Club Constitution
1.1 NAME
The name of the Club shall be:- SOUTH TYNESIDE SWIMMING CLUB
2.1 OBJECTIVES
The objects of the Club shall be the objects of the Amateur Swimming Association and in particular in the furtherance of these objects:
2.2 The club is committed to treat everyone equally within the context of their activity, regardless of sex, ethnic origin, religion, disability or political persuasion.
2.3 The club believes that the welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility and that all children and young people have a right to have fun, be safe and be protected from harm.
2.4 The club shall in accordance with ASA laws adopt the ASA child protection procedures; and
2.5 Members of the club shall in accordance with ASA laws comply with the ASA Child Protection Procedures
3.1 AFFILIATIONS
The Club shall at all times maintain affiliation to the Northumberland and Durham Counties Amateur Swimming Association and shall not commit any act or take any decision which could lead to the expulsion or suspension from the Association
3.2 The Management Committee shall have the authority to join the Club with any local Association of Swimming Clubs or any similar body, provided that any such body is in accord with rule 2.1, and that they are accepted by the Northumberland and Durham Counties Amateur Swimming Association.
However, any such amalgamation would require the full approval of the Management Committee before taking place.
4.1 MEMBERSHIP
There shall be four classes of membership:-
4.2 Applications for membership shall be made in writing to the Management Committee and shall be accompanied by the annual subscription. The Management Committee shall have absolute discretion in the acceptance or rejection of each application. The reason for rejection to be given in writing to the applicant, if requested.
4.3 The Management Committee shall have the power to temporarily suspend or restrict in any way it feels necessary the admission of new members.
4.4 Only bona fide members who are not in arrears with their fees shall represent the Club at gala events.
4.5 Any member wishing to resign from the Club shall give due notice of their intent, in writing to the Management Committee before 31st December in the last year of membership.
5.1 CHAIRMAN
The Chairman shall be elected annually and shall hold office for one year, after which period there shall be another election (subject to the condition of rule 8.4)
5.2 The Chairman shall be a member of the Management Committee and be a member of all sub-committees formed by that body.
5.3 The Chairman shall take the chair at all meetings at which he is present. In his absence, the meeting shall elect a stand-in Chairman.
6.1 SECRETARY
The Honorary Secretary shall be elected annually and shall hold office for one year, after which period there shall be another election (subject to the condition of rule 8.4).
6.2 The Honorary Secretary shall act under the direction of the Management Committee, it’s sub-committees and at all times in accordance with this Constitution.
6.3 The Honorary Secretary shall be a member of the Management Committee and may be a member of all sub-committees, formed by that body.
6.4 The Honorary Secretary or an appointed Committee Member shall record the proceedings of all meetings of the Club and it’s committees and shall provide minutes of meetings as required by those meetings and shall distribute those minutes as directed.
7.1 TREASURER
The Honorary Treasurer shall be elected annually and shall hold office for one year, after which period there shall be another election (subject to the condition of rule 8.4).
7.2 The Honorary Treasurer shall be a member of the Management Committee and be a member of all sub-committees formed by that body.
7.3 The Honorary Treasurer, or a member appointed by the Committee, shall receive, on behalf of the Club, all moneys due and shall give a receipt for all such sums.
7.4 The Honorary Treasurer, or member appointed by the Committee, shall pay all liabilities incurred by the Club in the normal course of it’s activities and shall obtain receipts where appropriate.
7.5 The Honorary Treasurer, or member appointed by the Committee, shall at all times maintain full records of all income and expenditure appropriate to the Club in such a form as the Honorary Auditors shall require. He shall provide for the information of the Management Committee at intervals not exceeding three months, summaries of the Club accounts, these being reflective of the financial state of the Club at that date. After the end of each Club year the records and summary of accounts for the year ended shall be made available for audit within twenty-eight days.
8.1 MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
The business of the Club shall be conducted by a Management Committee consisting off:-
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Chairman
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Honorary Secretary
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Honorary Treasurer
Chief Coach (holding voting rights unless employed by the Local Authority)
Four other members, to be elected annually.
8.2 If any Club Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, or other elected Committee Member cease, for any reason, to hold office during the year, the Management Committee shall have the power to co-opt members to the Management Committee to act in their place until the next annual election.
8.3 The Management Committee shall have the power to appoint sub-committees to consider and/or advise on various aspects of Club affairs and to co-opt other Club members, not on the Management Committee, to such subcommittees.
8.4 The Management Committee shall have the power to suspend or expel any member who infringes the rules of the Club, who acts in a way likely to bring the Club into disrepute, or who is judged guilty of conduct rendering them unfit to belong to the Club. Any member against who this rule is brought into force shall be given at least seven days written notice, by the Honorary Secretary, summoning them to come before the Management Committee. The notice shall state the nature of the compliant brought against the member, who shall have the right to explain and attempt to justify their actions. A two-thirds majority of those present and voting shall be required to suspend or expel the member. Each member shall have one vote, however for the purpose of this rule only the Chairman shall have the casting vote. The Club Chief Coach shall have the right to suspend a swimmer on a verbal warning for a period of up to seven days.
8.5 The Management Committee shall have the right to authorize the payment of grants towards the cost of any member attending Amateur Swimming Associated or other approved courses of instruction.
8.6 The Management Committee will determine the Annual Membership fee paid by each member and the extra fees paid by swimming members.
8.7 An Emergency Committee shall consist of at least three of the following:- The Chairman, the Honorary Secretary, the Honorary Treasurer, any one other member of The Management Committee, any four of which shall form a quorum. This Committee shall have the power to deal with all matters of urgency and it’s decision will be binding on the Club until the next meeting of The Management Committee to which they shall report their actions.
8.8 Nominations for the election of officers and members of The Management Committee, proposed and seconded by fully paid up members of the Club, must be submitted to the Honorary Secretary at least seven days before the Annual General Meeting.
8.9 Officers and members of The Management Committee will be required to be members of the Club before election to the Management Committee.
9.0 SWIMMING COACH
The Management Committee shall have the power to appoint a Swimming Coach. This position shall continue until the holder resigns or the appointment is terminated by The Management Committee.
10.1 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The Club year shall end on 31st August and the Annual General Meeting shall be held within three months of this date.
10.2 The Annual General Meeting will elect the officers of the Club and The Management Committee members.
10.3 The Annual General Meeting will appoint two Honorary Auditors to audit the accounts of the Club.
10.4 The Annual General Meeting will receive annual reports from:-
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The Chairman
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The Honorary Secretary
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The Honorary Treasurer
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The Swimming Coach
10.5 If an election is necessary, the Honorary Secretary shall arrange for two or more tellers to count the vote of the fully paid up members.
11.1 EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING.
An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called by ten fully paid up members giving notice in writing to the Honorary Secretary with a full
explanation of their reasons for calling such a meeting. The matter will then be submitted to the following meeting of The Management Committee, if the matter cannot be mutually resolved the Honorary Secretary will call an Extraordinary General Meeting of all the members of the Club within fourteen days. The Extraordinary General Meeting will have the same binding powers upon the Club as the Annual General Meeting.
12.1 AUTHORITY OF THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
The Management Committee, between it’s election at one Annual General Meeting and it’s retirement at the next, shall have the authority to make any executive decisions it considers necessary in the best interests of the Club.
13.3 The Management Committee may delegate to it’s officers the authority to carry out such duties as are necessary for the day to day operation of the club.
12.3 The Management Committee will normally meet at monthly intervals throughout the year.
13.1 DISSOLUTION
A resolution to dissolve the club shall only be proposed at a General Meeting and shall be carried by a majority of at least three- quarters of the members present and entitled to vote.
13.2 The dissolution shall take effect from the date of the resolution and the members of the committee shall be responsible for the winding-up of the assets and liabilities of the club.
13.3 Any property remaining after the discharge of the debts and liabilities of the Club shall be given to a charity or charities or other non-profit making organisation nominated by the last committee.
14.1 ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The members acknowledge that these rules constitute a legally binding contract to regulate the relationship of the members with each other and the club.
This constitution was approved by the club at its Annual General Meeting on 9th November 2005.
A PDF downloadable version of the Club Constitutions can be found here.