Constitution of the Mallaig and District Canoe Club
1. Name: The club shall be called the Mallaig and District
Canoe Club (Hereinafter referred to as the club).
2. Objects: The object of the club shall be to provide
a safe and enjoyable paddling environment for members, by
2.1 organising a programme of paddling and related activities;
2.2 providing formal courses of training endorsed by the BCU (British Canoe
Union) and the SCA (Scottish Canoe Association);
2.3 purchasing and maintaining a stock of suitable boats and related
equipment for loan and hire;
2.4 promoting and supporting club members in acquiring coaching and related
qualifications in the field of paddlesport;
2.5 working with other organisations in the furtherance of these objectives;
and
2.6 raising funds to support any of the above objects.
3. Membership:
3.1 The membership shall consist of the following categories: Junior
Members (under 17 years); Ordinary Members (age 17 or over) and Family Members
(i.e. spouses and children).
3.2 Membership fees shall be as agreed by each annual general meeting.
3.3 There shall be no residence requirement for membership.
3.4 All members joining the club shall be deemed to accept the terms of
this constitution and any bye-laws published from time to time by the
club.
3.5 Any member not abiding by either this constitution or any bye-laws
published by the club may have his/her membership rescinded by a motion to
this effect being passed by a two thirds majority of a quorate committee
meeting.
3.6 Attendance at any cruise, training or social event, outing or
general meeting organised by the club in any one year shall be deemed to
maintain the goodstanding of a persons membership for the ensuing year. If,
during a period of twelve months, a member does not involve him/herself in any
of the clubs activities, or such activities as may be deemed by the committee
to further the aims and objectives of the club, he/she may be denied the
facility of renewing membership. If a members goodstanding is to be
considered, the matter must be put to a quorate committee meeting and a
resolution proposing to deny membership agreed by a two thirds majority.
Before this decision is ratified, the member in question must be informed by
the secretary of the decision and shall be invited to comment or appeal in
writing. The committee must consider the members representations at the next
quorate meeting and will then decide, in this case by simple majority, whether
or not to ratify the earlier decision.
4. Management:
4.1 The affairs of the club shall be conducted by an Executive
Committee which shall consist of the officers of the club and up to two
committee members elected by the membership.
4.2 The Officers of the club who shall be honorary shall consist of a
Chairman, Vice Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary, Membership Secretary and
Equipment Officer who shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting.
4.3 If the post of any officer or other committee member should fall vacant
after such an election, the Executive Committee shall have the power to fill
the vacancy by co-option.
4.4 At least one member of the committee shall represent the interests of
junior members and, if necessary, shall be co-opted from the leadership of the
junior section.
4.5 The Executive Committee shall nominate one of their number to take
responsibility for all matters pertaining to child protection as this relates
to the activities of the club.
4.6 Any two individual offices of the club may be combined save those of
Chairman and Vice Chairman.
5. General Meetings:
5.1 The club shall hold an Annual General Meeting no later than thirteen
months after the preceding AGM. The business of the meeting shall be to:
(i) approve the minutes of the previous years AGM;
(ii) receive reports from the Chairman, Secretary, Membership Secretary,
Equipment Officer and Junior Section representative;
(iii) receive the Treasurers report, including audited accounts for the
preceding year;
(iv) review and set membership, hire and session fees;
(v) elect the Executive Committee;
(vi) consider changes to the constitution;
(vii) appoint auditors for the clubs accounts; and
(viii) deal with any other relevant business.
5.2 An Extraordinary General Meeting may be requisitioned by an
application in writing to the Secretary supported by at least eight members of
the club. The Executive Committee shall also have the power to call an
Extraordinary General Meeting by decision of a simple majority of its members.
5.3 At least 21 days notice shall be given to all ordinary and family
members of any general meeting.
6. Voting
6.1 Each ordinary member shall have a single vote.
6.2 Up to two adult family members present at a general meeting shall be
entitled to vote.
6.3 At the discretion of the Chairman, any junior members or junior
family members present may be permitted to vote.
6.4 With the exception of changes to the constitution and any motion to
rescind membership, decisions put to a vote shall be resolved by a simple
majority.
6.5 The chairman of the club, or officer deputising for the Chairman,
shall have a deliberative vote as well as a casting vote.
6.6 Where this constitution requires a 2/3 majority it shall
be calculated by rounding up any fraction to the nearest whole number.
7. Quora
7.1 The quorum at general meetings shall be eight members, except where
the motion to be put to the meeting is one relating to the dissolution of the
club (see section 14.).
7.2 The quorum for Executive Committee meetings shall be four members.
8. Secretary's and Membership Secretary's Duties
8.1 The Secretary or substitute shall prepare and present minutes of all
business meetings, i.e. committee meetings, Annual General Meetings and any
extraordinary general meetings.
8.2 The Secretary shall give all Ordinary and Family Members 21 days
notice of any general meeting together with an agenda which has been agreed
with the chairman.
8.3 The Membership Secretary shall assist the Treasurer by collecting
the membership fees of all new Ordinary and Family members. Each
new member shall be sent a membership pack comprising of a copy of the
constitution, an equipment list and hire regulations, a membership list and
the password to provide access to the protected windows on the club's website.
8.4 The Membership Secretary will maintain an up to date list of members
and, at least once per year, shall prepare and circulate to Ordinary and
Family Members an up to date list of such members with their contact numbers,
postal and email addresses.
9. Finance and Accounts
9.1 The financial year shall run from September 19th. to
Septmber 18th. the following year.
9.2 The Treasurer shall be responsible for the preparation of the annual
accounts of the club.
9.3 The accounts shall be audited by an independent person elected
annually by the Annual General Meeting.
9.4 All cheques drawn against the clubs funds shall be signed by the
Treasurer and one other nominated officer.
9.5 All Ordinary and Adult Family Members of the club shall be
considered to be jointly responsible for the financial liabilities of the
club.
10. Boats and Equipment
10.1 The Equipment Officer shall be responsible for the
security of any boats and equipment (hereafter simply equipment) purchased or
otherwise acquired by the club in futherance of its stated objectives.
10.2 The Equipment Officer shall conduct an inventory of all equipment
at least once a year and shall report to members at the AGM any
shortages or deficiencies in the equipment and make recommendations regarding
needful acquisitions.
10.3 The Equipment Officer shall devise and propose to the membership a
system to permit members and others to loan and/or hire the clubs equipment.
Once approved, this system shall be published as a set of byelaws in the hire
books kept with the equipment.
10.4 At least once per year the Equipment Officer shall calculate all
fees owing to the club from the hire of equipment, informing the Treasurer and
the involved members of their debts.
11. Junior Section
11.1 The Junior Section of the Club (hereafter 'juniors') will be led by
volunteers from the adult membership of the club at least one of whom shall
represent the interests of the juniors upon the Executive Committee.
11.2 One volunteer leader shall keep a register of the juniors together with
parental permission and medical information forms.
11.3 The AGM of the club shall receive from one of the volunteer leaders a
report of the year's activities of the Junior Section.
11.4 All day to day matters pertaining to the juniors, e.g. membership,
collection of fees, programme of activities, finances, etc. shall be matters
solely for the volunteer leaders of this section, save only that they consult
with the members of the Executive Committee and/or the Ordinary and Family
Members via the AGM or an extraordinary general meeting whenever a significant
change of policy or practice is required. If there is any doubt about the
definition of 'significant change of policy or practice' the Chairman shall be
consulted and his/her ruling on this matter must be accepted.
12. Bye Laws
The Executive Committee shall have the power to publish and enforce
such bye-laws as the membership feels necessary to govern the activities of
the club.
13. Changes to the Constitution
13.1 Any change to the constitution shall require a two thirds majority
of those present and eligible to vote at a general meeting.
13.2 Notice shall be given to all voting members of any general
meeting (as specified in sections 5.3 & 8.3) and then any proposal to
change the Constitution shall be submitted in writing to the Secretary at
least fifteen days prior to the meeting.
14. Dissolution
14.1 If a majority of the Executive Committee, or such of the
clubs officers as are still in post, should be of the opinion that the
club should be dissolved, they shall call an extraordinary general meeting,
giving the required 21 days notice, and shall make clear to members the agenda
for this meeting.
14.2 Regardless of the normal quorum requirement for such a meeting, if
a simple majority of members present agree with the dissolution proposal, the
Executive Committee shall
(i) first endeavour to clear all the clubs outstanding debts, if necessary by
selling any appropriate assets; and
(ii) be empowered to dispose of all the clubs remaining assets.
14.3 In disposing the clubs assets the Executive Committee, or such of
the clubs officers as are still in post, shall endeavour to identify an
organisation with similar objectives to the club to be the recipient of the
said assets.
14.4 Under no circumstances shall any assets be distributed
amongst the members of the club in any way whatsoever.
First adopted at AGM, 7th October 2001
Further amendments approved at 2004 & 2005 AGM.
