Castle Canoe Club
Constitution & Rules
1.0 NAME
The club shall be known as the Castle Canoe Club, hereinafter known as The Club
2.0 OBJECTS
The objects of the club are to promote the sport and recreation of canoeing and kayaking.
3.0 MEMBERSHIP
3.1 Qualification
Any person who undertakes to behave in the best interests of the club shall be eligible for membership.
3.2 Class of Membership
There is one class of membership, known as Full Membership, this is available to all persons over the age of 18.
Concession rate of 50% will be available to students and the non-waged.
3.3 Application
Applicants are to complete the Membership form and return to the Secretary of the Club with the appropriate fees.
The General Committee may refuse to accept or renew an application providing they give a full explanation in writing to the unsuccessful applicant.
4.0 ENTRANCE FEE
There is no entrance fee
5.0 SUBSCRIPTION
5.1 The rates for subscription shall be determined by the members in General Meeting.
5.2 Subscription will be due on joining The Club and on or before the 1st June each year.
5.3 Persons joining for a partial year shall be required to pay a Pro Rata proportion of the annual fee.
5.4 The subscription for the year up to 31st May 2000 will be £36 for a full member.
5.5 Concession subscription for students and the unwaged for the year up to 31st May 2000 will be £18.
6.0 CESSATION OF MEMBERSHIP
6.1 Any member may resign giving one month’s notice in writing to the Secretary.
6.2 Any Member violating any of the rules of The Club or being adjudged of unsatisfactory conduct may, by resolution of the General Committee, be suspended or expelled. Any member so suspended or expelled may appeal to a Special General Meeting if such an appeal is sponsored by not less than 50% of the members entitled to vote.
6.3 A member shall be deemed to have resigned from The Club if, after due notice in writing, they have not paid the annual subscription within 2 months of the due date. Any person who was a member in the previous year (whole or part) must pay full fees to rejoin in the next year, irrespective of the date of re-joining. Any deviation from this must be approved by the committee.
7.0 SECTIONS
7.1 The Club may organise various sections to cover the various activities of canoeing.
7.2 The affairs of each section shall be conducted by a sub-committee of up to 5 members of whom the Chairperson or their deputy shall serve on the General Committee.
7.3 A Section may only be formed following authorisation of a written proposal submitted to the General Committee.
8.0 DISQUALIFICATION FROM HOLDING OFFICE
8.1 All paid up members are eligible to hold office.
8.2 Any member whose main income is derived from the sale or manufacturer of canoes, kayaks and/or accessories, or who is disqualified as an amateur under the rules of the British Canoe Union, will not be eligible for election to the General Committee of the Club, but such a person may be co-opted without voting rights.
9.0 GENERAL COMMITTEE
9.1 The General Committee shall conduct the affairs of the Club as a whole and shall consist of a Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer and other officers as deemed necessary. Additionally, the General Committee may co-opt no more than 2 members of the Club to its number.
9.2 Nominations for the position of Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer and other officers shall be put forward in the form of a motion under the terms of Article 13.4 (below).
9.3 The General Committee shall elect a Vice-Chairperson from among its number.
9.4 The term of office shall be one year, and members shall be eligible for re-election.
10.0 DUTIES OF COMMITTEE
Chairperson
The Chairperson shall preside at all General Meetings of the Club and at all meetings of the General Committee. They shall be responsible for guiding the activities of the Club in accordance with its rules and general policy as expressed by the majority of its members. The Chairperson shall represent or arrange for the representations of the Club at BCU regional level and at meetings of other organisations. They shall ex-officio be a member of any other committee of the Club.
Secretary
The Secretary will be responsible for the organisation of meetings of the General Committee and of the Club, and the recording of minutes relating to the general business of the Club. They shall also be responsible for transmitting to the section secretaries all correspondence relating to the particular activities of the section concerned at the earliest opportunity. The Secretary will receive copies of the minutes relating to the meetings of section committees.
Treasurer
The Treasurer will be responsible for the collection of al monies including subscriptions and shall keep such books of account as required by the General meeting. They shall have the power to examine, after giving one weeks notice, the book(s) of any section, and shall report any discrepancies to the General Committee. The Treasurer shall audit the books of each section annually and shall produce at the AGM balance sheets showing the financial state of each section and of the General Funds, accompanied by the Hon Auditors report. Cheques made payable from Club funds should have two signatures.
The Treasurer must make the General Committee aware of any existing or potential financial or cashflow problems.
Membership Secretary
The Membership Secretary shall assist the Secretary and Treasurer in the administration of any membership issues.
Events Co-Ordinator
The Events Co-Ordinator shall co-ordinate a programme of paddlesports and social events and activities.
Newsletter Editor
The Newsletter editor shall be responsible for producing a regular bulletin.
They shall also be responsible for co-ordinating publicity efforts.
Safety Co-Ordinator
The Safety Co-Ordinator will act as a conduit between the Centre & the Club over safety, environmental & access issues.
The Safety Co-Ordinator will develop and maintain a duty rota for supervision on Club nights & advise this to Newsletter editor.
Projects / Fund Raising Officer
To pursue new projects such as private boat storage, club boats/equipment, flat water slalom course & polo pitch.
Member(s) without portfolio
To provide an input to the committee on general Club issues.
To help even out the workload especially if it gets too much in one officer's area.
Section Chairpersons
Section Chairpersons shall be elected to oversee the affairs of Section Committees and may be appointed under Article 12 (Below).
11.0 GENERAL COMMITTEES
11.1 The General Committee is responsible for the general conduct of the Club’s business and activities.
11.2 The General Committee shall meet at regular intervals during the year, as required by the business to be transacted.
11.3 Special Meetings of the General Committee shall be called by the Secretary on instructions from the Chairperson, or not less than three committee members.
11.4 A quorum shall consist of not less than 3 committee members.
11.5 In the case of a casual vacancy among the General Committee, the said Committee shall appoint another eligible person to act until the next AGM.
12.0 SECTION COMMITTEES
12.1 The Section Committees shall each consist of a maximum of 5 members elected by the section concerned, one of whom shall be the section captain and/or section secretary.
12.2 Section Committees shall meet at such intervals as are required to satisfactorily conduct the business of the Section, or upon demand signed by not less than 25% of the members of the section committee.
12.3 The secretary of each section shall keep minutes of all section meetings and be prepared to produce these if requires at General Committee meetings. They shall also be responsible for the collection of all monies relating to the section and shall submit a balance sheet showing the financial state of the section at the AGM. They shall also be prepared at all General Committee meetings to give a statement of the section’s finances.
12.4 Special Meetings of section committees shall be called by the secretaries of the sections concerned on instructions from the Section Captain or on the instructions of not less than 20% of the section committees members.
12.5 A quorum shall consist of not less than 3 committee members.
12.6 Section Committees may draw up rules and regulations necessary for the efficient management of the section, but such rules and regulations shall not become operative until approved by the General Committee.
12.7 A Section Committee may nominate other members of the section to serve the Section Committee.
13.0 GENERAL MEETINGS
13.1 An Annual General Meeting shall be held in the Spring of each year. There shall be laid before the meeting a statement of accounts made up to the last day of the month of March immediately preceding.
13.2 An Extraordinary General Meeting shall be called on the instructions of a simple majority of the General Committee, or on a requisition signed by not less than 50% of the members of the Club entitled to vote.
13.3 Not less than 21 days clear notice shall be given, specifying to all members the time, place and business of the General Meeting.
13.4 Motions for discussion at Annual General Meetings, not of origin from within the General Committee, shall be lodged with the Secretary at least 30 days preceding the AGM, and be signed by 5 members entitled to vote.
13.5 At any General Meeting, a resolution put to the vote of the Meeting shall be decided by a show of hands of those entitled to vote, except when more than one nomination has been received, in which case a secret ballot may be preferred.
13.6 At all General Meetings the Chairperson will preside or, in their absence, a Chairperson for the meeting will be elected by the voting members present.
13.7 At all General Meetings not less than 20% of the members of the Club shall constitute a quorum.
13.8 Absences of Quorum: If after half an hour from the time appointed for the meeting, a quorum is not present, the Meeting, if called at the request of the members, shall be dissolved. In any other case, the Meeting shall be adjourned. If again a quorum is not present within half an hour from the time appointed for the adjourned meeting, then the members present shall be a quorum.
13.9 Accidental Omission: Accidental omission to give notice of a meeting to, or the non-receipt of notice of a meeting, by any member shall not invalidate the proceedings of a meeting.
14.0 LIABILITY
14.1 The General 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.
14.2 All members or other persons who attend club tours or meets 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 sustained at headquarters or whilst on a club tour or other activity.
15.0 VOTING
All paid up members (including concessions) are eligible to vote at all meetings.
16.0 ALTERATION OF CONSTITUTION
17.0 AUDITOR
Every Annual General Meeting shall appoint an Hon Auditor who shall at least once in every year examine the Accounts of the Club, and ascertain the correctness of income and expenditure accounts and of the balance sheet.
18.0 DISTRIBUTION OF PROFITS
In no circumstances can any profit be distributed to members, but any surplus earned shall be contributed to a General Fund for furthering the objects of the Club.
19.0 TERMINATION
The Club shall not terminate except by a resolution of a Special General Meeting convened for the purpose and, in such an event, any surplus assets shall be handed over to a body or bodies with similar objects or to a charity or charities agreed by the meeting which formally terminates the Club.
20.0 Any Matter not provided for in this constitution, or any question over the interpretation of it shall be dealt with by the General Committee whose decision shall be final.
21.0 RULES
The Committee shall be empowered to draw up rules for the safe conduct of paddlesports activities, to include the following;
21.1 All members must abide by WRC rules whilst on the WRC site.
21.2 All members must wear a buoyancy aid whilst on or near the water.