Constitution.
North Skye Kayak Club
CONSTITUTION
1 Name of Club
The club will be called North Skye Kayak Club (hereinafter will be referred to as The Club) and may also be known as NSKC. North Skye Kayak Club will be affiliated to the Scottish Canoe Association.
2 Aims and Objectives
The aims and objectives of the club will be:
• To offer training and recreational opportunities in kayaking
• To promote the club and kayaking within the local community
• To ensure a duty of care to all members of the club
• To provide all its services in a way that is fair to everyone
3 Membership
a) Membership of the club is open to anyone interested in promoting, coaching, volunteering or participating in kayaking, regardless of sex, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs.
b) The minimum age for membership is 18 years.
c) Each fully paid up member shall be entitled to attend and vote at General or Annual General Meetings.
d) Fully paid up members may be elected and serve on the Management Committee.
e) 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.
f) Members will pay membership fees, as determined at the Annual General Meeting.
g) North Skye Kayak Club is an unincorporated association and as such is a not for profit non-commercial association. Therefore, no portion of the income and property shall be paid or transferred directly or indirectly by way of dividend, distribution, bonus, honorarium or otherwise howsoever by way of profit to the members.
h) The constitution shall be made available to all members through the club website.
i) Membership of the club runs from 1 March to 28/29 February. Individuals joining the club after 1 October will pay 50% of the annual membership fee.
j) Individuals wishing to attend pool sessions and who are not currently members will need to pay the appropriate membership fee in addition to the session fee currently in force.
k) Individuals wishing to attend outdoor sessions as a “taster” before considering becoming members may attend a maximum of four sessions and will be charged £1.00 temporary membership for each session.
North Skye Kayak Club
4 Sports Equity
This Club is committed to ensuring that equity is incorporated across all aspects of its development. In doing so it acknowledges and adopts the following Sport England definition of sports equity:
Sports equity is about fairness in sport, equality of access, recognising inequalities and taking steps to address them. It is about changing the culture and structure of sport to ensure it becomes equally accessible to everyone in society.
a) The Club respects the rights, dignity and worth of every person and will treat everyone equally within the context of their sport, regardless of age, ability, gender, race, ethnicity, religious belief, sexuality or social/economic status.
b) The Club is committed to everyone having the right to enjoy their sport in an environment free from threat of intimidation, harassment and abuse.
c) All club members have a responsibility to oppose discriminatory behaviour and promote equality of opportunity.
d) The Club will deal with any incidence of discriminatory behaviour seriously, according to club disciplinary procedures. • Chair
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• Coach/Leader representative(s)
• Minimum of two other members
5 Committee
The Management Committee shall consist of the following Officers:
who shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting.
(a) All committee members must be members of the Club.
(b) If required, the committee shall elect a Vice Chair shall from among its number.
(c) The term of office shall be for one year, and members shall be eligible for re-election.
(d) If the post of any officer or ordinary committee member should fall vacant after such an election, the Executive Committee shall have the power to fill the vacancy until the succeeding Annual General Meeting.
(e) The Committee will be responsible for adopting new policy, codes of practice and rules that affect the organisation of the club.
(f) The Committee will have powers to appoint and advisers to the Committee as necessary to fulfil its business.
(g) 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.
North Skye Kayak Club
(h) The committee meetings will be convened by the Secretary of the Club and be held no less than 4 times per year.
(i) All Committee Members have the right to vote at committee meetings.
(j) The quorum required for business to be agreed at Management Committee meetings will be 40%.
6 Finances
a) The club treasurer will be responsible for the finances of the club.
b) The financial year of the club will run from 1 November and end on 31 October.
c) All club monies will be banked in an account held in the name of the club.
d) An audited statement of annual accounts will be presented by the treasurer at the Annual General Meeting.
e) Any cheques drawn against club funds should hold the signatures of the treasurer plus one other officer.
f) All members of the Club shall be jointly and severally responsible for the financial liabilities of the Club.
7 Annual General Meetings and Extraordinary General Meetings
(a) General Meetings are the means whereby the members of the Club exercise their democratic rights in conducting the Club’s affairs.
(b) The AGM shall be held each year at such time and place as determined by the management committee, at approximately twelve monthly intervals, but no more than fourteen months after the date of the previous AGM. At each AGM the following business shall be conducted:
• Approve the minutes of the previous year’s AGM.
• Receive reports from the Chair and Secretary.
• Receive a report from the Treasurer and approve the Annual Accounts.
• Receive a report from those responsible for certifying the Club’s accounts.
• Elect the officers on the committee.
• Agree the membership fees for the following year.
• Consider any proposed changes to the Constitution.
• Deal with other relevant business.
(c) Notice of the AGM will be given by the club secretary with at least 21 days’ notice to be given to all members.
(d) Nominations for officers of the committee will be sent to the secretary prior to the AGM.
(e) Proposed changes to the constitution shall be sent to the secretary prior to the AGM, who shall circulate at least 7 days before an AGM.
(f) All members have the right to vote at the AGM.
North Skye Kayak Club
(g) The quorum for AGMs will be 20% of the membership.
(h) The Chair of the Club shall hold a deliberative as well as a casting vote at general and committee meetings.
(i) 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.
(j) All procedures shall follow those outlined above for AGMs.
8 Amendments to the constitution
The constitution will only be changed through agreement by majority vote at an AGM or EGM.
9 Discipline and appeals
(a) All complaints regarding the behaviour of members should be presented and submitted in writing to the Secretary.
(b) The Management Committee or nominated sub-committee will make the relevant party/s aware of the complaint against them on a confidential basis. They have the right to submit their account of the dispute to the Secretary within 21 days.
(c) The Management 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.
(d) 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 14 days of the hearing.
(e) There will be the right of appeal to the Management Committee following disciplinary action being announced. The committee should consider the appeal within 21 days of the Secretary receiving the appeal.
10 Dissolution
(a) A resolution to dissolve the club can only be passed at an AGM or EGM through a majority vote of the membership.
(b) In the event of dissolution, all debts should be cleared with any clubs’ funds. Any assets of the club that remain following this will be given or transferred to a local sports club, or to a local charity as determined by the meeting.
North Skye Kayak Club
11 Declaration
North Skye Kayak Club hereby adopts and accepts this constitution as a current operating guide regulating the actions of members. Name
Position
Chair
Sign
Date