GoDewsbury.uk is the website of The Dewsbury Partnership community group.  We generally support council initiatives for regeneration - while reserving the right to point out where we believe council plans can be improved and to promote suggestions from the community that have not yet been recognised by the council.

The Dewsbury Partnership Logo

The Dewsbury Partnership is working to help regenerate Dewsbury by focusing on the people who live and work here. The things that we do and the things we enjoy.

We aim to do this by working with community groups and residents to improve:

Communication, Cooperation & Coordination

..between the main elements of our community.  That's the people who live and work here, business, the council, the police, other agencies, other community groups and the schools and college.

Starting by providing a single point of information for everything that might interest, amuse or entertain the residents and visitors to Dewsbury as well as being a source of useful information relevant to Dewsbury and North Kirklees.

It's only when Dewsbury becomes a 'fun' place again that people will come back to the town centre and breathe life back into this historic town.

Communication

The Dewsbury Partnership can be found here on GoDewsbury.uk and at:

- and we will also communicate in other ways whenever possible.

Cooperation

Cooperation between people depends on the willingness of the people to work with others and this means that they must communicate.  The Dewsbury Partnership aims to do as much communication as possible using free online tools such as this website and the GoDewsbury Facebook page.  

At the same time, we recognise that cooperation depends on building personal relationships.  We'll be doing that too.

The willingness to work together remains up to all of us.

Information, cooperation and elbow grease are all free. GoDewsbury is contributing the information and we're banking on there being quite a lot of the cooperation and elbow grease available from the good people of Dewsbury.

Coordination

When we are:

  • Communicating better and;
  • agreeing on common objectives as well as;
  • understanding what outside factors might affect what we are all doing -

- then we can work better together to coordinate our activities to achieve what we all want - a better life in a better place.

There are a number of major stakeholders in the town; the community whose town it is, the Council who provide services, business who both deliver goods and services to the community and derive their own livelihood from their business, the Police who keep good order to enable everything else to function properly and third parties such as developers who are themselves trying to deliver something that the community wants. 

We need to remember that the money for development and improvements always, eventually comes out of the pockets of the community.  We buy things from businesses, businesses pay rates to the council to fund services and rent to the developer, the developer gets their money back slowly over 20 years or more. But it all starts with the community and with providing an attractive place for people to live.

This is why the Community should have a voice in decision making.   While our local councillors do good work as elected representatives we need to support them with some sort of identifiable voice.

How this is done can be as informal or formal as everyone involved might choose to make it in the coming months and years. 

End Result

So we think the end result should look something like this.

image of coordinated strategies by the main participants

With all the main players working together in a coordinated way to achieve the common objective of an improved town.

In the Dewsbury Strategic Development Framework 2018 the council refer to a 'single coordinated investment plan' - that's the bit in the centre to which we all contribute.

We would like to take the word 'investment' out of there because this is about more than money.  It is about the people who live and work here.  They are the ones who need to be committed to the future of the town.

The fact is that if any one of us fails to live up to expectations then we will all fail.

What's In It For You?

If you live, work or visit Dewsbury - or are involved in a business or community group in Dewsbury or the Heavy Woollen District then this please watch this presentation:

Click the '4 arrows' icon in the bottom, black bar if you want to enlarge to 'full screen'.

Click Here To Help Improve Dewsbury

If you want to:

  • Stay informed about what we are up to;
  • Offer help as a volunteer or contributor
Click Here To Help Improve Dewsbury

Our Constitution - click to read

1. Name:

The name of the Group shall be: The Dewsbury Partnership

2. Aims:

The aims of the Group shall be the regeneration of activity of all types in Dewsbury and the North Kirklees area with the intention of improving the quality of life, the economic potential and the quality of the environment.

This will be achieved by:

  1. Improved marketing of events, activities and support services across the whole community.
  2. Developing new activities of creative, artistic, business and recreational types to attract residents and visitors to the area.
  3. Developing cooperative working methods between members and with Kirklees council to achieve a coordinated drive towards structural and environmental improvements in the town to meet the wishes of those living and working here.
  4. Working with all elements of the community to create a reputation for Dewsbury as a model of excellent ethnic, faith and social cohesion.
  5. Adopting Cittaslow or an equivalent quality accreditation as a strategic goal for Dewsbury.
  6. Creating working teams and methods capable of achieving incremental improvements in the quality of life in Dewsbury.
  7. To achieve the target quality accreditation.

3. Powers

In order to achieve its aims the Group may:

  1. Raise money.
  2. Open bank accounts.
  3. Acquire and manage buildings and equipment.
  4. Take out insurance.
  5. Employ staff.
  6. Organise courses and events.
  7. Work with similar groups and exchange information and advice with them.
  8. Do anything that is lawful which will help it to fulfil its aim.

4. Membership:

  1. Membership of the group will be open to any person aged over 18, or any organisation, living, working or visiting the Dewsbury area with an interest in the future of the town.
  2. Membership of the Group shall be open to any individual over eighteen without regards to disability, political or religious affiliation, race, sex or sexual orientation who is:
    1. interested in helping the Group to achieve its aims
    2. willing to abide by the rules of the Group.
  3. The membership of any member may be terminated for good reason by the Management Committee provided that the member concerned shall have the right to be heard by the Management Committee accompanied by a friend before a final decision is made.

5. Management:

  1. The Group shall be administered by a Management Committee of not less than four and not more than 8 individuals elected at the Group's Annual General Meeting (A.G.M).
  2. The Officers of the Management Committee shall be: the Chairperson, the Treasurer and the Secretary.
  3. The Management Committee may co-opt onto the Committee up to three individuals, in an advisory and non-voting capacity that it feels will help to fulfil the aims of the group.
  4. The Management Committee shall meet at least three times a year.
  5. At least three Management Committee members must be present for a Management Committee meeting to take place.
  6. Voting at Management Committee meetings shall be by a show of hands. If there is a tied vote then the Chairperson shall have a second vote.
  7. The Management Committee shall have the power to remove any member of the Committee for good and proper reason.
  8. The Management Committee may co opt any other member of the Group as a Committee member to fill a vacancy provided the maximum number is not exceeded.
  9. Any Management Committee member who fails to attend three consecutive Management Committee meetings, without submitting an apology, shall be removed from the Management Committee.
  10. Working Groups. Members may create working groups to focus on specific problems. Working Groups may create their own management processes. In the event of disagreement or conflict with this Constitution then the rules of this Article 5 of this Constitution shall apply. Initial Working Groups shall include:
    1. Property & Business
    2. Engagement & Cohesion
    3. Events and Promotion
    4. Marketing & Communications

6. The Duties of the Officers:

  1. The duties of the Chairperson shall be to:
    1. chair meetings of the Committee and the Group
    2. represent the Group at functions/meetings that the Group has been invited to and act as spokesperson for the Group when necessary
  2. The duties of the Secretary shall be to:
    1. Keep a membership list
    2. Prepare in consultation with the Chairperson the agenda for meetings of the Committee and the Group.
    3. take and keep minutes of all meetings and collect and circulate any relevant information within the Group
  3. The duties of the Treasurer shall be to:
    1. Supervise the financial affairs of the Group
    2. keep proper accounts that show all monies received and paid out by the Group
    3. prepare updated financial statements at each Management Committee

7. Finance:

  1. All monies received by or on behalf of the Group shall be applied to further the aim of the Group and for no other purpose.
  2. Any bank accounts opened for the Group shall be in the name of the Group.
  3. Any payments issued shall be authorised in writing by the Treasurer and one other nominated member of the Management Committee.
  4. The Group shall ensure that its accounts are independently examined every year.
  5. The Group may pay reasonable out of pocket expenses including travel, childcare and meal costs to members or Management Committee members when engaged on group activities.
  6. The Group shall produce annual accounts in the month of March

8. Meetings

  1. Annual General Meeting
    1. The Group shall hold an Annual General Meeting (A.G.M.) during the 4th quarter of each calendar year.
    2. All members shall be given at least 28 days notice of the place and date of the A.G.M. and shall be entitled to attend and vote.
    3. The business of the A.G.M. shall include:
      1. receiving a report from the Chairperson on the Group's activities over the year
      2. receiving a report from the Treasurer on the finances of the Group
      3. Electing a new Management Committee and
      4. Considering any other matter as may be decided.
    4. General Meetings:
      1. At least 3 General Meetings (including the A.G.M) will be held in each calendar year. One in each quarter.
      2. All members shall be entitled to attend and vote.
    5. Special General Meeting: A special General Meeting may be called by the Management Committee or 6 members to discuss an urgent matter. The Secretary shall give all members fourteen days notice of any Special General Meeting together with notice of the business to be discussed.
    6. Quorum: General meetings. A general meeting shall be quorate if 5 members are present. In the event of a tie on a vote then the Chair shall have the casting vote.
    7. Records. The secretary shall take a record of all meetings and produce minutes for approval. The minutes are to be proposed and seconded as a true record at the next meeting and recorded as such.

9. Alterations to the Constitution:

This Constitution including the Aims of the group shall be reviewed at 6 monthly intervals or when the committee considers it to be necessary in order to accommodate legitimate objectives of members or changing circumstances. Any changes to this Constitution must be agreed by at least two-thirds of those members present and voting at any General Meeting.

10. Dissolution:

The Group may be wound up at any time if agreed by two-thirds of those members present and voting at any General Meeting. In the event of winding up, any assets remaining after all debts have been paid shall be given to another Group with a similar aim.

11. Adoption of the Constitution:

Until the A.G.M. takes place the persons whose names, addresses and signatures appear at the bottom of this document shall act as the Management Committee referred to in this constitution.

This constitution was adopted on Tuesday, 12th April 2016.

Or click here to download our Constitution in pdf format

Interested in a better life in a better Dewsbury?

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