The Wantage Chamber of Commerce Charter

The Wantage Chamber of Commerce is a Community Interest Company, Companies House Registration Number: 15489959.

1. To promote Wantage Town Centre within the Oxfordshire Community as a vibrant and dynamic retail, dining, and entertainment destination.
2. To help to grow your business and implement initiatives to improve business within the Wantage area.
3. To endeavour to promote conformity of closing on general and special holidays.
4. To hold special meetings when matters of public interest arise and consider the same from the Chamber’s point of view.
5. To support any movement calculated to attract householders and employers of labour to the district of Wantage and to popularise the district as a shopping centre. The Chamber to be empowered to advertise the advantages of the town.
6. To connect members through events, meetings with promoting “Love Wantage” as the marketing and communication tool to grow your bottom line.
7. To act as business catalyst and lobby your views to local and district councils, trade organisations and any other government bodies, hold them to account and initiate change to add value to your business.

To join the Chamber as a member the company you represent must be registered with Companies House or be a sole trader.

1. To adhere to the Chamber Code of Conduct
2. Firms, companies, corporations, and businesses under management to be represented by an authorised nominee; voting by proxy being allowed, but only one vote for each subscription paid. Each business to have a maximum of two members.
3. Any member of profession, subject in the case of a Partnership to one vote for each subscription paid.
4. Members of all business whether retail, on-line, consultancy are welcome to join.
5. Membership of the chamber is for paid members only. Membership is for a 12-month period from June – May in arrears. There is a facility to pay on a quarterly basis in areas. Payment may be made on our website www.wantagechamberofcommerce.co.uk. Membership is reasonably priced at £120 per annum.
6. We encourage membership from all businesses within the community and surrounding OX12 areas.

Any member whose subscription shall be in one month in arrears shall cease automatically to be a member but may apply for re-election.

1. There shall be a President, Chairman, Vice Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary, and Membership/ Marketing Coordinator, together with four ordinary members all elected annually at the Annual General Meeting. In addition, the town centre manager who does not hold any voting rights.
2. All Officers and Committee Members shall retire annually and be eligible for re-election to office or Committee.
3. The Committee shall have power to fill any vacancy which may occur during the year and to appoint one or more sub-Committees for such purpose as it may deem expedient and to co-opt members for any special purpose. Three members shall constitute a quorum of the General Committee and two a quorum of a sub-Committee.
4. In the event of any question arising requiring urgent attention, the Chairman and/or Vice-Chairman, Secretary and two other members of the Committee shall be an emergency Committee to deal with the matter. Three to form a quorum.
5. To keep all members fully informed, the action points of all Committee Meetings will be available to review by all members on the WCC website.
6. The committee will meet monthly prior to the monthly WCC general meeting.

1. The Annual General Meeting, of which fourteen days’ notice shall be given, to be held during the month of May. A Balance Sheet shall be presented to the Annual General Meeting.
2. A General Meeting of the Chamber shall be held on the second Tuesday of each month.
3. The Committee may call a special General Meeting at any time and shall be bound to do so on the receipt of a request signed by at least six members.
4. At any General meeting, every member shall be entitled to be present and to one vote (subject to Rule 3) upon each question raised. In the case of equality of voting, the Chairman of the Meeting shall have a second or casting vote.

1. The annual subscription for the ensuing year shall be fixed at the Annual General Meeting and shall be payable on election to Membership and thereafter by the 15th of June every year without demand.
2. The General Committee may suspend the membership of any member who does not follow the code of contact or has been, in the opinion of the Committee, contrary to the interests of the Chamber or injurious to its reputation. Unless such member shall have tendered his resignation within seven days of being given notices of his suspension, the Secretary shall convene a Meeting of the General Committee within twenty-one days of the date of the notice of suspension and give notice to the suspended member at his address as last notified to the Secretary and inform him that if so desirous he may be present at the said meeting and at any such meeting any allegations against the suspended member shall be related (in his presence if he attends) to the meeting by a member of the General Committee and the suspended member shall (if he desires) be heard in answer, a reasonable adjournment to enable him to prepare his answer being allowed in the discretion of the meeting. The decision of the General Committee at the said meeting or the adjourned meeting whether to reinstate the suspended member or to terminate his membership shall be taken by vote, shall be final, and conclusive.
3. Discussions of religious or party-political matters shall not be allowed at any meeting of the Chamber.

These conditions of the charter shall not be added to or amended except at a Special General Meeting, notice being given in the Agenda for that Meeting. A two-thirds majority of those present and voting shall be required for any alteration or amendment.

1. WCC supports businesses in making connections and building relationships, this is not a hard sales environment, and all members should embrace this principle.
2. Members are encouraged to support each other. We embrace inclusivity and diversity and do not tolerate harassment or bullying in any way.
3. Information and advice received by being a WCC member is not to be used by individuals and businesses within the Chamber of fellow businesses.
4. The nature of your business must be legal and legitimate. Therefore, its activities must be in accordance with UK law and, if based outside of the UK, the laws of the country in which it is located.
5. All members are encouraged to embrace Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles within their business.
6. WCC reserves the right to withdraw membership or the registration of any member who does not comply with this Code of Conduct. (The determination of the compliance of businesses who are, or are seeking to be, part of the chamber is at WCC’s discretion.)
7. The Code of Conduct may be changed by WCC at any time. It is the responsibility of each business within the Chamber membership to always ensure compliance with the latest version of the code.