CARRYDUFF RUNNING CLUB CONSTITUTION (ADOPTED ON 25 APRIL 2023)
1. Introduction
a) The name of the club shall be Carryduff Running Club (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Club’).
b) All correspondence will be via Whatsapp and the Club Facebook page.
c) Photographs or videos posted on the club Facebook page or taken by photographers at athletics events may be used by the Committee (as defined in Clause 8 hereof) to promote the club unless a member informs the Committee otherwise.
d) The Club’s financial year will run from 1 April to 31 March. The membership year will run from 1 April to 31 March in order to align with Athletics Northern Ireland’s membership year.
2. Affiliation
The Club shall be affiliated to Athletics Northern Ireland and agrees to abide by its rules, regulations, policies and procedures.
3. Objectives
The Club is established to pursue the following objectives: –
a) To promote the health and well-being principally but not exclusively of the Carryduff and greater Belfast population through participation in the sport of running (meaning road, mountain and cross country) (hereinafter referred to as the ‘sport’);
b) To promote personal health and esteem through health awareness education and participation in the sport principally but not exclusively to the Carryduff and greater Belfast population;
c) To promote the sport locally as an amateur sport to the local population of Carryduff and the surrounding areas;
d) To provide training opportunities for all members of the Club;
e) To promote locally based races for Club members and encouraging members to participate in events organised by Athletics Northern Ireland affiliated clubs;
f) To organise social functions for all members of the Club; and
g) As agreed, the Committee to assist other organisations to organise running events. The Committee’s prior agreement is required before the Club commits to offering such support.
4. Powers
The club has the following powers, which may be exercised on in promoting the above objectives:
a) To organise activities related to the sport that are conducive to the health and wellbeing of the members and the wider community;
b) To raise funds (but not by means of permanent taxable trading);
c) To provide advice related to the sport;
d) To publish or distribute information on the sport and general health and wellbeing;
e) To co-operate with other athletic clubs, charities, voluntary bodies and statutory authorities to promote health and wellbeing through the sport and to exchange information and advice with them;
f) To support, administer or set up other charities;
g) To set aside funds for special purposes or as reserves against future expenditure;
h) To insure the property of the Club against any foreseeable risk and take out other insurance policies to protect the Club when required; and
i) To do all such lawful things as are necessary for the achievement of the objectives set out above.
5. Membership
a) All members are subject to the constitution of the Club, its policies and procedures, and the regulations of Athletics Northern Ireland.
b) Membership of the Club shall be open to all individuals, over 18 years of age at the time of application, interested in the sport on application regardless of sex, age (subject only to the foregoing), disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or political opinion, except as a necessary consequence of the requirements of the sport.
c) All applications for membership shall be made to the Secretary and accompanied by the appropriate annual membership fee which shall thereafter be payable on 1 April each year. Members who join after such date will pay the full annual fee, but may at the discretion of the Committee be allowed a discount on the membership fee due for the following year.
e) All membership applications will be brought forward to the Committee for confirmation by a simple majority vote.
f) The Committee may refuse membership, suspend it or remove it, only for good cause such as conduct or character likely to bring the Club or sport into disrepute. A member shall have the right to be heard by the Committee before a final decision is made. Any persons whose membership is refused or removed will be told the reasons in writing and have a right of appeal.
g) Any member wishing to resign must notify the Secretary in writing to that effect, confirming that they have no right of action against the Club and releasing the Club, its members and its Committee from any liability in resepct thereof before resignation can be accepted.
h) Notification of termination of membership will be forwarded to Athletics Northern Ireland.
[6. Membership Subscriptions
a) The Club will keep subscriptions at levels that will not pose a significant obstacle to people participating. Members who may encounter financial difficulties or hardship should notify a member of the Committee person in confidence, and the Committee, on behalf of the Club, may agree appropriate measures at their discretion to reduce fees in such cases.
b) Membership subscriptions will be set annually determined at the Annual General Meeting (hereinafter referred to as the ‘AGM’).
c) Subscriptions will be requested annually due from 1 March.
7. Annual General Meetings
a) AGMs should normally be held during the month of April. In any event the AGM shall be held each year at such time and place as determined by the Committee, at approximately twelve monthly intervals, but no more than fifteen months after the date of the previous AGM.
b) At each AGM the following business shall be conducted:
i) Receive and confirm the minutes of the previous AGM;
ii) Presentation of the Club’s financial accounts for the year by the Treasurer;
iii) Setting of all fees;
iv) Resolutions and proposed amendments to the Club’s constitution;
v) Election of officers to the Committee; and
vi) Any other business brought before the meeting, which has been submitted in writing to the Secretary not less than seven days prior to the AGM, and any other business deemed relevant by the Chairperson.
c) Notice for an AGM shall be a minimum of 14 days. Publication on the Club’s Facebook page and/or notification by email, Whatsapp or text alert will be deemed sufficient.
8. Extraordinary General Meeting
a) An Extraordinary General Meeting (hereinafter referred to as an ‘EGM’) may be called upon the written demand of:
i) 33% of the membership;
ii) the Chairperson;
iii) 2/3 majority of the Committee.
b) In the event that a demand for an EGM is received the members must be notified within 7 days giving a minimum of fourteen days’ notice, and stating the business to be discussed.
c) In the event that ten members submit a written request to the Secretary to notify members of a reason for an EGM, the Secretary is obliged to facilitate those members to communicate with the total membership.
9. Rules for General Meetings
a) The Chairperson, or in his/her absence, the Vice-Chairperson or a member selected by those present at the meeting, will take the Chair.
b) All members shall confirm attendance with the Secretary prior to the start of the meeting.
c) Each member shall have one vote.
d) All votes shall be determined by a simple majority. In the event of a tied vote, the Chair may exercise a casting vote.
e) The quorum shall be 10% of those eligible to vote. If a quorum is not present within fifteen minutes of the specified commencement time, the meeting shall be adjourned. At the adjourned meeting, the quorum requirement shall be removed and the members in attendance shall constitute a quorum.
f) The Secretary shall keep the minutes of the meetings and record all proceedings and resolutions.
g) Minutes of the AGM or EGM (as applicable) and all other relevant information arising from such meeting will be made available to all members within 3 weeks of the meeting taking place. The information may be emailed to all members, or published on the Club’s Facebook page, or both.
h) All members attending the meeting shall be expected to conduct themselves in a manner that upholds the dignity of the Club.
10. Committee
a) The Club shall be administered by a committee as agreed and elected at the AGM (or EGM in exceptional circumstances) (referred to in this constitution as the ‘Committee’), and may include the following officers, drawn from the membership:
[i) Chairperson;
ii) Vice Chairperson;
iii) Secretary;
v) Treasurer;
vi) Coaching;
vii) Social;
ix) PR;
and any other officer post as agreed at the AGM (or EGM in exceptional circumstances)
b) Candidates shall be elected by proposal and nomination at the AGM (or EGM in exceptional circumstances), and shall be members of the Committee from the conclusion of that meeting until the election of a new Committee at the following AGM unless under exceptional circumstances.
c) All nominations of candidates for election shall have the consent of the nominee and be seconded.
d) The roles of Chairperson, Vice-Chair, Secretary and Treasurer can only be held by an individual with more than 1 year’s club membership. If there are no nominations then a member with less than 1 year’s membership could be appointed with more than 50% of the vote of those members present at the AGM (or EGM in exceptional circumstances).
e) The Committee may agree to additional officer posts and co-opt any member to any unfilled post until the conclusion of the following AGM, providing that the number of cooptees shall not exceed one third of the total number of persons serving on the Committee at that time. The option to co-opt members should not be used as an alternative to electing members at the AGM (or EGM in exceptional circumstances).
f) The Committee may appoint any sub-committees it may deem necessary to deal with certain matters of the Club, until the conclusion of the following AGM (or EGM in exceptional circumstances). The sub-committee must include at least one member from the Committee. The proceedings of all such committees shall be reported to the Committee by a Committee member or in the event of his/her absence by a representative elected by that sub-committee.
g) No individual may hold the post of Chairperson for more than three years. After such time, the individual must step down, but may be eligible to be elected to an alternative post on the Committee.
h) As far as possible the retirement of committee members should be managed to ensure a continuation of relevant knowledge and expertise. Relevant guidance and training should be provided to members taking on new responsibilities. Retiring members are expected to co-operate in ensuring a timely and smooth handover. Failure to do so will be regarded as misconduct.
i) All members of the Committee shall be expected to conduct themselves in a manner that upholds the dignity of the Club.
11. Rules for Meetings of the Committee
a) The Chairperson shall chair the meeting, or in his/her absence the Vice Chair. If neither are present at a meeting, the members shall elect an acting chairperson from those present.
b) Normally seven days notice of any meeting of the Committee accompanied by an agenda of the business to be discussed, shall be given by the Secretary, except when:
i) The date of the meeting had been agreed at the previous management meeting, in which case four days’ notice shall be given;
ii) In an emergency the Chairperson may call a meeting at four days’ notice, or earlier with the agreement of the members of the Committee.
c) The quorum shall be 2/3 of all Committee members. If a quorum is not present within fifteen minutes of the specified commencement time, the meeting shall be adjourned. At the adjourned meeting, the quorum requirement shall be removed and the Committee members in attendance shall constitute a quorum.
d) All members of the management committee as listed at Clause 8 a) shall be entitled to vote.
e) All votes shall be determined by a simple majority. In the event of a tied vote, the Chair may exercise a casting vote.
f) Attendance at meetings shall be restricted to members of the Committee and any persons requested to attend for the purposes of assisting the members of the Committee. Individual members may be asked to attend to provide advice and guidance.
h) The minutes of the Committee meetings shall be distributed by the Secretary to the members of the Committee as draft minutes within seven days of the meeting. The minutes will be brought to the subsequent Committee meeting for ratification and adoption. A copy of the ratified/adopted minutes shall be made available to a member of the Club upon request, but subject to any personal information relating to individual members being withheld.
i) At each Committee meeting the Treasurer will update the Committee members on the current financial position, and after each meeting will forward an update to the Secretary to be distributed with the minutes of meeting.
j) Meetings shall be called as and when the Committee feels necessary but not less than six per year.
12. Finance
a) The income and property of the Club, however derived, shall be applied solely towards the objectives of the Club as set out in this constitution.
b) The Club shall have the power to raise money by means of yearly membership fees, Club races, sponsorship, advertising on Club Facebook page (or website), and fund raising activities for the benefit of the Club, subject to any statutory requirements.
c) All monies shall be lodged in a bank account in the name of the Club.
d) The Chairperson, Treasurer, and Secretary shall be authorised signatories to sign cheques on behalf of the Club, of which two signatories shall be needed.
e) The Club’s financial year will run from 1 April to 31 March.
f) All surplus income of profits are to be reinvested in the Club. No surpluses or assets will be distributed to members or third parties.
13. Club Funds and Assets
a) The use of Club funds is subject to approval by the Committee at Committee meetings or by any form of electronic communication on the basis of majority voting with a least three members in support. The Treasurer will retain evidence of authorisation (minutes of committee meetings and copies of electronic authorisations) until after the AGM.
b) The Club appoints the Chairperson, Treasurer and Secretary to act as trustees for the purpose of holding any moneys or property belonging to the Club (Trustees). The title to all such real and/or personal property which may be required by or for the purpose of the Club shall be vested in the Trustees who shall hold such property in trust for the Club. The Trustees shall act under instruction of the Committee.
c) Any equipment purchased by the club must have a named custodian with a record retained by the Treasurer. A list of equipment and custodians will be reported by the Treasurer at the AGM.
d) Custodians of equipment must undertake to take reasonable care of the equipment and report any loss, damage or change of custodian to a member of the committee as soon as possible. Custodians will not be held financially liable for damage or loss of club equipment unless it was purposefully or wilfully done.
e) Equipment damaged, worn out or lost must be written-off at the AGM following a report by the custodian.
14. Amendments to the Constitution
This constitution may only be amended by a proposal passed by a majority of members present and entitled to vote at an AGM or EGM. The constitution will be published on the Club’s Facebook page and/or website within one week of any changes being made to it with a note of the date of the most recent amendment.
15. Dissolution
a) Any resolution to dissolve the Club may be passed at any AGM or EGM provided that:
i) The terms of the proposed resolution are received by the secretary at least 42 days before the meeting at which the resolution is to be brought forward, and that
ii) At least 28 days’ notice of the proposed resolution shall be given in writing by the Secretary to all members, and that
iii) Such a resolution shall receive the assent of 2/3 of those present and entitled to vote.
b) Upon dissolution of the Club, after all Club and Trustee liabilities have been cleared, all remaining financial and material assets shall be given or transferred to a local charity or to a sports club in Northern Ireland with object(s) similar to those of the Club (provided that such club’s rules similarly preclude the distribution of such assets to its members), decided on by not less than 2/3 of those present and entitled to vote at the relevant meeting.
16. Declaration
It is hereby certified that this document represents a true and most up to date version of the constitution of Carryduff Running Club.