Club Constitution

LAST REVISION AGM – JULY 2019

1. NAME
The name of the Society shall be Christchurch Amateur Radio Society (CARS) hereafter referred to as the ‘Society’.
2. FORMATION
The Society shall be considered to have been formed on the 13th of November 1997.
3. OBJECTIVES
The Society may be affiliated to such societies and organisations as decided by the Committee and shall endeavour:
a) To draw together all those who are interested in Amateur Radio, electronics and associated subjects, providing such facilities as it can to promote these activities.
b) To encourage safety and courtesy amongst all Members and to further the interests and aims.
c) To afford Members with information, advice and assistance on matters connected with their hobby including such benefits and economies as it may be possible to arrange.
d) To arrange social, recreational and competitive activities connected with the interests of Members and to provide facilities where possible for the use of Members.
e) To afford support as appropriate to such organisations that give benefit to the Society.
4. MEMBERSHIP
The Membership shall consist of:
a) Full Members over the age of 18 (eighteen)
b) Honorary Members as described in Rule 11
No one can take part in events unless he or she has been duly elected as a Member of the Society or
by specific invitation of the committee.
All Members shall pay an annual Membership fee to cover the running costs of the Society as
decided at the Annual General Meeting.
5. MANAGEMENT
The Society shall be managed by an Executive Committee of a minimum of 6 (six) Full Members hereafter called the ‘Committee’. The Committee shall consist of a Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and a minimum of 2 (two) and maximum of 4 (four) Members. The authority and responsibility for the transaction of the business of the Society shall be vested in the Committee. The Committee are empowered to act in all matters in furtherance of the objectives for which the Society is established other than those exercised by the Society at an Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting.
6. ELECTION OF OFFICERS OF THE COMMITTEE
The Members of the Committee shall be elected annually at the Society’s Annual General Meeting.
Any full or honorary Member of the Society shall be eligible for election to the Committee subject to continuous membership of at least two years. Retiring Committee Members shall be eligible for re-election.
The Committee shall be empowered to co-opt other members as they deem necessary.
7. VOTING AT COMMITTEE MEETINGS
Each Committee Member present at a meeting shall be entitled to exercise one vote. The Chairman shall not vote except in the exercise of a casting vote.
8. ABSENCE FROM COMMITTEE MEETINGS
Any Committee Member absenting himself or herself from three consecutive Committee meetings without sufficient reason shall be understood to have resigned his or her position on the Committee.
9. MEETING OF COMMITTEE
The Committee shall meet monthly or whenever summoned by the Secretary in accordance with standing orders. A minimum of four Committee Members is required to form a quorum. Minutes of meetings shall be taken by the Secretary or by a nominee appointed by Members of the Committee.
The minutes shall be presented at the following meeting of that committee for confirmation.
Individual Members may approach the Committee with a valid reason to attend any meeting.
Alterations to the list of members shall be reported at committee meetings.
10. FINANCE
A petty cash fund shall be maintained by the Treasurer or Secretary for day-to-day expenses.
The accounts shall be audited at the end of May by a person independent and not related to the Treasurer duly appointed by the Committee. The Auditor must not be a Member of the Society.
11. APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP
All applications for Membership of the Society shall be made on the approved application form which must be signed by a proposer who must be a full Member.
The Committee shall be empowered to award Honorary Membership to persons so deserving.
12. MEMBERSHIP FEES
A Membership fee is to be paid by all Members. Any individual Membership fee may be altered by a majority decision of the Committee. The amount of the Membership fee to be decided at the Annual General Meeting as detailed in Rule 13.
13. PAYMENT OF MEMBERSHIP FEES
The Committee shall be empowered to adjust the Membership fees as it sees fit provided that any proposed adjustment secures approval by a 2/3rd majority of those present at an Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting.
The Membership fees will be reviewed at the Annual General Meeting.
Payment of the Membership fee set shall be within one calendar month of the Annual General Meeting or the rate being adjusted.
Members joining after six months of the Societies financial year need only pay 50% of the Membership fee at the discretion of the Committee
The Membership Card shall act as a receipt for the annual Membership fee.
14. NON-PAYMENT OF MEMBERSHIP FEES
Use of the facilities shall be terminated if payment of Membership fees is not made within two calendar months following the date on which payment became due.
15. USE OF SOCIETY NAME AND ADDRESS
The name and address of the Society shall not be given by a Member as his address for any trade, advertising or business purposes or in conjunction with any legal proceedings unless instructed by the Committee.
16. THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The Annual General Meeting of the Society shall be held in the month of June or July each year upon a date and at a time to be fixed by the Committee. The Secretary shall give at least 21 days notice of such a meeting. Members wishing an item to be included on the Agenda must request such in writing, signed by at least two Members, to the Secretary at least 10 (ten) days prior to the date of such Meeting.
At the Annual General Meeting the Membership shall:
a) Receive reports of the activities of the Society during the said year.
b) Receive from the Committee a full statement of accounts duly audited showing the receipts and expenditure for the previous year.
c) Elect Officers and Members of the Committee.
d) Set a Membership fee rate for the following year.
e) Decide on any resolutions which may be duly submitted to the meeting.
17. EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETINGS
An Extraordinary General Meeting may be convened by direction of the Committee or on a requisition to the Secretary stating the business for which the  extraordinary General Meeting is required signed by not less than 50% or five Members whichever is the greater. If the meeting so requisitioned is not convened within 21 days the said Members may convene such a meeting. 25% of the Membership shall form a quorum. At least 10 days notice of all Extraordinary General Meetings shall be given but the non-receipt of such notice shall not invalidate the proceedings.
18. VOTING
Voting at Annual or Extraordinary General Meetings shall be by show of current Membership Cards.
Each Member may exercise one vote. The Chairman shall not vote except in the event of a casting vote. At all General Meetings, except as provided in Rule 24, a majority of votes decides a resolution.
19. NOMINATIONS FOR ELECTION TO COMMITTEES
Nominations for election of Officers and Members of the Committee at the Annual General Meeting should be received by the Secretary prior to the opening of the meeting. Nominations received by post or e-mail from Members unable to attend may be accepted as one vote for such nominees.
Nominations must be signed by two Members acting as proposer and seconder and have the prior agreement of the nominee.
20. LOSS OR DAMAGE
a) Members will report loss or damage to any Society equipment or property to the Secretary or any Society Officer immediately after the event or occurrence.
b) In the event of wilful damage to Society equipment and/or Society property the Members judged to be responsible shall be obliged to pay an amount decided by the Committee which shall be approximately equal to such repair or replacement charges as cannot be claimed under insurance.
21. CONDUCT
Members are expected to have mutual respect for the views, actions and privacy of others and desist from behaviour that could result in offence. Any such behaviour should be reported to a Committee member immediately.
Members in breach of these rules or judged to have brought the Society into disrepute shall be expelled from the Society at the discretion of the Committee.
21. COPIES OF CONSTITUTION
Every Member shall be furnished with a copy of the Society Constitution on election to Membership.
22. DISSOLUTION
The Society may be dissolved by an Extraordinary General Meeting. The meeting may be convened by direction of the Committee or on the requisition of a majority of Members. If the resolution of dissolution were duly passed the Committee shall forthwith liquidate the affairs of the Society.
If there were any surplus assets on realisation these may be offered to the current Members providing they have held Membership for the last two full Membership years.
23. OMISSION
Any matter not provided for in the Constitution shall be dealt with by the Committee.
24. LIABILITY
The Society will not be held responsible for any accident or injury arising out of use or misuse of any equipment either on loan to a Member or in use at the Society’s premises and/or at any events organised by the Society.
25. DATA PROTECTION AND PRIVACY
The Society’s membership data is managed by a separate Privacy Policy document. Each member must sign and date a copy annually and choose how they wish their personal information to be stored and/or shared.
26. LOAN AND HIRE OF SOCIETY EQUIPMENT
a) Any Member of the Society may borrow equipment on the authority of 2 (two) Committee Members.
b) The Committee Members will determine the deposit amount, the loan donation and period of loan.
c) Proof of insurance must be provided by the borrower.
d) Radios are not available for loan or hire.
27. PUBLIC LIABILITY AND ASSET INSURANCE
a) Public Liability Insurance is to be arranged on an annual basis.
b) Equipment Insurance is to be arranged on an annual basis to cover any single piece of equipment valued in excess of £100 (new value).
28. CAPITAL EXPENDITURE
All capital expenditure in excess of £750 gross (per single item or service) must receive the approval of the Committee and the Membership.