'Club Constitution' Could ALL Please Read?

[madgaz]

The GT4 Enthusiast Club Constitution
A. The Name of the club
Shall be the GT-Four Enthusiast Club (hereinafter called the GT4EC)

B. The Objectives of the Club
Shall be:

To take all possible steps to encourage the continued running of Toyota Celica GT-Four rally bred cars hereinafter referred to as GT4.
To uphold the tradition and reputation of The Toyota Celica GT-Four.
To encourage, promote, arrange and enter both locally and nationally sporting, racing and other events, social meetings, tours and lectures and participate as actively as possible in displays, concours exhibitions and meetings generally.
To maintain registers of:
All GT-Fours in categories as to model and age
Members who are willing to give practical assistance to other members who may require it away from home
To acquire, manufacture, store, market and sell to members Merchandise for the GT4EC
To sponsor or arrange such other schemes and benefits as it may be possible to arrange for members.
To carry out these objectives as a non-profit making organisation.
C. Membership levels of the Club:
FULL. Open to all persons owning any GT-Four vehicle in the United Kingdom or abroad. Membership may be on a single or joint basis.
ASSOCIATE. Open to any persons genuinely interested in the promotion of the objectives of the Club but who do not currently own a GT-Four. Membership may be on a single or joint basis
HONORARY. At the discretion of members, Honorary Life Membership may be conferred in rare appropriate cases of outstanding achievements or services to the Club. Honorary Life Members shall be formally elected at a General Meeting of the Club by a majority of the members present. They shall retain the right to vote and will be exempt from payment of further subscriptions.
INTERNATIONAL. Open to all non UK members
CORPORATE. Open to businesses wishing to target the GT4EC membership for financial gain
D. Chairman and Vice Chairman
The Club’s Chairman shall be a person of suitable stature who has made a major contribution to the cause of GT4EC. The chairman shall be formally elected at a General Meeting by a majority of the members present and shall have the privileges of Honorary Life Membership. The President shall have no formal responsibilities, but will be regarded as the Club’s figurehead and shall be entitled to attend and vote at meetings of the Committee.
The Club’s Vice Chairman shall be a person who has made important contributions to the cause of GT4EC. Each shall be formally elected at a General Meeting by a majority of the members present, and shall have the privileges of Honorary Life Membership. A Vice President shall have no formal responsibilities but shall be entitled to attend and vote at meetings of the Executive Committee.
E. Annual Subscription
The rate of subscription for all Full and Associate members of the Club are such sums as may be decided at the Annual General Meeting and are payable in October each year.
A joint subscription for husband and wife or partner of such sum as is decided at the Annual General Meeting entitles each to full membership but restricts normal publications to one shared copy.
International members shall not be liable for an annual subscription unless they elect to be sent a full membership pack. They will receive electronic copies of newsletters and other club documentation as deemed appropriate.
Corporate members will be charged an additional fee commensurate with the advertising and subsequent business that they may generate form the membership.
F. Application for membership
A person wishing to join the Club must complete the prescribed membership form and submit it, together with the first subscription, to the Club Membership Secretary. The Executive Committee reserves the right to refuse an application and return the subscription in full. Each subscribing member shall receive a membership card and receipt duly signed by the Membership Secretary and valid for the appropriate period of 12 months
G. The Constitution
Each member on joining shall receive a copy of this Constitution and agree to be bound by it. The Constitution may be altered or added to by a two thirds majority of total votes at an AGM
H. Resignation from membership
No refund of subscription shall be made
I. Lapsing of membership
Members who fail to renew their membership by payment of subscription 1 month from expiry shall be deemed to have lapsed their membership of the Club. A lapsed member reapplying during the year of lapsing will not be sent copies of the newsletter for that year not already received. A lapsed member reapplying in subsequent years will be treated as a new member
J. Expulsion of a member
If a member’s conduct is considered to be seriously deleterious to the Club’s interest in any way s/he may be formally warned in writing by the Secretary, on instruction of the Executive Committee. If he/she persists in such conduct harmful to the Club the Executive Committee may pass and submit a resolution for his expulsion to a General Meeting. The offending member must be given at least 7 days notice in writing or orally by attending a General Meeting. To be approved, the resolution requires a minimum of three quarter’s majority of staff present and able to vote.
Organisation
A. Club Committee
The overall affairs of the Club shall be managed by the Club Committee, which shall initially consist of the following honorary officers:
Chairman
Vice Chairman
Secretary / Membership Secretary
Forum Administrator(s)
Treasurer
Editor(s)
Forum Moderators x 4
Technical Information Officer(s)
Events Coordinator
It is anticipated that over time additional club committee members will be required and these shall be appointed preferably, although not exclusively at the Annual General Meetings.
At all times the membership shall have the right to request that the club committee to appoint further committee members in order that the club can fully meet the membership needs
The Club Committee shall be under the jurisdiction of the Annual General Meeting at all times.
B. Election and Retirement of Club Committee Members
Members shall be elected to the Club Committee at the first Annual General Meeting following one year of full operation of the club.
Only a full or honorary life member shall be eligible for election and any member must be nominated by two ordinary members of the Club and must express their willingness to serve as a Club officer.
Any member so nominated shall be elected if he/she receives the most votes in his/her favour on a show of hands or written ballot.
All members so elected to the Club Committee shall retire there from at the Annual General Meeting and shall be eligible for re-election if prepared to stand again and are duly nominated, with the exception of the Chairman who shall not present himself for re-election in the year after having served three consecutive years MAX.
C. Vacancies
Any temporary vacancy arising in the Club or Section Committees, whether by reason ala member lapsing membership, ceasing to own a GT-Four, resignation, death or otherwise, may be filled by a majority vote of the committee concerned. The appointee shall hold office until the following Annual General Meeting and is eligible to be re-elected at that meeting.
Should a member of the club committee require support due to, for example illness, holiday or sheer volume of work then the Club Committee will appoint a member in a temporary supportive role as deemed necessary
D. Removal of a Committee Member
Any member, either Club or Section may be removed from his office at any time during the term of his office by a proposal, duly seconded in writing, circulated to all other Committee Members entitled to attend and vote at least 21 days before the meeting at which the resolution for removal is to be proposed. The Committee Member whose removal is proposed shall be entitled to make written representations. The resolution requires a three-quarters majority of those members present and entitled to vote to be carried: voting shall be by a show of hands, or a written ballot at the discretion of the Chairman. A committee member so removed from office shall remain a member of the Club unless on due notice and proper resolution he has been expelled from the Club as hereinbefore provided.
Duties of Club Officers
A. The Secretary shall
Keep a record of the minutes of the General Meetings and Club Committee Meetings of the Club
Cause to be kept a current list of names and addresses of all members of the Club
Ensure that each new member receives the club membership pack including a copy of this constitution.
Issue notices and convene General Meetings and Club Committee Meetings
Keep any other records, which the General Meeting of members or Club Committee may direct
Superintend and organise the administration of the affairs of the Club and the promotion of its objects according to the Constitution and the instructions given from time to time by the members in General Meeting or Executive Committee
Maintain a duplicate record of the name and address and dub particulars of all members, mailing labels are to be provided when required.
B. The Treasurer shall
Cause to be kept a complete and accurate record of all the subscriptions received together with all donations and other receipts and assets of the Club and issue receipts therefore
Receive, hold, deposit, invest, spend and disburse funds of the Club as instructed by members in General Meeting and Club Committee and keep an accurate record thereof
Prepare Annual Accounts and submit same together with all records, accounts, receipts and vouchers to the Auditors for checking
Submit the Annual Accounts and Auditor’s Report to the Annual General Meeting, copies being available to all members attending General Meeting, or available on request.
Receive annually the financial reports of each Section, make any proper enquiries in regard thereto and report to the members in General Meeting and the Club Committee as necessary
Receive, consider and grant or, if so directed by the Executive Committee, refuse applications for membership;
C. The Chairman shall
Preside at each Annual General Meeting and Club Committee Meeting and shall have a casting vote in any business of the meeting. The Chairman shall address the Club in Annual General Meeting.
D. The Vice Chairman shall
Deputise for the Chairman in any meeting, which the Chairman is absent; assist in any way possible the Chairman and other dub officers in organisation, administration and the general business of the Club meetings.
E. The Editor(s) shall
Receive material, compile, edit and publish a regular newsletter for the membership.
F. The Forum Moderators shall
Maintain the club forum and keep its content to a sensible level using the forum terms and conditions as their guide
Report any bad behaviour to the Club Committee for them to decide an appropriate course of action
G. The Technical Information Officer shall
Assist Club members with expert advice on the running and maintenance of GT-four vehicles. H. The Events Co-ordinator shall
Coordinate annual events plans and support members and regional events organisers as they are appointed.
MEETINGS
A. Annual General Meeting
This shall be held in the month of October at a time and place specified by the Club Committee. At least 30 days prior the Secretary must give notice that the meeting is being convened to all members in writing. The business normally, but not exclusively, shall be:
Minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting.
Receiving the Annual Report and Financial Statement.
Electing Officers and Auditors.
Formal proposals; these are defined as those concerning the organisation, administration or future of the Club and must be received in writing by the Secretary, duly seconded, by the 1st September preceding the October meeting in which they are to be proposed.
Any other business.
B. Special Meetings
A special General Meeting of the Club may be called at any time by the Secretary or Chairman, either at their own discretion where it appears that any business demands special urgency, or within 30 days of receiving a written request signed by at least 20 members or 10% whichever is the lesser of the membership of the Club, specifying the business proposed to be transacted thereat. In such a case the Meeting shall be held at a time specified by the members calling the meeting. The meeting place, to be arranged by the Secretary, shall be at or near the venue of a recent Club Annual General Meeting. The agenda for such a meeting and formal proposals to be put shall be circulated at least 14 days prior to the Special Meeting to all members.
C. Voting
Voting shall be by a show of hands or, at the discretion of the Chairman, by a properly organised written ballot on all issues save and except voting on a proposal seeking to effect an alteration in the Constitution. A two-thirds majority of total votes cast in a postal ballot and by members at a subsequent General Meeting who have not voted in the postal ballot will be required for such proposal to be successful. The Chairman shall have a casting vote.
D. Nominations for Club Officers
Two ordinary members of the Club shall make nominations for election of Club Officers in the Annual General Meeting.
E. Minutes
The minutes of all meetings, once the club committee members present have accepted them, shall be signed as correct by the Chairman.
These minutes shall then be made public to the general membership
General Matters
A. Banking
All monies received by the Treasurer on behalf of the Club must be banked in a bank account or Building Society account in the Club’s name. The Treasurer and either the Chairman, Secretary or one other member of the Club Committee must sign cheques and other documents drawn on the Clubs funds.
B. Appointment of Auditors
The Auditors, who shall not be Club officials, shall be two members from a panel of three appointed by the members in General Meeting. They shall examine all books and accounts of the Club and shall satisfy themselves of their correctness and shall prepare and sign a report thereon which shall be circulated to all members with the accounts. At least one Auditor shall retire annually and may not offer himself for re-election for a period of one year.
C. Power to instruct Solicitors/Professional Persons
The Club Committee shall have the power on grounds, which it deems sufficiently serious within its discretion to instruct a solicitor or any other professional person or body for advice. There must be a formal resolution duly proposed referring to the matter upon which advice is sought and that resolution must be passed by a two-thirds majority of those present and able to vote at any Club Committee Meeting. The power is limited to the seeking of advice only and the Club Committee shall not instruct a Solicitor or professional person to issue any proceedings in court without the approval of the Club in General Meeting.
D. Capacity with regard to documents
Any contract, deed, undertaking, authority or any other legal document to which the Club is party shall be held to be validly entered into, given or executed on behalf of the Club if it is subscribed to by the Chairman, Secretary or Treasurer for the time being.
E. Service of documents
Any notice or other documents shall be deemed to have been duly served on the Club if addressed to the Secretary and delivered to him/her by hand, or received by post at his/her residence.
F. Events
All motor competitions promoted by the Club shall be held under the general competition rules of the Club and will meet with any other requirements of that Club.
G. Club Property
The Secretary shall cause to be kept an up-to-date inventory of all Club property by lists sub-divided as to the nature of the property, e.g. Trophies, awards, books, photographs, films, tools, other documents or articles and where feasible annually publish same for benefit of the membership. Certain Club property may be borrowed on request in writing by ordinary members on condition that an appropriate deposit and/or Fee be paid in advance, the amount of which from time to time shall be decided by the club Committee. Items that are so available for loan will be so indicated on the published lists. Such loans are entirely within the discretion of the club Committee and items borrowed cannot be retained by the borrower for longer than one month inclusive of the time for return if by post. On safe return in original undamaged condition the deposit will be returned less postage and any fee. The Club reserves the right to make further deductions or forfeit the deposit if the item loaned is returned damaged or incomplete. In the event of non-return a surcharge to be decided by the club Committee shall be charged.
Dissolution of the Club
The Club may be dissolved by a resolution, of which notice is given in accordance with these rules, by an Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting convened by direction of the club Committee or on the request of a majority of the members. In the event of the dissolution the affairs of the Club shall be immediately wound up and the assets disposed of the by the club Committee as instructed by the members in General Meeting.