Bollington Harriers
Club Constitution
1. Name
The name of the Club shall be Bollington Harriers, hereinafter referred to as “the Club”.
2. Objectives
To promote an interest in the sport of running in Bollington and the surrounding areas and to organise, arrange and participate in running events.
To encourage members to become qualified coaches for the benefit of all members.
To foster a spirit of inclusiveness, informality, fellowship and mutual encouragement between members of the Club and of the local community.
3. Affiliation
The club shall be affiliated to the Association of Running Clubs or any other suitable organisation as decided by the committee.
4. Management
The Committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and shall include the Officers of the Club. Other members shall be elected at the AGM to make up a committee of at least five members (including the Officers) and a maximum of 10 (including the Officers).
The Committee shall meet not less than four times a year, and the presence of four members shall be necessary to form a quorum.
All major decisions will be by a majority vote, which will be recorded in the minutes by the Secretary. The Chairperson (or Vice Chairperson when the Chairperson is not present) has an additional casting vote in the event of a tie.
The Committee has the power to co-opt extra members, to create Trustees and to form a sub-committee as and when considered necessary.
5. Profit Making
The Club shall exist as a non-profit making organisation, other than for the Club’s benefit.
Any information, documentation and intellectual rights produced by a Club Official, at any time on behalf of the club and in any format, shall be deemed Club property and copyright will be owned by the club. Wherever possible and practical a Club Official shall hold a copy of such information as part of the Club’s archives.
Any general funds raised by the Club shall be distributed at the discretion of the Committee.
6. Membership
Membership of the Club shall be open to anyone aged 16 years or over, who is interested in the sport on application regardless of sex, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs.
An application for Membership shall be made by applying in electronic format using the online application form. In exceptional circumstances the committee reserve the right to refuse membership by majority vote. If this happens a full written explanation will be provided by the Secretary, or other designated official, to the applicant.
Each member shall pay an annual subscription decided at the AGM.
Subscriptions must be paid for the current year before the member can compete for the Club.
When members are invited to renew their membership, annual subscriptions shall be paid within three months of the renewal date. Any member who has not paid their annual subscription within this renewal period shall be deemed no longer to be a member of the club.
A notice of resignation by a member must be made in writing to the Club Secretary. No refunds of subscriptions will be made to a resigning member unless approved by majority vote of the committee.
The Club year shall run from 1st April to 31st March each year.
Membership of The Club does not negate members being members of another running club, providing this is permissible by relevant affiliation organisation.
Prospective members may attend Club runs (excluding any event explicitly specified as members only) for a period of 4 weeks. After which they will be required to become subscribed members of the club.
7. Annual General Meeting (AGM)
The AGM under normal circumstances, shall be held during September each year and the following business undertaken:
1. Annual report will be read and discussed.2. The finalised accounts will be presented.
3. The Officers and Committee shall be elected.
4. Membership fees for the following year shall be agreed.
5. Any other matter specified on the Agenda.
Attendance of the AGM will be restricted to members of the Club defined in §12.1.
Notice of the AGM must be provided to all members at least three weeks before, by giving official notice on the club website and by various other unofficial means such as verbal announcements, the Club Facebook page, Twitter account and email messages. Motions to be put to the AGM must be submitted in writing at least 14 days before the meeting. All nominations for Officers of the Club together with the names of a proposer and seconder must be submitted in writing or electronic format to the Secretary at least 14 days before the date of the AGM and will be acknowledged by the Secretary on receipt. Nomination, proposers and seconders must be members of the club as described in §7.2.
The Club rules/constitution may be changed by a simple majority of members attending the meeting (also see §10 below).
All other decisions will be by a majority vote, the Chairperson (or Vice Chairperson if the Chairperson is not present) having the casting vote in the event of a tie.
8. Colours
The Club Colours shall be green and white.
Club colours may only be worn by subscribed members or past members who are still within the 3 month renewal period.
Where feasible Club Colours should be worn by all members representing the Club at every representative meeting and for Club competition races unless the requirement is relaxed for a specific race or event agreed by the Committee.
Where a member holds membership to other running clubs and has entered an event, they must wear the Club Colours of the club they have registered to the event under.
9. Club Policies
The Club will adopt and uphold the UK Athletics policies as set out at http://www.britishathletics.org.uk/governance/policies/.
Dogs are welcome on club runs but they must be under control, and the owning member assumes full responsibility and liability for any injury or damage caused by or to the dog. Depending on the situation you may be asked to run at the back of the group.
10. Amendments to Constitution
The Committee by a simple majority (see §7.4 above) may propose amendments to the Rules/Constitution. In the event of a tied vote the Chairperson (or Acting Chairperson in his/her absence) shall have a casting vote.
The changes may be made only at the AGM or at an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) called for that purpose.
A number of constitutional changes can be voted through at once at the discretion of the Chairperson or Vice Chairperson at the meeting.
Four weeks’ notice must be given for an EGM. A quorum of one quarter of all members is required at either the AGM or EGM. If the motion is passed at the AGM/EGM by a simple majority the amendments to the Rules/Constitution will be adopted immediately.
Any proposed rule changes will be made available to members at least four weeks prior to the AGM or EGM, either on the club website or by email or both.
Alternatively, two thirds of members may petition the Club Secretary in writing to call an EGM whereupon the conditions in §10.4 above apply.
11. Dissolution
The Committee by a two thirds majority at a quorum meeting may decide to dissolve the Club. They must then call an EGM giving four weeks’ notice to all Club members. The motion shall be passed by a two thirds majority of all members present.
Alternatively, at least one half of members may petition the Club Secretary in writing to call an EGM. Whereupon conditions in §7 above will apply re: calling such a meeting and voting at it.
Upon dissolution any funds remaining after meeting all debts will be used in the furtherance of amateur athletics in the County of Cheshire.
12. Definition of Terms
Member or members: Paid-up members, members who are not yet paid-up but have submitted a valid application form and members awaiting a transfer from another club, subject to the rules in §6.5.
Officers: Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, Vice Chairperson, PR, Welfare and Membership.
Adopted at a meeting held at Location on Date
Signed:
Name …………………………………………………….. (Name and signature of Chair of meeting)
Signature …………………………………………………
Witnessed:
Name ……………………………………………………..
Signature …………………………………………………
Position: ………………………………………………….