and unity to improve and maintain good relations with all organisations in the community. Intergroup is the vehicle by which all member groups are able to share theri experiences (both success and disaster), strength and hope.

​

ii) Cornwall Intergroup, together with the Devon and Plymouth Intergroups, takes responsibility for organising the 24-hour helpline service which covers our respective areas.

​

iii) Cornwall Intergroup should act as the link between its constituent Groups via the Group Service Representatives (GSR's) and the South-West Regional Assembly (Region) via the Regional Representatives (RR's).

​

2. Intergroup Membership 

​

i) Each Group within the area of the membership is deemed to be part of the Intergroup and is entitled to send one GSR to the meetings.

​

ii) Each member Group has one vote through their GSR (or alternate as agreed by the group when a GSR is unable to attend) when present at a meeting.

​

3.  Appointment of Officers 

​

i) Intergroup should appoint the following Officers:

​

• Chair

• Vice-Chair

• Secretary

• Treasurer

​

This constitutes the Standing Committee which has full authority to deal with the day to day affairs of the Intergroup between meetings.

​

Intergroup should also appoint:

​

• Three Regional Representatives

• Liaison Officers to deal with specific areas. They are:

​

• Public Information Liaison Officer (PILO)

• Prisons/Probation Liaison Officer (PLO)

• Health Liaison Officer (HLO)

• Telephone Liaison Officer (TLO)

• 12th Step List Coordinator

• Employment Liaison Officer (ELO)

• Electronic Communication Liaison Officer (ECLO)

• Share Liaison Officer (SLO)

• Young Persons Liaison Officer (YPLO)

• Convention Convenor

• Where to Find Liaison Officer (WTFLO)

• Armed Services Liaison Officer (ASLO)

• Archivist

​

It is expected that, when appropriate, these officers will form their own committees.

​

ii)  Whenever possible, all appointments should be made from nominees who have an established period of sobriety (not less than two years is recommended - 'The AA Structure Handbook for Great Britain' - Intergroup). Ideally, the officer posts should be filled by those having some knowledge of Intergroup policies and procedures, either from current or past service at Intergroup.

​

iii)  All the above officers, along with one voting member from each group, form the assembly.

​

iv)  Cornwall Intergroup may establish sub-committees for specific purposes.

​

4. Entitlement to Vote 

​

All Intergroup Officers except the Chair and Archivist may vote.

All GSR's may vote. Alternate, or stand-in GSR's may vote.

The Regional Representatives may vote.

Stand-ins for Intergroup Officers may NOT vote.

Observers may NOT vote.

​

5. Intergroup Meetings 

​

i)  Intergroup Meetings should be held at bi-monthly intervals wherever possible. One of these meetings shall be an Annual General Meeting (AGM) which should ideally take place in May. 21 days formal notice is required for the AGM.

An Intergroup Inventory could be held at the same time.

​

ii)  Extraordinary General Meetings to discuss specific agenda items may be held at any time with fourteen clear days notice in writing from the Secretary acting on behalf of the Standing Committee.

​

6. Officers' Responsibilities 

 

Chair

​

i) The Chair is responsible for the running of Intergroup meetings in accordance with AA Traditions and Concepts and the AA Structure Handbook for Great Britain.

ii) Liaison with the Secretary on agendas, minutes and dates of meetings.

iii) Overall responsibility for the Standing Committee for the day to day running of Intergroups' affairs.

​

Vice-Chair

​

i) To stand in for the Chair, fulfilling his/her duties when necessary.

ii) To have an active involvement with the Standing Committee.

​

Secretary

​

i) The drawing up of agendas in consultation with the Chair and the circulation of agendas to all members of the Assembly at least seven days before the date of the next meeting.

ii) To take detailed and accurate minutes of all meetings.

iii) The prompt drafting and issuing of minutes of the meetings.

iv) The maintenance of an accurate, up to date database of all members of the Intergroup in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulations.

v) The maintenance of details of all member groups.

vi) Ensure that all contact details of Cornwall Intergroup Officers, held at the General Service Office (GSO) are accurate and up to date.

vii) To deal with correspondence and report to Intergroup.

​

Treasurer

​

i) To keep proper account of Intergroup finances.

ii) To ensure that funds are available for it's essential current requirements with a prudent reserve of approximately two months anticipated expenditure.

iii) To present a Statement of Account to each regular Intergroup meeting, with the balance remaining for transfer to Region.

iv) To keep Intergroup periodically informed of the financial status of the Fellowship.

v) To present an annual balance sheet at the AGM.

vi) To ensure the accounts are are open to inspection at all times and are properly audited, or independently scrutinised prior to the AGM.

vii) To set up and maintain the Intergroup bank account with cheques requiring two signatures from the Standing Committee.

viii) To be responsible, after Intergroup recommendations, for making funds available to Committees or Officers in the form of direct expenses or 'floats. For funds required in between meetings, the Chair will carry the executive authority of Intergroup but should account at the next meeting for any action taken.

ix) To have active involvement with the Standing Committee.

​

Regional Representatives

​

i) To act as the link between Intergroup and the Regional Assembly.

ii) To attend Region meetings and report back to Intergroup.

iii) To attend all Intergroup meetings so that he/she may properly represent the views of Intergroup at the Regional Assembly.

​

Other Officers

​

i) To be responsible for the effective and efficient running of their specific service area in accordance with AA Guidelines.

ii) To attend Intergroup meetings and report in writing on the progress/difficulties within that service area.

iii) For detailed responsibilities regarding his/her own service area, Officers should refer to the relevant guidelines as published in the AA Service Handbook for Great Britain.

​

It is expected that officers will make very effort to attend Intergroup meetings. Any officer who fails to attend three consecutive Intergroup meetings will be contacted by the Chair or other member of the Standing Committee to discuss whether he/she/they is/are ina position to fulfil the responsibilities of their post effectively.

 

Should this not be possible, the Officer will be asked to resign.

 

7. Group Service Representatives (GSR's) responsibilities 

 

i) To act as the link between their Group and Intergroup.

ii) To attend Intergroup meetings and report back to their group conscience in matters pertaining to Intergroup.

 

Full responsibilities of the GSR may be found in the AA Structure Handbook of Great Britain and in the AA Leaflet - 'Now I'm a GSR' 

​

8. Observers 

​

All members are welcome to Intergroup meetings. They may however, only express their views at the invitation of the Chair.

​

9. Quorum 

​

To constitute a quorum, the meeting should include a minimum of two members of the Standing Committee and thirteen others who are entitled to vote. In the absence of a quorum, the Chair will ask members present to vote to decide whether to proceed with the meeting.

​

10. Voting Procedures 

​

The normal and traditional way for AA to conduct it's business is to try and reach consensus of opinion by discussion and persuasion, but obviously voting cannot be excluded from all our business affairs. Voting on any matter should only proceed if the meeting is quorate, or has been agreed as per number 9 above. If voting is necessary for a candidate for a position of trust, one of the following procedures should be adopted:

 

• Unopposed election - Simple majority by written ballot (yes or no decision).

• Two or more candidates - Also a simple majority by written ballot.

• Any other voting may be by show of hands where a simple majority will decide the outcome. 

​

11. Elections 

​

i) It is suggested that nominations for Intergroup posts should be received by the Intergroup Secretary prior to the meeting. However, it is acceptible for nominations to be tabled at the meeting itself. Nominations must be seconded by a voting member of the assembly. Nominees need to provide details of their AA service history which will be included in the minutes of the meeting. GSR's will then have an opportunity to discuss the nominations with at their group meetings in preparation for the election at the following Intergroup meeting.

ii) Where notice of a vacancy has already bee circulated to the groups, Intergroup may co-opt a member of the Assembly to fulfil the position until the next Intergroup meeting. In the absence of an other nominations, the person co-opted will (with their agreement) be deemed a nominee to be voted on at the following assembly.

​

12. Amendments 

​

i) Amendments to this document require a two-thirds agreement by all members who are present and entitled to vote. The amended draft will be sent to all member groups, inviting them to vote at the next Intergroup meeting.

ii) This document needs to be reviewed and, if necessary, amended no later than five years from the date of this version, unless it is deemed necessary by Cornwall Intergroup to do so at an earlier date. 

​

​