Bury Tandem Club for Blind and Partially Sighted People Constitution

Bury Tandem Club for Blind and Partially Sighted People Constitution

1.The name of the Association is Bury Tandem Club For Blind And Partially Sighted People hereinafter called The Club.

2.Objects and Powers

2.1.The objects of The Club are to provide facilities for recreation or other leisure time occupation and, in particular, the provision of tandem cycling facilities in the interests of social welfare for visually impaired people in Bury and the surrounding area, with the aim of improving the quality of life of people who have a visually impairment

2.2.In furtherance of the objects the club may:

2.2.1.Employ and pay any person or persons not being members of the Committee to supervise, organise and carry on the work of The Club.

2.2.2.Bring together in conference representatives of voluntary organisations, Government departments, statutory authorities and individuals.

2.2.3.Arrange and provide for or join in arranging and providing for the holding of exhibitions, meetings, lectures, classes, seminars and training courses.

2.2.4.Collect and disseminate information on all matters affecting the said objects and exchange such information with other bodies having similar objects whether in this country or overseas.

2.2.5.Publish printed or other materials.

2.2.6.Purchase, take on lease or exchange, hire or otherwise acquire any property and any rights and privileges necessary for the promotion of the said objects and construct, maintain and alter any buildings or erections necessary for the work of The Club.

2.2.7.Make regulations for any property which may be so acquired.

2.2.8.Subject to such consents as may be required by law, sell, let, mortgage, dispose of or turn to account all or any of the property or assets of The Club.

2.2.9.Subject to such consents as may be required by law, borrow or raise money for the said objects and accept gifts on such terms and on such security as shall be deemed to be necessary.

2.2.10.Raise funds and invite and receive contributions from any person or persons whatsoever by way of subscriptions and otherwise provided that The Club shall not undertake permanent trading activities in raising funds for the said objects.

2.2.11.Invest the monies of The Club not immediately required for the said objects in or uponsuch investments, securities or property as may be thought fit, subject nevertheless to such conditions (if any) as may for the time being be imposed or required by law.

2.2.12.Do all such other lawful things as are necessary for the attainment of the said objects.

3.Membership

3.1.Full membership of The Club shall be open to:

3.1.1.Individuals of 18 years and over who are interested in furthering the work of The Club and whose membership has been approved by the Committee hereinafter mentioned.

3.1.2.Junior membership shall be open to those under the age of 18 years who are interested in furthering the work of The Club and whose membership has been approved by the Committee. Junior members shall not be entitled to vote.

3.1.3.Honorary members may be appointed at the discretion of the said Committee.Honorary membersshalll not be entitled to vote.

3.1.4.The Committee shall have the right:

3.1.4.1.To approve or reject applications for membership and

3.1.4.2.For good and sufficient reason to terminate the membership of any individual provided that the individual member concerned shall have the right to be heard by the said Committee before a final decision is made.

4.Honorary Officers

4.1.At the Annual General Meeting hereinafter mentioned The Club shall appoint a Committee comprised of a Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Treasurer, Secretary and such other honorary officers as The Club shall from time to time decide.

4.2.The Chairperson and the honorary officers of The Club shall hold office until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting of The Club after their election. They shall be eligible for re-election.

4.3.The Chairperson and the honorary officers shall be ex-officio members of The Club, the Committee and any other committee.

4.4.The Club shall appoint one or more qualified auditors and may determine their remuneration (if any).

4.5.The policy and general management of the affairs of The Club shall be directed by the Committee which shall meet not less than six times per year and when complete shall consist of not less than five and not more than eleven members.

4.6.The members of the committee shall be elected for one year at the Annual General Meeting of The Club in accordance with Clause 6 hereof.

4.7.In addition to the members so elected, and to those serving by virtue of Clause 4.3, the Committee may co-opt further members being full members of The Club who shallserve until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting after co-option,provided that the number of co-opted members shall not exceed one third of the total membership of the Committee at the time of co-option.

4.8.Any casual vacancy in the Committee may be filled up by the Committee and any person appointed to fill such a casual vacancy shall hold office until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting of The Club and shall be eligible for election at the meeting.

4.9.The proceedings of the Committee shall not be invalidated by any failure to elect or any defect in the election,appointment, co-option or qualification of any member.

4.10.The Committee shall appoint and fix the remuneration of a General Secretary and of all such other staff (not being members of the Committee) as may in their opinion be necessary.

4.11.The Committee may appoint such special or standing committees as may be deemed necessary by the Committee and shall determine their terms of reference, powers, duration and composition provided that the majority of members of such committees shall be members of the Committee. All acts and proceedingsof such special or standing committees shall be reported back to the Committee as soon as possible.

5.Meetings of the Club

5.1.The first General Meeting of the Club shall be held not later than the 28th February, 1993.

5.2.An Annual General Meeting of The Club shall be held once a year (not being more than fifteen months after the holding of the preceding Annual General Meeting). At least 21 days notice shall be given in writing (in an accessible format) by the Secretary to each member.At such Annual General Meetings the business shall include the election of honorary Officers; the election of full members to serve on the Committee; the appointment of an auditor or auditors;the consideration of an annual report of the work done by or under the auspices of the Committee and of the audited accounts;and the transaction of such other matters as may from time to time be necessary.

5.3.The Chairperson of the Committee may at any time at his/her discretion and the Secretary shall within 21 days of receiving a written request to do so, signed by not less than 25 per cent of the total adult membership and giving reasons for the request, call a Special General Meeting of The Club.

6.Nominations Of Honorary Officers And Committee Members:

6.1.Only full members of The Club shall be eligible to serve as honorary Officers or members of the Committee.Nominations for the honorary Officers or members of the Committee must be made by full members of The Club in writing or accessible format and must be in the hands of the Secretary at least 14 days before the Annual General Meeting.Should nominations exceed vacancies, elections shall be by ballot (or election shall be by a system of postal voting, the arrangements for which shall be made by the Committee) provided that the first members of the Committee shall be elected by personal vote at the first General Meeting of The Club.

7.Rules Of Procedure At All Meetings

7.1.Quorum:The quorum at a meeting of the Committee or any committee appointed under Clause 4.11 hereof shall be one third of the total actual membership for the time being of the Committee or committee (as the case may be) or such other number as The Club may in General Meetings from time to time determine.

7.1.1.The quorum at a General Meeting of The Club shall be one tenth of the number of members of The Club for the time being or ten members whichever is the greater.

7.2.Voting:Apart from contested elections (see clause 6.1), all questions arising at any meeting shall be decided by a simple majority of those present and entitled to vote. Arrangements for proxy voting may from time to time be made with regard to amending the Constitution and dissolving The Club (see clauses 10 and 11).No person shall exercise more than one vote notwithstanding that he or she may have been appointed to represent two or more interests, but in case of an equality of votes the Chairperson of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote.

7.3.Minutes:Minutesshall be kept by the Committee and all other committees, and the appropriate Secretary shall record all proceedings and resolutions.

7.4.Rules:The Committee shall have power to adopt and issue rules for The Club.Such rules shall come into operation immediately provided always thatthese are reviewed at the next Club General Meeting and that these rules shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of the Constitution.

8.Finance

8.1.All monies raised by or on behalf of The Club shall be applied to further the objects of The Club and for no other purpose provided thatnothing herein contained shall prevent the payment in good faith of reasonable and proper remuneration to any employee of The Club not being a member of the Committee or any committee appointed under Clause 4.11 or the repayment to members of the Committee or of any committee appointed under Clause 4.11 hereof of reasonable out of pocket expenses.

8.2.The honorary Treasurer shall keep proper accounts of the finances of The Club.

8.3.The accounts shall be audited at least once a year by the auditor or auditors appointed at the Annual General Meeting.

8.4.An audited statement of the accounts for the last financial year shall be submitted by the Committee to the Annual General Meeting as aforesaid.

8.5. A bank account shall be opened in the name of The Club with the Yorkshire Bank PLC of The Rock, Bury, Lancashire or with such other Bank as the Committee shall from time to time decide.The Committee shallauthorise in writing the Treasurer, the Secretary of the Club and one other member of the Committee to sign cheques on behalf of the Club.All cheques must be signed by not less than two of the three authorised signatories.The signatories will also be able to register for online banking.

9.Trust Property

9.1.The title to all real or personal property which may be acquired by or on behalf of The Club shall be vested in acorporation lawfully to act as Custodian Trustee or in not less than three or more than four individual persons (not being members of the Committee).

10.Alterations To The Constitution

10.1.Any alteration to this Constitution must be agreed by not less than two thirds of the full membership of The Club for the time being and voting at a meeting specially called for the purpose provided thatnotice of any such alteration shall have been received by the Secretary in writing not less than 21 clear days before the meeting at which the alteration is to be proposed.At least 14 clear days notice in writing of such a meeting, setting out the terms of the alteration, shall be sent by the Secretary to each member of The Club PROVIDED THAT no alteration shall be made which would have the effect of causing The Club to cease to be a Charity at law PROVIDED THAT no amendment may be made to Clause 2.1, Clause 11 or this Clause without the consent in writing of the Charity Commissioners.

11.Dissolution

11.1.If the Committee by a simple majority decide at any time that on the grounds of expense or otherwise it is necessary or advisable to dissolve The Club, it shall call a meeting of all members of The Club who have the power to vote, of which meeting not less than 21 days notice (stating the terms of the resolution to be proposed thereat) shall be given.If such decision shall be confirmed by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting at such a meeting the Committee shall have power to dispose of any assets held by oron behalf of The Club.Any assets remaining after the satisfaction of any proper debts and liabilities shall be given or transferred to such other charitable institution or institution having objects similar to the objects of The Club as the Committee may determine.

12.Notices

12.1.Any notice may be served by the Secretary on any member either personally or on its appointed representative as the case may be.

12.1.1.Any notice required to be given under this constitution shall be in writing which may include electronic communication.

12.1.2.Any notice served shall be deemed to have been received within ten days of sending.

13.Interpretation

13.1.For the interpretation of this Constitution, the Interpretation Act, 1978, shall apply as it applies to the interpretation of an Act of Parliament.

This Constitution was adopted by the members present at a Special General Meeting held on Sunday 24 January 1993 and updated at a Special General Meeting held on Friday 15 January 2016.