Constitution
1 NAME
The Club shall be known as the Blackwater Valley Canoe Club and hereinafter known as THE CLUB.
2 OBJECTIVE
The objective of the Club is to promote and provide facilities for the sport and recreation of Paddlesport.
3 COLOURS
The colours of the Club will be black and gold.
4 MEMBERSHIP
4.1 Qualification
4.1.1 Any person who undertakes to behave in the best interest of Paddlesport shall be eligible for membership regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs. However, limitation of membership according to available facilities is allowable on a non-discriminatory and fair basis.
4.1.2 The Club may have different classes of membership and subscription on a non-discriminatory and fair basis.
4.1.3 All members will be subject to the regulations of the constitution and by joining the club will be deemed to accept these regulations and codes of practice that the club has adopted.
4.1.4 The Management Committee may refuse membership, or remove it, only for good cause such as conduct or character likely to bring the Club or sport into disrepute. Appeal against refusal or removal may be made to the members.
4.1.5 All members are eligible have voting rights on Club Business raised at General Meetings, except Social, Temporary, Affiliated Members.
4.1.6 Membership will cease if payment of annual membership has not been before the renewal date.
4.1.7 Members shall by joining deemed in agreement of the rules, regulations, and constitution of the club.
4.2 Classes of Membership
4.2.1 Adult Members – Members over the age of 18 when taking out the Membership.
4.2.2 Family Members – Parents/adults and all their children/wards under the age of 18 or in full time education when taking out Membership. To also include family living at same address.
4.2.3 Youth Members – Members who are under the age of 18 when taking out the Membership. Parents /guardians retain full responsibility for their children.
4.2.4 Student Members – Members in full-time education, proof may be requested.
4.2.5 Temporary Members – Short-term membership extended to individuals or groups who are attending formal instruction courses. Temporary Membership continues for the duration of the course only, plus one day for assessment.
4.2.6 Affiliated Outside Organisations – as agreed by the Management Committee.
4.2.7 Social Members – Open to anyone who does not want to actively participate in the sport of Paddlesport.
4.2.8 Concessionary Members – As decided by Management Committee.
4.3 Membership Term
All Memberships terms are 12 months.
4.4 Data Protection
The Club shall comply with relevant data protection legislation.
4.5 Suspension and Expulsion
4.5.1 Any member violating the rules/regulations of the Club or being adjudged guilty of unsatisfactory conduct may be suspended or expelled by the Management Committee.
4.5.2 Notice shall be given in writing.
4.5.3 Suspended or expelled may not participant in Club activities.
4.5.4 Any member so suspended or expelled may appeal at an Extraordinary General Meeting.
5 FEES
5.1 Paddling Fees and Subscription Fees
The paddling fees and subscription fees will be determined by the Management Committee and changes announced when applicable.
Coaches/volunteers shall be exempt from all paddling fees when participating in the running of Club sessions/courses.
5.2 Course Fees
Courses should be self-funding and as such the Course fees are determined by the organiser of the course based on the running costs.
Fees may be discounted to members on an individual basis in agreement with the Management Committee.
5.3 Trip/Event Fees
Trip/Events fees over and above paddling fees should be self-funding; therefore, fee is set by the organiser to cover costs incurred.
5.4 Equipment Fees
The Club reserves the right to charge for the hire of equipment, as agreed by the Management Committee.
6 SECTIONS
The Club may organise various sections to cover the various activities of paddle sport. The affairs of each section shall be conducted by a sub-Committee of a number of members as deemed necessary for that section, the Chair (or deputy) of the sub-committee shall be eligible to attend Management Committee Meetings.
7 MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
7.1.1 The affairs of the Club shall be conducted by a Committee which shall consist of the Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary and other officers as deemed necessary who shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting.
7.1.2 Nomination for Chair, Treasurer and Secretary must be received by the Management Committee at least one week before the AGM.
7.1.3 Roles and Responsibility of each position will be detailed separately to the Constitution and subject to change as deemed necessary by the Committee.
7.1.4 All Committee members must have held eligible Membership for more than 1 full year and determined suitable by the current Committee.(see 4.1.5)
7.1.5 The term of office shall be for one year and members shall be eligible for re-election.
7.1.6 If the post of any officer or ordinary committee member should fall vacant after such an election, the Committee shall have the power to fill the vacancy until the succeeding Annual General Meeting.
7.1.7 The Committee will be responsible for day to day running and maintenance of the Club, adopting new policy, codes of practice and rules that affect the organisation of the Club.
7.1.8 The Committee will have powers to appoint advisers to the Committee as necessary to fulfil its business.
7.1.9 The Committee will be responsible for disciplinary hearings of members who infringe the club rules/regulations/constitution. The Committee will be responsible for taking any action of suspension or discipline following such hearings.
7.1.10 The Committee meetings will be convened by the Secretary of the Club and be held no less than 3 times per year.
7.1.11 The quorum required for business to be agreed at Management Committee meetings will be 51% of Committee members.
8 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS AND EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETINGS
8.1.1 General Meetings are the means whereby the members of the Club exercise their democratic rights in conducting the Club’s affairs.
8.1.2 The Club shall hold the Annual General Meeting (AGM) within 3 months of the Financial Year End to:
- Approve the minutes of the previous year’s AGM.
- Receive reports from the Chair.
- Receive a report from the Treasurer and approve the Annual Accounts.
- Elect the officers on the committee.
- Inform any changes for the following year.
- Consider any proposed changes to the Constitution.
- Deal with other relevant business.
8.1.3 The club will give at least 4 weeks’ notice of the AGM date to all members.
8.1.4 Nominations for officers of the committee will be sent to the Secretary at least one week prior to the AGM.
8.1.5 Proposed changes to the constitution shall be sent to the secretary, who shall circulate at least 7 days before an AGM.
8.1.6 All eligible members have the right to vote at the AGM.
8.1.7 Quorum for motions to be passed is not less than 35% of current eligible membership and motions will carry if 51% of members present agree.
8.1.8 The Chairman of the Club shall hold a deliberative as well as a casting vote at general and committee meetings.
8.1.9 An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) shall be called by an application in writing to the Secretary supported by at least 10% of the members of the Club. The Committee shall also have the power to call an EGM by decision of a simple majority of the committee members.
9 LIABILITY
9.1 Liability of Committee Members
The Management Committee shall manage the affairs of the Club. Financial or legal liability incurred in the rightful exercise of their office shall not, however, be the personal liability of the Committee, but shall be the responsibility of the Club as a whole.
9.2 Individual Liability
9.2.1 All members or other persons who attend Club tours, meets, or any other Club activity do so at their own risk and neither the Club nor its officers can accept any liability for any loss or injury of any kind whilst partaking in Club activities or on land owned by the Club, except where that loss is due to negligence.
9.2.2 Where an individual member is undertaking management responsibility on behalf of the Committee, for example Safety Officer, Welfare Officer or Event Organiser, any financial or legal liability incurred in the rightful exercise of that duty shall not be the personal liability of that individual but shall be the responsibility of the Club as a whole, except where that individual has been negligent.
10 FINANCIAL MATTERS
10.1 Finance Reporting
The Club Treasurer will be responsible for the finances of the Club reporting regularly to the Committee. A statement of annual account will be presented by the Treasurer at the Annual General Meeting.
10.2 Subscription, Paddling, Course Income and Club Events
10.2.1 Subscription Fees and Paddling Fees are intended to cover the general running of the Club.
10.2.2 Specific Club Trips/Events and Courses should in principle be self-financing.
10.2.3 If a trip/event/course makes a loss the Club shall fund the deficit providing a budget has been agreed in advance.
10.2.4 Where events make a surplus that shall be retained by the Club and shall not be refunded.
10.2.5 Members reserving spaces on Club events shall be responsible for payment in full whether or not they attend.
10.2.6 If a member is unable to attend for medical, compassionate or similar reasons their contribution shall be refunded if either the event made a surplus greater than their contribution or their space is taken by another member or exceptionally at the discretion of the Management Committee.
10.3 Financial Support
10.3.1 Financial support can be provided to a participant to promote the aims of the Club.
10.3.2 Financial support is discretionary, on a non-discriminatory and fair basis so as to not pose a significant obstacle to participation.
10.3.3 The Committee shall determine criteria of support that can be applied annually.
10.4 Distribution of Profits
10.4.1 The Club may not make payment to members for participation in the sport which would contravene amateur status nor can any profit be distributed to members, but any profits earned shall be contributed to a General Fund for furthering the objects of the Club.
10.4.2 All surplus income or profits are re-invested in the Club.
10.4.3 No surpluses or assets will be distributed to members or third parties.
10.5 Bank Accounts
10.5.1 All Club funds shall be deposited regularly into the Clubs’ bank account(s). When the Club is operating with surplus funds or money accumulating to support future developments that is likely to be for greater than one year this money should be invested in a bank account which offers some level of interest where possible.
10.5.2 Any request to change banking services, such as the provider or the type of account, shall be approved by the Committee.
10.5.3 Authorised Committee Members are given authorisation to make physical payments via cheque, cash or electronic means for expenditure previously approved by the committee. Authorised Committee Members will be selected at the initial meeting of the new committee.
10.5.4 Commitment to any payments must be approved by the Committee before the expenditure is undertaken. Recurring/standard payments which have been previously authorised by the Committee will be specified at the first committee meeting each year giving the Committee Members with payment access standing authority to ensure these commitments are paid when due.
10.6 Financial Year
The financial year of the Club shall run from 1st July to 30th June.
11 TERMINATION
11.1.1 The Club shall not terminate except by a resolution of an Extraordinary General Meeting convened for the purpose.
11.1.2 Surplus Assets upon dissolution of the Club shall be given or transferred to a registered Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC), a registered charity or the British Canoeing , the sport’s governing body.
12 OMISSIONS
Any matter not provided for in this constitution, or any question over the interpretation of it shall be dealt with by the Management Committee whose decision shall be final.
13 RULES
The Management Committee shall draw up rules for the safe conduct of Club organised Paddlesport activities and ensure these are available to all members.
14 AFFILATION
The Club shall be affiliated to: British Canoeing; Other appropriate organisations as determined by the Committee.
15 ALTERATION OF CONSTITUTION
15.1.1 This constitution shall not be altered, amended, or rescinded except by a General Meeting of the Club.
15.1.2 A resolution to give effect to a change must be passed by at least 75% of the members present at the General Meeting and voting on this behalf.
APPROVED: AGM-2023
