Constitution

AYR & DISTRICT RAMBLING CLUB CONSTITUTION

 

1 TITLE

 

1.1 The Club shall be called Ayr & District Rambling Club, hereafter to be referred to as “the Club” and shall be affiliated to the Ramblers Association.

 

2 OBJECTS

 

2.1 To foster and promote rambling and hillwalking, providing opportunities for recreation.

 

3 MEMBERSHIP

 

3.1 The following are eligible for membership:

3.1.1 Membership of the Club shall be open to any person paying the relevant subscription as determined by the Annual General Meeting of the Club Members.

3.2 There shall be three of classes of membership available. These are:

3.2.1 Full Member:

3.2.2 Junior Member (Under 18 years of age) – who shall be accompanied at all times by a parent or legal guardian:

3.2.3 Honorary Member.

 

4 EXPULSION OF MEMBERS

 

4.1 Any Member charged with inappropriate conduct or who declines to abide by any of the rules shall be given written notice of the complaint by recorded delivery and asked to attend a disciplinary meeting of the General Committee to discuss the matter. In the event of non-appearance of the Member at the meeting, or a resolution passed at the meeting, the Committee is empowered to suspend or expel the Member. The Member will have the right of appeal to a Special General Meeting of the Members, provided the Member requests this in writing to the Secretary within 14 days of the disciplinary meeting.

 

5 OFFICERS

 

5.1 The Officers of the Club shall be as follows:

Chairperson }

Vice-Chairperson } - Executive Officers

Secretary }

Treasurer }

 

6 ELECTION OF OFFICERS

 

6.1 All Officers shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Club, from, and by, the Members of the Club.

 

6.2 All Officers are elected for a period of one year, but may be re-elected to the same office or another office the following year.

 

7 GENERAL COMMITTEE

 

7.1 The affairs of the Club shall be controlled by a General Committee comprising of the Executive Officers of the Club and 2 other Members elected from, and by, the Full Members of the Club. The General Committee shall meet at agreed intervals.

 

7.1.1 A quorum for a Committee Meeting shall be a total of 3 from among the Officers and Committee Members.

 

7.2 The duties of the General Committee shall be:

 

7.2.1 To control the affairs of the Club on behalf of the Members.

 

7.2.2 To keep accurate accounts of the finances of the Club through the Treasurer. These should be available for reasonable inspection by Members and should be audited before every Annual General Meeting. The Club shall maintain a bank account to be administered by the Treasurer.

 

7.2.3 To co-opt additional members of the Committee as the Committee feels this is necessary. Co-opted members shall not be entitled to a vote on the Committee.

 

7.2.4 To make decisions on the basis of a simple majority vote.

 

8 GENERAL MEETINGS

 

8.1 The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held not later than the end of March each year. Written notice shall be given to Members of the Annual General Meeting by circulating a copy of the notice to every member at their home address. Members must advise the Secretary in writing of any business to be moved at the Annual General Meeting at least 14 days before a meeting.

 

8.2 The business of the Annual General Meeting shall be to:

 

8.2.1 Confirm the minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting and any General Meetings held since the last Annual General Meeting.

 

8.2.2 Receive the audited accounts for the year from the Treasurer.

 

8.2.3 Receive the annual report of the Committee from the Chairperson.

 

8.2.4 Elect the Officers of the Club (i.e. Chairperson; Vice Chairperson; Secretary; Treasurer and other General Committee Members).

 

8.2.5 Review Club subscription rates and agree them for the forthcoming year.

 

8.2.6 Transact such other business received in writing by the Secretary from Members 14 days prior to the meeting and included on the agenda.

 

8.3 Special General Meetings may be convened by the General Committee, or on receipt by the Secretary of a request in writing, from not less than 5 Full Members of the Club. At least 21 days notice of the meeting shall be given.

 

8.4 Nomination of candidates for election of Officers shall be made at the Annual General Meeting. Nominations can only be made by Full Members and must be seconded by another Full Member.

 

8.5 At all General Meetings, the chair will be taken by the Chairperson or, in their absence, by a deputy appointed by the Club or by Full Members attending the meeting.

 

8.6 Decisions made at a General Meeting shall be by a simple majority of votes from those Full Members attending the meeting. In the event of equal votes, the Chairperson shall be entitled to an additional casting vote.

 

8.7 A quorum for a General Meeting shall be 10 Full Members and 2 Officers of the Club.

 

8.8 Each Full Member of the Club shall be entitled to one vote at General Meetings.

 

9 ALTERATIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION

 

9.1 Any proposed alterations to the Club Constitution may only be considered at an Annual or Special General Meeting, convened with the required written notice of the proposal. Any alteration or amendment must be proposed by a Full Member of the Club and seconded by another Full Member. Such alterations shall be passed if supported by not less than two-thirds of those Full Members present at the meeting, assuming that a quorum has been achieved.

 

10 DISSOLUTION

 

10.1 If, at any General Meeting of the Club, a resolution be passed calling for the dissolution of the Club, the Secretary shall immediately convene a Special General Meeting of the Club to be held not less than one month thereafter to discuss and vote on the resolution.

 

10.2 If, at that Special General Meeting, the resolution is carried by at least two-thirds of the Full Members present at the meeting, the General Committee shall thereupon, or at such date as shall have been specified in the resolution, proceed to realise the assets of the Club and discharge all debts and liabilities of the Club.

 

10.3 After discharging all debts and liabilities of the Club, the remaining assets shall not be paid or distributed amongst the Full Members of the Club, but shall be given or transferred to some other voluntary organisation having objects similar to those of the Club.