LondonSkaters Speed Team - Speed Skating & Rollerblading Club in London

Natasha · Joined: 09 Jul 2004 Posts: 2973 Location: Basingstoke

RULES/CONSTITUTION OF LONDONSKATERS SPEED TEAM

1. NAME

The name of the Club shall be “LondonSkaters Speed Team”, hereinafter referred to as “LSST”, and it shall seek affiliation to and be bound by the rules of the Federation for Inline Speed Skating (FISS).

2. AIMS & OBJECTIVES

2.1 The objects of the Club shall be:-
* to promote the amateur sport of roller skating on quads or inlines in London and its environs and community participation of the same;
* to provide opportunity for participation in Roller speed events;
* to provide for its members facilities, opportunity, encouragement and training for roller skating in accordance with the standards of the FISS, together with related social activities, and;
* to undertake other activities incidental or conducive to the furtherance of these objects

2.2 The Club is committed to encouraging the highest ethical standards. All individuals involved in the Club should conduct themselves with integrity, transparency, accountability and in a fair and equitable manner.

3. OFFICERS

3.1 Subject to these Rules an Executive Committee, hereinafter known as the “Committee”, shall have responsibility for the management of the Club, its funds, property and affairs.

3.2 Property

3.2.1 The property and funds of the Club cannot be used for the direct or indirect private benefit of members other than as reasonably allowed by the Rules and all surplus income or profits are reinvested in the Club.

3.2.2 The Club may provide sporting and related social facilities, sporting equipment, coaching, courses, insurance cover, medical treatment, away-race expenses, post race refreshments and other ordinary benefits of Community Amateur Sports Clubs as provided for in the Finance Act 2002.

3.2.3 The Club may also in connection with the sports purposes of the Club:
a) sell and supply food, drink and related sports clothing and equipment;
b) employ members (though not purely for skating professionally) and remunerate them for providing goods and services, on fair terms set by the Committee without the person concerned being present;
c) pay for reasonable hospitality for visiting teams and guests;
d) indemnify the Committee and members acting properly in the course of the running of the Club against any liability incurred in the proper running of the Club (but only to the extent of its assets).

3.2.4 The Committee will have due regard to the law on disability discrimination and child protection.

3.3 Scope

The Committee shall have full power to deal with all matters relating to LSST not reserved to a General Meeting in terms of this Constitution, including power to make public and enforce such bye-laws as the Committee feel necessary to govern the activities of LSST (including bye-laws relating to discipline). These powers include, but are not limited to, the following:-
a) to raise funds by appeals, subscriptions, loans and charges;
b) to borrow money and give security for the same, and open bank accounts;
c) to buy, lease or licence property and sell, let or otherwise dispose of the same;
d) to make grants and loans and give guarantees and provide other benefits;
e) to set aside funds for special purposes or as reserves;
f) to invest funds in any lawful manner;
g) to employ and engage staff and others and provide services;
h) to co-operate with or affiliate to firstly any bodies regulating or organising the Sport and secondly any Club or body involved with it and thirdly with government and related agencies;
i) to do all other things reasonably necessary to advance the purposes of LSST.

3.4 Composition

3.4.1 The LSST Committee will consist of five elected officers (Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary, plus up to two ordinary members), all of whom shall be elected at the AGM and who have speaking and voting rights. All Executive Committee members must hold Full Membership of LSST. In addition, the Club Secretary must be a member of FISS.

3.4.2 If the post of any officer or ordinary committee member should fall vacant after such an election, the Committee shall have the power to co-opt Club members (up to the maximum permitted number) to serve until the end of the next AGM.

3.4.3 The members of the LSST Committee shall retire at the AGM but shall be eligible for re-election. Any Committee member may be re-elected or re-co-opted without limit.

3.4.4 A Committee member ceases to be such if he or she ceases to be a member of the Club, resigns by written notice, or is removed by the Committee for good cause after the Member concerned has been given the chance of putting his/her case to the Committee with an appeal to the Club members, or is removed by a vote by two-thirds of Club members present in person or in proxy at a General Meeting. The Committee shall fairly decide time limits and formalities for these steps.

3.5 Committee Meetings

3.5.1 Whenever a Committee member has a personal interest in a matter to be discussed he/she must declare it, withdraw from that part of the meeting (unless asked to stay), not be counted in the quorum for that agenda item and withdraw during the vote and have no vote on the matter concerned.

3.5.2 The Committee may decide its own way of operating. Unless it otherwise resolves the following rules apply:

a) at least at least 2 members must be present for the meeting to be valid if no vote is taken. At least three members must be present for any vote to be taken.
b) committee meetings shall be held face to face;
c) the Chairman or whoever else those present choose shall chair meetings;
d) decisions shall be by simple majority of those voting;
e) a resolution in writing signed by every Committee member shall be valid without a meeting; as shall a topic on the LSST forum where each Committee member has indicated consent.
f) the chair of the meeting shall have a vote, but shall not have a casting vote.

3.6 Delegation

The Committee may delegate any of their functions to sub-committees but must specify the scope of its activity and powers; the extent to which it can commit the funds of the Club; its membership; its duty to report back to the Committee. The Committee may wind up any sub-committee at any time or to change its mandate and operating terms.

3.7 Disclosure

Annual Club reports and statements of account must be made available for inspection by any member and all Club records may be inspected by any Committee member.

3.8 Appeals

Any decision in any part of the LSST Committee may be appealed initially in writing to the Chairman of the LSST Committee.

4. MEMBERSHIP

4.1 Membership of the Club shall be open to anyone interested in the sport on application regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs. However, limitation of membership according to available facilities may on some occasions be made on a non discriminatory basis.

4.2 Classes of Membership

The Club has one class of membership and subscription, established on a non discriminatory and fair basis. This membership is ‘Full Membership’.

4.2.1 Full Membership: A Full Member shall enjoy all the Club benefits, has a right of vote at AGM and special general meetings, and can officiate in the committee.

4.3 The Age group: Seniors and Juniors.

4.3.1 Senior members are those over 18 years old.

4.3.2 Junior members are those under 18 years old who can compete in FISS competition (i.e., who are at least 6 years of age). The parents of Juniors shall be deemed members for the purpose of voting at AGM and extraordinary general meetings.

4.4 Membership fee structure

4.4.1 Members in each category shall pay Membership fees as fixed at each AGM. The Club will keep subscriptions at levels that will not pose a significant obstacle to people participating. The Club in General Meeting may also require Members to contribute to the funds of the Club by way of a special levy. This levy will be limited to the amount of the annual membership.

4.4.2. Each member will have a period of 60 days after the start of the calendar year to pay their membership fees. Any Member whose subscription is more than 60 days in arrears shall be deemed to have resigned his membership of the Club.

4.5 All members joining the Club shall be deemed to accept the terms of this Constitution and any Bye-laws from time to time adopted by the Club, in particular without prejudice to the foregoing generality, the requirement to conduct themselves in accordance with the Club’s ethical framework and the bye-laws as to discipline set out therein.

4.6 Membership application process
Any person seeking to join the Club shall submit an application to the Executive Committee. Members shall be admitted by the Executive Committee. Membership is open to all and no application for membership will be refused on other than reasonable grounds (such as conduct or character likely to bring the Club or sport into disrepute. There will be no discrimination on the grounds of race, occupation, sex or religious, political or other opinion.

4.7 Discipline and Appeals

4.7.1 All complaints regarding the behaviour of members, whose conduct within or without the Club, is reported to be injurious to the character and interest of the Club should be submitted in writing to the Secretary.

4.7.2 If the Committee consider that the representations require further action, they will notify the Member in question, stating the nature of the misconduct and request him or her to attend a meeting of the Committee. The Committee will meet to hear complaints within 21 days of a complaint being lodged. The committee has the power to take appropriate disciplinary action, including the termination of membership.

4.7.3 The outcome of a disciplinary hearing should be notified in writing to the person who lodged the complaint and the member against whom the complaint was made within 21 days of the hearing.

4.7.4 There will be the right of appeal to an extraordinary general meeting to be summoned within 21 days following disciplinary action being announced. At this meeting, two-thirds of the votes cast shall be required to confirm the disciplinary action.

4.8 Termination of membership

4.8.1 Members may elect to terminate their membership through resignation. Membership shall not be transferable in any event and shall cease immediately on death or dissolution or on the failure of the Member to comply or to continue to comply with any condition of membership set out in these Rules.

4.8.2 Membership may be suspended at the discretion of any officer or the person nominated by the Committee. The suspension of a member will only be for good cause such as conduct or character likely to bring the Club or sport into disrepute. The suspended member is then reviewed at the next meeting of the Committee and the individual concerned has the right to be heard, accompanied by a representative if necessary, before a decision is made about permanent exclusion. Appeal against refusal or removal may be made to the members.

4.8.3 If the exclusion is confirmed, then they will be added to the lists of people unwelcome at events maintained by this Club. Organisers of other events may be informed at any stage in this process. It is a condition of membership that members consent to these arrangements.

5. GENERAL MEETINGS

5.1 Attendance and meeting conduct

5.1.1 All members may attend all general meetings of the Club in person.

5.1.2 The Chair or (in his or her absence) another member chosen at the meeting shall preside.

5.1.3 Formalities in connection with General Meetings (such as how to put down resolutions) shall be decided by the Committee and publicised to Club members.

5.2 The Annual General Meeting (AGM)

The Club will hold an AGM once in every calendar year and not more than 15 months after the last AGM. At every AGM:
• the Members will elect a Committee including a Chair, Treasurer and Secretary to serve until the next AGM;
• the Members will approve the minutes of the previous year’s AGM
• the Committee will present a report on the Club's activities since the previous AGM;
• the Treasurer will produce accounts of the Club for the latest financial year audited as the Committee shall decide;
• the Members will appoint a suitable person to audit the accounts; and
• the Members will discuss and vote on any resolution (whether about policy or to change the Constitution) and deal with any other business put to the meeting.

5.3 Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM)

An EGM shall be called by the Secretary within 21 days of a request to that effect from the Committee or on the written request of not less than 15% of members signed by them. Such EGM shall be held on not less than 21 nor more than 28 days’ notice at a place decided upon by the Committee or by the Chair.

5.4 Notices

At least 21 days notice and the Agenda (including the motions to be voted on) shall be given to all voting members of any General Meeting. Notice may be delivered by hand, or by post, or by email to the last recorded address. No business shall be conducted unless fair notice thereof is contained in the Agenda. When using e-mail, an explicit reply by e-mail from the member shall be necessary. Otherwise a written 15 days notice shall be given by post.

5.5 Minutes

Minutes will be kept of all General and Committee meetings. As a minimum, the agenda and the result of all votes will be recorded. The minutes shall be open to inspection by any Club member. However a copy with parts obscured or removed where essential to maintain confidentiality can be supplied.

5.6 Voting

5.6.1 Except as otherwise provided in these Rules every resolution shall be decided by a simple majority of the votes cast on a show of hands.

5.6.2 The Chairman of LSST shall hold a deliberative as well as a casting vote at general meetings, in each case at the time the meeting commences its business.

5.6.3 Each LSST voting member may designate another voting member to be their proxy for any General Meeting. This will be notified before the start of the meeting to the Chairman, either by telling him/her directly, or by notification on the team forum, or by giving a written proxy slip to their proxy.

5.7 Quora

The quorum at General Meetings will be 10 Members or 25% of all Members in good standing, whichever is the lesser. The quorum for Committee Meetings shall be 60% of the Committee members attending, if a vote is to be taken, or 40% if no vote is to be taken.

6. FINANCE AND ACCOUNTS

6.1 The financial year shall run from 1st October to 30th September each year.

6.2 The Honorary Treasurer shall be responsible for the preparation of Annual Accounts of LSST.

6.3 The Accounts shall be certified by an appropriate independent person elected annually at the AGM.

6.4 Any bank account(s) in which any assets of LSST are deposited shall be held in the name of LSST. All cheques and orders against the Club’s funds shall be authorized by the Treasurer and one other office-bearer.

6.5 The Committee may authorise expenditure out of LSST funds for the furtherance of the objects of LSST.

7. CHANGES TO THE CONSTITUTION

7.1 A proposal to change the Constitution must be submitted in writing to the Secretary who shall circulate the proposal to all members and allow fourteen days for submission of any amendments before calling a meeting in accordance with rule 5.4 above. All proposals for changes to the Constitution shall be signed by two members eligible to vote at a General Meeting.

7.2 These Rules may be amended at a general meeting by two-thirds majority of those present, eligible to vote and voting, but not (if relevant) so as to jeopardise the Club’s status as a Community Amateur Sports Club as first provided for by the Finance Act 2002 and not in any event to alter its purposes (unless the procedure set out in 7.3 has been followed) or winding up provisions.

7.3 The Club Purposes may be changed to include another eligible sport if the Committee unanimously agree and the members also agreed the change by a 75% majority of votes cast.

8. DISSOLUTION

8.1 The members may vote to wind up the Club if not less than three quarters of those present and voting support that proposal at a properly convened general meeting.

8.2 The Committee will then be responsible for the orderly winding up of the Club’s affairs.

8.3 After settling all liabilities of the Club, the Committee shall dispose of the net assets remaining to one or more of the following:
a) to another Club with similar sports purposes which is a registered charity and/or
b) to another Club with similar sports purposes which is a registered CASC and/or
c) to the Club’s governing body for use by them for related community sports.

FINAL - Ratified by members at the AGM on 27th October 2005.

Christophe · Joined: 26 Feb 2004 Posts: 1621

was it meant to be in this section of the forum? (just asking...)

Natasha · Joined: 09 Jul 2004 Posts: 2973 Location: Basingstoke

Yes, I put the working copy (with the amendments which were ratified at the 05 AGM) and all the chat back in the member's forum, this is a clean copy. Hey but thanks for taking an interest in the Constitution Very Happy