CONSTITUTION
1. Name
The name of the organisation shall be (Avoch Community Rowing Club), hereinafter referred to as the ‘Club’.
2. Objectives
The club is established to pursue the following objectives:
a) Participation in the sport of rowing, hereinafter referred to as the ‘sport’;
b) The construction and maintenance of a boat or boats, together with equipment ancillary thereto, to be used by the Club;
c) The purchase, rental or borrowing of premises, and the purchase and maintenance of tools and equipment, for the building and maintenance of boats and equipment ancillary thereto.
d) The organisation of and participation in regattas, races, displays and other such occasions.
e) The provision of training and playing facilities for its members.
f) Promoting and maintaining the highest standards of technical competence and safety in the sport.
g) Upholding the rules of the sport.
h) Providing opportunities for participation by all members of the community.
i) The promotion of the sport among coastal communities in Scotland and elsewhere.
3. Membership
All members are subject to the Constitution of the Club.
a) Membership of the club is open to all individuals provided they comply with this Constitution.
b) No person shall be refused membership on the grounds of race, colour, creed, religion, sex, sexual preference, impairment,age or disability.
c) All applications for membership shall be accompanied by the appropriate annual membership fee, which shall thereafter be payable on demand.
d) Each fully paid up member over the age of 16 shall be entitled to attend and vote at General or Annual General Meetings.
e) Fully paid up members may be elected to and serve on the Management Committee.
f) There shall be a category of Provisional Membership of the Club,
Provisional Members being entitled to row in three outings in the Club’s boats without payment of the appropriate annual membership fee, having at any time the option of joining the club, by payment of the appropriate annual membership fee; such Provisional Members having no right to participate in the meetings of the Club, or to use the Club’s boats and equipment, other than under the supervision of the Club exercised in the course of outings
organised by the Club, or in the course of events in which the Club is participating.
4. Suspension, Refusal or Termination of Membership
a) The management committee shall be entitled:
i) To refuse any application for membership on the grounds that such membership would be prejudicial to the objectives of the club as set out in Rule 2 of this constitution.
ii) For good and sufficient reason to refuse renewal of any existing membership or terminate or suspend any membership provided that the member concerned shall have the right to be heard by the full management committee before a final decision is made.
b) The member may apply for reinstatement at the next general meeting.
c) Any member who fails to pay their fees by the date required shall forfeit their right to representation on the management committee and at general meetings, and shall be suspended from taking part in any event under the control of the club until such fees are paid.
d) Any member under suspension shall be barred from taking part in any of the activities of the club.
e) The management committee shall inform the member in writing of any decision to terminate their membership.
f) Notification of the termination of a membership will be forwarded to the Governing Body.
5. General Meetings
a) Annual General Meeting (AGM)
The AGM shall be held each year at such time and place as determined by the management committee, at approximately twelve monthly intervals, but no more than fourteen months after the date of the previous AGM. At each AGM the following business shall be conducted:
i) the reception and confirmation of the minutes of the previous AGM.
ii) Presentation of the club’s financial accounts for the year.
iii) Presentation of club’s projected financial situation for the forthcoming year, and the setting of all fees.
iv) Presentation of Convener’s report.
v) Election of officers to the management committee.
vi) Any other business brought before the meeting which has been submitted in writing to the secretary not less than seven days prior to the AGM, and any other business deemed relevant by the Convener. Notice for an AGM shall be a minimum of 21 days. A quorum for an AGM shall be one quarter of the membership of the club or ten members, whichever is the smaller.
b) Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM)
An EGM may be called upon the written demand of: i) 33% of the membership. ii) The Convener. iii) a two thirds majority of the management committee. Notice for an EGM shall be of a minimum of fourteen days notice, and stating the business to be discussed.
6. Rules for General Meetings
a) A minimum of twenty one days notice in writing shall be given to all members, except in the event of an EGM where the notice shall be a minimum of fourteen days.
b) The Convener, or in his/her absence a member selected by the meeting, will take the Chair.
c) All members shall register with the Secretary prior to the start of the meeting.
d) Each member shall have one vote.
e) All votes shall be determined by a simple majority. In the event of a tied vote, the Chair may exercise a casting vote.
f) The quorum shall be one quarter of those eligible to vote, or ten members, whichever is the smaller.
g) The Secretary shall keep the minutes of the meetings and record all proceedings and resolutions.
7. Election Of Officers To The Management Committee
a) A management committee shall be established.
b) The members of the management committee shall be drawn from the membership of the club.
c) Candidates shall be elected by paper ballot at the AGM, and shall be members of the management committee from the conclusion of that AGM until the conclusion of the following AGM.
d) All nominations of candidates for election shall: have the consent of the nominee; be in writing; be seconded; be received by the secretary not less than fourteen days before the AGM.
e) Uncontested posts may be filled by nomination(s) and election at the AGM.
f) The Secretary shall send all members a list of all nominations not less than seven days prior to the AGM.
8. Members Of The Management Committee
a) The Management Committee shall consist of the office bearers ex officiis and any members of the Club who may be elected thereto.
b) All the above shall be entitled to one vote each at General Meetings, except the Chair.
c) The Committee may co-opt any member to any unfilled post or onto the Committee until the conclusion of the following AGM, providing that the number of co-optees shall not exceed one third of the total number of persons serving on the committee at that time.
d) The Management Committee may appoint any sub-committees it may deem necessary to deal with the matters of the club, until the conclusion of the following AGM. The proceedings of all such committees shall report to the management committee by a representative elected by that sub-committee.
9. Rules For The Management Committee
a) The Convener shall chair the meeting, or in his/her absence one of the Office bearers or a nominee from the committee in the event of all those mentioned being absent.
b) Fourteen days notice of any meeting of the management committee shall be given by the Secretary, except when:
i) The date of the meeting had been agreed at the previous management meeting, in which case seven days notice shall be given.
ii) In an emergency the Convener may call a meeting at four days notice.
c) The quorum shall be one quarter of those eligible to vote, or three members, whichever is the smaller.
d) All members of the Management Committee as listed at Rule 8. a) shall be entitled to vote.
e) All votes shall be determined by a simple majority. In the event of a tied vote, the Chair may exercise a casting vote.
f) Meetings shall be open to all members of the club.
g) The Management Committee is to meet on at least one occasion every two months.
10. Finance
a) The income and property of the club, however derived, shall be applied solely towards the objectives of the club as set out in Rule 2, of this constitution.
b) The club shall have the power to raise money by means of yearly affiliation fees match or event fees as determined by the Management Committee at the Annual General Meeting, and the levying of charges upon non-members for the use of boats, equipment ancillary thereto, and any other equipment or facilities belonging to the club.
c) All monies shall be lodged in a bank account in the name of the club.
d) The Convener, Treasurer, Secretary and Funding co-ordinator shall be authorised signatories to sign cheques on behalf of the club, of which two signatories shall be needed.
e) The financial year of the club shall run from (24th October to 23rd October.)
11. Amendments to the Constitution
This Constitution may only be amended by a proposal passed by a majority of members present and entitled to vote at an Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting.
12. The Dissolution Of The Club.
a) Any resolution to dissolve the club may be passed at any General Meeting provided that:
i) the terms of the proposed resolution are received by the Secretary at least forty two days before the meeting at which the resolution is to be brought forward, and that
ii) at least twenty eight days of the proposed resolution shall be given in writing by the secretary to all members, and that
iii) such a resolution shall receive the assent of two thirds of those present and entitled to vote.
b) Upon dissolution of the club, after all club and Trustee liabilities have been cleared, all remaining financial and material assets shall be given or transferred to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution as determined by the meeting, to do with as it pleases.
13. Declaration
It is hereby certified that this document represents a true and most up to date version of the Constitution of (Avoch Community Rowing Club),
Chair………………………………………………………………
Date ………………………………………………………………
Secretary ………………………………………………………………
Date ………………………………………………………………