Constitution

Constitution and Rules of Wimborne Athletic Club

1. TITLE

The name of the Club shall be the Wimborne Athletic Club.

2. OBJECT

The object of the Club shall be the provision and promotion of athletics under UK Athletics (UKA) rules and the encouragement of fitness through athletic pastimes.

3. COLOURS

The colours shall be red vest with a black diagonal stripe and black shorts with red stripes at the sides.

4. AFFILIATIONS

The Club shall be affiliated to England Athletics, the Dorset County Athletic Association and such other bodies as the Executive Committee shall decide.

5. OFFICERS AND MANAGEMENT

5.1     The management of the Club shall be vested in an Executive Committee consisting of a Chairman, General Secretary, Treasurer, Coaching Secretary, Communications Co-ordinator, Equipment Officer, Schools Liaison Officer, Representative of Team Managers, Membership Secretary, Fixtures Secretary, Development Officer and Social Secretary, who shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). A President shall be elected at the AGM and shall have a seat on the Executive Committee.

Vice Presidents may also be elected but shall have no part in the management of the Club, unless otherwise elected to the Executive Committee.

5.2      The Officers of the Club shall be the Chairman, General Secretary and Treasurer.

5.3      The Executive Committee shall be empowered to fill any vacancy in their number which may occur and any person so elected may retain office until the next AGM.

5.4     The Executive Committee shall have the final responsibility in all matters relating to Club policy, financial control, and disciplinary procedures and actions.

5.5     Any member of the Executive Committee who is absent from three consecutive meetings without an explanation, which is satisfactory to the Committee, may be removed from office and another member co-opted in his or her place.

5.6     The Executive Committee shall meet at least bi-monthly or more often at the discretion of the Chairman or General Secretary. Six members of the Committee shall form a quorum.

5.7       The Executive Committee shall have the power to appoint sub-committees, and to delegate to them such functions as may be necessary, and to include in such sub-committees persons who are not members of the Executive Committee. These sub-committees shall report to the Executive Committee.

6. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

The Annual General Meeting shall be held not later than the first week in December. Proposed alterations of Rules, nominations of Officers for the Executive Committee and notice of any other matters properly dealt with at the AGM, must all be sent to the General Secretary by the end of September. The General Secretary shall circulate all paid-up members (including Life Members) with an Agenda giving such propositions etc., at least twenty-one days before the date of the meeting.

7. SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING

A Special General Meeting may be called at the discretion of the Executive Committee, or shall be called by the General Secretary within 28 days of a requisition in writing from 10 paid-up members, stating the subject to be considered at such a meeting. Only the business referred to in the notice may be discussed at the meeting.

8. VOTING

At a General Meeting all paid-up members present, aged 11 years and over, will have the right to vote. This includes Associate Members.

9. MEMBERSHIP

9.1       All applicants for membership of the Club must be over 8 years of age and shall complete a form of Application for Membership. Each application shall be submitted to the next meeting of the Executive Committee for consideration.

9.2       There shall be 4 types of membership:

9.2.1    Members - Those who are active athletically.

9.2.2    Associate Members - Those who support the Club, but who do not partake in athletic activities.

9.2.3    Patrons - Those who have given outstanding support to the Club may be elected to Patronage of the Club at the AGM - the names to be reviewed annually by the Executive Committee.

9.2.4    Honorary Life Members - The Executive Committee may nominate for election as Life Members, at the AGM, members whose service to the Club is considered to be of special merit. Such nominations to receive at least two-thirds of the votes of the members attending at that meeting.

9.3       In addition to the four full membership types the Executive Committee shall be empowered to authorise special membership types for the purposes of supporting the Club through any form of sponsorship. Such members shall not have any voting rights at any Club meeting nor have any place on the Executive Committee unless acting as one of the elected Officers of the Executive Committee.

10. FINANCE

10.1    Subscriptions shall be as published and agreed at the AGM and shall be due and payable on 1st January in each year.

10.2   All Club monies will be held on behalf of the Club in an appropriate account. Cheques are to be signed by the Treasurer and one other Officer of the Club.

10.3     The Treasurer shall be responsible for all the finances of the Club and shall produce an audited statement of annual accounts for presentation at the AGM.

10.4     The financial year shall be 1^st October to 30^th September.

11. RESIGNATIONS

Resignations must be made in writing and will not be accepted until any financial liability to the Club has been met.

12. EXPULSION OR SUSPENSION

Any member violating a Rule of the Club, or guilty of any misconduct, may be expelled from the Club or suspended by the unanimous vote of an Executive Committee meeting or by the majority of the members at a General Meeting.

13. CLUB TROPHIES

13.1 Individual Club Trophies are open only to first-claim paid-up members.

13.2 Club Trophies are personal trophies and winners must sign a form of receipt and guarantee of return as follows:-

"I, the undersigned, acknowledge receipt of the .............. Trophy and undertake to keep it in good condition and safe custody and return it to the Club in time for the next competition, or before that date if so directed by the Executive Committee."

14. INTERPRETATION OF RULES

The Executive Committee shall decide all questions as to the interpretation of the existing Rules, or any other question that may arise regarding the management of the Club.

15. ALTERATION OF RULES

No Rule of the Club shall be repealed or altered and no Rule shall be made, except by a majority of two-thirds of the voting members at the Annual General Meeting, or at a Special General Meeting called for that purpose.

(Last amended: 30/11/07)