Eligibility

Community group

To be eligible as a Community Group the organisation will need to represent a specific group of people holding something in common who come together to pursue a common cause or interest for the good of the community ( in this case Surrey citizens). The size of the group does not matter as long as they are

• people who share locality or geographical place
• people who are communities of interest. Communities of interest are groups of people who share an identity – for example Afro-Caribbean people; or who share an experience – for example people with a particular disability.
• control lies in the hands of the beneficiaries as individual users, members or residents.
• Larger organisations that are community organisations such as some community centres, or residents’ organisations by virtue of the fact they are for mutual benefit and are controlled by their members will also be considered as community groups.

Voluntary Organisation

An organisations will qualify as a voluntary organisation if it falls within the following categories:

• is a charity; This means that the organisation is independent of government or business that is non-profit making or distributing and provides a wider public benefit to the community.
• Is a non-profit making organisations.  For the purpose of SurreyCommunity.info these will  incorporate, housing associations, small voluntary groups, community groups, trades unions, schools, places of worship, sport and recreation clubs and any established organisation whose primary function is not to make a profit.

To be classified as a voluntary organisation it is required that an organisation meets the following basic criteria

• Formality – the people and their activities are subject to rules and procedures, and there is a recognisable structure in place.
• Independence – organisations operate independently, autonomous to the statutory and private sectors.
• Non-profit distribution – organisations direct proceeds, generated from activities undertaken, back into achieving the organisation’s charitable objectives and helping the public.
• Self-governing – they are in a position of determining their own course.
• Voluntarism – there is a meaningful degree of voluntary giving of time and/or money.
• Public benefit – organisations exist for the benefit of the wider public or specific groups within a wider society, but not solely for the benefit of its own members.

Town Councils

In the United Kingdom, town councils are civil parish councils, where the civil parish is a town. Civil parishes are the lowest level of elected governance, under the district and county level. Any parish can unilaterally decide to describe itself as a town. The chairman of a town council is usually called a Town Mayor, the alternative is rarely found. The term 'Town Mayor' is used as opposed to simply 'Mayor', which means the mayor of a borough or a city.