Radcliffe Athletic Club
Constitution
1.Title:
The title of the club shall be Radcliffe Athletic Club.
The Club colours shall be yellow vest with black trim.
2.Aims:
The aims of the club shall be:
a)To encourage the practice and development of amateur athletics.
b)To provide coaching for the members and to organise competitions.
c)To organise teams to represent the Club in championships and leagues, and in such other competitions as the Management Committee shall decide.
d)To affiliate to the governing bodies of athletics and observe their rules and laws.
e)To provide a healthy environment and social facilities to all members.
The Club shall cater for:
a)Track and Field Athleticsb) Cross Country Running
c) Road Runningd) Road Relay Running
e) Race Walkingf) Fell and Hill Running
3.Equal Opportunity Aims:
a) The Club will ensure that everyone is given the opportunity to participate fully and equally in all activities and shall work against discrimination and harassment of people on the basis of age, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, disability, religion or culture.
b) To actively promote and support the principles of equality and diversity.
c) Be non-political.
4.Membership:
a)Membership of the Club shall be shall be open to amateur athletes over the age of 9 years and otherwise in accordance with the governing body’s laws. Each applicant for membership must complete the official application form, and be proposed, seconded and elected or otherwise at a properly convened meeting of the Management Committee.
b)Fully paid up first claim members of the Club can only represent the Club in any competition. Club vests must be worn when competing in any Club event.
5.Ending Membership:
a)Any member wishing to resign must do so in writing addressed to the Chair or Secretary. The resignation shall be considered by the Management Committee within one calendar month of receipt and will be effective as from the date of tendering.
b)Resignations shall not be accepted if the member is financially indebted to the Club i.e. has not paid his/her subscription for the current year, and acceptance will be withheld until the debt is discharged.
6.Indemnity:
a)Each member or co-opted member of the committee shall (to the extent that such a person is not entitled to recover loss under any policy of insurance) be entitled to be indemnified out of any and all funds available to the club, which may be lawfully so applied against all costs, charges, expenses and liabilities whatsoever incurred by such a person in the execution and discharge of duties on behalf of the club, or in relation thereto, or incurred in good faith in the purported discharge of such duties, subject to club committee approval, public liability.
7.Dissolution:
a)If the committee by a majority decide at any time that it is necessary to dissolve the club, it shall call a Special General Meeting of the members giving not less than 21 days notice and stating the terms of the resolution to be dissolved. In the event of the Club being dissolved, the Committee shall having discharged any legal debts, have the power to dispose of any assets, held by, or in the name of the club, for charitable purposes similar to those of the club.
8.Management Committee:
a)The Management Committeewho will be elected at the Annual General Meeting, will consist of an Honorary President, Chair, Secretary and Treasurer who shall be Officers of the Cluband upto 15 members, collectively the “Committee Members”
b)The committee shall consist of no more than 15 members, which shall include a fell, cross country and a road manager.
c)The committee will be elected by a vote by a show of hands. In the event of a tie a secretvote will take place.
d)If vacancies occur among Committee Officers between General Meetings, the Committee Members may fill the positions from the Committee Representatives.
e)No more than 2 Committee Members shall be from the same household and only 1 Officer shall be from the same household.
f)The committee has the power to create any sub-committees on a permanent or temporary basis.
g)The Committee shall have the power to co-opt members for particular projects, but co-opted members shall not have a committee vote.
h)The quorum for a Management Committee meeting shall be 5 members of the Committee and must include 2 Officers.
i)The Committee shall establish and update as required a series of rules, regulations and guidelines covering all aspects of the day to day running of the club.
9. Ending Committee Membership:
a)A committee member may be suspended / dismissed from the Club by a committee majority vote if they fail to attend 3 meetings without sending apologises or they have committed gross misconduct (refer to the Club’s Code of Conduct)
b)A committee member who has been suspended will be entitled to have that suspension reviewed at a Special General Meeting called for by that committee member in writing to the Secretary of the Club. At this meeting the Committee Member will be allowed to speak personally and / or can be represented by another Committee Member.
10. Annual General Meeting (AGM):
a)The Annual General Meeting shall be held in the month of January or within one month of the end of the Club financial year.
b)All members will be given at least 28 days notice of the date of the AGM.
c)All reasonable steps will be made to publicise the AGM.
d)The quorum shall be 15 members, including at least 2 Committee Officers. If the quorum is not reached, another meeting will be held in 21 days’ time.
e) Each fully paid up member present at the meeting shall have one vote.
At the Annual General Meeting (AGM) the committee will:
a)Produce a copy of the previous AGM minutes
b)Give an annual general report (verbal or written) summarising the work done by the Club.
c) Provide annual accounts for inspection.
d) Elect Committee Officers and Committee Representatives.
e) Consider and vote on any amendments to the Constitution:
Any proposed changes to the Constitution by a member must be received by the Chair or Secretary at least 21 days prior to the date of the AGM, in order that all members shall have sufficient notice of the proposal.
f) Provide an update of membership.
g) To consider any other business of which due notice has been given.
11.Constitution Amendments
No part of the Constitution may be altered, added to or deleted except at an Annual General Meeting or at an Extraordinary General Meeting called for the purpose and then only by a two thirds majority of those present and voting.
12.Affiliations
The Club shall seek to be affiliated to the Governing Bodies of the amateur athletics as the Management Committee consider appropriate in order to carry out the objectives of the Club.
13.Subscriptions
The amount of the annual subscriptions for the year shall be set at the AGM.
The yearly subscription must accompany the application for membership and thereafter is due in January.
14.Non Payments of Subscriptions
a)The Committee could have the power to expel any member whose subscription is 3 months in arrears providing that one month’s notice in writing shall have been sent to such a member by registered or recorded delivery letter to the member’s last known address, informing of the proposed action of the Committee.
15.Extraordinary General Meeting
a)An Extraordinary General meeting shall be called by the Secretary or Chair within one month of the receipt of a requisition signed by at least 15 members stating the purpose of the meeting.
b)At least 14 days notice shall be given to all fully paid up members of the date, venue and purpose of the Extraordinary General Meeting.
c)No other business should be conducted at such a meeting.
16.Finance
a)The committee shall appoint at least 3 authorised signatories, being the Chair, Treasurer and a committee member, and cheques shall be signed by at least 2 of the authorised signatories.
b)The signatories will be from different households.
c)The Treasurer will undertake appropriate book keeping training.
d)The Treasurer shall provide an updateof accounts on a regular basis to the committee.
e)All payments over £ 100 shall be made by cheque, not cash. Signatories are not to authorise cheques in excess of £5,000 without the consent of the Committee.
f)The accounts shall be kept up-to-date, and a statement of accounts presented at the AGM, or whenever the Committee feels appropriate.
g)The Committee will have responsibility for ensuring the financial health of the Club.
17.Notification of nominations, resolutions and voting procedures
a) Each member shall have one vote on any resolution put before an AGM, General Meeting or Special Meeting. Committee Members shall have one vote on resolutions put to Committee Meetings.
b) Each resolution proposed, including nominations for the Committee, must have the support of at least 2 members.
c) Nominations for the Management Committee and proposed changes to the Constitution at AGMs and resolutions to be put to all General Meetings must be notified to the Secretary no later then 7 days prior to the date of the relevant meeting.
d)All resolutions and nominations shall be passed by the majority only.
18.Minutes
a) All decisions made at all Management Committee meetings will be recorded in the minutes.
19.Definition of Amateur
As defined by our governing body; U.K. Athletics
Signed:
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ChairDate
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SecretaryDate